Let the CRAZINESS Begin!!!

So...it's been a crazy weekend at our house! Here are some highlights!!! Here's a warning...it's a pretty long post...like I said...it was a crazy weekend!

Friday we put up the outside lights and decorated the Christmas Tree! Rylie got to put the star on top this year!
Here's Parker with his favorite ornament...his star fighter from Star Wars!
Mason and I with a soccer ornament...of course!
Saturday was Parker's birthday! He started the day off with whatever he wanted for breakfast. He chose doughnuts and Dr. Pepper!

Do you think he's excited about his presents?!

Here he is with his Backyard Football Wii game...he's been asking for this one FOREVER!!!

Shane stocked him up with a new baseball glove...his other one was a little small!

Parker "THINKS" he's going to play football next year. Currently he is obsessed with it! (I'm hoping he forgets all about it by next fall...yeah...right!) Anyway, his grandparents got him a football, which Shane had Parker's football heroes Dallin and Wyatt sign. Wyatt also signed one of his old jerseys for him...it was a big hit!Here he is with the "rainbow" cake he requested....it was actually REALLY good!

For dinner we went to Pasadena to meet Shane's aunt, uncle, and cousin Debbie and her family. We had a great time catching up with them!

We decided that since it was Parker's birthday, we'd let the kids have the Guitar Hero World Tour Band that their Uncle Donny got them for Christmas! I don't know who was more excited to play it...me or the kids!

Rylie was all over the drums! We all took turns on them...and singing too...that was kind of scary! I also found out that all of my kids can sing the Linkin Park song from the movie Transformers word for word...who knew!

So...one of the birthday traditions we have is that the birthday person gets to stay up as late as they want...so...look what time Parker started this puzzle...

Yes...that would be P.M. and all of the kids were still up!

Here he is when we finished!

Yes...that blurry picture says 12:46 A.M.! Parker actually got up and stayed up for 14 more minutes...his goal was apparently 1 A.M.!

So today...the boys played some football...

...while I attempted to decorate the inside of the house!

The finished product...yes...I need to do something with that white extension cord!

For those of you in the snow and freezing cold...yes, that is the ice cream truck in front of my house...on NOVEMBER 30th! It was in the 80's today...so we all decided to have some ice cream!

Happy Birthday Parker!!!

Today Parker is 7 years old!

Parker, I can't believe it!!! It seems like just yesterday I was walking into the hospital to be induced...without the perfect name for you! You really had your doubts about coming into this world, but after 12 hours of labor and a c-section...you were finally here! It seemed like forever until I got to hold you! I remember your dad whispering in my ear that you looked like a Parker...but I wouldn't let him name you until I saw you for myself...and he was right!

Once they let me hold you, I didn't want to let you out of my arms!
You have always been my little buddy! Not only do we look alike, but we think alike too! You are my tender heart, and when I really need a hug, you are always the first one to give me one!
Parker, you have the biggest heart of anyone I know! You are always thinking of others, and you always try to do the right thing! I hope you know how proud I am of you and how lucky I am to be your mom!
Happy Birthday Buddy...I love you!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I can't believe how fast this holiday came and went! This year was a first for us...we spent the holiday alone! While we love having a full house for any holiday, it was kind of nice to be able to focus on each other this year...and to realize that we could actually pull it off all by ourselves!

Last night it actually rained! It felt like fall believe it or not! So, I picked up a fire log and we took advantage of the seasonal weather! Shane read the kids, "The Night Before Thanksgiving" before they went to bed!
I on the other hand, was in the kitchen cooking away! Don't I look like I'm having fun! (Believe it or not...I actually LOVE to cook!)
Rylie and I started out the morning by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Then she and Shane had scooter races up and down the street!
Of course, no Thanksgiving would be complete without making gumdrop turkeys!

Mason took this of us as we sat down to dinner!

I think Mason likes what he sees!

Parker was pretty hungry too!

Rylie's exact words were, "finally"!

Our annual Thanksgiving Toast!

Around 6:00 Rylie came up to me and said, "get going on the pumpkin pie already"! So...here we are getting the whip cream ready!

And here she is...FINALLY eating her pie! She waited all day for this moment!

I love this holiday...and the opportunity it gives me to take the time to remember all of the many things and people I am grateful for in my life...and there are LOTS of them!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

A "Magical" Day

Monday we went to L.A. to celebrate Rylie's friend Sam's 6th birthday. We went to heaven on earth for a little girl...the American Girl Place!!!

Here the girls are ready to go in! Sam got an American Girl doll for her birthday...Kit...she is so cute!
We ate lunch at the Cafe...it was the ultimate tea party! Each little girl got to pick out a doll to eat lunch with if they didn't have their own. Rylie has had her eye on Elizabeth for a while...she loves her! The server even brought Elizabeth a cup and saucer...not only did he wait on us...he was waiting on the dolls too...it was so cute! All of the moms had just as much fun as the girls did!

Here are Rylie and Sam with their dolls! Rylie begged for an Elizabeth of her own...and thank goodness they had miniatures...so she has a tiny Elizabeth! Santa was in the quad of the shopping center. Rylie whispered to him her wish for an Elizabeth of her own for Christmas. He heard her...after she said it to him...he looked at her and gave her a wink!

Afterwards, we were walking through the quad, and as we passed Barnes and Noble, we noticed that Magic Johnson was inside signing his new book. Of course, Adrienne and I were all over it...so yes...here Rylie and I are with Magic! He was so nice...he posed for lots of pictures with us!

Of course Adrienne and I had to get a shot with him...look how tall he is! Ok...yes, we are short...but again...look how tall he is!
So...not only did the girls have the ultimate tea party at the American Girl Cafe, they also got to pose for a picture with Magic Johnson! What more could they want! It was a great day in L.A.! (And no...Adrienne wasn't moving from his side!)

The Christmas Tree Farm

Yesterday was one of Rylie's favorite days of the year...our annual visit to the Pumpkin Patch/Christmas Tree Farm!!!

Of course...I made the kids pose for me next to the pumpkins...
...and in the corn!
The big tiger slide has always been Rylie's favorite! She loves to scream her head off as she slides down!
Parker loves the Rat Race Maze!

This year they had the bungee trampolines...all of the kids loved those! Rylie even did back flips...her gymnastics classes are paying off!

We were there for a church activity...so Shane was the root beer float guy...yes, root beer floats at the end of November...and yes...it was hot enough for them!

Any one want to guess what I said?! Just kidding...Shane HATES wet-willies!

One of the reasons I love So. Cal!

We couldn't leave without getting lost in the corn maze...and literally...we did! We had a great time!