Sunday, November 22, 2015

November: Our Gratitude Month!

November is one of my FAVORITE months of the year - because it is true fall, not yet winter, you get to have Christmas music and everything but it isn't quite as busy as December, and you get to focus on what you are grateful for!  I LOVE this month (and also my husband was born on the 26th so it is awesome for that too!)  Since we leave for the holidays often, I have begun setting up our Christmas decor the 1st day of November so we can enjoy it more.......that being said - we don't fully set it up - just the tree with lights and then it is our Grateful tree!  
Each night we put on paper what we are thankful for that day and it rolls up and is a scroll on our tree - then on December first as we decorate the tree with ornaments, we read all the papers and talk about how much we are blessed with!  It has become a favorite tradition of mine and one we will carry on for forever!  My kids and I loved getting the Halloween decor put away and pulling out the tree and they were great helpers setting it up.  We also pulled out our Santa pictures and so couldn't put them away since they are so cute and had to hang the stockings with them too.  But the rest will wait!

We love the HOLIDAYS!!!  And Christmas music - which I can listen to for the whole 2 months and NEVER get tired of!


Our grateful tree!

 It also means time for Christmas card pics, and after last year Chip said he didn't think I could top it - but we do have a little something fun planned!



We were at tennis when it started a downpour - Capri and Ivy didn't seem to mind!

School projects are in full force and Cash and Griffin were SOOOO excited about their finished projects - I LOVE that these boys want to do their best and care so much about their work!  Cash wrote an entire report on the Empire Penguin, including the table of contents, fun facts, and all sorts of other facts he looked up and read about on his chromebook at school, and then we got to make a 3d cover for it - so awesome!

 While the boys went to the nitro-circus, Ivy and I got fro-yo and went shopping.  Love my favorite shopping buddy!



 We also attended our first b-day party for her friend and it was so fun - 10 little girls in minnie faces and bounce house, cookie=decorating, game playing fun!  They were adorable.  So happy to have such good friends!






We got to get away for a night and go to San Diego for Garth Brooks and it was so much fun!  Love my man, and that he treats me so well and plans such fun dates!

It was even better we got to go out with some of our favorite people to dinner before the concert.  Love these guys!

 Running club honored our servicemen the day before Veterans and it was awesome to see such a good turnout of people.  One of our favorites, Mr. Dan, was there!

God Bless America!  So grateful for all those who have served or are serving today to help us enjoy the freedom of this country!


Boys were full of service, pushing Ivy and Capri on the swings after tennis!

We went to the new Peanuts movie in honor of our Grandpa, Charlie Brown, on Veterans day - it was packed, and we ended up on the front row, but a great movie!


 The boys helping out and being awesome one morning when mom was running late - Cash got them all breakfast, fixed their lunches, and helped Griffin with his shoes and Ivy dry her hair.  I have got great children!


The Thanksgiving reading program in Cash's class was awesome - he got to have 2 parts, the first and last and did a great job!



Ivy and I enjoyed seeing his class and hanging with him and his bestie Cash L. in the classroom after!

Our trip to Santa was great and early this year, which meant no lines - the North Pole experience even included a ride like at Universal Studios - wow!  So fun!  Altho Ivy still wouldn't get near Santa again!




Fro-yo after for a treat for being awesome and for being willing to then go take pictures for the Christmas card!


 Last games of soccer for the season were yesterday and the boys did great.  We have LOVED their teams and fun they had this year!  Photobomb by ivy!

 Last night's date was fun - Chip and I went and got pedicures first (his very first one) and then went to dinner and it was perfect.  He loved it and the football game was playing right in front of him as he got a foot massage so that was even better.  Love my man and date night!

October and Halloween Fun!!!

One thing I have LOVED this year is getting a chance to work in each of my children's classrooms.  It is so fun to see what they are learning, how they interact with classmates, how they listen and their personalities come out when they are in their own element.  I LOVE the kindergarten class and each time I am in there I feel like I come away a better parent from watching how his teacher deals with the children.  Griffin is so excited about me being there, and I treasure that because at some point he won't want me there I am sure!  Love this smiley boy to the moon and back!

 Basketball tryouts came and went and both Griff and Cash are playing this year - I am even coaching Griffin's team!  Wahoo!

It was a VERY WARM October here so we went to the beach with friends - these besties showed up matching so had to snap a pic!

 She is learning to LOVE going to pre-school without mom - isn't always easy but she has mastered not crying anymore!

 Fun B-day party for our friend Kai!  Cutest lil babe out there!

Yummy carmeled apples are a favorite tradition for us - and pumpkin cookies!

 FHE ghost bowling!


Cute Ivy at school - very happy when mom is working in her class!

Practicing carving pumpkins to help Griffin not puke during his school carving day!  We had 2 practices and he became great and totally rocked it, even sticking his hand into the school pumpkin and getting out the seeds and guts - ew!  HUGE change for him!

This gorgeous girl readying in her new chair we love!


 Trip to Tenacca Farms was VERY HOT, but fun - not so worth the drive to get to a real pumpkin patch, but we did get to see a pumpkin shot out of a canon and eat at Firehouse Subs - it was the 2 hour traffic jam home that bummed us all out!







 Saw the Hodgdons and it was so fun!  Went on the tractor ride together!  Then enjoyed some yummy icees!


They were HUGE!!!!  And brought lots of smiles!







Family pic!

 My shopping buddies!  They look like they each grew over a foot!



Re-creating the pic from last year in their halloween pjs!


 Ivy ready for dance class in her halloween costume (one of them!)





Her MANY cat faces!










 Mom and Ivy ready for the Halloween party at her school!









Love my Ivy girl!







Halloween Friday at Jefferson!








 Principal got slimed!

The kindergarteners performed some great halloween songs for us!  So cute!

Ward trunk or treat with our besties - Christian was Bruno Mars and completely rocked it!

Halloween day was filled with soccer games and fun!

Mummy cakes ready for the party!

The Louis's hosted a fabulous party!  SO much fun!




Halloween fun!









 

 More from Alex's party - not sure why but they wouldn't move up to the spot with other party pictures - Cash and Grayson rocked the balloon relay and Griff and Ivy were pretty cute too!



 HAPPY HALLOWEEN from the cops, bandit, and money bag!