Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree.....

Last night we got our tree up and decorated. I was pretty surprised by how good Carter was about the whole thing. I thought for sure he'd be ripping the ornaments off the tree every chance he got! When we first put the tree up he was all about touching and fluffing it like Mama, but once I put the lights on and turned them on he was very cautious and saying "pretty pretty". Then came the ornaments....the first 15 minutes was pretty crazy, but soon enough he learned they were not toys. Now he just walks around the tree and just stares at it with a big smile on his face. Deep down I know that I'll walk into the living room one of these days and he'll have a whole line up of ornaments on the floor, but for now...he's doing good!

The finished product...I decided not to put beads or garland on it this year, but now I'm re-thinking that...looks kind of blah. And if you couldn't tell from the picture...I have a slight obsession with snowmen.
Carter held onto his Elmo ornament for dear life, didn't want to give it up to the tree!

No fire place at our house...so this will have to do! :)
This morning after breakfast Ave and I busted out the village. Since I got a new computer and now use my antique desk that my Dad refinished for me for that I had no where to go with it this year. So out came a card table. I didn't have enough room for all of my village though : ( But I think it looks very pretty.

Coloring Fun

This week Avery and I introduced Carter to coloring. I had bought him 3 crayola toddler markers but he just wasn't "getting" it. Instead of the paper he was getting the marker all over himself. haha! So Avery gave him 3 different kinds of crayons to try out. He really didn't care too much for making scribbles on the paper I taped to the table. He just liked the different colors. And weirdly enough he didn't try to eat the colors either! Here's a few pics fo my colorful little guy in a sweater that Aunt Mawie gave him!

"Like this Carter"The finished product

Elf Yourself!!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Leonard the Ladybug

Avery's classroom has a class mascot....Leonard the Ladybug. Each weekend he goes home with another classmate and that child chronicle's Leonard's adventures during the weekend in his journal. Here are a few pictures I took for Leonard's journal.

Friday night at Mema Mary's

Singing karaoke to Leonard

Putting Leonard to bed in the cradle Papa Herbie built

Playing in the tent

"Drinking Party"

The kids and I went home to Loyal a few weekends ago to visit my Mom and Dad. I don't know why I didn't get more pictures than just the 2 of these but I didn't. Anyways...these 2 pics make me laugh! This is Jaelyn, my great niece (Justin's daughter) and Carter drinking away in Mom and Dad's kitchen! Seems to me I did this a few times too....only it wasn't milk in a sippy cup that I was drinking! haha! I hope this isn't a foreshadow into what is to come someday!

Beautiful Halloween

Well no one can complain about the weather we've had the last few days!! Avery was off of school Thursday and Friday, so we stayed busy!

On Thursday Kaukauna had Trick or Treating with all the businesses in town. I completely forgot about it but weirdly enough I decided to take a different way home from Walmart that afternoon and we came upon hundreds of kids in downtown Kaukauna. Well of course Avery talked me into rushing home, getting the costumes on and rushing back downtown to get treats! It was a lot of fun though and we ran into a lot of her school friends with their moms.

Friday (Halloween) was absolutely gorgeous out, so after Carter's nap we went to the backyard to play. After that I took the kids up to Appleton Medical Center in their costumes to see Grandpa Roger (Jason's Grandpa). He's been very sick the last few months and he was sent from Shawano to the Appleton hospital on Thursday. They think he may have a staph infection, but are running a bunch of tests to get things figured out. Then of course we had trick or treating AGAIN around our neighborhood. People in our town go all out for Halloween...our High School Mascot is the Galloping Ghosts afterall! We were out for 45 min. and Avery's bucket was overflowing with candy!!!

Friday night I went out for my girlfriend Christine's bday party. Had a great time but missed my hubby! He was home with the kids. We've been so busy this week that I can't believe today is only Saturday! It feels like it should be Sunday or Monday already!

Here's some pics from our Halloween week!

Avery raking leaves in the backyard

Crazy Carter

He didn't like "sitting" in the leaves...he just wanted to walk through them. I think he liked the sound they make! haha

This video is probably the quietest our kids have ever been while playing!! Avery does finally show her true colors in the end though! haha!


The munchkins


Every year since we've moved to Kaukauna I take picture of Avery walking up the walkway to this house on Halloween. This house is right around the corner from ours and just beautiful!! How awesome would it be to live here....with a maid of course!



My cousin Stacie, Me and her friend Carrie....I look pregnant in this picture...I just have a stick horse in my shirt! haha!
Jason's friend Matt and his wife Amber
And this is Rich and Andrea.....haha! I play volleyball with Rich on Wednesday nights and he didn't dress up so him and Andrea traded outfits for a while! I couldn't stop laughing at him!