Our Gingerbread House

A couple of years ago my friend, Heidi, taught me how to make gingerbread houses from scratch-while amazing- this year Costco had an entire kit for ten bucks- much more in line with my energy level!

Christmas Cookies

I love to bake so Christmas time is a great excuse to bake! Even Cash helped out with the sugar cookies (don't worry he was the only one to eat his creations)

Santa Pancakes

With the Allers still in town we celebrated Advent with Santa pancakes (I especially love pancakes when I am pregnant)and pancakes with whipped cream beards even better!

Happy Birthday Rosco

Today Rosco turned 8! He was pretty excited about his pancake!

Mary and the Angel

Sydney and Cash had their Christmas concert tonight at their school. We were excited when we found out Syd was going to be Mary. In fact when I was talking to her about being Mary- I asked her about being mary and said "you get to hold Jesus" to which Syd got a smile and said, "No I get to hold Joseph" Confused I said "Who's Joseph?" to which she replied with the same smile, "Evan"- so luckily Mary kept it G rated and Cash sat like a sweet angel during the fifteen minute show.

Hollywood Connections

This year for my work Christmas party we (i was on the planning commitee) decided to do a more family friendly evening at Hollywood connections. Michelle and her family were able to join us which was awesome.

Cinnamon roll Snowmen

After saying goodbye to my Mom and Syd's dance class we came home for the healthy holiday dinner of Snowman cinnamon rolls!

Paper with Personality

I love my little brother, he is so sweet and an amazing uncle. Syd and Cash wanted to get him something special for Christmas including decorating the tissue paper with paint.

O Christmas Tree

After last years less than romantic cutting down our own tree experience we went back to our original tradition-going to the Home Depot for our tree. My Mom was in town (my sis and her fam left in the morning) and so it took no time at all to get our tree and get it home.

Advent

Like many people I am going to try and do something Chritsmasee each day- some I remembered to take pictures of and some well... I didn't

Milk Man

Cash carried on the tradition of drinking from the carton-it has to genetic- my favorite part is that he has a sippy with milk in it, but then he came across the empty gallon and decided to seize the moment (Note: later on he grabbed a non empty gallon jug- the results were not as cute!)

A Grand O'l Time

Randomly on day after Thanksgiving I was watching the 5pm news and they announced that they were broadcasting live from the Grand America Hotel (one of our nicest 5 star hotels)was hosting a Holiday Open House. They had people carroling, spiced nuts, hot chocolate, scones, decorating gingerbread cookies, writing letters to Santa, and more (and it was all free!) It was so awesome and fun. My favorite part of the night though was when Syd said she felt like Belle and started dancing in one of the ballrooms. A great way to start the holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving and taking a moment before all of the craziness of the Christmas season to just reflect on what i am grateful for. Being a vegetarian I am always grateful when someone else cooks the turkey! We had a lot of fun with Johnny's family. Here is Cash with Carmen.

The Hat

I am in throws of my first trimester (due July 10, 2010) so with nausea and exhaustion the kids have gotten creative entertaining themselves- todays pick- the old cowboy hat

Pirate Pig?

Today the dress up item of choice was the very exciting pirate patch, but Syd enjoyed it more for a snout.

11 years

Time flies- Johnny and I have been married for 11 years today! (if I was hard core I would scan a wedding pic since there were no digital cameras back in 1998) but since I am in desperate catch up mode I will just say we went and saw Couples Retreat and ate at the Cheesecake factory- a fun night!

Syd's Pics

Sydney loves to grab the camera and snap some pictures- usually we end up with pictures of doorknoobs and the floor, but here are some of her better efforts

Boxed In

I have now been passed the gunk baton and so we literally are boxed in to the house these days! Ah the joys and winter is only just beginning-

A Capital Day

We have literally spent the first weeks of November not going anywhere! The kids have been trading coughs and gunk back and forth, but finally we had an excuse to leave- Johnny had to take pictures of the seals (the bronze circular kind) at the capital for work and did not have the SD card in the camera so the kids and I ran up to the rescue. The Utah capital is really cool and it was fun to do something.

Happy Halloween

Sydney is on the tail end of her cold and Cash is just in the beginning stages of his-while I am grateful it isn't the swine flu or anything serious-it still makes for a forced low key Halloween night. We headed quickly to Gardner's Village where the "Witches are Out" for a quick photo shoot then Syd and I went to a few neighbors houses. Just like last year, after a few houses she just wants to go home and hand out candy with Johnny.

Howdy Halloween y'all

So my fellow Recreation Therapist (aka Miss La Verkin) a few months back attended the Lehi Stampede (rodeo for you city folks) and declared that we should dress like Rodeo Queens for Halloween.
So I became Mrs. Duchense and then we also had Miss Sanpete County and Miss Snowville and of course a cowboy.
Note: working at a children's hospital, we as rec. therapists are incharge of planning and coordinating all holidays- Halloween is one of the biggest.

So with wranglers and a glue gun I went to work on creating my costume- and it was really fun-

Breakfast of Champions

So I really wanted both kids to eat a regular/decent breakfast before heading we me to Shriners for my work Halloween festivities ( I am in charge of) so I heard Syd get into the frig and then she appeared with. . .a slice of cold pizza- not really the breakfast I would have picked for her-for myself most definitely, but not for her.

Trunk or Treat

Our ward usually does their Halloween party a week before Halloween which is nice because the kids get plenty of candy and then only go to few neighbors houses for real trick or treating. This year we went classic Halloween with Johnny as a wolfman, Syd as a witch (somehow no pics of her), and Cash as a mummy.

Pumpkin Patch

As I have stated before I love holidays-especially Halloween. We headed out to get our pumpkins and well. . ended up with more than we bargined for-oh well at least they look cute.