{Traditions}

Maisey and friend Lexie checked gingerbread houses off the list of traditions for the year. After having a sleepover (if you can call it that with only 4 hours of sleep) we made our annual visit to Pittock Mansion (as a mommy/daughter date). The kids are always interested in finding the hidden object (this year they counted over 100 flags since the theme was Christmas around the world). (Holding their certificates after counting)

Dates with daughters are the best (loved one for that matter)Afterwards we had dessert at Bliss, a cupcake place (super cute)!These girls have tons of fun together!Enjoy the season and all your traditions!

{Story Book Lane}

Ry's class took a field trip this week to Story Book Lane in Cornelius and Chad and I went along. I tried to take pictures of him but he would not stop running around with his friends long enough. It was SO, SO cute to see him with 19 other "friends." He honestly loves everyone, and he is such a considerate friend. Lately, he keeps talking about all the Christmas gifts he wants to buy all his friends. If only we were "Santa" Ryley, we would give to everyone!This picture didn't quite capture the real scene which involved three little girls standing around talking to him. *See the rug burn on his head? It was a bad one, and he cut it open on a trampoline... Perfect for holiday pics! Ryley told all his friends this chapel was a "temple." I think he's got the missionary spirit in him!
I thought this place was cute. It is small and it is on someones property. They've been running it since 1979, and most the scenes run on simple, rusty machinery, and there is music in the background. Chad thought it was lame, but it was festive, and free, so the school enjoys going the odd years it's open.

Not pictured off the top of my head: Beauty and the Beast, many nurser Rhymes )the old woman and the shoe, humpty dumpty, the dish and the spoon, the 3 bears), 101 Dalmatians, Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, Cinderella, and some more I know I am missing.

{Christmas Program}

Ryley's preschool had a Christmas program this week. He sang sporadically, but we were proud he got on stage and sang at all because there were families to 40 preschoolers there. They combined the classes, which made for quite a lovely melody!Afterwards Santa was there to take wishes.

I thought this face was so cute. I guess he passed the test because he earned his candy cane!

Ryley is such a sweet, loving boy! At nearly 4, he still melts my heart!

Our friends invited us to the Christmas ships last week.
Silly Nora was teasing the kids in the car with the 3-D glasses.

Poor Chad was soooo sick with the flu, he had to miss it! I told him he didn't miss much this night, but he's been wanting to go nonetheless!In the end it didn't matter who had the glasses, it was Monday night and we don't know what was the reason, but the ships went by so fast, nobody had time to put glasses on. The fleet only had 6, although many were anchored. Regardless, we love spending time with friends and it was fun.

{2 weeks in a breeze}

The last 2 weeks have been swift to say the least. On top of our very normal typical busy lives, Chad turned 37 on Dec. 1st! To celebrate we went out to dinner and did a lot of playing (miniature golf, laser tag, and zoo lights). Here is Chad modeling his santa suit (minus the belt) that he wore for my work party (thank you Mary for the loan). It was a fun office party with many of the LDS FS employees. There were tons of kids and I'm pretty sure they had a blast eating sweets, watching the Polar Express in the theatre, and playing "white elephant." The kids at the ward party story time (The Night Before Christmas and The First Christmas Story)The day after my work party, and after a very late night, we spent 8 hours at the church setting up and executing the ward party I was asked to plan. I think the estimate of 300 was as close as a person could get!The kids listening to the symbols of Christmas
The day after the ward party we made a day trip to Hood River. My niece was Clara in the Nutcracker and couldn't have been more excited! She's almost 14 and this was an especially exciting role!
On the way home is snowed. And I dozed for 15 minutes. I am still exhausted (which is totally unlike me), but the 12 hours of baking on Thursday did me in!!!
***

This Thursday is the Girl Scout Christmas craft, Friday is the class party, and then we only have one more party we're hosting! All I really have to say is, THANKYOU Pinterest for helping me pull this all off! I failed to capture pictures as the hostess, but things were truly wonderful! Party planning is oh so fun! My only regret, not getting pictures to document the memories!

