Zach's Gingerbread House

After Kylie came home telling Zach about her big day of making a Gingerbread house, he just had to make one too. (I am sure that Kylie was doing a really good job of planting the idea into his head too!) They both had a lot of fun working together.

They both had a lot of fun working together.

Visiting Santa in Henefer

We went to Henefer's Town Party to see Santa this year.
We ended up waiting for about 45 min in the cold to see the big guy.
Zach loved Santa this year. He just climbed right onto his lap and told him what he wanted for Christmas! Cousins, Drew, Trista, and Brooklyn also came with us!

3rd Grade Gingerbread House Day 2010

Every year in the 3rd grade, we have our annual Ginger Bread House Day. This year was the first year that I did not just get to sit back and watch all of the kids make their own creations. With Kylie being a 3rd grader I actually got to sit down and help make one.
She knew exactly what she wanted to do and the only thing that I really had to help her with was putting the frosting on the house and the ground.
Here she is just decorating away.

Gift Exchange Gift (From Me)

These are the gifts that I sent to my craft exchange partner, Taylor.
A home made Christmas card. (This idea was thanks to My sister in law Tristen)
We made these on our crafting night during Thanksgiving.



Some winter magnets.



And a Christmas sign!



I sure have fun doing these craft exchanges. It is so fun to get a surprise in the mail.

Decorating the Tree

The day after we got home from Thanksgiving, we decided to get out the tree.
It takes quite a process to get out the tree and move all the furniture around so that it can fit in just the right spot. Needless to say, it took me 5 days to put the ornaments on it.
Zach was just having fun being right in the middle of everything. Kylie loves to help me fluff the branches. As soon as the tree was up, Zach's found hisfavorite place to be.

Craftaholics Gift Exchange 2010

Once again this year I participated in the craftaholics gift exchange. This year my partner was Taylor, and she sent me some great gifts for both me and my family.

This cute hair bow that Taylor said was "Taylor Made", my daughter absolutely loves.



My kids love advent calendars. They love knowing how many days left until Santa comes.



Taylor also sent us some Reindeer food, which my little man Zach wanted to take outside right away so that the reindeer could bring Santa to our house. She also gave me a yummy smelling candle that we are all enjoying in our home.



Thank you Taylor for all the wonderful gifts. I hope that you have a Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Craft Time

This year during Thanksgiving, all the girls got together and did craft night. Each of us brought a craft for the other to create.
Mandy and Tristen were helping Kylie to make one of the crafts that Mandy brought for us to do. We painted all of the kids hands black so that we could get their hand print on a piece of muslin to put in a photo frame. Zach did a pretty good job when it was his turn. The end result turned out great.

Grandkids

We had a chance to get all nine of the grandkids together to take a quick picture.
As you all know getting that many to hold still and look at the camera, can be quite the process. But the kids all did well, and we were able to snap a few shots.
From L to R: Kinsey, Sydnee, Nathan, Chloe, Kylie, Rylee, Brailie, Allie, and Zachary

Thanksgiving 2010

This year for Thanksgiving we met in Monroe and celebrated the day at my mom and dad's new home. There were many from both the Parsons family as well as the Brian family. As you can see from the pictures, we had a very enjoyable dinner with lots of family.

The Night Before Thanksgiving

The before Thanksgiving some of the grandkids found the santa hats that my mom likes to use to take pictures in.
Rylee and Kylie, wanted to have a girls picture together. (Sydnee was asleep and the other girls were not there yet!)



Zach and Nathan being the only 2 boys with 7 girls in the family wanted to have their picture together too!



Here are the 4 of them together!



My dad with his hat! He has a new best friend on his lap.
The dog (Roxy- Ryan and Tristen's dog) followed him everywhere he went because he kept feeding her.



Nathan with Grandma!

Family Pictures

This year we all got together to celebrate Grandma Brian's 80th birthday. After having dinner, we went outside and i had my brother take a picture of my little family so that I could have something to use with our Christmas cards this year. I think that it turned out pretty good!



I also wanted him take a picture of the kids. Kylie's turned out really well, and of course little man Zach would not even pose for a picture. So I will have to get one of him later.



There are also pictures of the whole Parsons clan, as well as the whole Brian clan. So as I get them I will post them.

Enjoying the 1st Snow Fall

Kylie and Zach just hurried home and play in the snow when we got home from school today. Zach did much better this year, last year he hated the snow!

Halloween Blog Swap

This year I participated in a Halloween Blog Swap with the Mommy Files.
Here are the goodies that I received from my partner. I can not believe all of the wonderful things that she sent.
Thanks Linda! My family and I are enjoying it all!

Spooky Reading Night

Every year own PTA sponsors a spooky reading night to start off the book fair at the school. Kylie really wanted to go, and we didn't have their costumes ready yet, so we settled on some halloween hats that we had in the closet.
They listened to some Halloween stories, danced to some Halloween music, and had yummy donuts and homemade rootbeer.


Here the kids are dancing to the music, although they look like they are just standing there.


You can't really tell from this picture, but Zach was having some fun
What a cutie!

So I went to the spooky reading night as a parent wanting to just enjoy the night with my kids. While I was there I had to put my teacher hat on and take care of a problem child who seems to lack respect for others. He decided that it would be fun to throw a chair at another child who was there, and it smacked her on the leg and she had this lovely goose egg sticking up. I first took care of the naughty child (9 year old) taking him back to his parent explaining the problem, and then finding an ice bag for the other child. What a way to end a fun night with the kiddo's. NOT~!

Ouch!

My two kiddo's and I made our weekly trip to the library and while we were there, Zach decided to take off running, trip over his shoe, and land head first into the floor. Luckily for us he did not get a goose egg at all, but it sure sounded like he hit hard. It kind of looks like he has carpet burn more than anything else.
So I wanted to put some ice on it when we got home, and he would not let me. The only thing that I could find that would help was to put one of my headache masks on his head. (Its one that you can keep in the freezer.) He looked quite silly, but it helped.
Here he is reclining in front of the tv with his mask on!