Christmas Cookie Decorating

We had such a great time making Halloween cookies so I wanted to do it again. I invited all the Pfizer moms this time.We had 8 kids total. 1-6 year old, 1-4 year old, 3-2 year olds, 1-1 year old, 1-7 month old, 1-2month old.

The kids had fun. While the cookies were baking, Meghan had a cute craft for the kids to do. They made tube sock snowmen. My kids love their snowmen.Hannah helping Gigi...The boys... Luke is now a big boy hanging out with the other big boys.
The cute babies... Wyatt slept the whole time and Allie looked cute the whole time watching everyone. The moms ended up finishing the cookies, which was ok since toddlers and frosting aren't such a good mix.Some of our cookies. I made three batches of dough and we burned through it fast. Next time I'll make 4 or 5.Hannah and I made gingerbread cookies the next day. She is such a good little helper in the kitchen, well, a good little helper all over the house. She loves her new apron, we picked out the fabric together.

Hannah's Christmas Program

The afternoon kindergarten classes had a really cute performance. Hannah was adorable.

Marilyn and Marlon were able to make it to support HannahGavin stayed with a neighbor so I just had to chase Luke. Marilyn took care of him most of the time and I was able to enjoy the show.
Hannah had fun showing Marilyn her desk.

Christmas Celebrations

Gavin had his preschool party last week. His teacher did a really nice job putting on a little performance. Gavin was a king.After the show a special visitor arrived.
Off to the dentist for a teeth cleaning.We got our Christmas tree! I wasn't in the mood to spend a small fortune on a tree so we got a small one.
It ended up being a little too small in our living room though, especially since we don't have any furniture in there yet.

We went to La Mirada for our old ward's Christmas party. It was so nice to see all our old friends. What do you know... Santa was there too!
I think this totaled two Santa visits so far.
On Sunday we had our monthly dinner in Burbank with Kevin's grandparents so we made it a little weekend trip.

Hannah's School Party

It's always fun to celebrate your birthday at school! I brought 100 calorie packs since you can't bring cupcakes to he school. They have all these requirements to bring things into the classroom, which I guess is good. Hannah sporting her new backpack that matches her new lunch box (inside the backpack)

Hannah's Birthday

On Hannah's birthday we went to the Yo Gabba Gabba Live show. Thanks to a family friend we got back stage passes and the whole nine yards. It was such an awesome show.Hannah got picked to do the Dancy Dance...
We had a great time dancing. Luke loved it.We saw Gigi and Lance (Lance is Kevin's work partner)After the show we met Kevin's parents in Old Town San Diego for a yummy Mexican food.
Hannah requested breakfast in bed on her birthday, but mom and dad totally dropped the ball so we made up for it the next day with sugar cereal... what a lucky little girl!

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!