Preschool Party

Today was Wesley's Preschool Christmas Party and Also Wesley's birthday day at preschool. Since his birthday is during Christmas break they celebrated it today. He got to bring the snack, a show and tell toy and be the line leader all day. They had cute activities for the kids to do, we sang some Christmas songs with the Pastor, and then went to see St. Nicholas. It was really neat to walk into the church's chapel with the beautiful stained glass windows depicting Christ and his life, lit candles, and St. Nicholas sitting on his big chair. St Nicholas tried to explain that he was not Santa Clause and talked to the kids about giving and the true meaning of Christmas but I think the kids were a little confused. They all said "no, your Santa!" Which was a little funny.

Wes was the last to leave St. Nicholas. He just sat on the stage and wouldn't leave. Silly Boy!

Gingerbread Houses

For FHE we got together with some friends and made gingerbread houses. The kids ate and ate so much candy which they thought was the greatest. What is better than lots of candy and spending time with friends.

Griffith Park Ward Party

So this was a party that we have been planning for a while now and I think it turned out great. The best part was that Santa came to visit. As I was preparing for the party Wes kept asking me if it was time for "Santa's Party". It was fun to hang out as a new ward and get into the Christmas spirit.

Wes sleeping while we set up

Wes in Reindeer antlers

This years Christmas Tree

This year we were very excited to go pick and cut down our own tree from a Christmas tree farm. Christmas tree farms are everywhere here in Portland. The trees are really pretty cheap too (better than what I am used to in AZ). I have been told that Oregon is ranked the top producer of Christmas trees in the U.S. I have even seen people selling them out of their drive way. So we had many places to pick from but we chose to go to Christmas Mountain. We headed out on Friday after Thanksgiving. It was so much fun. I had never cut down my own tree before. They gave us a "hayride" around the farm/mountain and told us to tell them when we wanted to get off to start looking for a tree. We wanted to get a smaller tree and found a tree we liked pretty fast but looked around for a while then came back. Isn't it always that first one you always come back to? It was so much fun for all of us. After we got our tree we hung out by the fire and had some complimentary hot chocolate. I love Christmas time!!!

School Pictures

A few weeks ago Wesley had his first school picture taken. They turned out way better than I thought. I guess he smiles better when someone else tells him to. I heard that they had the kids sit on some kind of slide and slide down after they smiled. That might have helped too. His class picture turned out so cute. Check them out.

Bradley Turns 1

Wow I can't believe it has been a year since this has happened. We have loved this past year having Bradley as part of our family and watching him grow into a little man. He has just started to walk everywhere in the house which means we have to make sure we shut door and make sure thing are put way. He still loves to put plugs out of there socket. He thinks it is the funniest thing, probably because of how we freak out at him. He loves to be chased and to follow his brother around. He is usually a happy boy. He is not a big talker yet, but says mom, dad, and no sometimes. He still doesn't like to eat. I think he would rather be playing, so we have to force him to eat all the time. He didn't even want to eat his birthday cake but played in it and threw it on the ground. For his birthday party we invited my family to come to the party by skyping in . Brad loves talking to them through skype. We did the traditional birthday thing pizza dinner, presents, and cake. Wes said it was the best birthday ever! I had to remind him that it wasn't his but Bradley's. I think we all had lots of fun.

I know I can be crazy sometimes

I am the first to admit that sometimes I get something in my mind and I will not stop until I figure out how to make it happen. A little obsessive?? Maybe. I am thankful that my husband has learned to just let me be. So with my latest episode, I was looking online and found a felt pay house that I thought Bradley and Wes would love to play in. They sell them on etsy for around $150 so I decided, 5 days before Brad's 1st birthday, to make one for his birthday. It was a little crazy on my part to try to get it done in 5 days but I did (with lots of help from my hubby). It was really fun and only $30 to make. I still have to make the apples/pears/cherries that will go on the tree and a few other things but I got it pretty much done by his birthday. I love how much fun Brad and Wes have together playing in it.

(the fire place and picture frame are on the inside)

Halloween Week 2009 aka Bradley's 1st

This is for you, Shirley :)

This year we celebrated Halloween all week and it turned into a crazy, busy, and fun week.

On Sunday I received my first calling in the new Griffith Park Ward. (our old ward was dissolved and separated into 3 different wards in the stake and they received all new names) I was called to the activities committee. I am very excited about this calling, who doesn't like parties! I was called 1 day before the first ever "Trunk or Treat" for the ward. So on Monday I did a lot of rushing around trying to get things ready for the party and also to finish Wesley's costume. That night for family night we carved our pumpkins.

Tuesday was the ward party! Wes had so much fun going to each booth and trying out the games. It was the first time that I was able to just let him go and have fun and not have to follow him around or help him out with things and he loved it. Brad also had a great time. He kept his costume on the whole time and loved crawling around and exploring things. Orrin got to man the fishing booth the whole night. The party turned out great!

Thursday was Wesley's Halloween Party at school. It was so cute to see all his classmates and teachers all dressed up. They had a blast playing games, decorating cookies, and they also were able to go trick or treating to the people that work out of the offices in the 2nd floor of the church.

On Friday we went to the Plumper's Pumpkin Patch with some friends. It was a rainy day but we just put on our rain boots and stomped in the mud. It was a really fun farm for the kids with hayrides, farm animals, huge slides, hay maze, and mud. We had lots of fun.

On Saturday (Halloween) we were able to go to Orrin's dental school friend, Jim's parents farm. We had been invited to come and watch them make some fresh apple cider. We picked the apples, washed them, cut them up and put them in the apple press. It was so much fun! It smelled so good in that barn and the cider tasted so heavenly. It was fun for the boys to be able to run around the farm and eat all the apples they wanted. Being there made me think that I would love to be able to live on a farm one day.



That night we got the boys ready and went out trick or treating. Wes was a knight and Brad was the Dragon. I could tell that both of them loved getting dressed up. I was so surprised by how many people were out in our neighborhood. It made it lots of fun having so many people out in costumes. Wes loved it and Brad enjoyed hanging out in the stroller. Later that night Wes told my mom all about trick or treating by saying " I just rang the door bell and said trick or treat and they gave me candy". He was amazed how easy it was to get candy.

It was a really busy week but also lots of fun for all of us.