December 11th, 2012

 I was happy to forgo the usual gingerbread house this year, when we found these cute little men.  So much better having one for each of the kids instead of trying to fit four different visions onto one house.  My only mistake of the night was bathing  my kids before the decorating... seriously what was I thinking?

 Serious is the new funny picture

I don't know what Carly's doing, she's a bit of a crazy girl

really into serious pictures

Clever little Abigial

December 1st 2012

 I wanted to get an early start in December with our festivities.  I usually leave everything until the end of the month and then feel overwhelmed, and I don't get it all in.  The first Saturday in December was really warm, we had our ward Christmas breakfast, then we decided to run some errands and go to the Christmas village in Ogden to see Santa.  We went  to see all of our Great Grandmas and drop off our Christmas cards.  The kids Great Grandmas, not ours.  I always feel that our kids are lucky to have 3 G-Grandmas alive and living close by.  Ben still has both of his Grandmas here, and I have my Mom's Mom, Grandma Dixie.  We got pictures of the kids with Grandma Pearl and Grandma Dixie.  When we got to Grandma Ruth's house, she was in curlers.  She said she still had too much pride to have a picture in her curlers.  Don't tell her I told you, I might get in trouble :)  My pictures are completely out of order.

 Luke told Santa he wanted the 'Epic Dragon Battle'  (Ninjago legos)

 Carly wanted a little twin doll (the 'our generation' dolls at Target, my girls think they are twins of them)  Hailey wanted a baby Rapunzel doll.  I was a little embarrassed, Santa made me sit on his lap since Hailey wouldn't let go.

 Waiting to see Santa

 

Grandma Pearl and the kids.  Hailey was a little too shy for a picture.

  

 Grandma Dixie and the kids.  Grandma really is happy, she won't smile because she doesn't like her smile.  So she ends up looking a bit unhappy... but I promise, she was happy.

 

 Abigail also asked Santa for a little twin doll

Thanksgiving 2012

 We had a great Thanksgiving this year.  We had dinner with my family and then went out to the Dawson's in the evening.  I can't believe how we lucked out with having such great family around.  We had everyone from my side except Luke and Lisa.  When we went to the Dawson's we were only missing Freddie and Heather and kids.  Ben's aunt and uncle and cousin were also there to help boost our smaller numbers.  It was so great being surrounded by all of the people that we love. 

Halloween night

 I remember my Mom saying she didn't like Halloween when we were little.  I never understood how she could dislike such a great and wonderful holiday!  Well, now I do... completely and understandably.  I do not like Halloween.  I hate the costume deciding, the pumpkin carving messiness, the loads and loads and loads of candy, trunk or treats ( I think walking from car to car 2 ft. from each other is not earning your candy), the late night followed by early school... I could go on.  I am not one of those good Moms that go all out for this Holiday.  So with that all said, I feel like I did a decent job on letting my kids enjoy it this year. I try not to let them know how much I don't like it.  

They all finally chose a costume, some were decided 2 hrs before trick or treating.  The only two things that I like about Halloween, is what we did that night.  We went around the neighborhood for an hour with friends, and to my parent's Halloween dinner where we were joined by Larry and Sharla.  It turned out to be a fun night.

Carly was a beautiful princess kitty

 

 Abigail chose to be a lovely vampire princess

 Luke stayed with the zombie costume thank goodness

Our sweet little snow white

Pumpkins and apples

 I am catching up on some more fall activities.  We had our annual  

Pizza @the Perry Park and Picking Pumpkins @ Pettingills Party. 

Every fall all of the Jenkins women and grandkids meet up at a park in Perry and My Mom treats us to hot chocolate, pizza, and my grandma Dixie brings dessert.  After the kids eat and play for a while, we go to Pettingills on the highway and my Mom gets the kids pumpkins. We had to install a rule last year where the kids have to be able to carry their pumpkin that they pick out.  Otherwise we just had kids pointing the the biggest one and asking me to carry it.

 Abigail took this very seriously and took FOREVER to pick out the perfect one

 Hailey's at this great stage where she pulls her hair out every time we get in the car

 Luke also took quite a while before finding his

 Hayes and little Ems

 All the kids

 Kael's out of here

This is only a small amount of the apples picked this year, but these are the ones the kids helped with

 Next up was picking apples.  My Aunt Becky and Uncle Scott have two apple trees.  They don't need them every year, so they let us have them this year.  My kids are always trying to devise plans to earn some money, so I told them to come and pick apples.  Shannon and Beau came with us, and these three kids were apple picking champs!

At first I told them they could earn 3 dollars per bucket, but I quickly realized Abigail was going to clean me out.  So I adjusted the pay scale a bit :)  

Later, all of us women (Jess, Shelley, Shan, Mom, Me, Ab, and Car) made applesauce.  Abigail and Carly were excited to be able to help this year, in the past I've just made them watch.  We made a ridiculous amount of applesauce.  Then I brought more apples home and made more by myself (which isn't nearly as fun).  Needless to say I'm sick of apples for a couple of years.  I'm just glad that my kids like un-sweetend homemade applesauce better than store bought.