{Indecisive}

After June's donation to Locks of Love, Maisey informed me she was going "long" again. But, she has been wishy-washy, and this is how her cut turned out the other day. Did you know you can still send hair in to Locks of Love, even if it isn't long enough for wigs (10"). Shorter donations are still helpful because they sell the hair (I don't want to know what it's used for) to offset costs. So this hair is headed to LOL. I am still not use to this, but she's cute no matter how she wears her hair!

{Grinch}

For the last couple months Maisey has been spending her Saturday's (and ours obviously), rehearsing for the Grinch ballet. The 4 performances took place on Black Friday and Saturday, and required her to be at the production site for 6 hours a day! Needless to say, our holiday felt short since it was consumed with dance rehearsals leading up to Thanksgiving and performances after.Maisey and best friend Lexie (A Who kids and Ornament)She had a wonderful time performing (she LOVES each dance performance and LOVES the stage) and has informed me she wants to do the Nutcracker next year. Now we're all excited for the annual Spring performances in June (Hip hop/Jazz and tap). Ryley danced the whole second half of the performance after complaining of boredom the first half. Everyday he puts on a pair of his black church shoes and asks me to watch him as he dances. He really wants to be a dancer after being at the studio with Maisey 3 days a week! In between dance, we managed to decorate for Christmas and bake our first batch of seasonal cookies. Life is sweet, real sweet!

{A THANKFUL Thanksgiving}

The holiday came and went so quickly, but more on that in the next post!

Ryley had his first "performance" at pre-school. He took Chad for his Thanksgiving feast. Ryley sang 4 songs, and told me lots of stories about the pilgrims and Mayflower when he got home. Ryley was only able to invite one parent, and I went into work so I could take more time off for the holiday. Thank goodness for video cameras, I wouldn't have wanted to miss that for anything!Here is Ryley's tepee and headband. He also made a fun necklace he enjoyed wearing all week. I was horrible at taking pictures all week, but here is what I got. On Thanksgiving morning Chad played in the Turkey Bowl. (Lucy, Sage, and Maisey)

Before getting rained out everyone enjoyed cocoa and donuts while the guys played.

Soon after drying off we traveled to Independence, Oregon to spend the holiday with my biological mother's family. We had an enjoyable time and the kids loved seeing and playing with my second cousins (8 and 6, pictured below). We see them annually, and you would think the kids were best of friends! Due to a fallen tree, the power was out for over 5 hours, but the kids made the best of it and loved when the dark fell. At the end of dinner (which was deliciously prepared in my grandparents R.V, thankgoodness for that), the power came on and the calming atmosphere was soon filled with giggling girls and dancing music from the Wii.

I was unable to find to document my overwhelming feelings of gratitude in recent weeks, so here is a short list of what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for my testimony of Heavenly Fathers plan.

I am thankful I feel love and gratitude in my heart each day and that I am able to express it all year round.

I am thankful for my family, nuclear and extended. My husband supports me and our family 100% and I couldn't ask him to be a better father. I am also thankful to our families who support and love us in all we do.

I am thankful for motherhood. For the opportunity to have and to teach my children.

I am also thankful for the gift of the atonement. Through the saviors sacrifice I am able to be forgiven, and to forgive (a gift I always say I am especially grateful for)!

I am thankful for friendship. I have amazing friends in my life who I draw strength from. Each one of them teaches me something different and for their many talents I am grateful. I appreciate acceptance and diversity and the people in my life are full of love and humility.

I am thankful for my job and for the amazing things I learn from my clients. Every single day I work, I learn something new and enriching. Some times it is through a "lost" woman, and other times the lessons might come through one on one interviews with my clients.

I am thankful for a home with modern amenities and comforts. It may be small, but it is home.

I am thankful for my job and co-workers. I love working in a place where people share the same values. At one point I thought it would be a potential drawback to work with such similar people; however, I have really learned how different people are, regardless of their beliefs (even when their entire lives revolve around their faith). When I first left DHS I literally yearned for the common dysfunctional client, but now I look forward to helping people get through their hard times (while hopefully building on their faith indirectly).

