I got this idea from a friend last year and have decided to make it a family tradition. Every Christmas Eve we sprinkle oats and glitter on the front lawn to help guide the reindeer to our house. Today Aidan and his friend also colored little reindeer pictures to go along with it. A fun cheap gift idea for your neighbors, your kids friends... or something fun for your own family to do!
PS- You can find this cute reindeer coloring page here!
For Christmas I would like a potty trained little boy! SERIOUSLY!
I have been a VERY GOOD MOM(=cleans up potty accidents 2-3 times a day) this year.
Love
The Mother
PS- Do they allow kids who aren't potty trained in kindergarten? :)
This is one of my favorite things... where I wish we could just stay like this forever!
Brinn looked so big in this picture. Where did my baby go? 
Aidan seriously wore this outfit around the house all day. This is the worst fashion no-no I think I have ever seen!
... you have to wait in line for 15 min. to play in a pile of dirty, icy, snow! Seriously!
Speaking of snow... this is what we woke up to today (mind you... I am NOT saying that this is snow, I did grow up in Utah after all.) Yesterday it got up to 85 degrees and then dropped down to 35 by the evening. TALK ABOUT DRASTIC! This morning when Aidan saw the ice/hail on the roofs he said "Mom, the neighbors have sugar on their roof." Wouldn't that be fun!
We hope you have a wonderful birthday! We miss you and love you and hope to see you soon!
Love, All of Us!
Dear Santa,
For Christmas I would like...
* you to leave me ALONE!
Love,
Brinn
Dear Santa,
For Christmas I would like...
* A race car- Lightning McQueen
* Spike the Dinosaur (commercials are so effective)
* A roller skate that goes faster (aka Scooter)
* I want lots of presents for me
* And a game too.
Love,
Aidan
PS- I have been a very good boy this year!
I found this cute idea on the blog Flipflops and Applesauce. She has just the cutest ideas and when I saw this one I knew I had to make it. Since we don't get any snow here... I decided to make some of our own.
Aidan wanted to try to make a snowman...
...But it actually turned into this (yes, he did this one mostly by himself.)
Of course... I should have guessed!
So fun, easy, cheap, and cute!
PS. You can find a link to this site on my sidebar as well.
Brinn is a walking machine. She walks so fast (mostly to help keep her balance) and loves it when we chase her around. She is such a happier child now that she can get around. She used to follow me from room to room when she was crawling... she would go where I go. When I went into a room she went with me and when I left, so did she. Now she is really starting to explore on her own. When I can't find her I know the first place to look is in my bathroom. She has one drawer in there that she just LOVES, and she gets so mad when I make her leave her treasures in there.
Speaking of "treasures", as long as she has one for each hand she is a happy camper! The more the better! She loves going through purses (it starts so young) because she knows her favorite things are in there. 
Brinn is such a happy and easy little girl (but was not an easy baby, so I figure it's about time.) I almost never hear her cry. She goes right down to sleep when it's time. She eats almost everything, unlike her picky little brother... not to mention that she almost out-eats him every meal! Speaking of brother... she LOVES Aidan! The other day he was not feeling good and she was rubbing his back and would smile at him trying to get him to smile. Finally her attempts paid off! Whatever he is playing, she wants to play... and for the most part he is a really good sharer. 
Some of the words she is saying now:
*mama
*dadadada
*ball
*hahaha(hot) with this funny little hand action
*bah (bath)
*dayday (Daisy (r.i.p))
What she tells us with her actions:
*I ask her if she is poopy and she sticks her little bum out.
*When she falls, she turns to you and reaches out for you to help pick her up... Dad falls for it every time!
*She signs more
*I ask her if she wants a bath and she turns and walks straight to the bathroom.
*She holds her hand our for a "treasure" and as soon as you give her one she puts her other hand up as if to say, "Hello mom, you know better."
She just melts my heart and is so cute, both inside and out! I am so blessed!
PS- Brinn's favorite song is Pocket Full of Sunshine and she sings it with me at the top of her lungs! Gotta love it!
* The other day I came out to find this on the counter.
Either I have a mouse in the house or...
* "Mom, I want a BumGall." (Yes, that's right... BUMGALL.)
