Thanksgiving!! We had the feast at our house this year with my dad. The kids helped Kyle and I get everything ready. It is a lot of work. By the time we got our giant meal prepared, we were tired and not overly hungry. my assistant chef!!
I love the holidays and the opportunity that we get to celebrate with family. It is wonderful.
Kyle's parents always make gingerbread houses on this holiday, and we have adopted that tradition for the last several years. It is so fun and gives the kids something exciting to do.
Kyle came around to help after it was almost fully constructed. Better late than never!

pretty cute and colorful!and then late that night my friend Melissa and I decided to brave the after Thanksgiving shopping. When they call it "after Thanksgiving" that is what it means. Just as it is time to go to bed, the sales start! Melissa loves shopping as much as I do. We searched the adds during the day and planned our route. It would probably have been a nightmare without her there to keep me laughing. We waited in lines for hours, and we got some great deals. We didn't get home until 5:00 in the morning. That is what you call Shopping until you drop! We were pretty goofy and giggly at around 2:00, so we got a snack and geared up for some more. It was actually so much fun. I got to sleep until about 8:00 and then Kyle was ready to head to the mall to get tires on our car. I couldn't pass up another shopping trip. ha.ha I think I may have a problem!!
Two days later was a BSU game. We hadn't been able to go to one all season and I believe it was the last home game. Kyle and his friend went to it, and I took the kids out to run some errands. We ran into Santa and got to take a picture with him. It was a nice surprise.
And here is my little buddy with another big bump on his head. His head seems to always get hit. This time he tripped over a curb and landed on the cement. Poor little guy!!
And here is Lexi in my bead exhausted after some fun holiday festivities!

Fall Festivities

Our annual pumpkin pizza for Halloween. It seems like things are so busy that day, pizza is the way to go!

My dad came out trick or treating with us, while my mom passed out candy at our house. The last few months of 2011 were very hard for my family. I found out in August that my parents would be getting divorced, which tore me apart. It really broke my heart. These are two people who together made my life beautiful from the moment they took me home from the hospital, and I just couldn't imagine things any different. I was literally sick over it. Two months after learning about this, my dad was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx. I really don't know how I held it together as well as I have. I just felt like maybe I had things too easy during my life, and now it was my turn to experience some really hard times for the rest of it. I went with my dad to his appt. and I was trembling as we heard the news from the Dr., yet I tried to put on a poker face, and act like I wasn't too worried and that he would be fine. I must admit that I did a dang good job that day. It was a terrifying experience....talk about hitting rock bottom. Anyways, he wanted to spend lots of time with the kids, because he knew that he would be out of it for several months to come. We did have a great time going to around the neigborhood.
Our awesome neighbors really get into the holiday, by dressing up like pirates and sitting around their fire pit.
I love how excited my munchkins get! It is so much fun.
I also love when they share their candy with me=0)
a lady bug, a ice cream sundae, and a pirate. What a combo!!
This year we went with the painting route and it worked out good. The kids were able to participate morethe finished products
Lexi and I crashed our friends pre-school field trip to the pumpkin patch, while Kylie and Carson were at school
It was a beautiful day. That is partly why fall is my favorite season. The weather is awesome!

We can't miss the BSU parade. It is always so much fun. It was nice and sunny, and the kids get loads of candy

Love our Broncos!!
Lexi's little legs had enough walking, thank goodness for daddy!

We went to the pumpkin patch, my camera battery was on it's last leg and I only got to take a few pictures.

I know even though things have been tough, I am extremely blessed. Kyle has been amazing and so strong for me. My kids make me smile every day and I couldn't be more grateful for them. Carson includes his grandpa in his prayers every night, and I know his prayers are being answered. He and his sisters are awesome examples to me. We have wonderful family and friends who call to check on me on a regular basis. Their love and concern means the world to me. I have tears of gratitude as I am writing this. I could not get through all of this alone!!