I am thankful for my education. I never planned to be in school for 7 years, but since the last 4 years have been easy and workable for me, I am going to keep trekking. We have made many, many sacrifices for my education, beyond words I would say, and although I have many goals ahead which have been set out, I have no regrets.

I am thankful for good people. The people I may and may not really no out there, who give their time to the causes they love. I love volunteer work, and any kind of service. I truly wish sometimes I didn't have responsibilities like work so I could do more. For those out there who think they don't have the time to make a difference, think again. Through a simple act of making extra dinner (while you prepare for your own family) you could bless a neighbor in need. They may literally need food, or love, or both, but you can reach out to those around you in spontaneous and loving ways.

The list goes on, but these are the things on my mind. That saying, "An attitude of gratitude" goes a long way. People who think about what they have are much healthier than those who think about what they don't. And yes, occasionally thoughts pass through my mind of my next goals to get this, and that, but mostly, I try to focus on today because I will never see it again. Above my washer a sign hangs that says, "These are the days will never forget" and while it was gifted to me, and while I do hope some times I will forget these humbling times, I am also thankful for the character they make me.

(Catch-Up}

Things have been crazy busy around here!

My last post was Halloween...

I am "room parent" for Maisey's class and here are some pictures of the eye ball craft the kids made. The kids loved the craft, mummy and monster games, food and cider. Now I'm conjuring ideas for the x-mas party (thanks to Pintrest I think I've got it narrowed down)!

I am also hosting a work holiday party, so my mind is constantly thinkning about all the baking I have to do (desserts, desserts, and more desserts)!

On top of that, I was asked to plan the ward x-mas party!!!!!!!!!! SO, it is no surpirse that I'm not sleeping, right? Totally kidding, I am so tired I can sleep. But, I am SO, SO blessed and I still have an amazing amount of energy. I know how lucky I am.

It's week 6 of the term and I am trying to get my finals and other work done a week early so I can party-hardy. But, that's easier said then done because this program seriously takes 30 hours a week of my time as it is. If you've ever been like me, skeptical of online programs, let me tell you to re-think that. My program is so demanding, but I do love the studies and my grades- it's all worth it in the end!

Needless to say with all this business, I was able to sneak away to the beach overnight with some girlsfriends (in between LDS FS and FSA's adoption conference on the 4th and 5th for). It was a one-nighter, and seemed super brief with my mind at work as a ducked in and out, but it was fun like always (thanks Naomi and the girls)!

Before heading home on 4 hours of sleep. Nothing new for me!

{Halloween 2011}

Witch (Maisey's), Lightening McQueen (for Ryley, carved by Chad, he wanted the same one as last year), Spider (Mine), frightened person in bed (Chad's).

Vampire Maisey and Transformer Ryley (just one of his alias'! He also had a Spider Man costume and talked of being a Fireman- last years)The ward trunk or treat- the kids with "Prom Queen" friend Alexis

They got enough candy this night, we recycled and donated it on the real night... If they weren't old enough to know the difference (Maisey), we wouldn't of even gone trick-or-treating on Halloween.

I failed to get pictures of the haunted house (garage) at cousin Marlisa's, but Chad had a great time scaring people as he does each year.

Until next year...

{Book Character Day}

For book character day last week Maisey went as Kirsten, an American Girl.

Doesn't she look sweet?

WARNING: Bragging Below

Based of her test scores, you wouldn't know I have to make this girl read each day! But, with 10 minutes of reading, she is still leaps ahead for her grade.

Recently she was thrilled to find out that she is the fastest reader in her class with superb comprehension, well above her grade level.

I was excited to see her face light up when her teacher shared the news. Children at this age are so competitive!

Although she doesn't like to read, she usually only gets to watch t.v 2x a week because of our busy schedule.

Not bad, a little reading and a little watching make for a rounded girl, I think.