This is what 24 years looks like

Our anniversary landed on a Sunday this year...AND it was the only weekend all the kiddos would be home before Christmas, so we celebrated all together...and I don't regret it!

Finally all together:)

I love it when there's a family friendly movie at the theater, especially around the holidays!  The night before our anniversary we saw Wonka.  It was great!

We broke into teams and had a gingerbread house competition.  

Mike and I won...although, really I did all the work;)

Clayton didn't come until after Christmas, so Kya did hers solo.

Jordan and Mikel had a few frosting issues, but then pulled it together:)

Summer and Tyson get the award for the loudest team:)

After dinner and gingerbread houses, we headed to Evergreen Lights.  

Somehow all our pictures turned out terrible. 

(The guy taking this picture cut off the Evergreen Lights sign and took the picture when none of the lights were on!!)

(This one Summer is too far in front of everyone with weird lighting on her face...not to mention her posture haha)

And here we are in the fake snow:)

  Happy 24th Anniversary to us!  

MJ--The Musical

Seriously one of the best shows!  

Thriller, even though it was so different from the video (which I grew up LOVING), was spectacular. 

 So grateful to have friends to go with...and to find parking in Seattle so I don't have to haha.

I got out of the show, looked at my phone and had a ton of missed texts.  Kya and Tyson's flight had landed early and Mike still hadn't left for the airport (because Summer wasn't home from school) and traffic was terrible.  I got home, Jordan and Mikel arrived, and Mike and the kids finally walked in.  I think they waited at the airport for almost 3 hours!!!  All while I was just grooving to Michael Jackson;)  What a great day though...awesome friends, great show, chick fil a dinner, and all my kiddos home.  Life is so so so good.

Holiday Magic at The Fair

 We decided to do something different this year and try out "Holiday Magic at the Fair" in Puyallup.  They had a few fair rides, light displays, some shops, food trucks, and a scavenger hunt for kids.  It was the perfect thing for the 3 of us and we all had a blast.  

They had one of the barns set up with each animal stall decorated as a different photo booth.  They had about 20 of them and they were all so cute.

Summer's new smile...no teeth:)

Summer charmed one of the workers into giving her this cute gecko tattoo for free:)

 

We timed it just right and avoided lines for the rides. 

 

We did the Christmas train, Ferris wheel, and carousel.

Even the shuttle from the parking lot was decorated with lights. 

We had yummy hot cocoa, burgers, and dad even splurged and got us an elephant ear!  Summer finished the entire gnome scavenger hunt (with only one clue) and was slightly disappointed with the basket of prizes to choose from haha.  Overall, I would call the night a success.  I think we might have to go back next year!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Let's be thankful for all the good...and acknowledge that the bad, isn't really so bad...and be thankful for that too:)

I made my own pie crust this year and it actually turned out!

And I got to make a little jam role, just like mom used to make with the extra crust:)

Setting the table is one of my favorite parts of holidays.

We were missing Kya and Clayton this year.  They had work, and homework, and decided to stay in Rexburg.  Luckily Clayton's Dad and Stepmom joined them so they weren't alone.

The food was delicious.

The Thankful Jar tradition continues...

We headed down south to the Air and Space Museum

They had an amazing gift shop, which was the highlight for me haha.

We decided to decorate our tree on Thanksgiving, so Jordan and Mikel could do it with us.  

Then we headed to their apartment on Sunday to see their cute tree too!

I am so thankful for this beautiful life I get to live, and all the wonderful people I get to enjoy it with.

The Long Month of October

The beginning of October is always a little exciting to me...the fall leaves, cozy sweaters, pumpkins, parties, decorations, and even the crisp cool air.  But boy does it take forever for Halloween to get here!  By the time it does, I am more than ready to move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas:)

Here's a little of what we did in the long month of October:

Decorating

Derek Hough at the Paramount with Jordan

It was a fantastic show!

They finally finished paving our road

Summer said she had never had apple sauce, which I'm sure is not true, but we made some anyways. Definitely not as good as my moms!

Summer tried her first grilled cheese

(and LOVED it)

Tyler and Trevor came to stay with us--so fun!

Tyson celebrated his birthday in Rexburg...without his mom:(  But Kya and Clayton took him to Texas Roadhouse and showed him a good time--haha.

I had to bribe Summer to go to the pumpkin patch with me this year...luckily she'll do anything for a good treat, especially pumpkin doughnuts!!

Halloween Parties...the "s" is important.  She got to wear this costume FOUR times this year!

Trunk or Treat

(Our trunk even won 2nd Place!!)

Carving Pumpkins

(By myself again this year SMH)

And finally...trick or treating!

My Little Harvest

Lessons from the garden (really year 1 for most of the things):

Not a great year for blueberries or apples

Plenty of raspberries (for their first year)...but we want more

Waited to long to plant strawberries

One zucchini plant isn't enough when you have a great zucchini bread recipe

Pumpkins were ripe too early...maybe plant them later next year!

There IS such a thing as too many tomatoes...oh ,and putting cages around them is important

Next year, I'm sure we'll make new mistakes;)