Thanksgiving 2011

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. 

 ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Thanksgiving has always been about family gathering together to give thanks and share a grand meal.... and this year was no different. Meal #1 was with the Robb side of the family. Turkey, ham and all the fixins filled the counter and our bellies. The boys even enjoyed playing some catch....

Jace, Grandma Larrabee, Grandma & Grandpa Robb, Reese and Sam



Abby, Lauren, Mandy & Spencer

Minty, Jason & Micah

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.  ~W.T. Purkiser

Meal #2 was with the Nelson side of the family. Once again we stuffed ourselves with the traditional Thanksgiving feast and enjoyed being together as family.



Maddy & Lauren





Shenanigans


I am thankful for Thanksgiving because it forces me to ponder on why I am thankful and for what I am thankful for. It's amazing what I take for granted each day. I loved this little poster- it really helps to put things into perspective. All the wants and "think I needs" are embarrassing to me when I peek outside of my little bubble and into the vast world. There are so many with so little. I have a lot to be thankful for.



Fieldtrip!!

November 23, 2011

A big yellow bus filled to the brim with fifth graders had a destination- Springs Preserve. The bus arrived, its doors opened with a pull of a lever, and the kids gushed out like a broken dam. My job as a chaperone was to keep tabs on five of these excited fifth graders, one of which was Jace.

Jace, Tyson and Ty compare rock specimens....

 

Our group- couldn't have asked for better kids...

 

Jace peeking into the rabbit habitat-

a strange figure is lurking behind him..... creepy

this cute little fox was taking a little nap.

When our learning and fun was through we all filed back into the big yellow bus. Chatter of the days events bounced off of the metal walls until we returned to the school. A good day for Ms. Creuziger's class!!

THE END

Halloween 2011

One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.

~Emily Dickinson

Halloween. A time to be someone other than yourself, costumed, disguised, imagination let loose. Our plan sprouted about half way through the year when Lauren or Jace (they both claim the idea and this has become quite the controversy) announced that they wanted to be Jack from Jack in the Box for Halloween. I immediately put that thought to rest, that bulbous head of his would be impossible to make or very expensive to buy. A while later Jack came up again and Jason decided that it would be great if he were the Colonel from Kentucky Fried Chicken. The idea snowballed and Lauren was appointed as Wendy from Wendy's. Luckily I found a tutorial online and painstakingly made my very first paper mache project- Jack's head. Lauren's hair was braided with wire and sprayed red. Jason scoured Savers until at last he found a white suit. Everything turned out great and we had ourselves a fast food monopoly. Well all except me.... nothing good left- the Hamburglar: no, the King from Burger King: not going to happen. Last minute I pulled out my Chinese jacket and socks with sandals and called myself Panda Express.

 We had our ward Trunk-or-treat the Saturday before Halloween. It was a lot of fun for all. Jace as Jack hung out with his friend Brett as the Tootsie Roll.

 After we left the ward party we made a few pit stops-

First at Jack in the Box to get a few photos of Jack in action....

 Then KFC where the Colonel checked up on his employees to make sure everything was running smoothly....

Wendy stopped in Wendy's on Monday, Halloween night

On Hallowe'en the thing you must do
Is pretend that nothing can frighten you
And if somethin' scares you and you want to run
Just let on like it's Hallowe'en fun.

~Author Unknown

Fast food family photo....

 Monday Jason comes home from work with a cardboard box- from it is born an upgraded version of my Panda Express costume- I am now a take-out box...... Brilliant (why didn't I think of that!)

 We spent Halloween night at my parents house- dinner in a pumpkin, games and trick-or-treating through the neighborhood. Jace's costume was quite the hit with the passerbyers, lots of people wanted to take their picture with him and the rest of us as well. It was a memorable Halloween, one that we will always look back on and say... remember when....



Disneyland - Day 2 & 3

Day 2- October 22, 2011

Our first stop of the day was California Adventure. The new Little Mermaid ride was adorable, we rode that several times. Muholland Madness is now Goofy's Flying School- basically the same ride with different signage, and still one of our favorites!

Tower of Terror photo

Day 3- October 23, 2011

 Can't go to Disneyland without visiting the Lego store....

 I love Disneyland at Halloween time....

We had a great time and created some new family memories....

the best part is that we got annual passes- so count on a lot more Disneyland posts in the upcoming year!!

DISNEYLAND- Day 1

I tried, I really tried to pack Disneyland into one post. The problem is that I just have too many pictures... and this isn't even a third of them! Since there are so many pictures I will let them tell most of the story.....

Day 1- October 21, 2011



We were lucky enough to stay at the Paradise Pier this time. Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel was our first stop at 7:30 am.

 We were able to hobnob with the Disney characters while we expanded our waistline with Goofy's delectable buffet.

The kids couldn't wait to be on the backside of water so they could mock Jason's previous Disneyland photo here   I thought they did a pretty good impression!!

 I took this photo of California Adventure from the hallway of the hotel- I love the lighting of it, almost vintage.

 In the afternoon we went  back to the hotel to check out the hotel pool. Jace was the only one thick skinned enough to brave the chilly waters- though Jason gets props on this one because he joined Jace on the slide once. The rest of the time we were in the spa!

 That evening the kids dressed up and we went to Mickey's Halloween Party in Disneyland...

 Jace was a mad scientist (a costume he wore a few years ago) and Lauren was a flapper girl

 Dinner was at Cafe Orleans, and of course it included a Monte Cristo and Mint Juleps!!

 We rode tons of rides and trick or treated til the wee hours of the night...

Definately the highlight of our trip- and look at this mountain of goodies!! SCORE!!