Halloween Party

This year we decided we wanted to be something really fun for the family Halloween party.  We all loved watching Despicable Me 2 this summer so we figured it would be perfect with the 3 girls.  Mike was Gru, Mauri was Lucy Wilde, Michela, Aria, and Laina were the girls, and Chase and Hunter were Minions.  I had a lot of fun making the minion costumes and went thrift shopping for the majority of the other costumes.

We had fun at the party, eating, catching up with family, and playing games with the cousins.  Everyone came in fun costumes.  I know Mike doesn't always enjoy dressing up, but I'm glad we have family parties like these.

Happy, Happy Birthday Laina Dear!

How can my baby be 3 already!  She is growing up way too fast for me and I need her to stop right now!  She is such a joy to have around.  She is constantly making us laugh with her silliness and funny little sense of humor.  I can't give her enough hugs and love to kiss her sweet little head as often as I can.  We had some family over to help us celebrate her birthday.  She requested a "My Little Pony" party, because she is in love with all of their pretty pony goodness.

Gosh, we love this little girl of ours.  She is a constant ray of Sunshine in our house.  Everyone loves her and her smile just lights up the room.

3 Fun Things to Know about Laina:
1.  Whenever there is Music on She is Shaking her Booty.
2.  She is the Happiest Little Girl and Gives the Best Hugs.
3.  She Can't go to Bed Without having at least 3 Books Read to Her.

Hunter is 12!!

Holy cow, how did the past 12 years just fly by?!  Hunter is celebrating his 12th birthday today and it seems like just yesterday he was my sweet chubby baby.  Hunter was always smiling and his smile still melts my heart today.
We celebrated this morning with pancakes and smoothies.  He got to open his present from Grandma Hunt.  Legos and some cash for his growing ipod fund.

12 Things to Know about Hunter on his 12th Birthday:

1.  He hates to get his haircut!  Yesterday we had our neighbor cut his hair and afterwards I asked him how he felt and he said, "Exposed."  Ha, ha, ... he is so used to having a big bush of hair on his head.

2.  He has a great sense of humor.  He is always coming up with the funniest things to say.  He's a little on the sarcastic side like his Mama.

3.  He still loves Legos.  He comes up with some pretty cool creations.

4.  He enjoys being a Boy Scout.  He loves it all; working on merit badges, serving, and most of all camping with his Dad and buddies.

5.  He wants to learn how to make balloon animals and do magic.

6.  He is an avid reader.  His favorite genre is fantasy.  I think he has read all of the Harry Potter books 3 or 4 times.  He is always trying to stay up late to read.  My favorite is when he tries to act like he fell asleep on his book when I walk in and surprise him.

7.  He loves to ride his bike.  He, Michela, and his Dad like to go on long bike rides together.  The new canal trail is a great way to get around.

8.  He doesn't like to try new foods.  If there is something new on the table he will stare it down and refuse to eat it if it doesn't smell or look good to him.  He is so going to Asia on his mission.

9.  He is an awesome big brother.  He is a great babysitter and loves to hang out with Laina.

10.  He is really smart and got accepted into the advanced learning classes for next year at the Jr. High. He also won the school Spelling Bee this year!

11.  He is very responsible.  I can always count on Hunter to do what he is supposed to and can trust him to get something done when I ask him to.

12.  He is a big goofball.  I love it that he doesn't always take life too seriously.  He likes to have fun and be silly.

Gosh I love this boy of mine.  I am so glad we were blessed with Hunter in our family.

Michela is 14!

We had to drag Michela out of the shower tonight to get her to come and open her presents.  That girl is always in the shower lately!  She got a new book and some new church clothes which were much needed.

Instead of a birthday cake, I made her a birthday pie since her birthday falls on pi (3.14) day.  She always gets a kick out of that.  Even better, the math classes at her school always celebrate pi day with, you guessed it, Pie!  The perfect day for the Queen of Sweets.

It took her a little while to blow out all of those candles.  She is getting to be such an old lady!  Love this girl and all she brings to our family.  She is such fun to hang out with and keeps us on our toes.

