Gingerbread Cookies And Advent Calendar

My mom bought a gingerbread man decorating kit for the grand kids and I got some stuff so they could make an advent calendar. This is the advent calendar that I remember making as a kid. Everytime we would have a Christmas party with my mom's side of the family all the grand kids would make one of these - just different candy! Dylan has gotten more excited about the calendar now that it is getting closer to Christmas. He loves counting the candy to know how many days are left! Ethan just likes the candy!! The kids had a lot of fun decorating the cookies. You'll see by the cuteness of each of their cookies!! :)

Their finished cookies!

The Advent Calendars.

They were there long enough to get their candy in the order that they wanted it and then they ran off to play while we stapled it all on!

Got A Package For Dad

Blake got a package in the mail and Ethan decided that he was going to take it to him at the fire station. I thought he meant that he wanted all of us to pack up in the car and go to the fire station so I kept telling him no. Well he had a different idea. He told me bye and blew me a kiss and headed out the garage door. This is what I found.

He got the packages loaded up...

And he was on his way!!

Thanksgiving

Thought I would get this posted before Christmas was here! :)
We had Thanksgiving with Blake's family this year. We went bowling in the morning (it's a tradition in Blake's family to go every year). The boys loved it. Ethan still asks me about every other day if we are going bowling. Then we went over to Blake's parents for the first Jeff Harwood family Thanksgiving. We usually do Thanksgiving with extended family but this year it was just the kids and their spouses and their kids. It was really nice. The food was great and I think we had a good time spending time with each other.

Sorry, I just got pictures of the bowling!! :)

Tell me how a 5 year old does this? Tell me how anyone does this?? Crazy!

Our attempt at a family picture. We took about four and this is the best one and it still wasn't a good one!!

The Things Boys Do

I was on the computer one night and the boys were over playing with Ethan's bucket of toys and this is what ended up happening.

I was laughing so hard I was crying. I called Blake and he told me that I needed to take pictures of it so he could see what was SOOO funny!

Halloween Night

Blake was at the station this year for Halloween so I was on my own. Dylan had school in the morning so we got him all dressed up and off to school. They didn't have a parade for the afternoon kindergarten so we didn't get to go see him at school. :( He had a little party and said he had lots of fun. Then we just hung around home until my mom came over that night. We went and got dinner, then got the boys in their costumes and left to go to Grandma and Papa's for some trick-or-treating. Jamie, Hayden, my Mom, Phillip, Kristen, Dylan, Ethan and I went out around the neighborhood for some candy!! Ethan was done about the third house into it but we made him keep going. I paid for that cuz I forgot the stroller so I had to carry him!! They got plenty of candy for them then we headed back to Grandma and Papa's for a few minutes. We finished off the night with coming home and having donuts and apple juice. I LOVE that tradition!!!

My Optimus Prime.

My little pirate.

Watching something quite interesting!

The boys before we left.

Out trick-or-treating!

Pumpkin Carving

We carved pumpkins at our house with Blake's parents, Bailee (Blake's sister), Jamie and Chad. It was a lot of fun. It's always nice to do stuff as a family!
I made a deal with Blake that I would clean them out if he would carve them. I stink at the carving thing. I'd end up doing the traditional face and would still manage to mess it up!! So we let the man, who is good at everything he touches, do it!!
We had 8 pumpkins to carve and everyone got a little tired so we ended up with a lot of the traditional carvings. Me being me didn't get any pictures of the finished project. Sorry!!

Cleaning them out!

Papa making the pattern darker so they could start carving.

Starting to carve.

Papa gave up and Blake took his turn.

The beginning of Dylan's spider web pumpkin.

Hayden chilling in the swing being his cute, happy self.

Still carving...

Wheeler Farm

We went to Wheeler Farm with my mom and sister and her kids. We went last year with some friends and thought it was a lot of fun so we went back this year. You pay $7 per kid and they get to do a few games or activities and then pick out a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and then decorate it. Oh yeah, and go on a wagon ride. I thought it was a little better last year, but the kids had fun and that's all that matters. We went a little late so they were out of decorations for the pumpkins so all the kids could do is draw on them with markers. Kind of lame! Oh well, we'll end up carving them anyway!!

Pumpkin Patch

We took the boys to a pumpkin patch a little over a week ago. We've never been to one and I thought it would be fun to try. Dylan had fun running around picking out pumpkins. Ethan hung out in the wheelbarrow for most of the time cuz he tripped and fell and didn't like the dirt all over him! We got a pumpkin for each of them and one family pumpkin. It was a lot of fun. I think it's going to become a tradition!!

Gardner Village

I LOVE Gardner Village at this time of year. All the witches and just the fall atmosphere. Fall is my favorite season so I like to be out doing fall-ish things. So I decided to drag my boys along with me. Blake told me the next time I want to go to find someone else to go with and he'll stay home with the boys. I'm taking that as he didn't have as much fun as I did?!?! Well now I know! We'll keep it to my mom and sister or Jamie. A fun girly day, I guess!
It was SOOO cold the day we went but we (Jamie and I) still had fun shopping and looking at all the fall decorations in all the shops. And the boys loved all the treats they got.

Yes, Ethan's lips are blue or green. He had been eating a sucker. We took it away so we could get a picture without it!

Sorry, the witch is kind of blurry. Dang sun! Or probably just the photographer!!

She's catching fish! I thought it was quite cute!

All the boys (minus Hayden) having oh so much fun!!

My boys were afraid of this witch and did not want to sit by her. We had to make them!

Too cute!

We had to stop in this bakery to buy some hot chocolate and other treats!

Murder Mystery

I have always wanted to go to a murder mystery party/dinner but they always seem to be a little expensive. I talked Blake into us hosting one. So one day I got looking on the Internet and found a website that you can buy the game from. They have quite a few to choose from. I decided to choose the good ol' Clue style one.

Mr. Rochester has died (or been murdered??) and you are invited to a party to hear the reading of his Will and someone else happens to die... It was great fun!!

Thanks to everyone that came and for dressing up and playing your parts so well. It was a blast!! We'll have to do another one!

Mr. and Mrs. Worthers (butler and maid)

Neil Worthers and Elizabeth Rochester. (chauffeur and Mr. Rochester's daughter)

Look at Melissa's costume. She was great. She has the dog and all. She was my favorite!

Officer Welsh and Jessica Rochester (detective and Mr. Rochester's ex-wife)

Bob Bucks and Jean Thoughtful (accountant and psychologist)

Fabio Fabulous and Allison Rochester (pool boy and Mr. Rochester's daughter)

Fabio was quite hiliarious. He played his part well and had us all laughing. He was my next favorite!

The detectives!

Here are some random pictures of everyone scheming, bribing, lying, eating and just having fun!