Advent

My sister does "advent" with her kids each year, so I thought I would try it out.

December First Day 1: Decorate the Christmas Tree

Autumn examining the lights.

December Second: Day 2: Picked out a family Christmas ornament

But first we went to Albertsons grocery store to spend our $20 off a $20 purchase.  We had several coupons from purchasing gift cards at Albertsons the week before.  The food/household items below cost us out of pocket seven dollars and change (which includes one children's tylenol and one children's advil.)

After that we went to the Wyoming State Museum.  This was only our second visit there, but it is easily one of my favorite places in Cheyenne.  They have a small children's section and the two times we've been there the museum has been empty.

cooking up some chow

Autumn trying on hats

Wyoming Christmas ornament.

December third: We set up our "winter wonderland" as Evan calls it.  We hung snowflakes from the ceiling and our snowflake lights, ect. in the kitchen.

December fourth: I made our advent strips (a little late I know, I should have just made a paper chain, but I wanted to laminate them and save for future use)

December fifth: We made Christmas cookies for Evan to take to the night nurses at the hospital who apparently devour sweets.  They all but threaten the residents before they started and said they "must" bring the nurses candy for their candy drawer.  Whatever.  Perfect way for me to get a couple and not have them around for days.

Let the Christmas games begin

Let me start off by saying how lame it is to live far away from an airport.  Our flight landed at 9am, but we didn't get home until noon.  It is about a two hour drive, so we parked at the airport because who wants to drop someone off at the airport when it is two hours away.  So we had to take a shuttle to our car ect. It's a pain.  Luckily my parents only live 20 minutes from the SeaTac airport so at least we didn't have to drive a bunch on both sides of the plane ride. Anyhow after Autumn's nap (no she did NOT sleep on the plane or the car rides despite the fact that she woke up at 4:15am) we went and bought a Christmas tree.

 Watching the lady cut the end off of the Christmas tree and put mesh around it.

After getting the tree home we had pizza then headed to the Cheyenne Christmas parade.  Luckily it wasn't too cold, only mid 40s.  The parade was great though.  I love parades.  It was really long and filled with a bunch of trucks with Christmas lights taped on them.  It was kinda like the Main Street Electrical Parade at Disneyland, but much more white-trashy.  

Take that Pinterest

Evan's brother came to visit about a month ago.  We had him tag along with us to various places including the mall playplace, story time at the library and the hardware store.  When I told him the project I was thinking about making for Autumn, a latch board you see all over Pinterest, he said something like..."Wouldn't it be more fun if the latches actually did something?"  Why yes, yes it would I thought, but I don't know how to do that.  So Patrick volunteered to make my project for me.  It is pretty sweet.  So sweet that I'm saving it to give to Autumn for Christmas.  So take that Pinterest.  Best homemade gift I ever made ;)

One of Autumn's favorite activities a few weeks ago...putting ALL her toys on the trampoline...then jumping.

Also putting the tent on the trampoline and the diaper changing pad and all the "little people".

And putting Uncle Patrick's watch on her leg

and playing board games

We had Thanksgiving dinner a month early because we thought Patrick would have started his new job before Thanksgiving.  Turns out he'll be here until Christmas. YAY! 

Sanding, sanding, sanding

Evan woke up from his slumber and helped out a bit.  Evan was working nights.

Patrick drilling holes for the hardware.  I don't have a picture of the finished project yet, still waiting for my slave to attach the knobs so it is easier to open the doors.

Thanksgiving break

We went to my parents house for a week at Thanksgiving.  Luckily Evan was able to take time off since he'll be working a ton over the week of Christmas.  Anyhow we had a good time mostly just hanging out.  My mom and I did a few projects and Evan watched football and Autumn played with a plethora of baby dolls.

 We arrived Saturday night just in time for Autumn to go to sleep.  Sunday we went to church and hung out.  Monday we went to our college friends' house.  We ate at that yummy burger place that Autumn and I went to when we visited in September.  I love this picture of the two girls.  They have such similar faces in the picture.  Although I am bummed you can't see Carly's special outfit her dad dressed her in...tights on the outside of her pants.

 Evan pretending to be macho with his buddy Morgan.  I tried to convince him to do a "Charlie's Angels" pose, but he knew I would put it on the blog and mock him so he refused!

