Smells are in the Air

Today Aunt Jo, Uncle Sean, Claire and Zandi came over for our annual cookie making event!! Aunt Jo DOES.NOT.BAKE so starting last year we started a tradition that she will come over and we will make chocolate chip cookies for her and sugar cookies for Sean. It was a little early this year so Morgan and I helped them make their cookies, but we didn't make any for us yet... I just couldn't have cookies in the house ALL December long!! (poor self control!!)

We had a lot of fun! Uncle Sean even helped out a bit!! Zandi and RJ helped a tad bit, but they took a nap during some of the cookie creating! Morgan and Claire helped a bit more, but Claire lost interest pretty quickly and then Morgan wanted to go play with her...

It was just so nice to spend a big chunk of the day with such dear friends! We love you Gardiners!

When we were done, RJ THEN wanted to help... or eat the product!!

Happy Thanksgiving

We were blessed to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with our loved ones. Daddy had to work today, but the kids and I headed over to MeMom and PopPop's house between 2-3 so that they could take naps before everyone showed up for turkey day. We enjoyed lots of moments together with the family. Morgan loves playing with Felicity and RJ tags along too!! Daddy made it for the tail end of supper and visited for a couple hours before the gathering broke up and everyone headed home.

I am thankful for a wonderful family that would do anything for me and my kiddos. Thank you everyone, I love you!!

Hard to get three little munchkins to sit still and smile all at the same time!!

Happy Birthday baby girl!!

From this...

TO THIS!

I can't believe my little girl is 4 years old!! Oh my goodness, where did the time go!? It was just yesterday she was a teeny tiny baby... and now she is an active talkative little girl!!

I have been thinking about little things like... I remember wishing she would get more hair, and now look at her gorgeous hair!!

This year has been so much fun! You are learning so much about your world!! Lots of questions, but not just the why's anymore!! It is so neat to see you learning all the new vocabulary that is being introduced to you!! You have been attending preschool and have been very successful so far!! You don't tell us much about it, but you seem to really enjoy yourself!

You are such a mother hen to RJ! You love to play with him, watch TV with him, get him snacks, and cuddle with him... BUT you also like to make sure he doesn't sit in your red chair and that he doesn't play with certain toys of yours! You are learning to share, and that is a skill that will be hard your whole life. I know, sharing is still hard for me sometimes!!

You also don't like when I start to count leading to a time out. You say, "Don't count, I'll stop" and you usually snap out of your grouchy mood! You don't need time out as often as you used to, but sometimes they still helps you calm down.

You are teaching me more about myself! I love you more everyday!! You are my princess! You love to dress up like a princess, you love to wear dresses with tights, and you love to have your hair down ("like Sleeping Beauty"). I have succumb to the fact that you are a girlie-girl and I am not... but that unconditional LOVE for you comes in and I play dress-up with you, and tell you everything you want to hear!! Anything and EVERYTHING about princesses! I just can't believe we have had you in our lives for 4 years!! Daddy and I can still remember getting ready for your arrival... and now we await what you are going to tell us, what you are going to ask us, or what you will show us!

Family Party Time!

Today we had a wonderful family party with lots of love to go around!! Morgan was spoiled like crazy by everyone!

MeMom once again made an AMAZING cake! Morgan just adored it!!

As you can see by gift opening, Morgan got lots of new toys, clothes, and a princess mirror! Morgan loves anything pink, purple, girlie, and princess! Every gift she got was perfect!!

Thank you everyone, we love you lots and lots!

Night after...

The following are a few pictures of Morgan at the end of her kids birthday party yesterday. She had such a great time and was so happy throughout the entire day!! My little peanut got her day of being spoiled by new and old friends!!

Fall Outdoors Play!

Today we bundled up and headed outside after church today. Daddy was sleeping from a night shift so playing outside kept the loud hyper kiddos out of the house a bit longer! Silly kiddos wanted to run up and down the hill! They did that about one hundred times before they decided to swing for a bit, play with the dogs for a bit, then play in the sand box. In November? Fresh air does a body good!

Happy kids party Morgan!

Today was the big day for Morgan's kids party! 16 kids in all (18 including Morgan and RJ), and lots of adults! I think there was one adult per child! It was busy, but lots of fun! I created some activities for the kids to do to keep them occupied! We made doorknob hangers with stickers (no markers or glue, yea!), pin the flag on the castle, and a pinata! Lots of kid friendly appetizers were out for munching... chips, orange cheese curls, carrots&dip, grapes, and chex mix! For lunch we had mac-n-cheese, mini hot dogs, pizza bites, meatballs, and salad. Yum! The best was dessert!! I decided we would do make your own sundaes instead of cake this year. It was a blast!! We had everything from chocolate and rainbow jimmies to mini marshmallows to M&M's to swedish fish to crunched up pretzels! YUM YUM!!! For the last 10 minutes or so of the party we blew up the moon bounce and the kids jumped out their energy!! Morgan was blessed to have such a wonderful day! She got some great gifts and enjoyed herself like crazy!! and... best of all... I survived with a great big princess theme! Yea Momma!!