Ta Da!

Jack was super excited to get the tree but I don't think he realized it was actually coming in the house! When he saw it all decorated he yelled, "Ta Da!"

Time for a Christmas movie--see Jack eyeing the popcorn and hot chocolate?

Three cozy little cuties!

Tree hunting

I wasn't too excited about heading out tree hunting in the mud (still no snow here!) but it ended up being a gorgeous sunny day and the kids had a great time running around helping us look (they are usually in snow up to their bellies). Jack even helped cut it down!

This was Jack's first choice.

Found it!

The Nutcracker!

Ava had a really big day last Friday: she had music practice at school (her favorite!), a birthday party to attend (at McDonalds!!), and the Nutcracker in Spokane that night. Ed and I both have memories from when we were Ava's age of getting sick and missing out on a really great day of fun and there are all kinds of germs floating around Ava's class (pink eye, chicken pox, etc) so I was so worried she was going to come down with something but she woke up bright and early and ready to go!

My mom has taken us to the Nutcracker every year since I can remember and this was Ava's third year. She loves to dress up and go out to dinner and having her cousins along is always a treat. She was a little worried about Jemma who stayed home with her daddy and big brother but they did great!

Three awfully cute girls!

Like that face? She was trying out that "smile" all weekend--thank goodness she has already moved on!

She was very excited to wear the pearl necklace Ed bought me many years ago. Already accesorizing!

Morning cuddles

Jack and Jemma spent much of the morning cuddling. He kept saying, "she 'miled at me!" and "she talking to me!" and, of course, "she loves me!"

And I woke up to find this note posted on the fridge. What's better than that?

Christmas Parade!

I think I've mentioned how much we love parades and there's nothing like one in December so we bundled up and hit the streets to cheer on the locals (including Ava!) and even Santa!

Jemma's first parade!

Ava marched in the parade with her ballet class and she even got to pass out candy! She had a special candy cane saved just for Jack when she saw him.

We ended the night with hot chocolate in our snowman mugs which we usually save for the first snow but we figured a parade in December was just as good.

Mmmm, we love to squish her!

Happy December!

Now this is my idea of winter. It is 50 degrees and sunny and the kids could eat lunch outside today! I'd be happy if it snowed December 10th through the 25th and it all melted on the 26th! Keep your fingers crossed.

We have a match!

Everyone asks who Jemma looks like and we have had no clue, until my mom found this picture here. Guess who??....it's me! At the same age as Jemma and while I can not find a picture of her to prove this, in real life she looks exactly like this! I mean exactly like this--same mouth pose, same look in her eyes, same face shape. I can't stop looking at it.

Ouch!

I came home from somewhere to find this sad puppy.

Christmas is coming!

Goodbye Fall!

My favorite part of changing seasons is packing up the old decorations and bringing out the new (here's fall all piled in the kitchen). I always set up for winter the day after Thanksgiving, so after doing my part to support Black Friday (yes, I love that too!), I hurried home to dig out some Christmas cheer. It was a little trickier this year with all the breaks to take care of the baby (and a trip back to Wal-mart for diapers!) but I got it all out and cleaned up and the floors vacuumed (the most important part) in time for a cozy movie night.

Helping daddy do his share.

Ava's favorite part? Her village! She loves this--cozy lighted houses, little people, and snow!

My favorite part? These three stockings! I just keep staring at them--you'd think I would be use to the idea that yes, I do have three kids but I'm not!

Mmmm, I love them! We ordered Jemma's before she was even here!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jemma's talking to grandpa

Paula taught the girls how to fold the napkins like turkeys while the boys played baseball and Robin Hood outside

Checkin' the turkey with Ed mashing potatoes in the background

The girls are looking for their placecards

Time to eat!

This was our smallest group in a long time. We usually have Ed's parents who were in Salt Lake City this year and there's always an extra Casebolt family or two but this year it was just six adults and seven kids--there was actually room for all the food on the table!

Jack ate quickly and then got busy playing with the pilgrims and turkey on the table. I think the turkey just got shot here.

Sara loved the big goblet

The boys got up before the rest of us and they were quick to start attacking from the back of the couch with the cool wood pistols Grandpa made for them!

Jemma slept through dinner and let me eat! And then she got kicked out of her cozy bed so Jack could nap.

At one point almost everybody was asleep! There's grandma and Jemma in the chair, Paula and grandpa on the floor, Ed on the couch, Ben in the upstairs bathroom, Jack and Will sharing a room, Sara in the other room, Ava and Kayte at the other end of the house, and Joe and I were watching the Cowboys beat the Seahawks. And then even Joe fell asleep! The most relaxing Thanksgiving ever--surprising when we were outnumbered by kids!

Paula made three (!) coconut cream pies this year as Ed suggested--one for each family!

We always end the night with the great lighting ceremony. My dad does a fireworks show and then the kids count down and he flips on all the Christmas lights on the house and all the trees and then the kids run in circles and yell "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Over the river and through the woods...

...to grandma's house we go!

Today was baking day--on the day before Thanksgiving we head out to my mom's with no kids(!) to bake, bake, and set the table. Jemma and Ben got lucky this year and were allowed to come (just this once!).

Sweet pea.

Talking to grandma

Ben slept most of time but we let him out to play for awhile.

Paula actually does about 90% of the baking (most of you have heard me speak of my serious lack of baking skills)--my only contribution is a cherry pie and I try to get Paula to make the crust if I can. My job is to clean up after her but this year I didn't even do that--I'm still taking advantage of my new baby status. I did however make lunch and set the table for tomorrow AND I brought the cozy baby for everybody to cuddle!

Four weeks and chubbin' up

The flash makes her so serious!

In case you couldn't tell from the tub picture, Jemma is chubbing up nicely. Jack, who loves to kiss her, has been squishing her cheeks lately and I have to draw the line somewhere so I told him no more squishing and he said, "but I have to--I just love her!"

So much lovin'

Ava's feeding Jemma her nightly bottle for some sister bonding (we're not sure if the milk makes it to her tummy or just down her chin).

Jack sees some loving going on and can't help but kiss her.

And then he sees me taking a picture and turns around for his big shot. (Notice how nicely Ava holds her pose?)

Tubby time

She loves it!