Christmas 2013

This year our Christmas was calm, unhurried and happy. 
 It was perfect. 

Last year, Christmas was stressful and crazy and really not as enjoyable as it should be because I was stressed and unprepared for it (I had good reason for not being prepared but still...)  Instead of enjoying December doing fun Christmas activities with my family, I was worrying and working to get ready.  After that experience I vowed to be prepared well in advance so I could enjoy the season.  Last January I marked deadlines on my calendar for the major things I wanted to complete before Christmas so that we could enjoy activities with our children.  It worked!  We attended parties, we baked Christmas treats, we enjoyed visits with family, we were able to serve others, we sang carols, looked at Christmas lights, watched movies and just enjoyed being together.

Santa and Mrs. Clause

This is the first Christmas that we have not traveled to see family or had family come to see us for Christmas, but we were lucky to have a few fun visitors before Christmas.  My brother Nathan came for a few days and we enjoyed hiking, playing at the park, and a few outings with him.  Then, Aunt Pika and Uncle Pato came for a few days.  They went with us to see "Frozen" which the girls loved!  We also enjoyed playing with Pika's amazing dress up collection, cooking and baking together and walks in the beautiful weather.

Mesa Temple Lights

Hiking at Thunderbird

Seth, Spud and Nathan at the Park

Raclette Dinner with Pika and Pato

All she wants for Christmas...

Sleeping under the Christmas Tree

On Christmas Eve we prepared our traditional German dinner.  At the girls request we put on a very low-key Nativity and sang Christmas songs before going to bed.  Christmas morning was just as we hoped it would be.  We carefully chose the gifts for the children and kept it very simple  They truly enjoyed what they received.  We spent the day playing games together, napping, and just relaxing before having dinner with the Lovells.

The Nativity play

Spud loves to open gifts

Lou's bike

Curly's Doll

The weekend following Christmas we had a fire roast and Fisher and the girls slept out froze.

 

That wraps up our wonderful December.  Here is to another great year!

A very berry Berry Birthday and family filled Thanksgiving - November in pictures

Berry turned three in November!  She is sweet and sassy and knows just what cute things to say to melt her mom's heart.  She is our early bird, night owl, and candy thief.  We love her!  She loves Strawberry shortcake and wanted a birthday cake to reflect it.  We had lots of fun making the cake!

Happy Birthday Sweet Berry!

We began a playroom makeover back in May and while it was finished most of the summer, we didn't get a picture until now.  We removed the built in desk (that came with the house), painted, and added shelving.  It is much more playable!

Before

After

At Thanksgiving we were fortunate to travel to Utah and Idaho to spend time with both of the grandparents and many aunts, uncles and cousins.  Everything about the trip was wonderful except... NO SNOW!!!  We were all a bit disappointed that it will be a year without white stuff.  The weather was actually quite lovely for the north and we enjoyed being able to be outside without freezing.

In Utah we enjoyed seeing family, attending a community production of "Beauty and the Beast" visiting a museum, and an evening out with some of Fisher's siblings.  In Idaho, we ate a delicious Thanksgiving dinner and played snowless football.  The little girls organized and recruited the whole family to put on their own production of Beauty and the Beast.  Grandpa Duck (Belle's father) and Uncle Jason (Lumiere) were unforgettable!

Wahoo!  Here we go

"Be "Our Guest"

 

Take a bow

Spud loves Oma's swing

Autumn leaves

Cousins at the Zoo

Grandpa is so fun

Flight home was very delayed an all are exhausted

October in Pictures

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 These two best buddy cousins get into lots of T R O U B L E!  Above they are overflowing the sink and splashing the water all around - Sorry about the bare bottom!

 Cousin reading party

 Triple chicken fight

 We did a double photo shoot with Shar and I taking pictures for each other.  Laid back, fun and lots of cute pictures!

 Fisher and Spud took a weekend fishing trip to Idaho and the girls and I partied!  We visited The Pioneer Living Museum with some other friends, played at an awesome park, and rode in a carriage.

 Mormon Helping Hands Day - Our LDS Stake traveled to Yarnell to provide community clean-up and improvement.  Our ward improved the local park.  Fisher and I were in charge of building a planter box bench underneath an old mine cart.  Berry and Spud both exhausted themselves with all the hard work!

Friends - Mindy, Shannon, Christine

Finally complete!

All tuckered out!

 We had lots of fun helping with a fundraiser for a friend.  Many talented people worked hard to create a pretty cool Haunted House.

 Carving Pumpkins - Lou's is Grandpa Lovell

 Super Girl and a mouse

Happy Halloween! 

Garden Ornamentish Theme - Gnome, Pink Flamingo, Hillbilly gardener, Mouse, and Toadstool... and a wandering Gypsy