Christmas

We hosted Richards family for Christmas Eve.  I am bummed I didn't take a single picture.  I believe there were 23 people here at our house!  We had a ton of food and I ate way to much!  Everyone was so spoiled with many wonderful gifts.  The house was full of people, wrapping paper, and boxes.  It was a fabulous gathering.  Also Richard has been off work since the 19th and goes back to work on New years day we are enjoying his company.  A staycation!!  Christmas the kids woke us up at 7:10 we opened presents for hours.  It was wonderful to all be together with time on our hands.  I made breakfast and played with more toys and opened more things!  Eventually we noticed it was barely an hour before we were suppose to be at my sister in laws for lunch.  The day was open to spend time together and for the kids to play with there gifts.  By far the best Christmas we've had together in a long time, many memories made!

December update

* I went to our monthly girls night, they had a delicious hot coco bar.  Great company we all stayed way to long but it was worth it!

* Allison had her Christmas piano recital.  She played I wish you a Merry Christmas and jungle bells.

* I've been working on our Children's Primary Christmas gift project all month long!

* We took the kids to Miss Casey's to talk to Santa and take pictures. 

*  We went to our Churches annual nativity display.

* We made a gingerbread house.

* It took me two hours but I wrapped almost all the Xmas gifts one Monday while the kids were at school.

* I've been working on the kids school Christmas parties. Since I am the room mom, I had to completely plan and delegate Allison's class party.  Both parties went well but I am mainly glad its over!

* I went to a friends baby shower.

* I went to the Primary stake Christmas party.

* Attend a funeral for a close family friend who passed away.

*  Cooper had two birthday parties.

*We watched many Christmas movies, and listened to a ton of Christmas songs.  My favorite afternoon was when we ordered pizza and watching Home Alone. 

* Took the kids to see Christmas lights, we did a fun scavenger hut.

* Went to the drive in to see the last Hobbit movie.

* Our elf on the shelf Frosty came back the day after Christmas and has been watching and moving around the house all month.

* We had carolers stop by the house with treats and beautiful music!

Update!!

I have been completely MIA this month.  I haven't done a proper post in a while but I though I would update in two separate post. One to wrap up November and the December.


* Drove to Hobbs for our friends daughters baby blessing.

*It snowed! Flurries..

* Dinner and movie date night!  Mockingjay!

* Finished Christmas shopping for our kids, my great niece and nephew, and a few of my nieces and nephews the week before Thanksgiving.

* Took the kids to see Big Hero 6!

* Hosted girls night at our house had a decent turn out, ten ladies.

* Hosted a turkey craft play date.

* Watched my friends boys so she could go to her daughters dance recital

* With soccer season over the kids have been spending more time with friends.

*  Took the kids to lunch last Saturday and checked out a few on the newly reconstructed parks.  Out of the six new parks with have visited 5.

* Hosted my mother in laws birthday.

* Hosted thanksgiving for my family and my sisters family.

* My sister left her son who hung out with us from Thanksgiving tell Saturday.

* We put away all of the fall décor and brought all the Christmas décor out.  After a few hours we got everything up even the tree as we watched Santa Clause 3. 

 

Hobbs trip

Beckett and I drove into Hobbs for my retainer check appointment with my orthodontist.  My appointment only last twenty minutes, I no longer have to wear my retainer during the day only at night.  Next appointment is in five months.  After my appointment we stayed and visited with the Poling family for a few hours.  I got to hold baby A for a long time she even feel asleep in my arms!  Beckett and S played with cars and colored.  The best part of the day was are girls only lunch, my friends husband watched the kids and we had an adult only lunch!  It was such a fun day!!  I am super thankful my friend D has watched Beckett for each appointment through this whole process of braces.  Having to come back to Hobbs for this past year has been completely worth it.  I love my teeth and I love coming back to visit with friends!

