Thanksgiving 2010

We hosted Thanksgiving at our home this year. I had been excited for quite some time to make Thanksgiving dinner in my big new kitchen. Thank goodness for the Konold family who gave me a step by step of turkey cooking. I made a brine (my first one ever) and soaked the turkey in it over night. I followed Byron's instructions meticulously
and a wonderfully moist and tender turkey was the end result. You could cut your turkey with your knife. This is really my first ever cooking success. The Konold's even gave me the turkey booties to complete it!
I made turkey hand print napkins with the kids. I loved how they turned out.
Our table we bought just for Thanksgiving it fit everyone perfectly.
Gavin still likes a drink of milk on his Grandma's lap.
I gave Luke his first bottle of cow's milk too, well Grandpa did.
Hannah helping Marilyn with the relishes. She is such a good little helper. I like the perfectionist side that it coming out of her. She is a pretty crafty little one.
Look at me cooking the gravy! Check me out mom!
Taking a break from all the cooking...
It is hard to move a 325 degree 23 pound turkey...
Marlon's daughter, Allison, joined us for Thanksgiving. My kids loved her and her dog, Sunny.
Kevin carved the turkey...
We had a lot of pies.
It was a nice Thanksgiving. I didn't realize how much work it was to make all that food! I feel like a real mom now that I've made a Thanksgiving dinner.

RAIN RAIN GO AWAY! DON'T RAIN ON MY BIRTHDAY!

My kids birthdays...
10/29 Gavin turned 4
11/17 Luke turned 1
11/28 Hannah turned 6

Three birthdays in one month is a little intense. I didn't want to have 3 birthday parties every other week, so I opted to have a triple the fun triple birthday party. I reserved a bounce house and rented some tables and chairs. Marilyn and Marlon even planned on bringing their horse down. I watched the weather forecast denying the inevitable... it rained on the day of the party. The forecast said, "steady, soaking, showers"

Uncle Marlon and Aunt Marilyn brought their horse. He was the star of the show.
Kevin lighted all the candles with his butane torch...Hannah's cake...
Gavin's cake...
Luke's cake...

(Someone, who will remain nameless, started eating Luke's cake before we had a chance to sing to him. It's missing the whole back side.)

Luke loved his toy from Grandma Brown.
Gavin, Little Murphy, and Ally destroying Gavin's cake.
Grayson and Jayde made it to the party.
I think everyone had a good time. It was a crazy and intense party but, at least it's all over and I don't have to think about another birthday party for a whole year!

Halloween 2010

Halloween is my favorite holiday. I figure out what the kids are going to be and usually have their costumes done by September. Since my parents moved, I was on my own for the first time. My mom has always helped me/made the costumes. With moving, however, I was a little behind schedule. Rachel, my sister-in-law, took pictures of the kids for me. They turned out so good. Thank you, Rachel!
Hannah was a witch. I made her costume with help from my mom via text messaging pictures. Hannah designed her costume, she picked out the fabric. I thought she did a really good job. I had to stop myself from over embellishing. You can't see, but I hand sewed spiders all over the dress and hat.Gavin originally wanted to be a ghost, but once he saw a picture of Frankenstein online he was hooked. His jacket is a long sleeve black T-shirt I cut up the middle and sewed two pieces of felt for the lapel. I made his head from the bottom of a gallon milk jug. Painted it green and added the hair.
Luke was a black widow spider. I wanted to put a little black cap on him, but he would not keep it on, so I didn't even bother. I was nervous about his costume, but it was pretty easy to do.We carved pumpkins with Kevin's parents. Steve got really into it!Kevin taking it seriously...The best part was turning out the lights and singing the Halloween song... so spooky!
We had so much fun Trick or Treating. There were so many kids out in our neighborhood and almost every house gave out candy. After we were done Trick or Treating we went to our "super" neighbor's house and the kids traded candy.
Gavin and Brennen were sliding the pumpkin bucket back and forth and Luke was trying to catch it. He was cracking up.
I need to make my house more spooky next year. I had my mums and Jack-o-lanterns in front. I think I'll add some spider webs, ghosts in the window, and some orange lights.
It was the best Halloween!

Gavin's Birthday

Kevin and I woke up to Gavin saying, "Hi Mom and Dad, I'm 4! It's my birthday." He was so excited, I think he felt so grown up.
What better way is there to start off your birthday than going out for breakfast?Gavin got his first "Bideo game"
After breakfast we went to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. When we were walking into the Park, Gavin said, "Are we going to see 'vild' animals?" He pronounces all his w's as v's.
We went on the Safari tram ride first.
Luke bonded with Mamo J (via the pixie stick)...
I always love the Safari Tram ride.
Gavin loved looking at the Daddy lion. The lion was sleeping on the other side of the glass, so close. I had never been so close to a lion, it was amazing to see his huge paws and thick legs. Kind of weird to see a little baby so close to a giant lion.
Looraket Landing was a huge hit. We bought nectar 4 times! Gavin wanted to be like a pirate.
It was amazing to see the birds all over you if you had nectar. Hannah, Steve, and I were the first ones to go inside. Hannah was a little surprised to see all the pretty birds land on her.Kevin got a thrill out of it too...
Luke got pretty excited and kept giggling and kicking his legs.The Mercats were so cute!
We saw a couple of zoo keepers walking a cheetah. Yes, walking a cheetah through the park. They didn't stop at all, you couldn't pet it, but it was pretty cool to be that close to one.
Hannah and some Australian bird...Luke playing on the giant rhino statue...The San Diego Wild Animal Park has the best carousel. We took advantage of a slow day and rode it A LOT!
It was so much fun picking our animal to ride on. Kevin's favorite was the otter.
Luke was so tired, I put him in the sling and rode the carousel, he quickly fell asleep. I loved cuddling him.

After the Wild Animal Park we ate at the Taco Shop and the boys (minus Luke) went to the Duck's hockey game. What an awesome birthday! Breakfast, Wild Animal Park, and a Hockey game!