Cookie anyone? ... No just the Frosting Please!!

Ian got himself a cookie off the counter the other day and this was the end result...

Winner

As the battle for Longest Road and Largest Army was under way, Landon, Matthew and Mom teamed up and worked together to play a monumental game of Settlers of Catan.

Mom tried to play fair and let the boys do what they felt they needed to do to win the game.  Alas, in the end it was not Mom who won.  No not even by a long shot!  Matthew played the best game of his life thus far!  He was sneaky and stealthy, but not malicious nor mean.  Landon's tactic was to gain the longest road and keep the robber on Mom all the while Matthew built up an empire of the Largest army and plenty of cities to help him attain his win.  He swept through like a thief in the night and stole the Longest Road right out of Landon's grasp and took the victory!

It was a great game.  I was so impressed with the skill my boys played with.  I was very happy to see them compete, not annihilate.

Are you sure?

So Ian had surgery yesterday.  All my boys have had to have this type of surgery and it's not anything that is "serious" but it is still a surgery.  On the up side Ian is doing fabulous!

Here is a pic of how he looked about 30 minutes before they called him in to the OR.

Little does he know of what is in store.

Oh, he's happy!

After all was said and done, I didn't get a pic of him after the surgery because he was really distraught and I was his source of comfort.  We will get more happy pics this week.  After all He is such a happy boy it's hard to get a pic of him upset!

Update??

I went to download the pics and the battery to the camera is dead.  For most people this would not be such a problem but for those of us who are in desperate need of a new computer it brings much frustration.  My computer is old.  It no longer wants to read my camera's card.  So I don't have pics as of yet.  I need to find the charger then the update will be possible.

Camera: MIA ... again!

Okay, so I haven't had a chance until tonight to update and ... the camera is no where to be found.

TOMORROW:
Mission if I choose to accept:  FIND CAMERA!

I cannot promis I will have an update tomorrow but I will find the camera then maybe Saturday I will have a better update for everyone!

Feed Yourself Why Don't You!

So lately Ian has been wanting to use his own utinsels while eating.  So today I decided to let him try to feed himself some yogurt! 

Here is how it turned out:

Holiday Fun!

We had a blast today!  A good friend of ours invited us over to decorate Gingerbread Houses!!  The boys had a lot of fun with their friends and the end results were great!

Matt did such a great job!!

Landon didn't hold back on the frosting! 

All in all we came home with two fabulous Gingerbread Houses!!

Dried Mangoes and Challenges

I don't know how many of you have ever had dried mangoes, but they have to be one of my all time favorite snacks.  If you ever get the chance try them!  They are fabulous!!!

Thanksgiving went well.  The turkies came out great!  We ate a ton of food and had a lot of fun.  I did do the black Friday sales and boy was that a rush!  I love shopping... probably a little too much, and it was so much fun!  I was able to get a lot of stuff that I absolutely didn't need.  I did get a lot of things that are totally un-neccessary, but I will not be giving them everything all at once.  I am going to keep most of it for random good-job surprises for the kids to get throughout the next year. 

I have two weeks before I leave for Texas.  I am getting excited, but I will miss my boys so much!  I haven't been gone from them for 2 years!  I have never been away from Ian.  It will be a crazy five days full of fun and relaxation, with one of my best friends! 

As I look toward the Christmas season this year, I am finding that the magic isn't quite here yet.  My boys don't seem to understand that Christmas is about the birth of our Savior.  That the ultimate gift was given to us by our loving Heavenly Father.  We have been blessed with so much in our life together as a family.  Joe has been able to have and keep a steady job, have his education paid for by the Marine Corps.  I have been able to stay at home with my children and try to nurture them and cultivate my skills as a mother and wife.  My kids have been able to live and experience many places and traditions.  We have so much to be thankful for and it seems to me I need to do a better job of teaching them and instructing them on how to be better and more grateful for what we have. 

I want to challenge anyone who reads this, to do the same with their families!  Our ward is also challenged to read the book of mormon by April Conference.  We started last Sunday and we are supposed to read about 4 pages a day.  So far Joe and I are doing this, together, and are keeping up with it.  It's a great challenge for us.  It helps me keep in mind that I have a goal and I need to accomplish it.  I am extending this challenge to you all as well.  Good luck! 

T'was the night before Thanksgiving

T'was the night before Thanksgiving and Chelle didn't want to cook.  So she hatched a sneaky plan!  She talked her oldest son into wanting to go out for dinner and to ask his wonderful dad if they could.  Her son did as she asked without letting it be known that it was her idea in the first place.  It worked like a charm!  So out to dinner they went!

Chinese anyone?

Then on the way home, she convinced her second son into asking their dad to go to the blessed land of Baskin Robins for ice cream!  It worked again! 

Ice cream anyone?

The night before Thanksgiving was a success!  Happy Holidays!

Turkey Day Prep

Many of you are in the same mode that I am in... Getting ready for the BIG Thanksgiving feast!  This year we are celebrating with our neighbors.  The assignments were divvied out and my portion of the meal is the Turkey, Apple Pies, Gravy and Green Bean Casserole!  Yesterday I made the pies today I am making the turkies (yest two of them) and Tomorrow will be the gravy and casserole. 

I make my turkey in a brown paper bag.  Yes this sounds a little weird, but it's the only way I know how to make a turkey.  So, I thought it would be fantastic to document it this year!  Hear are some pics! 

 

Yumm! Turkey is in the air!

Apple Pies!!! YUMMY!!!!!