Christmas

I know it is almost February but we have been busy.  I was finally going through pictures of the last couple of months and thought I would post some of our Christmas activities. 

Abigail lost her first tooth at the beginning of December.  She then lost her 2nd tooth, the one right next to it, on Christmas day.  She was very excited about her first visit from the tooth fairy. 

Making Gingerbread men
I have always wanted to make my own gingerbread for either a ginger bread house or men but there are so many things that I want to do during the holidays that it continues to get pushed to next year.  This year was no different.  Plus I saw this cute gingerbread men kit at Costco and since it had 4 "men" in it, it seemed like it was too perfect to pass up.  I think the kids liked the gingerbread men better than the house anyway so hopefully I can continue to find this every year.  

Even Asher got in on the fun and was able to do most of his by himself. LOVE that! And so does he since he  is very independent.  **See that large scrape/bump on his head.  He was throwing a fit about leaving somewhere and I had to be to a meeting so I threw him over my shoulder and started to head to the car.  I found a patch of ice and fell with him, my ipad, and several other things I was trying to carry in my hands right on my butt!  The worst part was that we fell so hard that Asher's head smacked into the pavement.   I tried to hold him so he wouldn't hit but it was so fast.  He seemed to do OK after awhile but when people asked him what happened to his head he kept telling people that I did it to him!! The little stinker forgot that I was carrying him because he was throwing a fit and wouldn't listen!!! :) Plus I was sore for a few days afterwards as well...old people falling is not a good thing.  Even though his looks worse, I think I felt mine longer.

And of course, eating while making them is one of the best parts.  

The Heber Polar Express

Every year Chris's work party is in Salt Lake City so we decided to bring the kids this year and take them to the Polar Express.  We also took their two cousins with us.  Everyone asks us how we liked it and if it was worth the high price.  Before I give you that answer lets take a look at the pictures.  

Here is the train car we were in.  And all the kids are ready in their pajamas to go!

Here is one of the elves. A couple of them sat and talked with my kids for quite awhile which made my kids so happy but I wonder how some of the other people felt. : /

Asher drinking his Hot Chocolate.  They give all the kids name tags at the beginning.  You can see where Asher's ended up.

Dancing in the isles.

Santa finally comes!

He gives a bell to each of the children.

Mrs. Claus hands out her favorite Chocolate Chip cookie recipe. 

OK the verdict.  I hate being negative about it because I think it really depends on your children.  My kids LOVE make believe, they have huge imaginations and they are very outgoing and social (yes, I know they are nothing like Chris or I, I don't know where they get it). :) And my girls are especially positive about life.  So with that being said, they loved it because they usually make the best of things.  Austin was a little old for it and so he didn't love it as much as the three younger ones.  Chris and I on the other hand basically thought "we PAID how much for this?!?!" :)  I won't tell you all the negatives about it because if you do try it, you should go with a positive outlook.  When my kids got off the train, Allison said, "Mom, that was so awesome, we really got to meet Santa's elves and his wife.  We are so lucky!"  That was enough to make it worth it in my book. :)  


Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve we spent with Chris's family because most of Christmas day was spent with my family.  We decorated sugar cookies for Santa and the kids put on a nativity.  Allison drew the part of Mary and Asher drew the part of Joseph. I am not sure what is in the jacket?? But it is supposed to be the baby Jesus and by the look of Allison she is taking her part very seriously. :)

Abigail drew the part of the Angel.

Here are the three wise men...don't they look so wise?

Allison's Baptism

Allison celebrated her 8th birthday back in September and then had the privilege of being baptized in October (on Austin's birthday).  She was so excited about being baptized especially about it being on Austin's birthday.  I don't know if Austin was.  Although he loves his sister so he didn't say anything.

It was a special day and we are so grateful that so many of our family were able to be there with us.  My sister Gail came all the way from Illinois and even dislocated her knee while on the airplane trip over.  But she never complained and we were so grateful that she could make it.

Allison with her daddy.  Asher is so funny.  When he saw them in their baptism clothes he said, "Its like karate...hi-ya, hi-ya, hi-ya."  Haha...I am not sure where he learned about karate but he was right. :)

All of our family that could make it.  Chris had four siblings and their families that could not be there.

 Allison and her daddy.

Our little family!

I think Allison actually got more gifts than Austin did on his birthday.  :(   Emma, who is Allison's best friend and cousin gave her this cute frame for her baptism along with a few other cute things.

Here is Allison on her birthday.  She picked this cake for me to make off pinterest.  Despite that fact that I messed up on this cake it still tasted awesome!

