Thanksgiving 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!  We have so much to be thankful for.  Most of all, we have such a terrific family!  Thanksgiving is typically spent at my mom's house and, as always, was lovely (and very yummy).  We took some pictures in the hopes that maybe one would turn out for Christmas cards.  Actually, they ended up turning out better than we'd expected!  (We've learned to keep our expectations pretty low so we can only end up happy with the results!)



Big group

 

Our growing family



Pretty Emily

Always a character, Kari

Giving those big grins out, Christian

She's waving!!!, Juliana!

Pretty Auntie Erin with her new little buddy, Juliana.

Fantastic Gymnastic

Back in August, Kari started gymnastics!  To say that she loves it would be an understatement.  Every day, she asks, "'Nastics day, Mommy?"  I'm so happy she loves her little class!  (And isn't Kari in her little leotard the cutest thing??!)

 The gym she attends is extremely organized and well-run.  Each week they have a theme and incorporate it into the different apparatuses (did I spell that right??); it keeps it fresh for the kids.

 Kari has two teachers who divide the class of 6-8 children into two groups.  The preschool room (which is smaller and set apart from the big gym) is divided in half and they run one side of the room's circut for half of the class and the other side's circut for the 2nd half of class.

 Kari's teachers are very patient (and they have to be to work with 2 1/2-4 yr olds!) and Kari is learning so many great skills!

Great job, sweetheart!  Keep up the good work!

Pumpkin Pie Squares

My mother-in-law emailed this recipe to me a couple of weeks ago and, loving pumpkin the way I do, Kari and I thought we'd try our hand at making them.  This recipe did not disappoint!  In fact, I loved them so much I'm pretty sure I ate half of the pan all by myself.  I had to give them away to my neighbors to keep from finishing the pan off!

So, if you'd like to gain 5 lbs in one week (and, really, who wouldn't?!), here is the recipe:

Bottom layer:

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup margarine
1 egg

Mix together and reserve one cup. Press the rest into 9 x 13 pan(having greased bottom of pan only).

Filling:
3 cups pumpkin 2 tsp cinnamon
1+1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp ginger
2/3 cup milk 1/2 tsp cloves
2 eggs

Mix together and pour over bottom layer.

Topping:
1 cup reserve mix from bottom layer 1/4 cup cut up margarine
1/4 cup sugar 1 tsp cinnamon

Cut in together and plop on top of pumpkin mixture randomly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Laundry

I had a special helper today while I was folding the laundry.

Yup, who needs baby toys when you have laundry to be folded!

Halloween 2012

Halloween 2012 was a big hit!  The weather was so wonderful and the kids really had a great time trick-or-treating.  Emily and Christian were out an hour and a half--a new record!  Kari and Juliana were out for about 45 min before they got tired and we came home. 

Here are the costume breakdowns: 

Emily was a "princess vampire."  Originally, she had wanted to be just a vampire with full-on blood and gore.  I persuaded her to add the princess part, minus the blood.  She had purple vampire fangs to match her purple vampire dress (a dress that my mom had made for me years ago when I was Sleeping Beauty).  She was happy to paint her face white, lips red, and have pink hair.

Christian was a werewolf!  He was very adamant that he wanted to be a werewolf with a scary werewolf mask.  Mission accomplished.

Kari was a pink ballerina.  Her costume changed with her mood...as evident in the first picture in which I made her keep her tutu on.  (She wanted it off, and, got her way after picture time.)  Kari also got the pink hair.

Juliana was "The Cow."  Each of the kids has been the cow for their first Halloween.  Funny enough, the size of the costume is a 12 mo. costume and has worked out perfectly for each.  Emily and Kari being more on-target for their age/size wore it when they were 9/10 months old.  Christian and Juliana, both very big for their age, have worn it at 5/6 months and it fit them just as well!  Ha!

 We went out with our whole neighborhood gang.  The big kids were very speedy and got waaaayyy ahead of the little kiddos.  Thankfully, we had a lot of adults to keep track of everyone.  One of said adults was Uncle Kyle!  He came over after work and gave us a hand keeping track of the kids and carrying Kari when she got tired or too far behind.

This is sweet Kari and Campbell, getting their candy.  It was Kari's first Halloween really knowing what was going on and she had a lot of fun saying "trick or treat!" in her little Kari voice.

Good weather, cute kids, good night!

Christian's Cars

I just love this little boy!  His creativity in his play is so much fun to watch and be a part of! 

Last week his toy of choice was his cars.  He loves to take them out, organize them (usually according to brand, funny enough.  His favorite brand being, of course, Hot Wheels), drive them, crash them, whatever.

He was pretty proud of his line up and the fact it was as big as he was.

This week the cars are put away and he's moved on to legos.  I'm so grateful to have such a fun-loving and imaginative boy!

Trunk-or-Treat

Last weekend was our ward's Trunk-or-Treat and Chili Cook-off!  Great fun was had by all.  Our friend Ella came along too!  Since the rule is "no masks,"  Christian had to do a different costume.  Can you guess what he went as?  A blonde-haired little boy and his pet tiger??  Calvin and Hobbes!  Yup, he was just as cute as ever too.

 Part of the evening's entertainment was a live band!  They got everyone out of their seats and Kari could not get enough of the dancing!!  That girl would dance until she dropped--and almost did!

 At long last it was time to head outside to trunk-or-treat!  It was a nice evening and the kids all had fun going from car to car practicing their "trick-or-treat!" and getting candy.  There was even a hot chocolate stand going on and with different creamers and whipped creams to add to it, so yummy!

 Love this picture of Kari!  She's going through an awkward "I don't know how to smile at the camera" stage and so this is a rare gem.  (Love how little Miss J is sneaking into the shot too!)

And this is how we all felt after we got home!  Juliana was definitely one tuckered-out little cow.

Six Months!

This sweet "little" baby is 6 months old!  I can't believe it!  Juliana has been such a wonderful addition to our family.  Such a happy baby and learning new things everyday.

Here are her six month stats:
Weight:  20 lbs 12 oz (99%)
Height:  27 1/2 in (95%)
Head:  17 1/2 in (93%)

Yup, she's not hurting in the growth department!  Here's a peek into Juliana's personality at 6 mos: 

Juliana loves attention (what baby doesn't?)!  Songs, siblings, pictures, random strangers smiling at her...it doesn't matter.  She loves it all!

Juliana loves to eat.  Right now, she is still mainly nursing, but recently she is really taking to pears.  We do mix in some rice cereal every other day or so and she's not a huge fan, but she'll still eat it.  But, each time we get her in her high chair and I sit down, she gets very excited and giggly; knowing that it's time to EAT!

Juliana is getting really good at sitting up.  She loves it!  She loves interacting with her sisters and brothers on a "big kid" level.  She also loves reaching into her toy basket and pulling out toys to play with.

Juliana recently graduated into the big kid bathtub too!  And, big surprise, she loves it!  Big splashes, happy, naked baby!

Juliana has also started to dream (I think) and it wakes her up once a night.  Not my favorite part of getting bigger, but, she can put herself back to sleep after a quick nursing.

Juliana loves her exersaucer too!  And, it remains the quickest way to a diaper blow out :-).  She loves to bounce and play with all of the little toys on it.

Juliana can say "Hi, Daddy!"  I swear, it's true!  When Daddy comes home, she waves and says, "Hi Dada!"

Juliana waves!  Whenever someone she knows comes home or comes over, she'll start waving with big happy babbles and giggles.  LOVE IT!

So, all around, Juliana is a joy!  She has her moments of fussiness, but, I think we'll keep her anyway!
 
We love you, Juliana!