Our little Gingerbread house

These are the lights that are hot glued down to my concrete

Well Pea asked for it. Here is the finished product. Now you have to relized also that the lights on the bushes dance to the music that is playing and we cut down the ginormous tree that was blocking the whole front of the house.  

Hands off Mom! You may only touch the camera.

Tanner and Madisen's own Christmas Tree.

Tanner sat and looked at the lights for about an hour after they were finished.

Decorating and instructing me to keep my hands off the tree and on the camera only.

Sweet little Madisen. She loved the round lights.

Finally I got the kids there own tree. I know that some of you are probably thinking "why wouldn't she want her kids to decorate just on tree together as a family?" Because I am nutty!!! And a control freak!!! Last year I let the kids decorate our big tree and then when they went to bed I fixed it. I moved the ornaments around so they were spaced evenly around the tree instead of in a big lump at there level. It was so pretty when I was done but.... the  next morning the kids came down to look atthe tree and turn on the lights and the flood of tears that followed was rediculous. They cried so hard and sad because I moved their ornaments around on the tree. So this year to avoid the tears and the mental freaking out on my end of an uneven tree they got their own. They got to pick out the lights they wanted at  Target(my favorite store), they hung the lights, and then decorated to their little hearts content. It turned out cute. I do have to admit though I am having a hard time not fixing it. 

Traditions

Me, Madisen and Tanner

Justin and the kids next to the power sports display.

The kids all watching the train. Even the little one got 

dumped in the picture in the left hand corner

The Whole Gang

Our Family at Opportunity Village

Every year since Tanner was just 9 months old we have gone to Opportunity Village with our friends David and Heather and Steve and Brenda. That first year it was just the 7 of us but as time passes families grow and this year there were 16 of us. This long standing tradition which will probably continue until our kids are old enough to really put up a fight is just a way for us to get together have dinner and visit. This year we went to Chili's for dinner where of course my kids ate ribs. It rained all the way over to the restaurant but stopped while we were eating making it possible for us to go and see the trees and ride the train. Above are a few pictures. Merry Christmas!!!

Snow Princess Gingerbread GIRL

It's official Madisen is a student! She had her first homework assignment due this week. She was given a brown construction paper gingerbread GIRL to decorate and bring back on Friday. The instructions said to be creative and the best most creative would win a special prize and "all the others would get a prize too but not the special prize." So last night we went to Wal-Mart to get our supplies. I tried so hard to get her to do a surfing gingerbread girl with a surfboard and swimsuit even a towel but she wasn't having any of that idea. She wanted a princess so we finally settled on a snow princess. She is so proud of her snow princess. I know it looks like I did everything but it was all her ideas I just helped her to bring it to life. She picked the colors we used, the trim on the bottom and sleeves even the wings. She chose to do four buttons  and the it took three different attempts on the shoes for me to do what she pictured in her mind. Hopefully she wins the special prize or she might be devastated.  

Thanksgiving Weekend

Our Family Thanksgiving Day

                                                                            Tanner 

Madisen looking so pretty!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! It really is the most wonderful time of the year. There is great food, friends, family, decorating the tree and yard, oh yeah and my favorite day of the year BLACK FRIDAY! Thanksgiving dinner was awesome. We had so much fun. The kids were great so great in fact that I didn't see them until it was time to round them up and go home. I went home finished fluffing the tree and going through the ads for the next day and then it was off to bed at 7:30 to get a full nights sleep. The alarm went off at 2:30am and I got up, got ready then Brennan showed up at 3:45 to watch my kids when they woke up later that morning and Justin and I were at Walmart at 4am to wait in line until the doors opened at 5. We had a successful day and were home at 11:30 am exhausted. 

The next day Justin got up at 7 to go out and get started on the outside lights while I stayed in bed until 8. I a got up worked out and then cleaned the house. Tanner and Justin were outside with a hot glue gun decorating my house. Yes I said hot glue gun. What do you need a hot glue gun for when outside hanging Christmas lights you ask. I will show you. 

Yes those lights are hot glued to the sidewalk and I also have them glued to the edges of the windows. My house looks like a gingerbread house. It is very cute and as soon as Justin rips the big tree out of the front yard so you can actually see the house then I will post a picture. 

Anyways we had a great weekend and are finished with decorations and are now going to focus on the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas!!!   