 Autumn took a lot of bath's at Grandma's, especially once Grandma got out the swimming baby.

 Autumn playing the piano with Elder Lucas (3 missionaries live in my parent's basement).

 Those strollers made several trips up and down the stairs with Autumn's array of dolls she collected.

 Taking another bath in the kitchen sink and wearing on of the many pairs of glasses Grandma has around the house.

 Bed time takes a long time these days with Autumn's huge entourage.

 Thanksgiving with Pete, Mackenzie, kiddos and the elders.

 After the feast and while my mom and Kenzie were doing the dishes we played Turkey shoot-out.

 My mother was impressivly good at shooting the knock-off Nerf gun at the balloons.

 Elder Bailey (left) beat Elder Lucas (right) in the championship match.

 Reading Autumn's current favorite story, "The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear"

 I also had my mom finish this quilt for me while I organized her digital photos on her computer for hours (like 7 hours).  A friend of mine is collecting quilts to donate to families who donate their family member's body for organ donation.  Anyhow I started this quilt close to 5 years ago.  It is the first and only quilt I've made.  I hope the person how receives it will appreciate my gift!

A day in the Life of "Baby"

Lately Autumn has been playing with the 1972 Fisher Price Dollhouse (like the one below...image stolen from google images) we early-inherited from my Grandparent's basement this summer.  One night Autumn wanted to sleep with the "baby"-the little orange guy.  I thought that wasn't a good idea, and since we don't have any dolls at our house (we keep losing them!) I grabbed the only thing I could think of, which was a wooden paper doll I had as a kid.  So Autumn slept with the wooden paper doll and since then the two have been practically inseparable.  

This is how Friday went.  Baby and Autumn woke up.  Baby sat in her "seat" while Autumn ate her mini-wheats, with her hands, but insists on having a spoon most days.

 Then since we didn't have the car that day we played instead of getting ready to go somewhere.  We played play-doh and colored.  (That thing around Baby's neck is a headband.  Autumn hates when I do her hair so lately I've been putting headbands in her hair instead of rubber bands, and of course the baby needs a headband too)

 Then we "played" games.  One of our favorites right now is barry baby in the Qwirkle tiles.  Also "Mommy" joined us for this activity.  It gets a little confusing sometimes since there is now 2 "mommys" in our house.

 Then is was time to take a little rest.  Autumn likes it when I let her play nap time with her crew and let her bring her mattress to the front room (have I mentioned that a week after we put her in her big girl bed we put her back in her crib, she wasn't sleeping well, so we put her back in her crib.)

 Then at about 10am Autumn and I finally got ready for the day.  Baby isn't allowed to take a bath with Autumn so she has to stay out of the bathroom.  I purposely take a long time getting ready since the bathroom is so warm with the space heater.  Don't get me wrong-it's not like I do my hair or anything, I just hang out in the bathroom as long as possible.

Then is was time for lunch.  Autumn loves her "Daddy drink".  I make her a protein shake with peanut butter and bananas.

Then the bears joined us for a story before nap time. 

 Then after nap we played more "games".  This time baby and mommy needed to rest a little more so they just watched.

 Then grandpa came over to play and the baby and mommy put their swimming suits on and pretend went swimming in the kitchen sink.  So naturally they needed towels to warm up.

 Then we colored...for a long time

 see how dark it got.  The picture below is a little misleading.  Autumn is really left handed.

 Then we went to get Grandma so she could see Autumn's window drawings.  So we packed up baby in the purse along with an extra pair of shoes. Just in case.

 Then we went to the mall for dinner once Evan got home.  Baby of course came with.  She hung out in the purse while we ate, but after dinner she played in the play area with Autumn.  Once we got home it was time for bed.  Autumn loves standing on the dryer while she brushes her teeth and turns the lights on and off.

 This is Autumn telling us the moon is asleep, because she couldn't see it out her bedroom window.  She really loves the moon and looking for it at all times of the day, but she does realize she can see it better once it is dark.

 Then after stories Autumn gets the crew all ready for pray time.  

I should note that Baby usually wears Autumn's PJs to bed as evidence in the photo below, but tonight Autumn decided to put her in felt clothes instead.

This is a picture from last week when we built a fort.  I asked if she would show me baby-well there she is.