Gingerbread Houses and Jared's 25!

December 12, 2015

We had a gingerbread house making party! We had kits, so it was pretty easy.

The finished products! They all turned out so cute. Annie isn't really mad, she was just trying hard to make a cute smile.  I kind of cheated, I made a candy train.

Jared turned 25 on the 11th, so we combined our gingerbread party with a birthday party! It's hard to believe my baby is 25, and that he has a baby!  Maden and Annie love to pile on Jared.

There was a rousing,but chilly game of flag football.

Can't get together without some pictures of the babies.  They all had their turn in the saucer, sometimes just looking on from the outside, sometimes Brian tried to put two in at the same time. It's so fun to watch them starting to interact with each other.  I hope they can be good friends.

Molly crawls really good now, she crawled over to Ryder and tried to steal his binkie. Then she stood up to the chair to see Ryder while he was sitting on Randy's lap.  So, Randy picked her up and got her with his beard, she didn't like it so much.

Randy got his turn at holding 2, then 3 babies.  It's quite a lapful!

Maden's 6!

December 5, 2015

I don't know where the time has gone, or how it's even possible, but Maden had his 6th birthday!  I love this little boy with all my heart! We met at Leo's Place for pizza and the arcade.  Ryder and Molly were having a great time in the high chairs. Grandma Beth is trying to convince Clark to take his bottle. Everyone had fun in the arcade, Nikelle won 100 tickets in the Deal or No Deal game!

After Leo's, Maden got to open his presents. He was truly spoiled! He even got tired of opening presents and wanted to start playing with them.  He looks so grown up in these pictures!  He is such a smart, happy, loving little boy.  He keeps us all entertained with his knowledge and zest for life.  

Christmas Stockings

With the addition of the the 3 babies, I had to make three new stockings and holders. I was so excited to put them on my new mantle.  I love how they turned out!

Thanksgiving 2015

November 26-28, 2015

Thursday, Nov. 26

It snowed and blew a lot in the night and on Thanksgiving morning, so Blake was glad he had put the blade on the four wheeler. Blake, and I and my parents (known as Grandma Beth and Grandpa Chin Chopper) went up to Brian and Celia's for Thanksgiving dinner.  We had a great meal! (I didn't get any pictures of the eating) Then, we played some games, listened to some stories from Blake and Grandpa Chin Chopper because Maden requested them.  He would scoot from one to the other on the couch and snuggle in for each story.

Friday, Nov. 27

Friday morning, Randy, Blake and I met Brian's family at Pizza Pie Cafe for their Black Friday Breakfast Buffet, then we went over to Grandma Great Purcell's house to help put up her Christmas tree. Annie and Celia were singing some songs (that Annie knew all the words to) and dancing. Clark was happy just to hang out on the floor. When we got home, Blake and Randy cleaned the snow from Randy's driveway. Then later, Courtney & Ryder got home from Utah, and Jared, Nikelle and Molly got here after their trip to New Hampshire! 

Saturday, Nov. 28

We had our family Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday when all the boys and their families could be here. (Once again, no pictures of the eating.) Before dinner, Brian and his kids went to help Grandma Beth put her Christmas tree up, then after dinner everyone helped put mine up.  Such good helpers, I love looking at my tree and remembering the little hands that put the ornaments at their level.

Before dinner, some of the guys went outside to shoot some skeet, because Nikelle wanted to try out her new gun. It was pretty cold.

Jared somehow ended up with all the babies on his lap. I don't think Ryder was too thrilled about it.  Then, I had to share these cute pictures of Clark and Molly.  I think Ryder must have been napping when I took these.

Blake brought Molly down to help Maden and Annie play a little pool.  She loved it, Maden and Annie not so much at first, but then they made up a new game and it was fun for everyone.  Maden and Annie love to try out the new toys I have bought for the babies. 

It was a good Thanksgiving weekend.  I am so grateful that I get to spend so much time with my family.

Tending Maden, Annie and Clark

November 14, 2015

Blake and I got to watch Maden, Annie and Clark for a day while their parents went to Utah.  We played with "the babies", played pool, played games, did some crafts and puzzles.  It was a fun day!

I got some cute pictures of Mr. Clarkie.

Ryder came to visit, he and Clark were doing great on the floor studying each other, and just laying there, each in their own world, then Clark decided he'd rather have Ryder's toy, so we had to separate them a bit.

Is it Basketball or Comedy?

Oct. 27 - Dec 7, 2015

Maden has been playing on a little basketball league for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders. Brian has been coaching this little team.  We have made it up for a few of the games, it's pretty entertaining.  

Maden has the defense stance down really well, sometimes he would stay in the stance even on offense.  He actually made a basket in a game, of course it was a game I was not attending!

Grandma Beth and Grandpa Chin Chopper made it to the last game. They (and the rest of us) laughed a lot.  This game, Maden had the art of boxing out down pat!

The babies are getting big!

These 3 little ones are growing so fast! It is so fun to watch them grow and learn new things. Ryder is so tall that he grew out of his car seat, and Molly is so close to crawling, and Clark is a just a happy smiley little guy. 

Annie's 3!

October 30, 2015

It's hard to believe that it's been 3 years since this little beauty joined our family.  She is such a little spitfire, so full of life and fun.  She doesn't miss anything that is going on around her, and points out many things that I don't notice.  Love you Annie girl.

We had a party for her on the evening of her birthday.  She loved being the center of attention. She was so kind to let Maden help blow out the candles.  She was thrilled with all her gifts, taking time to play with each one before opening the next.

Elk Jerky

October 30, 2015

Brian was lucky enough to get a bull elk this year (with a little help from his brothers!). We made some of it into jerky.  Brian came down to cut the meat up. He brought the cutest little birthday girl, and she was a huge help! There was a lot of meat, it made a ton of jerky!

Boo at the Zoo

October 28, 2015

Blake and I took Maden and Annie to Tautphaus Park to Boo at the Zoo. They were the cutest Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too! There were a lot of people there, but we still saw some animals too.  There were a lot of trick or treat stations, some crafts and games.  It was a pretty nice warm evening for this fun activity.