I can't believe she is 8!  It seems like just yesterday I was rocking her on the couch late into the night while watching Sweet Home Alabama.  That movie will always remind me of her as a colicky infant...not in a bad way but in a sweet, bonding kind of way.  She has grown up to be every mother's dream child.  No! She is not perfect but every single one of her teachers since Kindergarten has told me that she is one of their favorites...if that tells you anything! :)  We are so glad she is part of our family.  We love you Allie!

Halloween

I love Halloween...but more and more lately, I feel so overwhelmed by everything we have to do that sometimes these things just end up becoming one more thing on the "to do list"...one more thing we just have to "get through"... just one more thing to make me feel bad about not doing everything it seems like everyone else is doing around me.  I am sad about that.  Hopefully my kids didn't feel that from us.  Hopefully, it was just as magical as it has always been for them.  It seemed like it was.   Hopefully.

Regardless, here is our Halloween in pictures. :)

First, came pumpkin carving.  We let the kids go completely solo this year.  They drew their own faces and Chris cut them out exactly like they drew them.  I really liked them!  Each pumpkin came out fitting each child exactly.   Austin even did the cutting of his own this year.  He is getting so old.

Austins was Star Wars.  (He is back on the Star Wars phase again...which is good because if I heard another thing about Auto bots, I was going to scream.;))

 It was hilarious watching them clean them out.  You can kind of tell by their faces in this picture that they thought it was disgusting and couldn't believe that we were making them do it.

Asher picked out this hideous looking pumpkin.  He wanted it.  He put it in the cart.  He was so proud of it. He showed everyone who came to our house that, that was his pumpkin.  But I wasn't sure what we were going to do with it.  I figured we could maybe paint it black or something.  When it came time to paint it, he said he wanted it green (he LOVES green right now.)  I started to think it looked like a frog so we painted on some eyes and it became a frog pumpkin.  He loved it, so I guess that is all that matters.  :)  You can kind of see the finished product in the third picture down.  

 School Halloween Carnival
This is the only picture that wasn't blurry from the school carnival.  That rest were taken inside so the all came out blurry.  :(

DeMille Family Carnival
Chris's cousin threw a big family Halloween Carnival.  She is awesome.  The kids had fun and loved it. Here is my beautiful little Indian Princess.  She had to throw princess at the end of it because, well, ya know, she is totally girly girl.

Austin was Link (from Zelda) again.  I told him that he had to be because the costume would only fit him one more year and his Obi-Won would fit him again next year (I hope).  Luckily, he didn't fight me about it. Good boy! 

Asher was batman.  Allison was supposed to be a Monarch Butterfly but she broke her wings and when I told her I would fix them for the next night she said, "No, that is OK.   I will just be mother nature."  So, I guess that is what she is.  Funny girl!

 Asher kept yelling for Chris to take his picture so here he is.

 Halloween Night
This was our Halloween Dinner.  I made these last year too.  The kids loved them and asked for them again this year.  This time I took a picture. :)

The kids begged me to take their picture like this...they thought they were so clever.  I am glad they remind me to take their pictures because otherwise I would probably have a lot less pictures.  And then I couldn't look back at them and smile. :)

All About Asher

Asher turned 3 last month and I never did his birthday post so this post is all about him. :)

1.  Asher's name means happy and it absolutely fits him.
2.  Asher could make himself burp (and still does) at only 2 and half years old.
3.  Asher is my most affectionate child.
4.  Asher is my most destructive child.
5.  Asher can wink at only 3.
6.  Asher has been my most expensive child from birth to present and still counting. ;)
7.  Asher is my most polite child...he says please and thank you more than any of my other children did at his age and even now.
8.  Asher is also my most rude child...he already talks back to me and calls people stupid (which is only funny when he is right). ;)
9.  Asher loves animals.
10.  Asher put away the dishes out of the dishwasher the other day but if you ask him to help clean them he will tell you "no."
11.  Asher loves to play with light sabers especially with his brother.
12.  Asher calls all his siblings by "my" and then their name (ie: My Austin, My Allie, My Abbie)
13.  Asher loves the Avengers and Transformers just like his dad and older brother.
14.  Asher runs his mother ragged all day long!
15.  Asher is the light of our lives and our family wouldn't be complete without him!


We had the kids pictures taken a couple of weeks ago and the lady gave me all 650 shots taken.  I am so glad she did because although these may not be "wall worthy" they show Asher's true personality.  He was so good when we got the pictures taken but he kept making these funny faces trying to "smile" for the camera.  I am so glad that I have them now!!!

The Many Funny Faces of Asher