Klamath Falls

Kylie and Carson had a few days off of school in October, and Kyle had some time off work too, so we decided it was time for a mini vacation. We went to the Klamath Falls area to visit Nonna and pop pop, and aunt Wendy too! As soon as we woke up the morning after arriving, the kids were anxious to go swimming. We saw these deer right outside the window of the pool. Very cool.

Lexi loved the kiddie pool, and it was just her size
Carson and Kylie got to practice their swimming skills in the big pool
Aunt Wendy (my sister) brought some great presents for the kids. This was her first time meeting Lexi! Kylie was attached to her from the moment she opened her presents. ha.ha
We all went out to lunch and then bowling. They had these ramps for the kids. They worked great.
Wendy, Donna ( my birth mother) and I
The next day we went to see Crater Lake. It was beautiful, and we were lucky to have such great weather. It is the deepest lake in the U.S. Carson still talks about it, and everytime he sees a mountain, he asks if it is a volcano.

My munchkins in front of the condo in their Halloween gear
Aunt Wendy taking the girls for a spin at Nonna and pop pop's cabin. They were in heaven hanging out with her. They think she is pretty special. I wish they got to see her more often.
Carson was amazing at driving this thing. He felt like such a big kid. It was super cute to see.

Catching up!

I have been behind on my posts lately, so here is a couple of months all in one.......

A picture of my kindergartners waiting for me to pick them up. I walk them to class as much as possible, and I am always sure to give them a great big kiss. I know someday that will embarrass them, so I take advantage of it now.

My Birthday! My two wonderful friends made my day. While I was dropping off my munchkins at school, they quickly decorated my house, and brought home-made cinnamon rolls. They are awesome. September was a really hard month for me........one of the hardest I have ever experienced, and I was so glad to feel so much happiness that day!
me and Keri
Me and my BBHAnother friend brought these awesome cupcakes
Kyle picked me up the coolest cake ever, and we had friends over to watch our team play!
My kids helped decorate, and even colored pictures to hang on the walls. Love them!
Kyle's parents were in town that weekend, so they also came over to celebrate with us.

Kylie and Carson's school has a walk each year, where the kids ask family and friends to sponsor them. Lexi and I went to cheer them on. Kylie takes after my athletic capabilities. ha.ha. Her friend and her held hands and walked pretty slowly the entire time. They would even stop to pick flowers. That's my girl!!

Carson on the other hand had me worried about how much I was going to have to pay. When I got there, I noticed that he was cutting across the field and making some good time. I explained to him the rules, and he went around the track after. ha.ha His face was red from working so hard. I was glad to be his cheerleader.

Here is a picture of Alexis helping her daddy with some canning.

My dad asked us to go to an Oktoberfest with him on the last day of September. Funny that they couldn't wait until October 1st to have it. ha.ha. Anyways, we had a great time. We loved the music. Lexi was especially enjoying it, and even dancing to it.

We were so entertained by this group that was dancing in a train form. It was really funny. This elderly lady in the front knew how to have a good time;0)

That same weekend, I celebrated with my Idaho B.F.F....Melissa! Her and I have so much in common. Our birthdays are exactly two weeks apart and we are the same age, our daughter's share the same birthday, we LOVE shopping and makeup, and we have a great time together. For her birthday I took her to lunch at Cafe Rio, where we can never get enough of their chicken salad! Then we went to have our makeup done at MAC. It was a fun day. Here we are showing off our makeovers, and trying not to laugh. It took a few tries to get a decent picture without us cracking up! Melissa and her seductive pose.ha.ha
Kylie, my mom and I went to the farmers market one Saturday morning, and had lunch at a cute place downtown also. I love to see the fresh flowers, and all the homemade things that are there.
Kylie and I enjoying the most delicious warm donuts with caramel dip. Kylie just looked at this picture, and said " I wish I could go to that place and get those again". I agree with her completely. I wish the same!
I love my family and friends all the fun things we are able to do together. I feel so blessed=0)