Geocaching

Need a fun family home evening or quick date with your spouse?

Try Geocaching.

Good times.

We had a nice lunch then ventured out to three coordinates today.

{Babysitting provided by the Fletchers.}

I found it! It was HUGE. A tub full of books and trinkets.

Aren't we adorable?

"Where could it be?"

Very sneaky.

Mike found the last one. Are you digging the expression of mock surprise as much as I am?

Who wants to double date with us next time? It would rock!

Auld Lang Syne

Happy birthday to my confetti, my little noisemaker,
the happiest little guy I know,
Nathanael.

Nate's birth story.

Festivus for the rest of us!

The whole play-by-play:
Saturday morning I was prepping my Christmas menu by making cinnamon rolls when a Festivus miracle occurred! I cracked open a rather large egg and behold, two yolks!

I was first stunned then concerned. What genetic mutation has graced my kitchen?! Flashes of FOOD INC. and Simpson’s Blinky crossed my mind then I did what any other American would… I shrugged and switched the mixer back on. Stunned. Concerned. Apathetic. Very American.

That evening we had pizza and carrot sticks while we watched a Christmas cartoon. After dinner we sang a song and had a prayer. We talked about Samuel the Lamanite, his prophecy and the protection granted him during his proclamation. Then our family acted out the scripture story, using crumpled new paper as projectiles. We each took turns being Samuel.

Caleb was sad to stop this activity, but we explained we had other things we needed to do: like hang the stockings, sing Silent Night by tree light, and kiss Mac goodbye, before the boys could open their new pajamas.

We ushered the kids to bed, then stuffed the stockings and put up our traditional snowflakes and went to bed ourselves. Mike read Hunger Games to me until I went to sleep. : )

The next morning Mike and I awoke to the shrill

“MOMMY AND DADDY!
SANTA BROUGHT ME CAN-DEE!
COME, LOOK! COME, LOOK!”

Caleb had already vaulted downstairs to claim his stocking. Unfortunately, it was not his stocking. It was MINE. He had taken a bite out of some Ferrero Raffaello that Santa had brought just for me, the stinker!
After redirecting him to his new tent and stocking, Caleb was thrilled and the coconut balls were restored.

We ate breakfast, got dressed and went to church. It was a combined meeting with the ward, full of music. I spent most of my time in the foyer with Nathanael, who was ready for his nap.

After church we went home, had leftover pizza for lunch, and opened presents.


Our friend Paul came over and had dinner with us, we played some of Caleb’s new games, and we watched the Doctor Who Christmas Special online (thanks to Mike’s tweaking abilities) - which was awesome! One of my favorites!

Overall, I give Christmas 2011 a big thumbs up! How were your festivities?

Snowpocalypse

Learn from the dinosaurs: NEVER start a snowball fight with an elf.
Mac is going back to his home at the North Pole tonight. You can tell by his latest adventure he is missing the snow (it isn't going to be a white Christmas in New England this year), especially making snow angels! He left a nice note for Caleb and Nate, telling them he loves them and reminding the boys to be good (for Caleb to "listen to mommy and daddy" and Nate that "teeth are for smiling not biting!")

Here's hoping that St. Nicholas will soon be at your place!
You all are good souls in our book! Merry Christmas!

Just in Case...

you didn't get one this year,

you'll be happy to know my inner graphic designer is alive and well. ;)
MERRY CHRISTMAS
from us.

Posts of Christmas Past

Under Where???

Half Full

My Affinity for Elf Culture

Making a List

Full

Caleb says that Santa only gets ONE of these...
if he only knew. ; )

Snowflakes have peppermint icing.
Christmas Trees are just plain vanilla.
Stars have orange-flavored icing (Mike's favorite).

I use the same cookie and icing recipe every year.
Growing up my mom would roll out and cut out sugar cookies for the holidays. The stash would last for WEEKS! Decorating took all day. Don't get me wrong, frosting cookies is fun... for the first hour... but after that you just get lazy and want the task to be done with, so you spread the icing on and fling sugar crystals at it and move on.

Now I just use a "glaze" kind of icing, so I dip one side of the cookie down in the glaze, then put in on wax paper to set. While they set I can add sprinkles and additional designs without any fuss. Way easier.

