Thanksgiving in Preston and Chloe's First Shopping Trip

We had a great time getting away for a much desired vacation.  Going up to Preston is always a treat for us.  We love how calm and peaceful it is.  The kids love playing with their cousins.  Sam and Dani always seem  to team up as well as James and Tori and Chloe is Madi's constant shadow.

This is Sam and Dani's score card for the game they were playing.  I love it. 

 

They had fun cuddling up together for some late night shows before bed each night.

Chloe was constantly stealing all of baby Libby's things for her puppies.  Her puppies did need a turn in the bouncer after all.

Thanksgiving dinner was delicious as always.  I didn't have to do a thing this year which was nice and also a little weird.

We of course had to head out for some great Black Friday shopping.  We did most of it online this year, but I did end up taking 3 trips to Logan in less than 24 hours!
Our Friday morning trip was the best.  Seth and I went out with Jake and Jaime and their 2 oldest girls.  We brought Chloe too and she was so excited to go shopping with the girls.

I absolutely love these next few pictures.  Chloe's expressions were so cute.  I love how she would just follow and admire everything that Madi did.  It was like she knew she was learning important things and didn't want to miss any of it.

Chloe spotted exactly what she wanted when we went to the Children's Place.  First it was the bright pink boots.  Then she spotted the sequence hat and matching bag.  She didn't need them, but we did it.  They were all great deals, and she looked so cute walking around the mall with her new accessories and bags of goodies! :)

I think Chloe thought the day couldn't get any better, but it did.  We went to a pizza buffet for lunch and Chloe had a blast with her own drink and pizza.

After a few more stores the excitement wore off and she was done.  It was to her seat with her blankie and sippie for some much needed R&R.

We ended our long weekend by going to the town's holiday parade.   It was awesome.  It was mainly just truck with trailers with lights on them, but it was so festive and fun.

Northern Lights

There are two places we love to go whenever we go to Preston during the holidays.  There is a house there that goes all out.  They even have awesome cut outs that they have made of all the popular Children's cartoons.  It is so fun to drive through and see.  The kids love spotting their favorite characters, and now that we have been there for a few years now, it's fun to see what new ones they have each year.

Here's some of our favorites:

 Mickey and Friends, Puss in Boots, and the Aristocrats

 Peter Pan and Lady and the Tramp

 Beauty and the Beast and the Grinch

 Tangled

 Cars

 Cinderella and Lilo and Stitch

 Toy Story

Our other favorite stop is up North at Willard Bay.  They do a great light display.  We just happen to be driving by it at night a few years ago and couldn't help but notice all the millions of lights.  We pulled off the freeway and had to check it out and we are so glad we did.

They have everything from dinosaurs to Indians to Disney characters to the Nativity to Polar Fun.  Most of the lights are animated and that's our favorite part.  It's fun to watch and see what will happen at each display.

A Gift for His Teacher

Sam was very excited to be able to get his teacher a Christmas present since he will be going off track and not see her again until after.  We decided to get some toys for her dogs that she loves so much.  He even wrote her a cute little card.  I was so proud of him.

Sleepover by the Fire

The kids were so excited to have their first sleepover by the fire tonight.  It was so cute to see how excited they were and how great they did all snuggled up. 
This is one of those times when I take a deep breath and can't believe how big they are getting so fast!

Grandma Treats

The kids love going to their Grandma's house and eating her treats.  Well, this last week I stopped by there and she sent me home with some Fruit by the Foots for them.  They were so excited and have been having fun finding fun ways to eat them.

What's Missing?

I know that when we went in their house she had pants on.  Where did they go?! :)

After almost 6 Years...

...I finally got my fireplace!
I have wanted one for FOREVER!  I finally found one that I loved and was affordable.  I heard the delivery man putting it on the porch and ran to the door and swung it open and squealed.  I think I scared the poor guy to death.  (I must admit, I probably seemed a little psycho!)
The kids loved seeing what I was building and couldn't wait to turn it on.
It is so beautiful and matches my trim work and kitchen cupboards so well.  It looks great in my house!  LOVE IT (in a sing-song voice)!

Sweet Lullaby's

We were so happy that we got to spend so much time with my parents while they were here.  My kids have kept a really good relationship with them thankfully to FaceTime.  We love talking to them and seeing them all the time, but face-to-face has definitely been the best.

Last night before my parents said good-bye my sweet mom helped me put my kids to bed.  I sing to my kids every night before bed and tonight it was fun to peak in and see and hear my mom singing with my kids.  This was definitely one of those "Priceless" moments that will be burned into my memory forever.

Want you Come with Me

I don't know how it started, but our dining room is the haunted house (probably from all the Monster Fighter Legos).  The kids load up on weapons and lights and go hunting ghosts and zombies and mummies.  It's quite cute.  Chloe is the one that is most into it, but she always wants someone to go with her.  She is always coming up and saying, "want you come with me."  Thankfully James is a great brother and plays with her for hours.

Super Girl

Chloe decided that she is into wearing the Superman costume around now.  It's so cute.  She runs around saying, "Super Girl" and "whoosh" as she zooms in and out of the room. 

Love this little girl!

First Snow this Year

We got our first snow of the year and boy were the kids excited.  It was quick out to the backyard and alley for a little fun before school.  Then it was quick off to the store for me to get the few things we needed that the kids had grown out of for playing in the snow.  Living in Utah (aka kid central), if you don't go right away you don't get!
The kids love their new get-ups and are outside all the time!

New Cupboard (aka "Hangout")

While in California (something I tend to do quite often), I picked up this awesome cupboard from my sister-in-law.  My kids have decided that they like it a lot.  Let me just mention, that each of these pictures was taken a different times.  Whenever I am looking for my kids I know I now need to check the cupboard, and sure enough, I find at least one of them. 

They are going to be so disappointed when I actually put something in there and take their favorite hangout away!