Christmas Celebrating

While we were in Arizona of course we got to do some Christmas celebrating.

The boys Aunt Mandy invited them and their cousins to come to her church building to watch a Christmas puppet show a family puts on every year. It was a really neat show. Brad had his eyes glued on it the whole time. Afterwards she invited us to come over and make ginger bread houses. It was so nice of her to have everything all set up for the kids. They had a blast. They also got to play with Aunt Julia and Uncle Kevin's bunny. The bunny got lots of love that night.

We went to a neighborhood near my brother's house. The people in that neighborhood had millions of Christmas lights and lots of time on their hands. They even had a Santa there passing out candy canes and taking pictures.

We attended the extended Mackey and sibling Mackey parties. We love and look forward to these every year.(Sorry I didn't get a good picture. They are a little crazy and we have so much fun I just can't capture it in a picture.)

Our Trip to AZ (part 1 of many)

The kids and I got to go to Arizona for Christmas a week before Orrin was able to get off of school. I was a little worried to fly by myself with the boys again because last time was not so fun for me. They did amazingly!

We did miss having Orrin with us for a week (I think it was even harder on him) but it was nice to arrive early so that we were able to make it to some important events.




First we were able to make it to one of my brother Blake's orchestra concerts. He has become so good on the violin. The boys loved watching and listening to him play almost everyday we were there. He also received his Eagle while we were there.

I also got to attend my brother Scott's graduation from the Business College at ASU. It was a really nice day to spend with the family. We are so proud of him. We know how hard it is to go to school, work a full time job, raise a family at the same time. He is now applying to Law School and we are excited to see were he will be attending in the fall.

My brother Tyler and his wife Stormy also had their baby girl a few days before we arrive. We got to spend lots of time with her. We also found out that Bradley loves babies. Everytime they got the bottle out to feed her he was right there to do it. He will be a great big brother and lots of help to mom.

Picking a Christmas Tree

We has such a fun time last year we decided to go back to Christmas Mountain this year to pick out our Christmas tree. It was the most perfect day (sunny). We were so excited to see some snow too!

We picked out our tree pretty fast and spent the rest of the time having snow fights.

We had fun on our tracker ride and really enjoyed our hot cocoa at the end of our trip.

We decorated the tree that night and the boys helped the whole time. They thought it was the funnest thing. Brad even had so much fun, everyday he would take off the ornaments and replace them.

Bradley is 2!! November 9, 2010

For Brad's birthday we ate his favorite dinner- pizza and went to Pump it Up. It a a place were they have a bunch of blow up jump houses. It took brad about 1/2 hour to finally not be so scared to have some fun. But after that he had a blast.





We then came home had some cake and opened presents with our party guest (via skype).
Orrin and Bradley love this gift. They still play with it everyday when he gets home. Brad has gotten really good. I think its helped Orrin's game too.




I can't believe my little Brad is already two. That is how old Wes was when we moved to Portland. We love having Bradley in our family and love watching him grow into a little man.

Halloween 2010

I have started the tradition of making the boys Halloween costumes and I really enjoy it. I am not sure how long it will last but for now its fun. Wes wanted to be a ninja and Brad was really into spiders so I picked that for him.

Brad loved putting on his costume because he knew when he did he would get candy.

With Halloween on a Sunday this year we were able to attend the trick or treating ward party. It was unpredictable weather this year so we had ward members take class rooms and decorate them and the kids trick or treated in the building. As a member of the activities committee I was really busy that whole day but the kids had a blast. Orrin was also in charge of one of the booths and decided to make it a "put your hand in the box and feel something gross" booth. He had one of his teachers sit under the table and had their had in the box and would grab it when you put it in. The kids loved that one.

Wes and his friend Matt

Members of the activities committee cut this out of cork board. It was amazing.

The goods.



Wesley also had a party at his preschool. This is him and his best friend at school Tucker. Too cute.

Pumpkin Carving 2010

The boys both really enjoyed the whole pumpkin carving process this year.

We didn't get a picture of Wesley's that night because he picked something really hard to make and didn't get finished before the boys had to go to bed. Here it is a few days later (still half finished).

Rain at the Pumpkin Patch

We knew it was going to rain but we love the pumkpin patches here in portland so we decided to become true portlanders and go out like its a sunny day.


We played & lost Wes a few times in the hay mazes,

Played farm games,


Checked out the farm animals,

Played in corn,

And saw lots of pumpkins.