Christmas Advent Project

I was talking with my sister about the advent calendar we had as children. I told her I had made a similar one with a Nativity theme a few years ago. I'm posting a photo so she could see what it looks like. If anyone is interested in making one of these I can email you the pictures. I scanned these cute pictures from a Nativity storybook. Then I printed them on iron-on transfer paper. I transferred it onto felt (felt sticks to felt--like flannelboard and requires little to no sewing). I made a background stable on a larger piece of felt. I also sewed pockets onto the larger piece. Each pocket is numbered and holds one of the nativity pictures. Every day in December they pull one picture out of the pocket and put it on the stable. My kids love this!

Twilight!!

I did it! I went to Twilight at midnight last night! IT WAS AWESOME! I loved it! I can't wait to go again! Kristen Stewart was the perfect Bella. And Robert Pattinson, while not my ideal Edward (and let's face it--who could live up to that ideal, anyway?..That is, I mean besides Nate, of course) came pretty darn close! Ah, the romance... Thanks for going with me Angie and Sierra! And it was fun being with so many cousins! Anyone ready to go again, like tonight?

2008 Family Photo

In September we went up Provo canyon to get an updated family picture taken. The colorful autumn leaves were so pretty and the kids were mostly agreeable (picture time can be so stressful, but it went okay)!

Halloween!

We did some fun Halloween things last week!

On Monday for family night, we carved our Jack-O-Lanterns!

Emily couldn't make up her mind about what she wanted to be for Halloween. She chose four or five different things and kept changing her mind. So for Halloween, she was a Japanese girl at school...

...and a baby for trick-or-treating!

Sarah had no problems deciding. She was a rock star! Cute, huh? You can't see it, but her shirt says (in sparkly letters no less) "Today I want to be a rock star"!

Eliza was a beautiful butterfly and Skyler was Tigger during the day...

(Isn't he just DARLING?!)

(And so's she!)

...But they were a giraffe and lion for trick-or-treating!

We had a great time! After trick-or-treating around our neighborhood, we went to our friends house and had a bonfire and drank hot chocolate. The kids then watch a Scooby Doo Halloween movie while the parents visited. This was such a fun Halloween. I loved that it didn't get dark until AFTER we started trick-or-treating, and it was so warm! The kids didn't need coats at all. Even the warm costumes were probably too warm! I can't believe it's already November. This year has just flown by!

Applesauce, continued

As promised, here is another picture from the applesauce factory. April, Angie, and I are hard at work making those 16 dozen quarts of applesauce! Yum, yum! (We also had help from Summer and Amanda, but didn't get pictures with them.)

Separation Angst

Skyler, four months old

Yes, we are experiencing some separation woes. No, it is not Skyler that is upset, it is me! We have moved him into his own bedroom at night because he started sleeping through the night, (and it was just time). But it is so hard for me to be separated from my baby! I find myself checking on him and giving him kisses several times before I go to bed (he sleeps peacefully through it all). First thing in the morning I go straight to his room and check to make sure he's still breathing. I have such a hard time being separated from him. Amazing how your life can change so completely in just four months!

St George

Last week we went to St George for fall break with some of Nate's family. It was so much fun! We went to see Brigham Young's winter home, the Jacob Hamblin home, the Pioneer museum, Snow Canyon, Silver Reef Ghost Town, and the St George Temple/visitors' center. We also went to the Tuacahn, Nate went to see the musical Big River, and Emily and I went to Les Miserables. It was awesome! We had such a good time! The kids loved going swimming and watching the Disney Channel at the hotel (yes, I do believe those were their favorite parts--swimming and tv), Nate loved chasing lizards, and I loved eating in restaurants!

Nate's favorite hobby, lizard catching

Emily took this shot of the temple for her Reflections project.

Here's Skyler, looking cool in his hat in Snow Canyon.

What a bunch of cuties!