Turkey Shoot Out

Every year midland host a soccer tournament called the Turkey Shoot Out.  Richard signed Allison's team up.  The tournament was this past Saturday.  We had all but two players available to play. The weather was normal but windy.  They had three games at 12, 2, and 4.  Which left little down time.  I had a surprise baby shower for a friend between games and Beckett feel asleep so my in laws stayed at our house while he sleep nearly three hours.  Cooper joined me for the day.  The girls won there first game, tied the second game, and lost the third game.  Allison was disappointed but It was a great day overall spent with friends.

All about Alli

It's been a hard start to a new school year.  Academics don't come easy to Allison.  New concepts eluded her, she has to learn something new several times before she understands.  But she's a fighter, and is hungry to understand.  Seeing her grades all A's and one B (89), you would never know she struggles.  Allison and I work vigorously at home studying a few hours every night.  Allison is more athletic, and could spend her days outside.  She also loves music, she listens to music all day!  She also loves her alone time, and could spend hours in her room with her door shut playing with her monster high dolls or American dolls. Allison definitely has a sensitive soul, and strives to follow the rules.  She also needs special time with each parent.  We let her stay up late with us, or run errands with us, and I take her out on mommy daughter dates often.  The other day I was hanging some of her clothes and I stepped on her electronic diary.  Did I mention Allison's room is almost always a mess.  Anyway the dairy asked for her password and when it wasn't said the alarm went off "B out!" repeated.  I was laughing hysterically, because it use to just beep and apparently she changed it when Beckett kept trying to get in.  Allison loves Taylor Swift especially her new song Shake it up.  She was jamming out to it in the car, she wanted me to roll the windows down.  After the song was over one of my songs came on from like 1999. I was singing and she was like this must be a song from the olden days. My little girl is growing up so fast, once she turned five it seems like the years just flew by.  I can so clearly remember holding a baby Alli in my arms.

Cooper chronicles

My Cooper James should have come to earth with a manual!  We struggle to figure out what makes him tick!  What works for one kid doesn't always work for another.  We had a particular rough day at school where I even received a phone call from his teacher!  Sometimes I worry about my parenting and question everything.  Do I expect to much, am I not patient enough, should I punish differently.  I honestly worry about the man he will become.  My mom told me something that stuck out to me, she said he is only a child and the things your telling me don't sound out of the ordinary.  I did have this deep chat about accountability.  I am concerned he is self gratifying and less considerate.  There is a fine balance as is everything in this world.  Anyway after a long week he had a major turn around and was well behaved for nearly a month now.  A couple of Friday's ago Cooper was on blue at school which means excellent behavior.  We made a deal I would take him for a treat if he is ever on blue.  While Allison and Richard would be at back to back soccer practices the boys and I went to McDonalds.  I truly love my blue eyed baby boy.  It's such a honor to be a mom, I take it very seriously.  After playing and eating the boys and I snuggled in my bed watching Madagascar 3.  It
was wonderful.

Richards birthday

Since Richards birthday fell on a Sunday and he would be working all day we decided to go out Saturday night.  After a day full of soccer, soccer pictures, and a birthday party we left for our date.  Richards pick for dinner and movie!  Dinner was fantastic I especially loved our dessert of fried ice cream!  Before the movie we went to get a little Christmas shopping done.  We got almost all of our nieces and nephews done besides my sisters kids in Florida which we ship online to.  The movie was okay, I just enjoyed the time away from kids with my sweetheart!  Sunday we had church and I spent the afternoon cleaning our dirty house, baking a cake, and cooking a fish and chips dinner for the birthday boy.  Family came over for cake and ice cream it was a fun day celebrating Richard.  Happy birthday sweetheart you are loved!

