Easy Bake Oven Fun

Emma and I are having some much fun with her new Easy Bake Oven she got for Christmas. Yesterday, we made little cute sugar cookies and today I found a recipe for a Barbie Pink Cake online.

Fun in the Snow with Daddy

The kids enjoyed some fresh fallen snow with Daddy today. So much so, that they did not want to come inside. They walked all over the back yard and front yard and even played on the play set. All in all there is over a foot on the ground here.

Merry Christmas

I feel incredibly blessed today as we celebrate Jesus's Birthday and enjoy some much needed quite family time. The kids leisurely woke up this morning and eagerly opened their gifts. Emma has been in her room all morning playing with her doll house and other toys. Logan has been playing with his trains and new cars with Daddy.

Christmas Eve

We had a gentle easy day this afternoon. After Church we settled down for a cookie and our traditional stories A Christmas Story and The Night Before Christmas

A buzz cut

Daddy was quick to offer to give Logan a hair cut when I said Logan was almost do for another one. While Logan did not sit as still as he should have the cut came out great and I forsee saving a lot of money this summer on Logan's haircuts!!

Seeing Santa 2009

Matt and I dressed Emma and Re-Dressed Logan this morning before setting out to find Santa. Along our way, we stopped and the kids were able to ride ponies in the 8 degrees of sunshine that we had. We rounded out our first family outing with a trip to the mall to see Santa.

Daddy's Home

He's Home He's Home He's Home

Day 346

1 more day has actually turned into 1 more night. That is alright though. The rest of the family arrives today and I am so excited to have a houseful and welcome Matt home tomorrow. Stay tuned for pictures of us with Daddy tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 345

Today was a nice easy day. We started our taking Grandma to the gym for Logan's swim lessons and then drug her to Sears and the Commissary. By the time we got home we were ready for some lunch and some easy lazy time. Unfortunately, Emma got sick at school and I had to go pick her up. Poor thing appeared to have a 24 hour bug. After the kids got to bed I was excited to play a couple card games with Kevin and Terri before we all headed to bed. 1 more Day!!!

Day 344

The visitors started to arrive today!!! Grandma Terri and Grandpa Kevin got here today. Emma was tickled when she walked through the door after school and Logan was so excited to have someone to rough house with a little. The days are flying!!!!

Day 343

Today was a great day. We baked and baked and baked. I got all the holiday baking done to include fudge, Almond Butter crunch, Buck eyes, Poppy Seed Lemon Bread, and Sugar cookies dipped in white chocolate. We might do a little more with the family in town.

Day 342

Logan had a bit of a hard afternoon today. He woke up super early this morning and because of that I laid him down for a early nap. Emma had a birthday party up the street to attend and I had to wake Logan up from his 2 hour nap. Poor kid cried the entire time we got all bundled up to drive up the street. Logan and I walked Emma into the party and while we were chatting with the mother Logan truly thought we were staying. As we said good bye the poor kid cried and screamed "Emma, Emma???" So I decided I would let Logan help me get started on our holiday baking. We got the super yummy sugar cookie dough made and I let it sit in the fridge for all of 30 minutes before I had a nibble. The cookie dough is now in the Jeep so I will stay out of it, there is no way I am walking out to the Jeep in the 18 degrees it is tonight. (I have my mothers sweat tooth:)

Day 341

It was another snow day today. We got another 8 inches or so, oh so much fun.

With no school and the roads slowing clearing we made our way into town today and did the last minute shopping that I wanted to get donw before Daddy comes home. It was a great day:)

Day 340

It was another snow day. With the blowing snow and the high wind I think we got about 8 inches or so. School was cancelled and we were able to enjoy our day. As the craft we made salt dough ornaments and painted them. Emma and I had a really good time painting together.

Day 339

Today was a nice lazy day at home. The snow machine started and we are getting pounded. We had about 5 or 6 inches today!! Of course, the snow thrower was not working right but at least it did the job and I did not have to shovel much. We decided to stay in tonight instead of going to swim lessons, the snow and wind was crazy!!

Day 338

Very good news today. I can now say that Matt will be home next week!!!

Day 337

Today was a day completely to myself and it was oh so nice. After Emma went to school I quickly took Logan to care before I came to wrap presents, work on crafts, and shovel snow. It was nice to have the entire day and afternoon to myself with no one to take care of but myself:)

Day 336

Today was Emma's holiday Jazz Recital. They did Annie's It's a Hard Nough Life for us. Emma had a blast and even saw Santa afterward:)

Day 335

Today Logan really saw Santa for the first time and he was amazed. We had a chance to see Santa as he made his entrance in the room and Logan said "Santa" and was super excited to get in line and sit on his lap. The picture above Emma was telling Santa what she wanted for Christmas while Logan looked on. And then I was super surprised that both kids wanted to sit on his lap so I could get a picture.

Day 334

We had another nice fun evening tonight. Emma and I dipped pretzels and strawberries in chocolate for our dessert. And we enjoyed it while we watched Bolt. After I got Logan down for a nap Emma and I settled down and watched The Polar Express.

