Thanksgiving

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. This is the 1st year I hosted. I had to purchase a gravy boat- boy am I getting old. We had my brother Dan and my sister Em and her family come. Dan smoked one turkey and fried two. All I had to do was make some sides. I think I will invite him back next year. Em brought delicious rolls, so she is invited back too.

Dan showed me how to properly position all the goodies for maximum plate usage.

Jacob set the table- you can't see the blue plastic knifes he put at some of the plates.

What am I thankful for?

Getting to wake up to this face each morning (and my other kids and Brian too- I just didn't have as good of pictures of them).  I am pretty blessed.

Grace is 7 months and more of the kids

Gracie at 7 months

Her favorite thing is wrappers - she scoots as fast as she can whenever she sees them

She can get from her belly to her bum to sit up but if you try to sit her up she makes her body completely stiff. Maybe slightly stubborn.

She is a big fan of golf balls - just the right size for a little girl.

Jacob wants a new video game, playmobils and a transformer for Christmas.

Merry would like a pink train and a pink chair for christmas.

Where would santa find a pink train?

Grace would like a new car seat for Christmas - okay so her mom would like a new car seat

Sweet kids -most of the time

Offical Holiday Card

Native American Names and Road trip

My kids had to choose Native American Names that represented them for their preschool's Thanksgiving celebration.

Jacob's name was very hard to choose because every time I asked him what animal he liked or what he liked to do he would say - I don't know.
Anyway one of our friends teenage son showed Jacob how to make paper airplanes. Now everyday he wants to me to make him a plane to fly down the stairs.

Merry picked her name by herself. Every time Gracie cries, Merry goes over and starts shouting Twinkle, twinkle little start in her face. Grace is sort of terrified by this, but I think it is pretty sweet so I haven't stopped her yet. Grace will probably always hate this song.

We also went to College Station to visit my brother this weekend. We had a grand time.
Highlights of the trip included passing through towns with great names such as
Old Dime Box and Hogg.
We also saved this fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar from certain death trying to cross the intersection.
I think it is the larvae of some sort of tiger moth. I used catch these all the time when I was a child.

Merry had a great time playing with my brother's dog Annie. I pretty sure that she was trying to lick her in this picture. Gross.

Dan took Jacob fishing at Lake Somerville. They caught 4 catfish so Jacob was pretty excited.
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and we practice catch and release when
Brian has to clean the fish.
Dan is a way better cook then I am so I always like to visit him. He grilled some flat iron steaks and stuffed tomatoes with feta cheese. He is invited to my house anytime to cook.

Some pictures from Utah

I had lots of willing subjects in Utah

these are my sisters kids

2 of my handsome nephews

Three of my pretty nieces

Her horse is trying to get in the picture with her

It snowed a little in Utah while we were there

only enough to make a sad little snowman

he would have had buttons but most the chocolate chips were consumed by the hired help

Happy Anniversary

In celebration of our 8th anniversary I thought I would post some pictures documenting our courtship and marriage.

 PETA members please avert eyes

A girl who could work calves- this is when Brian fell in love with me.

A man who knows how to frost hair- too good to be true- this is when I fell in love with Brian.

A typical wedding day- complete with a snowball fight.

Showing good sense by holding my train.

The happy couple

About a year into marriage

Posing with a dead deer- what a good wife I am.

First marriage pictures - posing with my bridesmaid

Okay not really

This is from my bridal show days, in the Provo High gym.

Sorry  I only got about 2 years into marriage.  Then I got sick of scanning.  Any way we had a romantic anniversary dinner at Costco.  Brian bought me flowers.  I bought him steak.   All in all it was a fabulous anniversary and has been a wonderful 8 years.

Away

We are in Utah enjoying the fall weather.  We will be back soon.

I found this old wheel barrow at Brian's parent's farm.  I wanted to bring it back with me.

Cute little cousin-  I finally got to see him