We're thankful for targets and so much more!

Thanksgiving was easy going for us this year. Thank goodness- last year put us over the top with our crazy trip to washington. So this year was spent at home. There are so many things to be grateful for and I was grateful to spend it with my cute husband and kids. I made a bunch of pies, yummy rolls, and everything else to trim out our turkey. YUMMMM! The day was full with a parade, a dog show, sling shots and targets, lots of eating, kids in and out of the house, more eating, more sling shot action and then more eating and then bed for everyone except me. I headed out to start my shopping with mom and Laura and then home for a short nap and out again at 6 am for a few more things. Shopping was a success!

The kids lined up to shoot the elusive targets!


Bonnie and Derek and kids came over the day after Thanksgiving just for the chance to eat some more and play games.


Our Christmas season full of recitals and traditions is well underway. This week is amazingly busy for us- Jake's Christmas choir concert was last week and then tonight, the choir sings at the Joseph Smith Memorial building.


Last night we finally were able to decorate the family tree downstairs. It was fun to unwrap each ornament and talk about why it was picked and when. This year the kids did great again picking out their new ornaments that reflect their personalities.

Ethan picked out a mixer- he became quite the baker this year!


Owen picked a train- no surprise


Jake, a motorcycle


Riley picked a soccer ball- he played great this season


Jocelyn picked out a cupcake, to go along with her halloween theme of being sweet!



Ben and I picked out a robot santa- I love it because it looks vintage and completely different from our previous santa ornaments, Will, who could not stay awake for all the fun - a blue onesie ornament to start his collection off.


It was a fun evening of decorating and listening to the prophet. Unfortunately near the end of the devotional Owen hit a pillow into one of our stockings, hanging so nicely which caused the stocking and the heavy holder to fall on him, resulting in this




We bandaged him up after the bleeding finally stopped but as I was headed into work I just kept getting the feeling that he needed the staples. After talking to the ER Doctor, I called Ben and he brought Owen into the Hospital. He was sound asleep until they started cleaning the wound- very fast I might add and less than a 10 seconds later he was crowned with the staples. Not too happy and after we took the pictures to show him he just said "no staples". not a happy camper! Funny thing is as I was hanging the stockings up a couple of weeks ago I said "do not touch these stockings, they will fall on your head and you will probably need to have staples" No Joke!!