Christmas Fun

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest where a basket is filled with 24 same gifts/activities. I decided to do that with our girls.  

Day 1

Christmas PJs

They are pink with Santas, Trees, Snowman, and Deer all over them.

Day 2

Mallory only asked for a Daisy Duck. Tessa however asked for half a page worth of stuff. We will see what Santa brings!

Day 3

My grandma Peggy lives in a care facility. We decorated her room and had brownies with her for family night. We also sang some Christmas songs.

Day4

Some how my notes got in the wrong envelope or I doubled up but today we are making a treat not cookies. We will be baking Self-Frosting Nutella cupcakes. I can’t wait to try them.

Day 5

The girls unwrapped Madagascar Christmas, the movie, as their gift today. They watched it instead of cartoons this morning.

Day 6

Make a snowman! Using our pumpkins from Halloween.

Day 7

The girls unwrapped 3 Christmas books. They were most interested in Arthurs’s Christmas.

Day 8

Tessa was most excited about this treat but neither girl finished all of their drink.

Day 9

Go see Temple Lights

Day 10

Go buy gifts for cousins and friends—Tessa understood the purpose was to give to someone else but Mallory sat on the floor looking at all the princess stuff.

Day11

Tessa picked 10 friends to deliver cupcakes to.

Day 12

Christmas coloring books

Day 13

Christmas books

Day 14

 

Day 15

Frosty the Snowman Movie

Day 16

Make sugar cookies and decorate

It was messing but lots of Fun!

 

Day 17

Sort through old toys and donate

Day18

Have Hot Chocolate before bed

Day 19

Paint a Snowflake…Tessa had fun with this but Mallory didn’t want to do it.

Day 20

Make Reindeer Food

Day 21

Wrap gifts for Grandparents and Cousins…it was more me than the girls

Day 22

Make Nativity…this was a form set but complicated to put together, instead of a project for Tessa it became a project for me

Day23

Look at Christmas lights around town

Day 24

Go to Temple Visitor Center …saw the Nativities from different places and watched the Luke 2 video

The fun things you find on Pinterest!

I saw this really cute idea for a wreath on Pinterest. It was a strand of Christmas lights and then ribbon had been tied to it. I loved the idea but tweaked it.

  

 

 

 

I think it turned out SUPER cute.

 

Tessa had fun helping me.

Night Before Thanksgiving Nightmare

We were able to enjoy 2 Thanksgiving dinners this year. I was super excited that we could make it to both without feeling rushed. However, the food preparation for Thanksgiving was anything but smooth and easy.

1. First, i had to make a Pretzel Jell-O salad –super yummy if you haven’t had it before. I mixed the crushed pretzels with the sugar only to realize that i had added 1 cup too much. I didn’t have enough pretzels to try again so i had to go to the store on Thanksgiving Eve…not where i should have been given my mood.
2. Next, i made a chocolate crème pie for my girls because they don’t like fruit pies. I was on a roll and then as i was pouring the pudding into the crust i realized that it was missing the milk…aka why the pudding was too thick. so i proceed to scrap out the pudding , add the milk, remix and put into the crust again.
3. Third, i made a pumpkin Bundt cake. Everything was going well until i went to take the cake out of the oven and realized that the oven wasn’t on. It had sat in the oven for 50 mins without baking…it was at this time that i stabbed the bell pepper i was cutting up and wanting to cry.

On top of all this i was making dinner…note to self PIZZA on Thanksgiving Eve. Luckily, Mark came to the recue and helped me…he took that girls and got the heck out of the kitchen. He also peeled and cooked the 20 lbs of potatoes i had to make on Thanksgiving. In the end it was a wonderful Thanksgiving and the food was delicious. Until next Year!

BOO …it’s halloween!

 

  

 

Thanks to my friend Carla for the cute costume idea!

October Fun

We took the girls to Schnephf Farms.

  First ride we did!

 

 

We rode this Dump-like ride at least twice. Tessa couldn’t get the ride to go high enough. Mallory loved it too.

Mallory was disappointed that she couldn’t ride the roller coaster or swing ride like Tessa and daddy.

 

 

The girls liked the animals. Mallory wanted to touch the cow but we couldn’t reach it.

We also rode a bike through the trees with the girls twice. Mark and my legs were sore the next day. They jumped on these inflatable balloons. We also saw part of a dog show.

It was such a great family fun activity!  Both girls were ready for all the rides and fun. It was SO worth the cost.

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The girls with their hair in rollers. Mallory must do what her sister does.

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It was also Mallory’s 2nd birthday! Daddy made rainbow waffles foe breakfast.

