It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

at our house! 

Last night we decorated the tree, set out the nativities and filled the advent calendar.

Love these pajamas from Aunt Teri!

Looking forward to this holiday season!

Thanksgiving

 

This was our third year having Thanksgiving in Kansas.  Having Thanksgiving with my grandparents and cousins has become one of our favorite traditions. We sure love them for having us each year and have such a great time together.

 Kylie & Joey

We left for Kansas on Wednesday morning.  It was a sunny beautiful drive the whole way and the boys did great. They read books, played with toys and napped the whole way there.  Charlie asked "what's that?!" to just about everything and Tony and I had lots of time to talk. It was great!

 Joey with Great Grandpa Messer

Exploring the house

It was fun introducing the family to Joey and a year older Charlie!  Charlie took a few minutes to warm up and then made himself right at home exploring and playing with the dogs.  My dad's family are all dog lovers.  My aunt has 3 dogs and Charlie was in heaven (Tony too).  Charlie would chase them under the table, throw balls and give them hugs.

 

That night I worked on our contribution to Thanksgiving dinner:  a Banana cream and peanut butter banana cream pie--the easiest and best tasting pies I've ever made.  Our other contribution was Charlie and Joey as entertainment for the weekend :)

 Charlie wrestling Uncle Cody

Joey, Aunt Keri & Grandma

 Charlie & Colton

Thanksgiving day was so wonderful.  I love helping in the kitchen with a bunch of people--it reminds me of home!  The girls worked together in the kitchen that morning...

Grandma & Kylie

Me & Aunt Keri

Me & my grandma

My favorite part of the day was when we went around the table and shared what we were most grateful for.  It was special hearing about what each person valued in their life at that moment.

 My yearly motorcycle ride with Uncle Cody

 Our family

 playing games (bad flash-whoops!)

While we were there we visited a HUGE candy/nut shop, played games, watched movies and just caught up on each other's lives.

 Kylie and her fiance Noah

 the whole gang

It was great seeing everyone.  Looking forward to next year already!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Charlie is TWO

Our Charlie is two years old.  He is full of personality and spunk, but also has a tender side where he loves cuddling, kisses and hugs. 

A little bit about our favorite two year old:

Favorite Foods: bananas, grapes, peaches, macaroni & cheese, cereal with lots of milk (drinking milk out of his cereal bowl), ice cream, cookies, peanut butter, yogurt

Favorite Sayings: "Let's go!"  "No! Stop!"  "Hey, that's mine!"  "Cookie?" "Ni-night"  "That's hot!" "Got you!"   "I need"   "What's that? "  "mama? mama? mom, mom, mama,  ma, mom, mama...."    "da! daddy! dadda! daddy, daddy, daddy, dadda, daddy..."

He Loves: wearing hats, playing with cars, Lion King, getting a cookie at the bakery, the park, sticks, prayers, kicking balls, climbing up the stools and onto the counter,playing chase, playing in Joey's crib, nursery, dancing in the car, helping in the kitchen, giving Joey his pacifier, pulling off cushions and jumping on the couch, hiding under blankets and in closets, lightsabers, stickers, singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider & Popcorn Popping, animals and kisses on his owies

We love our Charlie Brown!

Family Pictures October 2011

Two weeks ago we had a morning family photo shoot.  It was on one of our cold days and there was frost on the ground when we woke up.  Needless to say, we were all a little bit chilly that morning, but we still got a bunch of great pictures!  Here are some of my favorites...

Favorite Charlie pictures

Favorite Joey pictures

Favorite couple pictures

Favorite family pictures

I'm excited to start filling our frames with pictures of our family of four, not three!

Good Morning Joey!

Halloween

 Charlie trunk or treating with his buddies

We celebrated Halloween multiple times before the actual day.  We went trick or treating at daddy's work and at our ward's trunk or treat activity!  Charlie had trick or treating down by the time the actual holiday rolled around. 

 Our little monkey

Joey was just the cutest little monkey around!  Funny thing about Joey's costume: Charlie wore that costume last year when he was a year old.  Here is Joey wearing it at four months.  Charlie was so little!  These boys are growing up too fast. Charlie loved being in his dragon costume.  He was annoyed at first, but as soon as he saw his reflection in a mirror he was roaring and growling at everything.

 leaving for trick or treating

On Halloween night, Charlie was ready for round three!  He and daddy left together while Joey and I stayed home to pass out candy.  

Joey and I on Halloween night

Charlie came back, dragging his bucket, in the best of spirits. We dumped out the contents and he examined every piece.  Isn't that the best part of Halloween? 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!