14 Things about Michela:
1.  She is in 8th Grade this year and is whipping out the straight A's on her report cards.
2.  She is still playing Violin and is getting really good at it.  She has such a beautiful tone.
3.  She is always listening to Music.
4. She can't wait to get her Own Room this summer.  She has multiple pictures of ideas for her new room on the computer.
5.  She is always chewing Gum and is a gum thief.
6.  She LOVES sweets.  "Does it have sugar in it?  Then Yes!"
7.  This is her last year of AA Soccer with the Panthers and Coach is letting her play more Offense.
8.  She is so Artistic.  I love all of her creative creations.
9.  She loves taking Pictures of Laina.
10.  She is taking Foods class this year so we get to Benefit from all of her Cooking.
11.  She loves being Outside.
12.  She likes to Talk in Funny Voices.
13.  She is so Beautiful, even though she doesn't Realize it.
14.  People always comment on how Quiet and Shy Michela is.  It always makes me Laugh because she is the Loudest and Craziest Girl I Know!

Aria is 6!

Aria had her 6th birthday while we were in California.  We always keep it pretty low key which seems to please her just fine.  She helped Grandma make waffles for breakfast, her favorite.

 She even got a candle to blow out.

 We waffled on the idea of where to go for dinner, wondering if we should try somewhere new, but we ended up back at Fat Apple's again and she loved her "burger sandwich", just what she asked for.

After dinner we headed home for presents and cake.  Aria couldn't wait to open presents so we did that first.  Gosh, she is such a beautiful girl!

She loved getting her own girl Legos.

Michela decorated the cake and I loved what she came up with.

We had to hold Laina back so she didn't blow out the candles for Aria.

Such a sweet girl we have and she is growing up to be such a beautiful and talented little lady.

6 Things About Aria on her 6th Birthday:
1.  She just recently cut her own hair.
2.  She loves to dance and do gymnastics.
3.  She is getting to be such a good reader!
4.  She is a bit of a Fashionista.
5.  She is so Loud!
6.  She loves Kindergarten and going to school everyday.

"Gingerbread Houses" aka A Good Excuse to Eat Candy

The kids begged to do graham cracker gingerbread houses while we were out in California.  My Mom and sister were kind enough to go and get us lots of supplies for the event.  A friend of mine told me about how she uses melted sugar to "glue" her crackers together.  Basically you just melt some sugar with some water and it makes liquid goo.  You have to be fast before it starts to harden and watch out that you don't burn yourself.  I glued the houses together and I thought they weren't going to stay together, but once the sugar hardened they were as sturdy as can be!
Everyone came up with such cute and unique designs.  I love seeing the kids' creative juices flowing.

 Aria did hers all by herself this year and I think she did a fantastic job.

I think Hunter used every kind of candy.

Chase's was probably the heaviest.

Michela's was a beautiful work of art.

Laina and I collaborated on our design.  

Perfect activity for a winter afternoon.

Christmas Day

We are in California for Christmas again.  We love coming out here to spend time with the Hunt family and get out of the snow.  Unfortunately it is quite rainy here this year, but at least there are enough breaks to get out to play or go walking.

Christmas morning started off with little children periodically creeping out into the hall to check the time.  I told them they couldn't come out of their rooms until 7:00.  The funniest was when I slipped out at about 6:55 to go to the bathroom and ran into Hunter checking the clock.  When he saw that he had 5 minutes left he gave an exasperated moan and slumped back into his room.  He is such a funny kid.
The kids loved finding what was in their stockings and opening the little gifts that are with them.  This usually tides them over until the rest of the house wakes up for present time.

 Laina enjoyed counting her candy cane kisses.  While we waited for Craig to wake up Michela let us open the box full of the presents she made.  She had made marshmallow guns for everybody and a marshmallow fight ensued.

The kids took their guns out and waited by Craig's door.  We could hear his laughing and yelling when he walked into their ambush.  Even Grandma got in on the action.

The present opening seemed to go on all morning.  The boys opened Legos, science sets, and even a much wanted microscope for Chase.  

Michela was all about clothes, clothes, and shoes this year.  What else would a teenage girl want?

The little girls got learning toys, Legos, and lots of new Barbie furniture for their garage sale doll house at home.

I got some brand new running shoes to help me stick with my workouts and Mike munched down on his annual apple fritter.

We had Craig this year and we set him up with a little Giants gear and stud wear.

It was even more fun this year because Jaxon and Jordon were there to open presents with us.  

They are such cute little guys, everybody loves them to pieces.  

After presents we busted out the food and had a delicious brunch.  Tiff had made cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, and a yummy frittata.  I found a recipe for a banana caramel french toast bake.  So good!  Of course there was lots of fresh fruit and we couldn't forget the bacon or we might of had a mutiny on our hands.
Beautiful Christmas day that will be full of cherished memories.  I'm glad the kids and Mike love being out with my family at Christmas as much as I do.