My First Ever Attempt at Fudge

Yesterday I tried to make fudge for the first time. It will probably be last as long as I can put off my chocolate cravings with plain chocolate chips. It did not turn our pretty. Hence no pictures showing off my Martha Stewart abilities. I turned out a little too hard, too crumbly and not smooth. The recipe called for cream cheese and I only had the 1/3 less fat kind in my fridge. So you can see tiny balls of white. The positive side is that it still tastes good and because it is not the grandest sight to see only a select few will ever see this fudge. The bad side to that is my back side may get larger and rounder.

The Christmas Countdown has Begun

The tree went up last Sunday. I am really grateful to my friend Brenda who threw an ornament exchange party last Christmas season. It seems as if my other ornaments have gotten lost in the black whole I like to call a storage unit. When we moved we didn't organize it very well because the idea was we wouldn't need the unit for too long. Luckily in October my family helped me clear a walk way through the clutter and some Christmas boxes were found. There is still an abyss behind an electronics stand and the the piano. Those beautiful keepsakes from that fun party are what adorn my tree this year. I almost started to cry as I hung them because they hold such wonderful memories of some very special friends.

This was not the only tree that went up that day. My kids were begging to decorate Christmas trees when their Grandma Carol had her tree out the day after Thanksgiving. I had to hold them off until Sunday because of other things going on. They had some much pent up decorating energy that we took them over to my mom's house that same evening to do some tree decorating. Of course there is no pictures of any of this, but all of you who have or had little kids know what the bottom branches looked like. Macy liked to also group the same ornaments together on one branch. I know my mom has done some rearranging.

You may think two trees is a lot, but we don't. On Tuesday we went over the meadows to my Grandma Bonnie's home to help with her tree. Warning: Any family member that has not given updated photos to grandma has blackmail hanging on her tree. I know she has kept an old photo of mine behind my recent one and I wish I could have torn it off. Some don't even have a recent photo to hide those glory days of past.

Of course the tree decorating couldn't stop there. On Wednesday it was through the woods to Grandma Lue's house to put up all her Christmas decorations. After this tree the kids were finally through with tree decorating. They are now into pulling out the days from the advent calendar and cutting out pictures of toys they want.

Our Family Thanksgiving Turkey

Last night at family home evening Macy gave the lesson on being thankful. Okay mom did most of it and she repeated it like a parrot, but she doesn't know that yet. We made a thankful turkey and this is how it turned out.

Macy is thankful for: her brother, her sister, toys, food, movies

Kelsey is thankful for: macaroni and cheese, legos, guinea pig, books, witch costume

I am thankful for: chocolate (and healthy food :), grandma and grandpa made room for my car in the garage, money to do things, memories, the Holy Ghost, Jesus, Heavenly Father and that they answer prayers

Dad is thankful for: sports, every other friday off, being back in Utah, friends, family

Kelsey's Birthday

After Halloween came Kelsey's birthday. She had a week long celebration. For her birthday breakfast she chose pancakes. Her birthday dinner were quesadillas. She was dying all day because we made her wait to open her presents until evening when Brian was home and my family came over. She received shoes, clothes and a Pucci dog from Brian's parents. Brian gave her a My little Pony. I gave her a puzzle (she is really good at these). Braden gave her a Scooby Doo Movie. Right before her birthday she watched a Scooby Doo show and has been hooked ever since. It is all she watches. It is what she wanted for her birthday, but they don't make scooby doo toys anymore. Luckily Brian food a scooby doo candle for her cupcakes.

The next day she spent the morning with my parents. They took her out shopping and stopped for lunch at Panda Express. She found herself a scooby doo coloring book, Rapunzel Barbie, and Barbie 3 Musketeer movie. I know she enjoyed being with my parents by herself.

Saturday came and we took the animal lover to the zoo for her birthday. She took her cousins and she had a great time. Macy and Jensen were repulsed by some of the various smells but Kelsey enjoyed the whole thing. Stefanie, Emily, Jake, Ellie and Grandma Carol came too. That has been the best trip to the zoo. I have come to a conclusion that fall (and possibly spring) is the best time to visit. It wasn't too hot and a jacket was sufficient. It wasn't crowded at all. It was great. The kids favorite part was when the gorilla started to eat his own fresh poop. Many of the adults started gagging at the sight. The second favorite was when the giraffe spit buggery spit on the wall and then licked it up. You have got to love kids.
The birthday fun didn't stop there. The following Tuesday we went out to Grandma Lue's (Kelsey's great grandma and namesake) for family home evening. Grandma had put together a small birthday party for her. We ate dinner. We had ice cream cake with candles and then opened Kelsey's present. I wish I had remembered a camera to get a picture of her face. The present as Kelsey called it was a "money book". Grandma had taken a book and placed dollar bills throughout. I wish I had had a camera to get a picture of the delight on grandma's face too. It was a fun night.

Happy Halloween

Oh wait that was a month ago. I thought I would check in and document some major events. Halloween came and went. Macy was Rapunzel. The first time she put on her wig and looked in the mirror she said "I don't look like Macy any more." Kelsey was a cowgirl. The little guy was a monster. I thought I took more pictures of him but I could only find the following. It is that third child syndrome.

Macy had a huge haul this year. She went out for at least 2 hours. She was quite the trooper and liked getting candy. Towards the end of trick-or-treating she said "I should bought the bigger bucket." Kelsey only lasted about an hour. Her endurance is not like Macy. She would have still preferred the stroller this year. Brian and I were able to take the kids out together because grandma stayed home to hand out candy. Brian took Kelsey home when she was through and then he left for the University of Utah football game. Who in their right mind schedules a football game on Halloween at 6 PM in Utah? Don't they know that this is a very family oriented state and it can get really cold at night at that time of year. Next time they need my approval before scheduling games.

Once Upon Another Fall Day It Snowed

So yesterday the weather was beautiful. A little chilly in the morning but great for raking by afternoon. This morning I woke up to this:
Arizona anyone?

Kelsey asked if we could move back this morning. Then when we getting ready to go get Macy from school she came out with flip flops on. This was right after I showed her it was snowing. I didn't allow this. By the time we got out to the car it was blizzard like. She turned around to go get a coat. She came back outside without anything because her light jacket was in the back of the car. As a note she had already played outside this morning in her winter coat and boots. The picture above was that time. In the car she said she hated snow. So far to date she is 100% better about playing in the snow than last Christmas.

Well it snowed for about 2 hours so the picture above is out of date. We now have 2-3 inches of snow on the lawn and the kids are headed outside to build a snowman.

By the way, I am on a roll for postings. Don't expect too much from me.

To finish off the perfect fall day

We carved our pumpkins last night. Macy is like her Grandma Wendy and had to pick out every seed from the innards. She wants to grow her own pumpkin where grandma likes to make roasted seeds. I think my dad rolls his eyes when my mom tells us not to throw away the seeds. We hate to do this but enjoy her roasted pumpkin seeds.


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