Santa Sighting!

Yes - there was a Santa sighting here in Sisters! The day after Thanksgiving - Santa paraded through town on this very wagon. Do you think he might be checking up on us to be sure he has us on the right list?! Better be good for goodness sakes!

Thanksgiving Recap

Having a whole week off at Thanksgiving time is the best thing ever! We had lots of snow - so that made it so much fun for the kids. We had a snow play date at our house with cousins to start off the fun week!

We made these yummy, festive Pilgrim Hat cookies and guzzled the hot chocolate of course!

On Thanksgiving Day we enjoyed our normal traditions: Mom cooking up the favorite family recipes, Dad playing in the Turkey bowl with our branch, having a soak in the hot tub . . .

And Makenna busy making crafts! She is our little crafter and got to spend much of her break from school creating and crafting (mostly Christmas gifts) - she's just so talented!

It was fun to get a little inspiration from the "Button Girl" book
since her new passion is buttons!

Unfortunately I took "O" pictures of our beautiful Thanksgiving spread - but believe me it was big and it was delicious! After dinner I entertained the kids with some fun music and dancing games and then they wanted to perform! I think our favorite was Turkey in the Straw - with our two turkeys (Porter and Josh) in the middle!

The end of the week we hunted for a Christmas tree, went to the Christmas Parade, and just enjoyed playing games and spending time together!
I am SOOOO Thankful for so many things - but I'm definitely the most thankful for my crazy amazing family! I LOVE YOU!

Thankful Li'l Turkeys!

This year we made Thankful Turkeys - and the kids were so creative with them! They each wrote what they were most thankful for on each feather and then we did some Turkey bowling baby! We lined them up at one end of the table, made a barricade with leggos and blocks - then we bowled with marbles. What a fun FHE night!

Makenna's

Charley's

Porter's

Christmas Tree Hunt

Trish and Eric's family along with ours hit the forest (just up the road from our house) to hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. It wasn't long until we found the perfect spot to park and hike around. The snow was deep and it was still coming down - good thing we brought along our sleds!

Of course the boys were all about the snowball fight!

Trish and I found some beautiful boughs, branches and manzanita to Christmas-fy our homes - it's beauteeful stuff!

The perfect sledding spot for the kids while we looked for a tree

It's a keeper! We love this tradition!

Sunday Funnies

Since this year Charley wanted to be a pumpkin, I let her get some orange face paint. For both the Friday and Saturday festivities we never did use the face paint. Sunday afternoon came along and we stumbled upon that fabulous face paint. Makenna thought it would be fun to do Charley's face makeup and I gave her the green light. About a half hour later they walked into the office and presented this masterpiece - it was all I could do to not fall off my chair laughing.
Soon after, our Home Teachers came over and we were all in fits and giggles as she strutted in, thinking she was the cat's meow. I don't think I could have made this face look as good as you did Makenna.
The best part is after the make up session was over, Makenna took Charley outside for a photo shoot - complete with about 20 different poses. When I popped open the camera to see these beauties, I felt like now Halloween was complete.
Little did we know that Charley would wake up the next morning with a bit of a rash from that orange oompla loompa face mask - ahhh, what we women won't go thru for the sake of beauty.
That Sunday afternoon didn't fully reach it's climax until Porter came out of the closet in this "crazy cat lady" get up - what you'll do when you can' t go trick or treating on Sunday!

The Branch Halloween Party

When Halloween falls on a Sunday - it seems like it's just an excuse to extend this sugar lovin' holiday for 3 days! Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining (well maybe just a little). They sure did get lots of candy though and I'm already tired of saying, "Don't ask me for another piece of candy today!" Here are some pics from our Saturday night Halloween Party with the branch.The kids got to jump in a jumpy house, play fun halloween games, we had a chili feed, a cake walk (which Kenna won by the way!), and to top the night off - a trunk or treat!

One of our family's favorite people and favorite babysitters:Felicia!
They also had THE BEST trunk - you're so creative!

For this event Charley changed from being a pumpkin
to being a Snow Princess,
and she definitely fits the part these days.

Can you guess who this creeper is with his hand around my daughter's shoulder? Are we letting just anybody come to the Church parties these days? I think I need to take it up with the Activities Committee.

The one picture I did not get that I really regret: Grandma and Grandpa dressed up as pumpkins - you are just a couple of pumpkin heads, but that's why we love you! Thanks for a great party Debbie!

Halloween Parade thru Sisters

Since we moved to Sisters 4 years ago, we have made it a yearly tradition to attend the "Halloween Parade" through Sisters. TONS of families and friends gather at the City Park and go in groups on a special route through town and trick or treat to all the local businesses. We were blessed with BEEUTEEFUL weather and the kids had tons of fun!

There's no place like home?

Baby Emma!

Counting the spoils with your best bud - does it get any better?

The "Mad Scientist" and his Dad

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Halloween Parties

It's always fun to come to school and be a part of the class Halloween parties. This is Porter and Makenna just before they left for school. If you didn't notice, Port tucked his pants into his socks because "then no one will notice my pants are too short." We sure know how to breed 'em - but thanks again Josh for letting us borrow that awesome skeleton costume!

In Kenna's class their desk groups got to play "wrap the mummy" and Makenna was picked to be victim. Her classmates thoroughly enjoyed mummifying her in strips of toilet paper - it was so fun to watch!

In Porter's classroom one of the parents read them a Halloween story and brought ghost necklaces to make.
I think he enjoyed the treats the most.

Charley's always happy to come along for the ride - and to get to see what "the big kids" are doing at school . . .
it's definitely a novelty to her!

Of Their Own Design

So we FINALLY carved our pumpkins - I think they'd been sitting by the front door, hollowed out for 2 weeks! The kids designed their own pumpkin face and I helped carve - Makenna did most of her own accept for that tricky mustache! Love those creative kids of mine!

Porters

Kenna's (at first she thought it looked like
Santa Claus so she gave him a sweat band!)

Charley's (a cat)

Port's Show Off Day

This past Friday the first graders at Sisters Elementary School got to show off some of the fun things they've been learning and doing in PE and in Music. We started off in the gym and they showed us their HUGE parachute and the cool things they do with it.

Mr. Lamont the PE teacher said, "We'll take four steps in and then everyone goes under and we'll make our mushroom." Once they were all hidden under the mushroom we could hear Mr. Lamont say, "OK class, anyone have a good joke?" We hear Porter's voice pipe up, "Yeah. Why did the bumble bee get married? Because he finally found his honey!" All the parents laughed - it was so cute! Porter told us that wasn't planned - he just thought of that joke!

We got to play with all the fun equipment in the gym too -
and there was a lot Porter wanted do and show to us.

I think he was the most proud of his chin-up skills.
That kid held it there for quite a while -
I think his chin might have helped him just a little!

We then went to the commons area where the kids sang us some songs, played some games, and showed us their new found skills on the "glockenshpeel" - no this is not how it's spelled. Three of the kids were chosen to lead their class in their school song - Porter was one of those kids. I asked he and his good buddy Ryun why Porter was one of the leaders and his friend said, "Oh it's because Porter just does a really good job."

So fun to see all the fun things you're learning Porter!
Way to go buddy!