Gingerbread Houses

We couldn't get through the Christmas season without making gingerbread houses. Gracie and Marley were very excited and loved having so much candy around. They each made their own and decorated them so cute! Grandma Darlene joined us again this year and we all had a blast getting sticky and producing cute houses.

Marley loved doing his house all by himself this year!

Gracie had some very inventive decorating ideas and

used a lot of candy to make her house pretty.

We're so happy Grandma Darlene decorated with us!

This was Marley's response to my question,

"Why are you eating the candy off you're house Marley?"

The finished products

Santa's Santa Fe Christmas

This weekend we took the kids to the old train station that is now a museum. They have a special night with story telling, toy trains, Santa Claus and model trains everywhere. Marley was in heaven especially with the Thomas and Percy models. The kids could push buttons to make the trains move and blow their whistles. It was really entertaining to watch them run from train to train excitedly. After they finished playing we heard that Santa was there, so we went to visit him. Santa is not my favorite part of Christmas, but it was fun to see the kids sit on his lap and list all the things they would like to receive. Marley was pretty hesitant, but Santa was very sweet and finally got him to warm up. We ended the night with our drive home spotting all the Christmas lights in the neighborhood and talking about the birth of Christ. It was a wonderful night and it added to our Christmas cheer!

Gracie the conductor

Classic Marley with his tongue sticking out

So excited to see the trains!

3 kids playing with the trains:)

Santa Claus

Santa persuaded Marley to look at the trains with him.

"I want a Jessie, a Tinkerbell, a Rapunzel....

"I want a Rex the dinosaur, Woody, Buzz, Slinky dog....

Craft time! So much fun.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving came so fast this year! I was so busy with our Relief Society activity that it snuck up on me. It was a busy week of baking and driving, but we enjoyed it so much. We spent thanksgiving day in Odessa with Douglas's family and had some really amazing food and time to play. We wrote out our thankful lists for family home evening and it was so amazing to hear what the kids came up with. They are truly thankful and sincere.

We are all thankful for the gospel and for the Savior Jesus Christ. We are thankful to have the chance to be on this earth and feel such joy. We are grateful to all our friends and family for molding us to be better people. We are so blessed!

My friend, Amber and I making several cakes into the late hours of the night. We made a huge mess, but it was fun and they turned out pretty cute.

The 30 was for Ambers husband who is Douglas's cousin, Ricky. He turned 30 over the thanksgiving week. The turkeys were for all 3 stops that Amber and Ricky had to make on thanksgiving day.

Laney(Amber and Ricky's daughter), Marley and Gracie decorating fall cookies. Gracie has been asking me for months to please make some cookies. She is so excited that we finally have an oven so we can!.

Mr. & Mrs. on thanksgiving

The kids loved thanksgiving dinner!

Unfortunately we didn't get a family picture.

After our feast, Douglas and his dad went to the restaurant and painted their little hearts out. Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only days the restaurant is closed during the year and the painting has to be done by the end of the year so they spent several hours getting it done. But they were really excited to come home and enjoy some pecan, pumpkin, and key lime pie. Douglas came home looking like a racoon.

Gracie was VERY excited to see her Dad and Grandpa! (even if they were covered in paint)