springdellgirl

Oh Happy Day!!

I finally got my dang blog to upload pictures again. I feel like someone has taken duct tape off my mouth. I didn't realize how much I would miss posting pictures and blogging. It is such a great outlet for my thoughts and feelings and a photo journal of our family. So good news. I am back!!


Here's what you missed:

1.) Thanksgiving

 This year, at our house, we added a Thankful Tree to the decor. After grousing about cutting the branches and making the leaves it turned out to be really great. Everyone added lots of things that they were thankful for and it was fun to read all the new additions each day.  The thankful tree will return next year.

 This was before it was even fully loaded. Some people wrote funny things, some wrote sweet things and some wrote really touching things. It was great!!

At preschool Bryn made a bevvy of Thanksgiving hats which traveled with her to my Mom's house to wear on the big day.

I present...

The Pilgrim (which she demanded was really an elf hat)

And the Indian

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving up at my Mom's house. It was seriously one of the best. We had so much fun, ate amazing food, hung out, created things for our Sisters Creed Christmas Sale and RELAXED. It was awesome.  It was a small gathering this year. Stacey was hosting some of John's family at her house and Kelley went down to join them. Kirk and Jordin and their families weren't able to travel out this year and even Ken was spending Thanksgiving with his son's family. Regardless, it was fantastic to have my mom all to ourselves and create some new Thanksgiving traditions. Pie anyone? Ha ha.

The day after we met up with family out at the lake...Aunt, Uncle, Cousins, Granny. It was a lot of fun. I am THANKFUL to have such loving relatives who are freaking hilarious and amazing cooks. Hopefully all of my laughing worked off some of Jen's delicious treats. (Totally forgot to take pictures...you know...due to all the laughing and eating.)

 

 My mom decorated in an all white theme and it was gorgeous. We, as is our tradition, ate by candlelight and it was beautiful...as is everything she does. We are thankful for her!!

Here are a few grainy iPhone pictures:

We were up until the wee hours of the morning making rolls and pies. Tyler too. He is the roll master. We always use his Grandma Kofford's Parker House Roll recipe. It is the BEST!!

The master at work.

 

  The master with her willing assistant.

 My mom put up her Christmas tree...but not any Christmas decorations or ornaments. I really liked that idea. You still got this gorgeous glowing tree but without all the Christmas hoopla. Nice.

II.) We had our big Christmas Sale. It was wildly successful and so much fun!!

 III.) We decorated our house and put up our three trees. Yes, three. We live in a dollhouse sized house but we have three trees. It's awesome. Things are getting quite festive around here.

IV.) We have hung out quite a lot with cousins on various occasions.

Bryn and Elle

Haylee and Ailey

Kameron and Grace

  

 Bryn and Gavin...they totally crack me up

V.) We welcomed this DARLING GIRL to the family!! Congratulations to Hannah and Justin. There really couldn't be a family and extended family more excited for this sweet baby's arrival.

The beautiful Paige Noel

There has been more...another visit from Crazy Ernie the Urban Logger. Remember him?  Luckily not to our house. We aren't stupid...but one of our neighbors is. Clearly he didn't get the memo the last time Ernie and his band of idiots visited our neighborhood. (A post all it's own.)

We attended a Nutcracker party and dressed up for A Night in Bethlehem Party. Tyler got called to be the 1st counselor in the Elder's Quorum. Kameron was made a deacon and has been passing the Sacrament with great aplomb and got to give his first talk in Sacrament Meeting last Sunday as a Youth Speaker. He did a great job!! We have worried and prayed for and, as of yesterday, rejoiced about a favorite uncle. Found out that a dear friend is moving to Chicago and I am totally bummed. We got to go to Parent Teacher conference and have it confirmed that we have some smart and awesome kids. Reilly and Kam had their check-ups and it is confirmed that Reilly is blind as a bat and Kam has a heart murmur. (Join the club...I do, Ailey does, and so does Bryn).

So things continue on...regardless of the lack of blogging. But if there is one thing that I know it is:

I LOVE BLOGGING!!