Book Club

Doodles.

Can you guess Mac's favorite movie?

DAY TWO: Monkeying Around

It took Caleb a little longer to find Mac today. ; )

Introducing "Mac"

A dear friend gave Nate and Caleb the gift of The Elf on the Shelf.
Caleb named our elf Macaroni, but we call him "Mac" for short. Pun completely intended. :)

Caleb was so excited this morning to discover Mac had disappeared from his bookshelf (the last spot Caleb saw the elf before he drifted off to sleep). He couldn't wait to clamor downstairs and find him! He was amazed to find Mac at his play table drawing in his dinosaur coloring book. Caleb hasn't stopped chattering about Mac and how "silly" his little elf is.

We stuck Mac's masterpiece on the fridge. ;)
And yes, Mac used our trove of Christmas books atop Caleb's chair to reach the table.
Sneaky little guy.

This Christmas has been so much more fun than any of our previous Christmases. Caleb's wonder makes the holiday a brighter occasion.

Picture a Stable in Judea

What we did Sunday for Family Home Evening:

Caleb asked to sing Scripture Power. Daddy gave the prayer. Caleb gave the lesson (he told us the Christmas story) and we made gingerbread stables! Simple and fun. I love it.


If you did not know, the title of this post is a reference to a song. Listen to it here. It is one of my favorites.






Gingerbread Stables/Mangers
What you need:

• Graham crackers
• can of frosting
• yellow-dyed shredded coconut for HAY
• crushed graham crackers and brown sugar for SAND
• animal crackers for the ANIMALS (add a smear of frosting and marshmallows to make fluffy sheep)
• mini peanut butter cups for *ahem* MANURE
• and any other fixin’s you want.
  
  
  (PS Could one of my Facebook friends post this on my wall? Thank you ;) )
  PPS I bet you didn't know there were elephants at the nativity, didja?
  

FABULOUS!

I blogged.
Thrice, not counting this little number. Check them out!

Passing of the Mantel

Thanksgiving Spread 2011

Another year, another bird.
we stayed home and did Thanksgiving our way. :)

Count your blessings: The years of our family members' births and the year of our marriage.

Garlic Greenbeans with bacon and cranberries, mashed poatoes, walnut stuffing, homemade rolls,
orange-cranberry sauce, canned cranberry sauce, gravy that I would bathe in,
and mock champagne (apple juice and ginger ale).
Not pictured: turkey (all of the carved meat filled a roasting pan- the bird was a 21-pounder)
and pecan pie.

46 Reasons (&11 pairs) Why I Love Freecycle

When you marry a man of a certain stature and consent to have his children, rarely do you reflect on the future body type of your offspring. This is short-sighted since you consented to incubate this child for nearly a year, push it from your body, then continue to clothe the child for the first 18-22 years of it's life.
Very short-sighted.


Three weeks ago I noticed that Caleb had finally grown into the waist of his pants. YAHOO! My rapture was short-lived though... last week, only two weeks later, I asked Caleb if he thought it was raining 'cause his pants were ready for a flood. High-water's.
That's how it goes with Caleb though. He is skinny and tall. We spend 10 months out of the year rolling over the top of his pants so they don't slide off him, then finally when they do fit they are too short. :) You can't help but laugh.
I pulled out some 4T pants from my stash (yes, I have a clothing stash) and noticed they were not as plentiful as the 5T collection, so I typed up a message on Freecycle.

1 Post. 1 Reply. 1 Trip to Franklin.

46 Articles of Clothing including: shirts, sweaters, pants, jeans, pull-overs, sweat pants, tee shirts, PJs and 11 pairs of shoes.

FOR FREE.

When it comes to family preparedness, it is the small victories, am I right?

Unedited

There's very few things I like to do. As to say, I enjoy doing. Taking pictures is just one of those things I like to do, and taking pictures of my boys? Bliss. So I neglected the loads of laundry occupying our upstairs hallway and planned on a box of ol' blue along with some apples and crackers for dinner and headed out.
Here are some shots from our outing to Oak Grove Farm, Out of 75 pictures these are the best. And, believe it or not, they are making an appearance on this blog UNEDITED.

{gasp!}

click images for a larger view