Mexican Riviera Carnival Cruise

We got home from our 8 day Mexican Riviera cruise on November 12th and yes I am just now getting to updating you all on it. We boarded the Spirit on November 4th in San Diego California. The ship set sail that afternoon about 4pm and we headed south to Acapulco, Mexico. The kids were excited to get checked into the Fun House,which is the kids program in the cruise, and meet their counselors. That evening we met our dinner servers, Iliham and Yoga both from Indonesia.   

On the second night of the cruise was the first of two formal nights. We had a fun getting dressed up and using our "fancy manners" at dinner. We got some great pictures and as soon as they could the kids changed into their jammies and headed off to the Fun House pajama party.

Madisen and Me on Formal Night

Here is Tanner in Acapulco waiting for the boat to be docked and cleared so we could get off and go exploring. We got a Taxi and went to the flee market where Madisen picked bongos and Tanner picked a puppet. We then went to the restaurant where we watched the cliff divers and ate rolled tacos, chips and salsa, guacamole, and Madisen had a hamburger with a pout. She really wanted the chips and salsa but once reminded that she would be sick she sucked it up and ate the hamburger. The cliff divers were awesome. We had such and great day just hanging out with the kids and teaching them first had about how fortunate we are.

 

This is Tanner in Acapulco.

Before embarking on our cruise we booked only one excursion in Ixtapa, Mexico. The kids had been waiting for months for this day. We got off the boat and had a hour to kill so we rented a jet ski for a half an hour. Justin loaded the kids on and off they went they circled around the cruise ship, jumped a few waves and came back to shore. Next we were off to Delphina where we went swimming with Chado the Dolphin!!! It was so cool. We were in the water for about 45 minutes with the dolphin. Chado was swimming around the group so the kids could pet him and then they got one on one interaction with him. It was the best day ever!   

We got home and started unpacking all the dirty clothes, wet swim suits and wonderful memories that will stay with us forever. We are already looking for our next vacation spot. We feel so grateful to have the opportunity to teach our children about different parts of the world and customs. But most of all we are so blessed to have each other and for the time we send together whether we are watching a movie at home, cheering each other on at the soccer field or vacationing somewhere fun. 

I feel like Halloween has been going on for a week. And for those of you who know me this is not a good thing. Since I can remember I have hated Halloween. I think it rubbed off from my mom. When we moved to Las Vegas and my mom got a job with the docs she still currently works for we started going to Disneyland on Halloween. The docs would pay for the hotel and admission into the park. It was the best thing ever. No costumes or trick or treating just good family fun at the happiest place on earth. Last year was the first time we didn't go and then again this year. Last year we were on the Disney Cruise and this year we are leaving for an eight day cruise to Mexico so we stayed home to do Halloween. SO here is a run down of our week.

Monday- Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch for FHE and happened upon some of the kids' cousins. So they did the trampoline where Madisen did three backwards flips and Tanner did none. So Madisen thinks she is so cool. We got two pumpkins and then ate dinner at Pei Wei.

Our family

Madisen on the trampoline

Tanner as the human slingshot

Tanner and Madisen on the huge slide which they did three times

Tuesday we went to Trunk of Treat with my moms ward. We did this for two reasons. First Tanner was going to be at Disneyland with my mom for Halloween and second because my kids have been on track break and were driving me nuts. This was a great way to bribe them to be good while we were shopping for last minute things for the cruise.

Madisen the pretty little witch
Tanner was a ninja

Wednesday we carved pumpkins which I don't have pictures of because the camera was a Justin's office. But they were so cool. Madisen chose for me to carve her Sleeping Beauty and Tanner's was a gravestone with creepy hands reaching up to grab it. After that we took Tanner over to my mom's to spend the night because they were leaving early for Disneyland. 

Thursday was a girls day since Tanner was gone an Madisen was sad. We spent all afternoon shopping and eating and looking at all the girly things we could find. That evening we went to Red Robin for dinner and Madisen was happy to get a chocolate shake. She got to go to bed late and even got to sleep in my bed when she wandered in around 1am. Usually I take her back to her room and tuck her in again.

Halloween Night

Madisen in the back of the truck handing out candy.

Friday was Madisen's big day. She had the hardest time waiting for trick or treat to start. We went to the church around 5:30 where her cousin's came to trunk or treat with us. Justin had spent the whole afternoon with the elders setting up a spook ally and a haunted house which seemed to be a hit. Kids were screaming and laughing all night long as they went through them again and again. Madisen opted not to go in since she gets scared. She satin the back of a truck with a few other girls and handed out candy all night long. We visited some friends and ended the night at the Del Taco drive thru.