Christmas Excitement

The highlight of the boys Christmas....

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Elf Yourself

Thanks Spencer and Heather for the fun idea..check out our elves!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1499372595

REASON FOR THE SEASON

If you scroll down a couple of posts, you can see the invitation we gave to some of our neighbors inviting them to family night. Well, that was last night and it turned out really well. When they got here, we explained to them that our church encourages us to do family night every week and this is why we had invited them over on Monday night. We sang a song and then started the mini pageant. The kids had fun (so did the grown-ups) and did really well much to my surprise. Then we had them all sit down and we showed them The Nativity and then had a closing song and refreshments. I sent them home with wooden mangers I had made along with a bag of straw to put in the manger when you did something nice. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and said we should make this a yearly tradition!!!

MORE SNOW DAY

Got some scrappin' done!

SNOW DAY!!

Last night we got our first snow storm of the year.....

and can you believe it, after only about 3-4 inches they canceled school!!!!

Finally a snowplow!

Kara watching from the sidelines

All rosy cheeks and smiles!

Bear Lake

I finally am getting some scrap booking done from Bear Lake again....I love this picture of all you dirty bikers!

You're Invited

This year we decided to do something a little different for a party for our neighbors. In the past we've had them over to dip homemade chocolates, help us tie fattigmans or just come for games. This year we have invited our neighbors over for a nativity play. All of the kids will take part in acting out Luke II. Should be interesting. I was really nervous about giving out invitations, because I wasn't sure what the response would be. I was surprised when everyone we invited said they would like to come!!!!

If any of you are in town you can come too! :)

Putting up Christmas

My favorite part about Thanksgiving is the day after...when I get to put up Christmas!! We spent all day Friday putting up all the trees, lights (inside and out), and decorations! It was fun!

No, we are not moving...just all the Christmas boxes!

Putting up the "boys" tree in the upstairs hallway

Ben showing off the ornament that he made at family night last week

Chris stringing the lights on the "boys" tree
(we have a deal, I don't get to tell them where to hang things on this tree,
and they don't touch my tree)



"My tree" waiting to get the ornaments and stuff on it

The stairway

THANKSGIVING

Since none of our family thought it would be a good idea to visit us for Thanksgiving (shame on you!), we were invited to our next door neighbor's house to eat (are you feeling guilty now?). We had a great time with them! Their son brought his Wii over, so Chris and Josh were in heaven and Ben had Kara (the little girl I babysit) & her cousin Owen there to play with so he was happy as well. Here's the fun...

Ben, Kara and Owen

Josh's favorite part....dessert!

Chad feeling more at home at the kids table.


We had our neighbors over a couple of weeks ago for dinner and Chris folded all the napkins. She was so impressed that she asked him to fold them all for this table also...
he did a pretty good job!

Chris and Josh in heaven with the Wii!

Padewan Training Camp

I finally got some scrapbooking done today. This is Josh's party. The invitations invited the kids to come to Padewan Training camp. When they got here, they had to do a short quiz and when they were done they got a star wars bracelet letting them into the Jedi Training Camp. They used glow sticks--you know light sabers! to balance balloons on. When they mastered that, they got to make their own lightsaber (because all Jedi's make their own lightsabers!). We used foam pool noodles and duct tape. They loved it. After their lightsabers were built, they got to go outside and have a battle. It was a big success!

I don't know what's up with the colors....I uploaded it 3 times and still bad colors. Frustrating! So here is the non-scrapped picture...

BOBBLE HEAD

Ben was having fun wearing Chris's Darth Vader mask...

we think he looks like a bobble head with it on!

SPIT WAD TRIVIA

Family night can be a little interesting sometimes in a house of all boys. For family night on Monday, we did Spit Wad Trivia. The boys loved it! I think is was one of our more successful family nights. The boys got to shoot spit wads through a straw and try to hit numbers on a board. They then had to answer a question(gospel related) that corresponded with the number. The one that answered the most correct won!

BEN'S BIRTHDAY

Ben celebrated the big 4 last Friday. We had fun with a little tiny party during the day, Applebees that night and then the best part...PRESENTS!!! Here are some of the highlights....

Ben wanted a party like so we invited a few friends over for lunch and cupcakes that day. Here are his friends Kara and Sam

He loved his Star Wars cake!

Geo Trax from Grandma Thomas

Opening the Geo Trax

Cars racetrack from Grandma Rappleye

Castle from Mom & Dad (knights from Chris & Josh)

Playing with all the new toys (notice Chris & Josh can't leave them alone either!)

CARVING PUMPKINS

Amost forgot to put the pumpkin photos up. Here they are...

Ewww! Pumpkin guts! (life with all boys, what can I say!)

Josh did not want to touch it at first...

But then he got into it (literally!)

Busy carving..

That's about as close as Ben would get to his pumpkin all night!

Max checking out the pumpkins

Showing off their pumpkins!

Cool pumpkins!

Ben ended the night with a BANG (literally)...he was jumping on the bed.

Check out the goose egg he got!