first december weekend

I spent most of Friday morning getting our house clean and ready for the weekend. Adeline spent most of the day taking ornaments off the Christmas tree. I've come to just accept it knowing this will be the last time we will ever have a one year old at Christmas time. So enjoy it darling. 

Jolly, our teddy bear elf has come back and is as inconsistent as ever. But he did have a couple of fun things planned for us. We made cinnamon rolls, had our ward Christmas party, took family pictures, made chocolate chip cookies, and watched The First Presidency Devotional.

Friday night, at our ward party, we had a variety show that our family participated in. We were 'lip syncing' a family favorite from my childhood, 'The Christmas Dragnet'. It was going relatively well until the cd stopped working right at the climax. We just stood on the stage for a few awkward seconds and then I yelled out "Then Grudge believed in Santa" and we ran off the stage red faced. Rudger was in tears because he was going to be Santa at the end. Luckily, the real Santa was coming to read a story to the children, so he got to be Santa's very special helper and that totally made up for it :) We then came home and watched Vintage Christmas cartoons.

Saturday was an errand day for mom and dad. So the kids stayed home and Netflix, I mean Corbin, babysat. The boys were certain we bought Christmas presents, which we did by a few stocking stuffers, but Amazon is taking care of Christmas this year. We also cleaned the basements. Yay!

Sunday was a much needed day at home, after we got home from church. Although we did sneak away for about 11 minutes to take our Christmas card pictures. Also yay! And I've even already ordered them. That right there makes me feel like I am totally on top of everything!

Levi and Taylor played at our friends house. They spent the time over there writing mom and dad notes and baking us brownies (how cute is my friend!!) #LIGHTtheWORLD  Although Levi's note said "I know you blah blah blibbidy blahs. From Nothing." Oh third grade LEVI humor :)

Seriously the very BEST month!!

over the river and through the woods

This year we headed south to Grandma and Grandpa Morris' house for a quiet, happy Thanksgiving day. The day before the boys helped make different kinds of pie that they each wanted. I made yams in the morning. And before heading out the door, they each helped prepare the green beans. Once we got there the kids laid around reading books, colored Thanksgiving pictures, and played their tablets while we waited for Grandpa Morris to come home from work and for daddy to finish carving the turkey. 

The food was so good and we were completely stuffed, of course. So we headed across the street to the park to get a little exercise and justify eating more food. Grandpa, daddy, and Corbin played frisbee. Taylor, Levi, and Rudger played an incredibly adventurous game where they were fighting bad guys. :) And grandma, Adeline, and I just walked around soaking in the scenery. Then we rushed home to get some pie and all was right in the world.

 :: this is Justin's favorite shirt ::

 :: these two ♥♥♥ ::

 :: each person and their pie >>> banana cream, pumpkin, cherry bites, chocolate cream, lemon sour cream ::

long thanksgiving weekend

These two were oh so excited for the Thanksgiving break. They even stayed in their jammies all day in anticipation for the lazy, cozy, super long weekend ahead. We had five days of playing, staying up late, sleeping in, and not too much of a schedule!

Tuesday afternoon Levi came home with this note for his mom and dad. I was so happy and then I read the fine print half way down. I laughed so hard and couldn't wait to show Justin. (in case you can't read it...I like dad better) :)

:: checking pie recipes :: 

 :: pumpkin pie ::

 :: practicing his Christmas recital number ::

 :: coziest of weekends ::

 :: it snowed Wednesday evening and the boys were so excited that we were going to have a white Thanksgiving (although it pretty much melted by the time we got to Grandma's house the next day) ::

 :: polar express Thanksgiving night ::

 :: pie for breakfast ::

:: hike in the mountains was pretty magical :: 

 :: adeline had a tight grip of daddy's ear ::

 :: ♥♥♥ ::

 :: Corbin wanted his haircut like this, but when I showed him this picture he said no way. yes!! so we shaved it off ::

 :: after Thanksmas we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's to check out the new t.v. system. very impressive and the boys loved it! ::

:: this is where my heart is ::

It was an incredibly happy weekend with so much food, lots of family time, and tons of cherished memories. 

Coming soon: Thanksgiving day and Thanksmas!

first snow day - hardly

We really just got a trace of snow, but it was enough for our two littles to play in. We picked up some snow and threw snowballs, Adeline kept touching the snow and pulling her hands back smiling, Rudger played out there for 45 minutes and then it was pretty much melted. 

Here's to hoping we get tons and tons of snow all next month, because our boys have some serious plans of epic forts to build.

The snow was long gone by the time the boys got home from school, but that didn't stop us from having hot chocolate and bringing the Christmas tree upstairs.