 

 

 

Mallory got princess polly pocket dolls, a barbie mermaid, a minnie mouse blanket and shoes. She loved all of it so much that is made sharing difficult.

SEPTEMBER

Well, this month is usually a busy one in our family and this year proved no different. It started with my birthday on the 10th. I am officially 29 years old. I am totally okay with it and really not scared or dreading turning 30 next year. Mark got me a day spa gift certificate and i can’t wait to use it. Mark’s mom took me to get a pedicure (we share the same birthday) and that was so fun. The girls got me a gift card to Hobby Lobby and I went Wild! I also got other wonderful gifts from family and friends. So thank you!

 

Mark also had his birthday this month. He turned the big 3-0…30! He had a little trouble with it but I and others tried to remind him that it is not the end….my dad put it best… “you are only 30 once” :)  I planned a surprise party for him. He got lots of QT gift cards (which will be put to good use) and a remote control airplane from me, his parents and my parents. He loves it!!!

We also decided to tackle some home projects this month. Mark took a week off work (his b-day week) and he went to work while I kept the girls from helping.

He put a screen door on the kitchen door. I am looking forward to cooler nights and being able to enjoy them without getting bugs in the house.

 

Mark painted this bench that sits by our front door. I have had it forever!

 

He painted my hall cabinet doors. Now they match the hall bathroom cabinets.

 

   I was also done with the red in my family room so my amazing husband painted it for me. I LOVE the color!

 

He dug out this planter in the front yard and the girls and I planted flowers. I hope now that I can get them to grow!  I am not a gardner!

 

We also finally got our backyard planter done. Mark and my dad laid the brick wall about 6 months ago. So over the week we planted a plant, bordered the plants, and laid the rock. I was so sore after helping Mark with the rock. I was in pain for a good day and a half.

We still have some trim painting to do in the house and some outside house paint to do but that is planned for next week when it is a little cooler.  It was lots of work by Mark but he and I are super happy with what was accomplished. Mark and I enjoyed working  together on the projects.

Things that we do at our house????

I had to post these pictures (i will probably get in trouble) . But our family likes to play hide and seek in the house. It is very fun and even more fun when you hear the girls giggling from their hiding spot. But the other day Mark tried some NEW spots.

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Yes, all 3 of them are in the dog house… they smelled so bad and now Mallory thinks that is the best place.

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He also decided that he could fit…..He did not fit!

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I think we better stick with the usual spots.

1st day of Preschool

 

  Tessa started preschool at our neighborhood school today. She will go 4 days a week.

   This morning she was more nervous which made me in a mode because of my emotions about the day. But all ended happy!

 

   Tessa walking into class. She was all smiles.

Mark’s Sweet Ride

So after coming home from the mountains, we had to take our van into the dealer. It needed serviced and Mark thought the transmission was being weird. He was right! The van needed a bering replaced.

Luckily, all under warranty!

 

But look at what my husband gets to drive around!

 

2012 Volkswagen Passet

 

Needless to say, Mark is in love and getting extremely spoiled. It will be a hard transition back to his regular ride (2000 Nissan Altima).

Big Lake Adventure

This year for our family vacation we went camping for 6 days in the White Mountains. Unfortunately, Mark was only able to be up there 3 of the 6 days because of work. So we made the most of our time together and I counted the minutes until he came back.

              

We went through Globe and New Mexico to get to the White Mountains. On our way, we wanted to stop at the Catwalks in New Mexico but it was closed due to flash flood warnings. It would have been helpful if the website had said that!…but the drive was beautiful.

The girls did really great in the car and finally fell asleep at the perfect time.

Our tent!

But we only stayed in it for two nights because that was all Mark was there for. The rest of the time the girls and I stayed in the trailer with my parents.

The girls had so much fun playing with their cousins! By the end of the day Tessa and Mallory were exhausted and filthy dirty. Each morning they were ready to start again!

   

When Mark came back up, we took the girls crawdad fishing and for a ride in the Rhino. Mallory loved the fishing and Tessa liked it from afar but both girls loved the Rhino ride. Especially when Daddy drove fast.

 

Picking flowers!

 

 

 

Tessa got really good at playing Go Fish with her Papa O.

She looks like a card shark with the hat!

Papa O and the girls

 

After 6 days in the mountains, this was a great sight!

We came home through Salt River Canyon. It was a beautiful drive, I had never been before and it was much faster!!

All in all, we had a wonderful vacation even if it was less than ideal because of Mark’s work schedule.

And in 2 years, I will be ready to go camping again :)