"No gumballs right now. You swallowed your gum yesterday."
(As dramatic as possible) "OooHHHhh Dang!" which turns into crying. "But I want a BUMGALL."
"Sorry."
"Oh dang!" (His new favorite phrase used about 30-40 times a day! I can't help but smile every time he says it!)
* "Mom, I'm sad."
"Why?"
"Because the bubbles are going up into the sky."
"That's what bubbles do... they float into the sky."
"Oh dang."
* Our ferret Daisy was sick I was trying to explain to him that she was sick and that she might die, and all that that entails.
"But I want to play with Daisy. I don't want her to be sick."
2 minutes later: "Mom, when Daisy dies I think I will get a dog." Totally a thought instigated by his own little brain. Could it be that this cute boy of mine is trying to manipulate me in our moment of sorrow... I think so!
Sadly Daily passes away a few days ago and again we were talking about Daisy dying, and what dying is.
"Mom, kitty's and dog's don't die."
Mr. Smartie pants is trying to work me... please let's just have a moment to morn.
* "It keeps getting out of control."
"What does?"
"My shirt."
You could see why that would be a problem... I hate it when my shirts get out of control too!
* "Mom, why is the moon just CHILLIN in the sky?"
"That is where it lives."
"Maybe we can catch it?"
"How are we gonna do that?"
"Maybe a big space ship... that would be silly huh! Or maybe an airplane or a helicocker (yes, you read that right.) That will be silly too!"
I just love this kid to pieces and can't wait to start having little conversations like this with Brinn!
We started the night off with new Christmas Jammies. Normally we open them on Christmas Eve but since David might not be home yet we figured we would open them now... I kind of like that idea, maximize usage!
Cute Brinn!
The tree before...
The tree after...
I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME!
Our Thanksgiving was wonderful and a little unconventional. The food was traditionally delicious thanks to my Mom and Amy (still need that recipe!) The company was beyond wonderful... which included a 12 hour visit from David! YEAH!
A little unconventional... our activities for the night!
My brothers getting shot at close range with paint balls... for fun?
Throw-ice-in-a-glass-game. Sounds simple... it's not. But thanks to this game I am now $75 dollars $$$richer$$$ I think we should make this a tradition for every holiday... National Potato Chip Day is coming up... you up for it dad? I guess I should ask if your wallet is up for it?
I know the first Thanksgiving consisted of Pilgrims and Indians... we settled for Cowboys!
We threw a surprise party for my mom a few weeks back! It was so much fun but I am not quite sure if she was surprised (SEE PICTURE BELOW) 
What a cute mom I have. I love her so much, especially since she did not disown me after all the embarrasing pictures I had of her at the party. 
No surpirse that my kids thought this party was all for them!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!
For our last family home evening (FHE) Aidan was in charge of planning the activity and this is what he wanted to do...
Of course he had to be in charge of pushing the timer button each time... he is really into "being in front," "being first," and we often hear him say things like "I win."
My mom, sister, and I went our for a girls night to see... Twilight! But we actually started the night with queso (seriously the best in the world and if you ever come and visit me in Texas I will prove it to you.) Next we went to the movie and I loved it although I loved the book more!
A great night with great company!
While my sister and her family were in town we snuck in some time for family pictures...
The whole fam...
Our little fam...
Brothers and Sisters...
The proud grandma and grandpa...
David and I just celebrated our anniversary... 6 years. In some ways it has flown by, and in other ways it feels like we have been married forever. I love him and am so lucky to have him to myself for ETERNITY. :) I could not ask for a better best friend, husband, and father to my children! I am so blessed!
... this song that is playing now! If you have never heard it.. listen!
Josh Groban- Thankful
I just found out that David is going to be home this year for Christmas! The first time in a couple of years! I am SO EXCITED!!!
Just passing this along:
Go to Oprah.com, click on free gift from snapfish by midnight Friday and get a free 8" x 11" custom-cover photo book. You still have to pay shipping and handling but still a bargain for a cute gift or something for yourself!
Look at these two!
The boys after making cookies with Grandma!
The sweet fort that Aunt Holli made the kiddos!
Go Bulldogs! Jerseys and little dresses Nic brought back from Georgia!
Best Buddies!
