We were going to use the gingerbread house kit for FHE but Sunday we needed an after church activity so we dove into the project. I'm surprised the house was finished despite Katherine grabbing candies and eating them every chance she got.
The kids spent an evening with Santa at a company Jeff works with. They got their faces painted and sat on Santa's lap. Well, Katie wouldn't go near Santa but surprisingly Kyle jumped right up and gave a complicated but very detailed description of a flying helicopter that does this "bzzzzz" and has two missiles and so on.....I'm sure it was quoted verbatem from the barrage of toy commercials.

Once there was a snowman

The first time it snowed the snow wasn't wet enough so our snow man is a miniature. Next we made our Christmas countdown chain. I loved doing that in school. The snow stayed around long enough for the boys to sled also. Kyle thought that was so much fun.


Here is the first good snow of the year. For the first time in 3 years the snow was wet enough to pack into a snowman. Jeff and our neighbor Chad had quite a hard time getting the body on top of the base. There was a lot of grunting and blaming for the snowball not moving an inch. Our snowman's hair was made out of chocolate twizzlers--good idea huh?

Here comes Santa Claus.

Here we are putting up our Christmas Tree. The kids were actually help this year. Even Katherine has left the ornaments and presents alone. Kyle is the official Elf of Christmas. He gets very upset and is willing to write you a citation if you dare turn off the tree lights. By the way for those of you who know Jeff.........he brought the Christmas tree in the house while wearing real leather work gloves. I hope his skin hasn't developed a rash! I love you babe!!!

Here is the cutest photo shoot of our Katie Bug. How long is this little girl going to be angelic? Maybe never since her new favorite thing to do is call her enemies "poophead". This is said under her breath and while rolling her eyes. YIKES!

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Logan with my sister Anna Lisa, brother Patrick and my parents. Poor Jeffie had to spend the entire Thanksgiving holiday with no football. How long do you think the TV was on after we got home? 2 hours, 10 or 24? I'll let your imagination run away with that one. We did make it home in time to watch the BYU Utah game. Sorry Jason and Katrine!!!!!!

Here come the holidays!

Here's the boys entertaining themselves with games after church.

Grandma Clark came up to our house Thursday and we made

Christmas Candy. Kyle was eccstatic to help

make CANDY CANDY CANDY CANDY! Here he is

stirring a batch of fudge. The fudge didn't set

up very well so we now have a casserole dish

full of thick thick icing. The kids (and Jeff) don't complain they just scoop out a chunk with a spoon.

November fun

Here we are making some lovely Thanksgiving placemats on Sunday. It sure was nice to have something to do after a long day of reverence despite kid's energy. Thanks for the great craft kits Grandma Carlson!!


Here are the boys helping

Mom break open a Hubbard

squash. I didn't have a pick

axe which I think is required

for Hubbards. Yes it broke in

lots of pieces.

Also, I have no idea what Daddy did to Kate

but just look at that face!!!

Halloween Mayhem!!!

Our Halloween dinner tradition. DEAD MAN OVER WORMS!!! Yuck
Pumpkin Carving Family Home Evening. Katherine was the most daring of the kids and cleaned out all of her own pumpkin "guts".

Here are the costumes. Katie's hat only lasted long enough for the photo. Don't you think Kyle fills out this "The Thing" costume perfectly. Josh is of course of the age where he wants to be scary and bloody....Mom said scary was OK.