Christmas Cookies

I think I'm going to have to be one of those grandmas that bake cookies with their grand kiddies all the time! I had such a great time making cookies with the kids! I can honestly say it was relaxing and fun.

They had a lot of fun getting to make the cookies.

I think they especially liked using the rolling pin.

He was concentrating REALLY hard on frosting his cookie!

Elijah put a little too much frosting on this one! LOL.

Even Hyrum helped!

Eating them was the best part, of course!

Elijah drawing designs on his cookie. Q

Our finished products! (...at least the ones that survived)

A great activity for kids of all ages. Merry Christmas!!!

Family Temple Trip

I loved walking around the beautiful temple grounds with my family. It was an exciting day since the kids haven't seen the new temple visitor center yet! Also, we met their Grandma Ovard at the visitor center, which made it extra exciting for the kids, who adore her.

My favorite part was the beautiful artwork!

These particular two pictures of Mary and Baby Jesus were my favorites. A very talented artist created these. Unfortunately, they are not at the Portland Temple Visitor Center to stay. They will go back to Utah after their little stay here.

 At Christ's feet.

 

Hyrum next to the beautiful wall that looks like ancient Jerusalem architecture. It is very beautiful decor.

Elijah and Memphis loved the cool games they had on a computer touch screen on the wall. They got to play "Build a Temple" and "Color a temple".

 

The kids in front of the temple.

By the beautiful water fountain.

By the reflection pool.

I love this Christmas display that they set up in the reflection pool for the season. So lovely!

It was a great day. I loved sharing with the kids the spirit of the temple. Now they will better understand where mommy and daddy disappear to once a month when we leave them with dear friends and go to serve in the temple.

Thankful Indians

We had a lesson about Native Americans. It was fun to be able to teach the children not only about the Native Americans, but also their history and the connection between the Native American ancestors we read about in the Book of Mormon. We learned about how the Native American ancestors came to America and then about how Columbus sailed across the ocean and discovered them! Of course, leading into the term "Indians". Then we learned about how Indian feathers are special, they have meaning to each one earned. So, we decided to make Indian head dresses and make each feather have special meaning to us. Also talking about Native Americans and their part in the first Thanksgiving, we decided to put something we are grateful for on each feather. 

Then we did some Indian war cries! Whooooop! Whoooooop! Whoooooop! 

And learned an Indian dance! It was great fun! 

School Pictures!

My cute little class had our back to school pictures done. I think they turned out great! Not too hard when you have such cute subjects to work with! :) 

Elijah Age 5: Kindergarten! 

Memphis Age 4: Pre-School

Bria Age 2: Pre-Pre-School

Happy Halloween!!!

We have been busy doing all kinds of Halloween activities. It has been a fun week and we are so excited to go out and Trick or Treat tonight with our friends. Here is a picture of me in my Halloween Costume... I always did love an excuse to dress up! Plus, you know me...I can't resist a new photo edit challenge. I had fun with this one.

The kids and I put together a Halloween film called, "The Darndest Things About Halloween". My kids are sooo cute, I really enjoy filming them. It gives them an opportunity to share their individual personalities! Elijah had way too much fun telling his Spooky story....it was like the story that NEVER ends! Memphis kept dropping his pumpkin and talking gibberish. Bria was just adorable, as usual! Oh yes, and I loved the 

"creepy" shadows that slide across the screen while Elijah is talking about the creepy black ghost that eats humans.  Enjoy!!!

Caterpillar Counting!

While we went on a walk, we found 10 caterpillars!!! We kept them on top of the stroller for lack of a place to put them. So as we strolled home, we subtracted numbers as caterpillars disappeared. 9 caterpillars....8 caterpillars.....7 caterpillars. Finally, we arrived home and counted 5 caterpillars. We made them a habitat so we could study them as they transform. 

Now we are counting numbers as they disappear. 5-2= 3 fuzzy caterpillars left. 2 little cocoons. 

They are fuzzy black and orange caterpillars. All dressed up for Halloween!

Memphis, my brave boy! He was the only kid willing to hold the caterpillars! This is not surprising, from the time he was a baby he loved all creatures and never shows any fear for them. 

We have fun being spontaneous; seeing the science and math and learning in the world around us!

Halloween Photo Shoot!

We are excited for Halloween this year! And the kids just LOVE the pumpkins that they picked out from the store. Our small, local grocery store started giving away pumpkins for FREE for kids 12 and under! How awesome is that??? Just another reason to love small towns!

Sweet little Bria.

 Memphis, oh so cute!

Elijah my big 5 year old!!!

And the oh-so-adorable Hyrum!

And this is my confession, "What family pictures REALLY look like!" LOL. :) Definitely a challenge to get the "perfect" photo. Perseverence, Hard work, and Determination.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

Halloween Music Time....at the PARK!

It was such a beautiful October day that I change the location or the Halloween Music Time I was hosting to the PARK! We had a lot of fun playing. I love watching my kids get all their energy out and I know that park toys are such a great work out! I've gotten quite weak since I stopped being a child. Lately, I try to play a little too- much more fun than lifting weights or repetitive work out videos!

Here we are singing, "I'm a Mean Old Witch With a Hat". We also sang a pumpkin song! It was a lot of fun. Kids love actions!

We have been trying to be frugal, so although I wanted to go all out and purchase supplies to make darling Halloween treats, I felt that I should do my best not to. I scrounged through the cupboard and this is what I came up with. 1 box of brownies and several tubes of writing icing! So....MONSTER BROWNIES! with purple sprinkles on the ears for good measure! The kids LOVED it!...and that is what matters. :)

Hyrum was having so much fun crawling around with his BFF- Caleb. They were born 5 days apart.

On the far left- my friend Casandra and on the right, Shelley! They are my BFFs!

And my friend Lisa looking gorgeous with her sweet baby boy! :)

Always fun to hang out with friends!

Eating Brownies

Climbing up the slide with his buddy. 

Slide fun! 

Bria is such a cute sister! She loves to take good care of her baby brother. 

 I was upset when we found out that Memphis needed to have his front tooth removed by the dentist. (he had fallen down on cement last year and chipped it, the tooth nerve died and caused an infection.) However, I have found that he is close enough to being old enough to lose them on his own that it just kinda looks natural and cute!  

 Hyrum found sand to munch on....yuck!                              The boys found a "spooky" trail to explore.