Day 333

16 Days and counting. Today has been one of those days. Nothing really went wrong but nothing really went right. We are super tired and yet super bored. We are anxious and ready to get busy, but it is a little early to do too much. For now, I am concentrating on Christmas and I am very happy to report that we are done shopping and just waiting on a few last minute gifts to arrive in the mail.

Day 332

There is so much excitement in the air here. With each day I can feel the positive motivation on post and in our home. We are less than 2 Weeks from our first guests arriving!! As the days are flying we are preparing the house and ourselves for a houseful, I am sooo excited!!! It will definitely be a crazy few days but so much fun. And then we will have our fun special unexpected Christmas as a family of 4. We are so blessed and truly lucky to have Matt home for Christmas this year!!

Day 331

We started our advent Calender today. Since we put the tree up Emma has been asking when Santa is coming so it was perfect timing!! The kids helped stuff the calender and Logan has no idea what is going on. He keeps walking up to the calender saying "candy now"!!

Day 330

November is Over!!!!

Less than 18ish days;)

Day 329

Kind of felt yucky today. I have a feeling all the crap and sweets I have eaten the last 4 days caught up with me. So the kids and I ended up with a comfy day. I pulled out the hide a bed and piled the pillows high. We watched The Santa Clause and then we (Logan and I) took naps. I am feeling better tonight and hope to feel even better after some sleep and some yoga in the morning.

Day 328

We had such a blast decorating the Tree and house on Friday. It was so relaxing and I am not kidding. The kids helped when they could and then danced around to the Christmas music. Emma enjoyed decorating 2 trees that day. Logan tried but could not understand. Instead he noticed that some of the ornaments are shaped like cookies and he began to "taste test" each and every ornament before handing it off to his sister. I am truly blessed and felt all the Christmas spirit filling the house on that day.

Day 327

Emma had such a good time decorating her tree. Last year we picked her out the tree and a few special ornaments and even a Disney Princess Tree skirt. She was tickled to decorate it and have it all for her own!!

Day 326

We had a incredible day today. The morning was spent hanging out and watching the Parade while I prepared my side dishes. We also enjoyed going to our friends house for dinner where we met many of her friends and had a blast. This evening, we are cuddled up watching Charlie Brown and about to make popcorn;) The below video is of a story that Emma learned at school. The glass decorated the hat and Indian clothes and made the turkeys!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Day 325

We had such a wonderful day today. I think it was the first day in months since we were able to stay home all day and had no real agenda. While the kids played this morning I was able to organize the office, clean the mudroom, and clean the bar area in the basement. After lunch, Emma helped me start the pumpkin cheesecake and then after Logan woke up we started to work on our Thanksgiving shirts. Not sure how they will turn out but I will post a picture tomorrow. It was a great day and evening!!!!

Day 324

Today, Logan and I spent a couple hours making beds for the Single Soldiers and placing a few "treat" bags to settle them in for the night. Logan was such a great sport. With the help of about a dozen Soldiers we were able to make 78 beds in less than 2 hours!!!!

Day 323

I am getting in the Holiday Spirit. I even looked for the Sirius Channel for Christmas music but it is not there for a few more days. I got all the lights up. I am rather proud of myself!! And I did the garage with icle lights. Matt, why is it we have so many unopened boxes of those?? There is only 2 things missing from this get-up. The Welcome Home Banners will be proudly placed in less than 26 days!!!!

Day 322

This picture was taken yesterday morning. Yesterday was a nice easy lazy morning and I was pleasantly surprised when I went to see why the kids were being so quite I found them cuddling on the couch watching TV. It was definitely a proud Mommy moment:)

Day 321

Today I finally made it to the Bee Creative Pottery Painting place here at the mall. I am not creative at all and usually have a pretty hard time planning and coming up with ideas. So, as I sat painting this snowman the only way I knew how I went to pull up the sleeve of my Oregon shirt and thought??? why not give frosty Oregon Ducks gear too!! GO DUCKS:)

Day 320

I have waited nearly 11 months for the ticker to switch from months to days and it FINALLY happened today!!!


The kids and I had a great evening. We ordered some Chinese and Pizza sticks and made Puppy Chow (Crispix w/peanut butter and chocolate) and enjoyed Monsters VS Aliens. After the kids stopped jumping on the walls and crawling on the back of the sofa we brushed teeth and cuddled up for some DVR shows. It was a great Friday night after the stressful long week we had.

Day 319

Today we received a fun new book from Gramie and Grandpa. Gramie found this adorable story called The Elf on the Shelf. And it came with a little elf that will sit wherever I put it. In the book it explains to the kids that the "elf" will be watching and every night he will go back to Santa and report the days activities in regards to behavior. I am anxious to get this started.

As, I am preparing for Thanksgiving I am thinking the kids and I may spend some time by ourselves. The thought of staying home and making a big meal with the kids and then decorating for Christmas sounds kind of nice. Our weeks have been so busy and the next few will be even more hectic. We have so much to be thankful for this year. Daddy is coming home in time for Christmas and we get to have a houseful of visitors!!!

Day 318

Emma's Kindergarten Shot