Tree Hunting

Part of the Thanksgiving festivities includes going to the Christmas tree farm and finding that perfect Christmas tree: Big and Full. So, we get out there and the kids point to the first big tree they find. "How 'bout that one, Grandma?" (Grandma has the final say in the Christmas tree.)

My incredibly talented sisters-in-law...

Our family picture after the Big Family Picture, which I didn't get a copy of on our camera. But, if you are on Rick and Kim's card list-- you'll get to see it. Hopefully I will...

These are just more of what you can see in the video below. I think I need therapy.

And can you believe that with faces like these to look at, the best picture we captured was:

Not enough smiles.

The elusive smile begins to show.

Ah ha! We found the tree! And Ryan was the lucky guy who got in the mud to saw down the tree. What a good sport!

Yay Christmas tree! Now can we get outta here? (There are adult hands holding the twins on.)

Smile Before Mommy Loses It

To preface this clip, I will only say Caitlin and I are mothers just trying to get our kids to smile. And I didn't know Ryan was making a video with our camera. And I don't really know why I am posting my humiliation online.

The Reason Why I Move Slowly

(I don't have the camera handy when BOTH have a hold of me.)

1 Year

Well, we made it. A whole year with four children ages 6 and under. Whew!
So, yesterday was the actual day, but with parent/teacher conferences, we were unable to celebrate. It seemed wrong to have a party without daddy. Besides, mom goes into survival-mode when there are 3 evenings in a week that are daddy-less. So we invited some friends over tonight and had us a party! Annie and Maddie opening cards from Grandma Nissen.

Party time!

I took Emma and Elizabeth to the store this afternoon for frosting ingredients and so they could buy gifts for their sisters. They were so helpful- they helped Annie and Maddie open their gifts and then helped them play with their new toys. Rather, we had to remind them that the toys were for the babies, and could they please bring them back?

"I like birthdays!"

I think this is the first time we've had the birthday girl really go for it with the birthday cupcake. And both Annie and Maddie went for it! We try to be pretty good about not giving babies desserts (or limit to a couple of itty bitty bites from mom and dad's plates), so their birthday is the first real foray into the world of sweets.

Mmm.. frosting.

I think Maddie likes the cupcake...

"Can I have another?"

I think Elizabeth liked the cupcakes too.

Elijah got to take a cupcake home for tomorrow.

And then it was bath time. There was chocolate sludge in the bottom of the bathtub afterwards. I was amazed at how many chocolate crumbs can stick to little bodies.

Happy Birthday Annie and Maddie!

Happy Halloween

It took me over an hour to get all four children dressed last night. An HOUR. We began at 4:15 in the afternoon, with painting Emma and Elizabeth's finger nails. They were chompin' at the bit, wanting to get dressed up so I thought we'd begin with a little primping. Then it was a little face powder and eyeshadow. Then it was full-on bedlam, trying to be ready to be at our ward's annual Trunk-or-Treat and carnival at 5:30. We were taking pictures at 5:30... so not too bad, right? Especially considering I finished up with the costumes at about 3 o'clock.I may be prejudiced, but how cute are they?

Maddie and Annie's first Halloween. Pretty Ballerinas.

It's a hot dog dinner for us.

What is it about kids and Cheetos?

BFFs Elizabeth and Elijah.

Emma and her friend Lucy.

Happy Halloween....?

Since this blog is also my journal, this next part is for me. I woke up Wednesday morning with that sick feeling in my stomach that I was forgetting something. I had planned on the girls wearing white shirts to go with their tulle fairy skirts and wings. Unfortunately those skirts didn't cover as much as I wanted. And the sick feeling was the realization/remembering that Emma's white shirt had a big ugly stain in front and I had packed away all the shorts already. Thursday I decided I could make Emma a pink (long) blouse and hopefully I could dig out Emma's purple one from two years ago, so I bought material at Walmart. Friday after the kids went to bed, I cut out the pattern and started sewing. And sometime Saturday afternoon I finally finished it. It just wasn't quite as smooth as I had hoped. The cold medicine I was on made my thought process a little ...slow. In addition to that, I made Emma and Elizabeth little fairy wands and 4 tulle skirts for all my girls this last week. But they turned out and we had a good holiday.