Christmas decorating

Wednesday, Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday....

4 days of

Decorating for Christmas.

I am tired.  I am not done yet, but the mess is mostly put away.

We LOVE having our house all decked out for Christmas.  The kids comment on the decorations every year.  Tonight at dinner when we were saying our "good and bads" for the day--Paige said her good was the pretty decorations!!  That makes all the hard work worth it!!

So---
12 tubs of Christmas decorations.
40 trees ranging in size from 6 inches to 9 foot tall and I'd like to buy at least 4 more !!!
8 wreaths.
and LOTS more .....

This year our house is going to be on a Christmas open house tour, so I will do a little more than usual, but we   would do a lot anyways!  It's FUN, but it is work!!

Happy Thanksgiving and Christmas Season here we come!!!!

Fun pictures

Meg Duerksen took our family pictures a few weeks ago!!  It was cold, but I think we got some good pictures.  This is just a PREVIEW!  So, act surprised when you get your Christmas card with one of these pictures on it!!

LOVE the wall behind us!

Do not love Paige's face.  And Jaden, well he either smiles really big makes a weird face.

ADORABLE!!!!!

I told you---Jaden's huge smile!!

This was the last photo taken and Paige was COLD!!

Clothing is always a big dilemna !!  What to wear.  Paige's closet is PINK and the boys' closets are BLUE!

But, I LOVE what I came up with this time.  LOVE IT!!!  I found Paige's dress at Target, perfect....

Pink and Blue!!

I'll be putting more on here when I get the rest of them.  I am so excited!!  I love them.  I love the settings.  All these photos were taken in Newton, where Steve and I grew up--most were in a back alley, off Main Street. Fun times!!

It continues to be nearly impossible---to get ALL 3 kids to look at the camera, smile, not look goofy, not smile too big, not frown, etc.....all at the same time!!  

Crazy Hair Day

Spirit Week at School brought---Crazy Hair Day!

Tyler wanted 3 mohawks??  Where he came up with this, I don't know.

But, we did it.

3, Green, Mohawks!

Hairspray, Gel, green gel/paint, more hairspray, more gel, more hairspray....

and repeat 5 times.

When Tyler got home off the bus at 4:15, his hair had not moved one bit!!!

Halloween Party with cousins

Taylor and Mason spent the night with us on Oct. 30th so we decided to take 5 kids--6 and under--to a local church Fall Party (aka Halloween party!!)  I had seen the signs advertising for the night outside the church, but had no idea what exactly it was, if it was good, or what.  But, it was something to do and another excuse to wear our Halloween costumes.

Costumes:  

Tyler--Darth Vader, left his mask in the car, on purpose

Paige-- Princess

Taylor--cheerleader

Jaden--pablo, left his hat/head-piece in the car on accident (I htink!)

Mason--we tried to get him to wear a monkey costumer, but he wasn't having it!!

We get to the church and there was NO PARKING---literally 6 blocks or more away was the first parking place.  So, Steve dropped me and the 5 kids off at the corner.  We then had to walk through a field to get to the church.  Where did all these people come from??

I made the kids hold hands in the field.  5 kids is a lot !!!

Standing in line for the games...

We met MaryKate and her mom an dad there too.

Mason just hung out in the stroller the entire night and didn't say a word.    

He was so good!!

The petting zoo was the biggest hit.

Looking at baby chicks

Petting rabbits, holding baby chicks, dogs, a mule?, riding a pony...

Then, home to bed.

It's been awhile since we tried to get an 18 month old to sleep!  Hmmm.....

He was SO tired.  Finally we laid him in the pack and play at 10:30, opps, I think that is a little past his bed-time!  But, he just went to sleep!! 

And---I can't believe these 2 princesses actually fell asleep together in the same twin bed.  

They talked and read books for awhile, but they really did do a great job.

I moved Paige to her couch on the floor to sleep!  And, Miss Taylor ended up in my bed about 1:30 and Steve got moved to the couch!!

It was lots of fun!!  Looking forward to more sleep-overs!!!

Costumes at School

2:15pm on party day means putting on Halloween costumes in the 1st grade classroom, then a parade in the gym, followed by a PARTY in the classroom.

Tyler and Ethan

Ethan is Tyler's favorite buddy this year!!!!

**This year Tyler was a Pirate. Thanks to his cousin, Jeremy, giving us his old costume!**

In the gym--sitting as a class--waiting for the parade around the gym to start!

Parading around

I think it's so cute when the kids see us and their faces light up!!  I was towards the end of the "parade" and when Tyler finally found me, his face lit up!  I hope that look never goes away!!!  Or when I walk into his classroom, he SMILES and runs over to give me a big hug!!

The "real" Pumpkin Patch

When I told Jaden and Paige we were going to the Pumpkin Patch--they told me they had already

 been there.  I had to explain to them, that the field where the picked out a pumpkin (at school)

 was not the PUMPKIN PATCH!

When we got to the Pumpkin Patch---it was COLD!!!

We had heavy coats, hats and gloves.

 There was a giant slide that landed in the hay.

You've heard of a corn maze---that costs $$$$.

So, for FREE, you can go through the hay maze!!!   Paige loved it!  She just climbed in and out of the hay bales!  The boys loved it too---but Paige really loved walking around in the hay!!

Waiting for the hay-rack ride...we all got hot chocolate.

Grandma Balzer was the first to introduce the kids to hot chocolate!!

They were super excited to get hot chocolate, licorice, chips, and popcorn!!

Yeah, great snack, I know!

On the Hay-Rack ride....heading to the Pumpkin Patch.

Jaden took FOREVER to find the "perfect" pumpkin.  We would point out pumpkin after pumpkin.

 He just didn't know...... it took forever.

Of course, Tyler choose the BIGGEST pumpkin.  He could barely carry it.  But, pumpkins are all the same price, so go for it......

Paige of course chose the SMALLEST pumpkin.  WOW---that was an expensive per pound pumpkin!!

And, Jaden found the perfect pumpkin, the perfect size.

The kids got to feed some goats, sit on old tractors, run around, and play on a teeter-toter!!

We had a lot of fun!!

Happy Fall!!!

Jaden's pumpkin patch day

The Pumpkin Patch was brought to Jaden's class too!!

On the Trailer 

ready to go around the parking lot!! 

 It was COLD so the teacher's told all the kids to all put their hoods on!

Does he look like he's having fun or what!!!!  I'd say he doesn't care he's just.....

riding around a parking lot!!

Jaden and Mary Kate

The perfect PUMPKIN!!!  And, yes...Jaden did look at several pumpkins to find the right one!

Then we went to the classroom, put names on the pumpkins and had snack!

Sitting at the table for snack.  The few times I have peeked in the classroom during snack....

Jaden is one of the LAST ONES EATING---just like at home, no big hurry.

Pre-school rooms are so cute!!  I wish I could go to Preschool!!