The annual getting of the tree

We have always gone and got our Christmas tree a couple of days after Thanksgiving and though this year we were in Monroe for Thanksgiving we still made it back with barely enough time to head up the canyon and get our tree.  Luckily we found this beauty just as the sun was setting.

 I put Brailie down in the snow.  I hadn't got her mittens on yet so she first put her bare hands in the snow and she was not happy.  As soon as I put the mittens on she was  heaven.  This was her first time playing in the snow.  She loved it.

 Our cuties with our Christmas tree.  This is such a fun family tradition.  We did it all my growing up years (though it was much closer to Christmas before we ever went and the snow was usually up to our knees) but I love having a real tree and this one this year smells AMAZING!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful time at Grandma and Grandpa Parsons new house in Monroe.  It is big and the kids ran and ran and had a blast and the men lounged and watched sports and more sports, the women crafted, Brailie had her first taste (and hopefully only taste) of dog food, and we ate and ate and ate.  Here are the highlights:

Brailie smiling with Grandma-it is about time that happened.

A sneaky little elf named Allie

On Friday afternoon Greg took Allie and cousin Rylee outside to play in the snow.  First I looked out the window and saw Greg making a snow angel, then next thing I know, I saw this:

I am shocked she made one too.  The rest of the kids saw how much fun they were having and though it was cold-everyone headed outside.

Looks really cold to me.

Doesn't Nathan look so cute in this picture?

These two were really good playmates.  Rylee stayed behind with us on Friday when her parents and everyone else went out to the stores.  She and Allie had a wonderful time playing.

Time to head in and get warm

Speaking of getting warm, my kids love having their clothes off-especially Allie (I have no idea who she gets that from :)) This picture was on Grandma's window sill.

And Grandma came up with the funnest game of all-bowling.  The kids had a blast with her.  Everyone took turns and the noise level was through the roof but they loved it.

Brailie taking a basketball to just the right parent.

Brailie trying to get in on the bowling action.

This turned out to be a hit too.  We were sitting at dinner on Friday night and Kinsey was not really wanting to eat her dinner and I said, "Kinsey I will have a noodle race with you" and so we both got a noodle on our forks and I said, "marks, get set, go" and we tried to see who could eat it first.  Well pretty soon all the kids were joining in.  Turns out it was a big hit the next morning at breakfast too.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for a great Thanksgiving weekend.  We had a great time.

What a day

It's been quite the day here.  The toys are in a pile outside in the backyard.  Allie had a 2 and 1/2 hour nap (a much needed nap).  Daddy came home from school just after Allie woke up and I told her to tell daddy what happened to her toys.  She said, "mommy took them away because I had attitude."  (that is exactly right) Like I said, it has been quite a day.

Playing in the living room

When dad says "lets go play in the living room" I never know what to expect.  On this day (Nov 20th) I heard Allie keep telling him to close his eyes and open them.  I came in to find this.  She had given him a hat, shoes, a coat and all these "gifts".  What a good daddy.

What I have to look forward to in 20 more years

And so it begins

Basketball season is officially underway.  We went to our first game on November 19th in Richfield.  Allie was so excited to ride the bus.  We practiced our cheers and packed the millions of things that are needed to keep two girls occupied during 1 or more basketball games and headed out.

 Here's Brailie snug as a bug in her carseat on the bus.  Don't worry I don't own anything zebra print.  I forgot to grab an extra blanket so one of the girls let me borrow this to cover her.

 Daddy had to sit by Allie on her seat the whole way.  Poor guy-those seats aren't big enough for her carseat and him but she wouldn't let him leave (not like she has anyone wrapped around her finger or anything).

 A few minutes with daddy before the game begins.

 I love this picture.  It is as if Allie is saying, "okay now Brai this is what is going to happen."

 She loved watching through the railing.

And she loved the fact that she could walk all over the place.  Love this action shot.

 Allie had been begging for this toy all week but I told her she had to wait until the first basketball game.  Here she is playing so delicately with it.

 A little pic of Brailie eating with a fork.  Something we totally overlooked when teaching Allie to eat and she is still a very primitive eater.  We are hoping to avoid that with Brailie.

 Allie got to sit at the back of the bus with Sarah and the other girls.  She loved it.  She was sure that was where she needed to sit the whole way home.  She didn't get her way I am afraid.  Oh and Greg's team won.  They haven't won the first game at the Richfield preview in like 4 years.  It was a good game.



Someone in New York Loves Me

That's right Brailie-someone in New York named Uncle Steven loves you and your sister very much.

 Brailie's shirt had these little ruffles to make it look like a skirt so Allie was sure she needed to have a skirt over her pants.

Allie with curls

I finally figured out a way to get curls to stay in Allie's hair.  I put her hair into a bunch of tiny buns all over her head and leave them in for a couple of hours and then when I take them out: TADA-curls and more curls.  I thought her hair looked so cute-well I thought she looked so cute this morning (Nov 17th) I wanted to take some pictures.  This is what I ended up with.

Itchy bum

Two hands to itch the bum

Crazy smile

Mouth open smile

I'm not going to cooperate smile

Let's try the back.

Angelic

Riding bikes on the new road

We got a new road-one that is black, and smooth and wide and beautiful.  We watched all the action as they put it in and then had to get out and test out Allie's bike on it.  Man was it ever slick.  She could pedal so fast and we didn't have to worry about rocks or bumps.  She was super excited.  She kept saying, "I'm a big girl.  I'm going fast on the new road."

Sisters

This has been happening in our house-playing together.  Brailie even figured out how to get up on the chair at the table herself.  It is so cute.  Allie does a really good job of playing most of the time.  When Brailie is sleeping Allie says, "can we go get her so I will have someone to play with?" (that's code for boss around and take things from-sometimes there is actual play like in these pictures).

 I had to include these snap shots of Brailie.  I love her facial expressions.

 Sitting together in the big chair.  Brailie is all about getting up on things now.  She can't get up but she sure knows how to let you know that is what she wants to do.

 Here they are playing "Harvest Feast."  LOVE IT!!!