Halloween

I was so thankful Halloween was on a Friday this year.  The kids were so excited for trick or treating.  We started out the morning with pumpkin pancakes!  I think Alli ate 8!  I visited the kids for lunch with donuts.  It was a bit of a rough day with Beckett, oh the terrible two's and Mr independent has been driving me crazy!  Anyway Richard got home and we had burgers on the grill and then we got dressed and left to our churches trunk or treat!  Last Halloween Allison decided she wanted to be Alice and wonderland but no one else in the family agreed!  I was always on board so the two of us followed through.  Cooper and Richard went with Captain America and the bad guy Buckey the Winter Solider.  I let Beckett pick his costume he wanted Kitty from Monsters Inc.  The night was a complete success!  We started at the church where Richards parents meet us.  They went with the kids while I handed out candy!  Eventually Cooper came back to help hand out candy, which he loved doing.  Next we left to my nephews girlfriends grandmothers house to see there Halloween house.  This woman does Halloween big!  After we walked through the Halloween awesomeness and chatted with family we went door to door trick or treating around a friends block.  The kids got a ton of candy and spent a lot of Saturday eating it!

Monday night football

The drive in here Midland was showing the Dallas Cowboys game.  We knew it would a late night and meant the kids would be staying up late on a school night but we thought it would be fun!  We loaded up with snacks, drinks, pillows, blankets, chairs, and a flash light!  I didn't realize I was such a loud fan!  The kids all started out playing at the playground and eventually it was just me watching Cooper.  You wouldn't believe how crowded that place was.  We left at half time and came home to put the kids to bed. Turns out our night owl Miss Alli wanted to stay up to watch the game.  She even watched into over time.  She knows more about football then I did at that age.  We were sad they lost but Richard called it before the game.

Cookie decorating

Last week a few ladies from church and I got together to decorate Halloween cookies and chat.  It was so much fun I decided to host my own cookie decorating activity.  The night before I made a few dozen cookies and my kids got to decorate some.  I even made gluten free cookies for friend and her children who have allergies.  The next day two friends came over and our boys got busy decorating and eating.  It was a fun festive activity and I think I will make it a yearly thing I hold at my house!

Pumpkin carving etc

This past Sunday was our church children's program.  We're each child has a speaking part talking about the things learned through the year.  In between talks the kids sing songs learned.  I wrote the program and seating arrangements, and set up on the stage directing children.  It was my first program and it was a success.  No crazy thing happened to speak of.  Everyone said there part and sung!  Richard's parents came to watch the kids!  I am bummed because I have no pictures to document any of this!  After church I made lunch then took a two hour nap!  After dinner we carved pumpkins and cooked seeds.  Then walked to the park, which is almost like a daily affair.  Love my three!

Soccer, church, and a fall festival!

I wonder how much we can stuff into one day!!!  Let's try two soccer games, a church program practice, and a fall festival!!  Allison and Coopers games were with in the same hour.  I caught the first half of her game then jetted across town with the boys to Cooper's game.  Did I mention both boys had terrible colds!  We had to leave at half time of Cooper's game to make in time to the church for the program practice.  Also did I mention I bagged with Richard's help 75 bags of candy for a treat/thank you to give to the children after the practice.  The practice went well, no huge hiccups!  Then dash back home to change into costumes for the kids school fall festival.  Both kids ran into friends and Richard and I spent the night separate following one kid.  Are we helicopter parents?!  Anyway let me list some of the attractions: haunted house, 3 face painters, cake walk, coke toss, walk the plank, bull riding, donut contest, and pie throwing.  I am missing a ton!  There was food everywhere, a pumpkin contest, and a costume contest!  Allison won her grade costume contests!!  We all had a blast!!!  We ended our night at Palino's.  We might be crazy busy but I love my crew!

Pumpkin patch 2014

We've made it a tradition to go to the pumpkin patch every year to pick out pumpkins.  Richard and I watched as the kids literally went through the whole field twice before committing to pumpkins.  My only rule was that they had to be able to carry it. Which turned into an issue for Cooper, he finally settled on one. At one point Beckett had four little pumpkins in his arms, sorry only one!  After a short picture session we were done.