Grandma & Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa came for a visit the first weekend in December, 

which was WONDERFUL!!!

We shopped for Christmas gifts, watched holiday movies, attended Journey Through Bethlehem, streamed a ballet performance of The Nutcracker, made graham cracker trains, watched The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, went to Kaylee's piano recital, ate treats, and read LOTS of Christmas books.

"Journey Through Bethlehem" is an annual Christmas event carried out by a number of church groups in Huntsville, TX (which is about an hour from us). I was very impressed and will definitely be returning in future years.

You start out in a big room with Roman soldiers and tax collectors and census takers. You progress through to hear from some shepherds, then out to the shepherd fields, where they angels appear to them. Then one of the shepherds leads you to Bethlehem. The event takes place at the fairgrounds, so there's a huge area set up to resemble the Bethlehem of Jesus's day - animals all over, lots of people in costume, different shops you can visit and experience, food to try, and of course a stable with the Holy Family inside. We stayed for at least 90 minutes and still hadn't done everything offered.

Kaylee lighting a candle on the menorah in the synagogue.

Brenna trying her hand at carpentry.

We were all excited that Grandma and Grandpa's trip happened to coincide with Kaylee's recital.

Thanks for coming, Grandma & Grandpa! We LOVE you!!!

Christmas Tree and Holiday Magic

We always decorate our Christmas tree the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Russ was sick in bed that night, so it got pushed off until Tuesday.

The girls loved putting up all the ornaments, 

and it looked lovely when they finished!

Thursday, December 4th was a community Christmas event 

called "Holiday Magic". 

We went last year and had so much fun 

we made sure to put it on the calendar again this year.

Brenna with Santa Claus.
The older girls were waiting in line for a different activity,
and McKell had ZERO interest in sitting on the bearded stranger's lap.

McKell LOVES snowmen this year.
(But since we live in TX none of the snowmen she knows are actually made of snow.)

Russ and Kaylee "sledding" down the ice hill created in the park.

On the "Polar Express" train ride.
(P.S. I adore this picture of K and A!)

Free hot chocolate and cookies to top off the night!

Thanksgiving in Tennessee

Thanksgiving was approaching and we were feeling a bit melancholy about being all alone. So, we decided to be spontaneous and drive 14.5 hours (one way) to Tennessee to see Russ's aunt and uncle.

We spent Thanksgiving with them each of the 6 years we were living in Delaware and we've missed them!

We left early Wednesday morning, drove and drove and drove and drove, and arrived at their house just before midnight.

McKell was a trooper through the whole trip (the other girls were awesome, as well). Pictured here you can see her "fingerpaint-with-fruit-snacks" artwork. She asked for a tissue to wipe off her sticky hands, which didn't work as well as she would have liked.

Russ's older sister and her family drove down from Chicago, so it was great to see them as well.
Brenna (4 1/2 yrs old) with James (6 1/2 yrs old)

The BEST way to cook a turkey. Seriously.

McKell enjoyed a snack of brownie topped tortilla chips. Her own invention.

These M&Ms were about the only thing McKell ate at the Thanksgiving table.
At least she enjoyed her meal!

We wish we lived closer to Janet and Allen. We adore them.

Waiting in line for a bedtime back massage from Aunt Nikki and her electric massager.

Uncle Allen's trains amaze us every time.

Janet and I always spend a few hours shopping the Black Friday sales,
and she always comes home with presents for the kids.

So Thursday and Friday were heavenly, and then Saturday morning we packed everyone up and headed home. We stayed the night in Mississippi and finished up the drive Sunday. Crazy trip. So much driving. But so worth it.

Six Flags

In November Russ and I went to Six Flags - San Antonio with some friends . . . and NO KIDS!

Russ really likes roller coasters and wanted to see if I felt the same way.

I endured most of them, but he certainly enjoyed the day a bit more than I did.

It was a little cold and rainy, which meant we were a little chilled and wet.

But it also meant the park was pretty empty. Short lines for all the rides. 

Oh yeah!

SCREAM shoots you up in the air and then goes up and down for a bit 

before dropping you straight back down. 

IRON RATTLER is a huge wooden coaster with a crazy initial drop. 

The first time we waited in the line I decided not to ride.

I wasn't going to ride the second time either, but I had promised Ashlyn I would, so I did.

(Russ took Ashlyn on the Iron Rattler over the summer, not having been on it previously, and not realizing what an intense coaster it is. Ashlyn was not a happy camper.)

GOLIATH is the park's suspension coaster. I had never been on something like it before, and I didn't actually like it. Everyone else was a fan though. They went like 5 times. And were able to sit in the very front seats for several of those trips.

There were a few other rides we went on as well. It was fun to just be with adults for a day, and not to worry about kiddie rides or keeping track of the girls and making them happy. 

Halloween Happenings

Here are some pictures from the fun Halloween stuff we did this year!

Oct. 25th - City of Bryan hosted Howl-O-Ween

at a big dog park not far from us

People were encouraged to bring their dogs (and kids) in costume 

and there was a dog parade and other activities for dogs and children.

 While the older girls waited in line to get their faces painted, McKell made friends with this giant dog. In this picture she is sharing one of her fruit snacks with him (I think she had already tasted this one to make sure it was yummy). 

Hayride

  

The driver of the tractor walked by just as Kaylee was taking our picture, 

so he decided to do a little photobombing.

Oct. 29th - Ward Halloween Party and Trunk-or-Treat

I volunteered to provide some of the cupcakes for the cupcake walk. I like doing fun holiday food things, so I found an idea online for these cute witch hat cupcake toppers made from cupcake wrappers. 

McKell surprised us all by leaving her costume and hat on the entire evening.

She did not surprise us by loving all the treats she received.

Here is Russ in his thrown-together-in-five-minutes Gru costume.

(from the movie "Despicable Me")

Oct. 30th - Halloween-themed Dinner 

(we like so many fun Halloween dinner foods, that we have to make some of them Oct. 30th and others Oct. 31st)

mummy dogs, "orange" pumpkins, and carrot fingers

Oct. 30th - Pumpkin Carving

The finished product - Jack-O-Lin the Jack-O-Lantern!

(Russ and I agree that this is our best Jack-O-Lantern yet)

Oct. 31st - Halloween

Off to Trick-or-Treat!

(all costumes based on "Despicable Me")

fluffy unicorn, Mago, Edith, and Agnes