Breakfast with Santa

We attended our Hawes Ward Breakfast with Santa Party this past Saturday. It was a really great turnout. They had cinnamon rolls and egg casseroles for breakfast. Afterwards we went around to 4 different rooms. There was Santa's Workshop, Pictures with Santa, The Nativity & a Service room. Here are a few pictures we took. Jared really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls...he ate mine too.

We went to the Santa's workshop first. Here the boys made reindeer pencil toppers.
I don't know what is with Jared and his tongue, but he loves to pose this way lately.
Next was the Nativity room. Tyler was the only brave one to dress up. So I dressed up with him. He makes a pretty cute shepherd.

Thanks to Doug Beebe, I was some kind of green shiny wise person...I guess. It was all in fun.

Then Doug added the crown. And he told me it looked good. See if I ever trust Doug Beebe again!

This is Jared and Aimee Asay, friends in the ward. They are wearing their prized white elephant gifts...t-shirts with pictures of Kea & Nikki Enos' prom picture from 1995.

This is Jessica and her sister Dani. Jessica is our favorite babysitter.

We did stop to see Santa, but didn't get a picture on our camera. I'm hoping they will be posted on the Ward website and I can tranfer one here later. Tyler was the only one who went up to Santa. Jared and Aaron said no way and Jacob has decided he is too big to sit on Santa's lap. We did drag them up for the family photo with Santa and I can't wait to see their expressions. Of course on the way home, Aaron decided he was ready to see Santa and asked to go back for another try. We told him Santa already saw him and knows what he wants for Christmas. So he will just have to wait till next year to sit on Santa's lap. Hard knocks life...lesson learned.

Temple Lights

Tonight we went as a family to see the Mesa Temple Christmas Lights. It was a perfect night to go. The weather was cool enough for a jacket but not freezing. The crowds were not bad either. We decided to go after the 7:30 concert and I think that was a great idea. Jared was so funny this time. When we first walked up, he started with a high pitched "WOW"! Then there were many giggles as we walked and he literally jumped for joy! Really, he was jumping with excitement. As Jared walked the steps, he had many YEAH's and WEEE's. It was utter joy! And I don't think there is a better way to enjoy the Temple lights. I hope he never grows out of it. I did not take this picture. But I thought it was a pretty one of the lights.

We are on a roll!

Jared is doing great sleeping in the big boy bed. He goes down easily and has been staying in bed, even when I leave him before he is asleep. I have still been lying down with him for his nap, but partially that is so I get a quick snooze. And I stay in at night for a few minutes, but as soon as Aaron drifts off...which takes less than 10 mins...I'm out of there. Last night Jared sat up when I got up. I told him, "Stay in bed and go to sleep like a big boy." Kissed him and closed the door down. I checked on him about 20 mins later and he was sound asleep. So, we have officially passed this milestone. Now if only he would take an interest in potty training! Goal set for Summer 2010 potty mastery! Wish us luck.

Day 2 = Success

Jared made it through day 2 without the crib. Nap and bedtime in the big boy bed. YEAH! I took down the crib. YEAH! Now the trick is to get him to lay down and stay down without me having to lay down with him...baby steps. We will get there. He is doing great. My baby is so grown up!

He did it!

He did it...he finally really did it! Jared not only took a nap in his big boy bed yesterday, he also slept through the night in it! Given, I had to lay down with him for about 30 mins last night. But I don't care. Day 1 = success! I haven't taken the crib down yet...just in case...but I am really thinking about taking it down. My goal is to have it packed away by this weekend. Wish us luck. I can't believe he did it!

We must be doing something right...

Today, Tyler made us very proud. All by himself he went up to the pulpit in Sacrament meeting and bore his testimony. This was a first for our family. It was short and very sweet, just like Tyler. He is such a good boy and becoming a wonderful example. So, we must be doing something right!

Thanksgiving

Grandma showing the boys how to make the cookie turkeys.Aaron gives it a try.
Tyler loved making turkeys. I think he made about 5 of them.

Jared the turkey stealer. He thought they tasted really good.

Our 2009 Family Photo

Jared out playing football.

Tyler, Joe, Jared & Jacob playing catch.

Grandpa was out taking pictures of all the fun.

My brother Galen and his friend Julia and her son Sheldon. Sheldon was a good sport playing with my boys.

After roasting marshmallows/s'mores.

So I decided since it's officially December, I better get my Thanksgiving pictures and post up before I get too involved in Christmas stuff and never get around to it. This year for Thanksgiving we went to Grandma & Papa Hastings' cabin. Joe took Wednesday off work and we took the kids out of school and left Wednesday morning. It was cold in the mountains, or atleast Arizona cold. It was in the 50's when we got there. Just crisp enough for a jacket.

My parents came up later that afternoon. I made taco soup in the crock pot and had it hot and waiting. The highlight of our first night was my foster sister Charlotte stopped by the cabin on her way from New Mexico to Phoenix. She had with her her brother, Robert, and her 2 kids as well as another teenage boy (I think a cousin). They finished off the taco soup and I don't know how many cheese crisps. It was nice to see her and have her meet all my boys. The last time Joe & I saw Charlotte was a about 4 years ago on our way home from Colorado.

On Thursday, Galen came down from Snowflake with his friend Julia and her son Sheldon. Grandmas Hastings got the boys involved making cookie turkeys while our turkey dinner cooked. They had a blast making these fun treats. Jared loved eating them as fast as he could. We had to hide the completed turkeys because we kept finding them with bites taken out of the cookies. We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving feast and then played catch with the football with the boys. In all it was a relaxing and fun Thanksgiving. Just a small affair, which was a nice change. All my other brother and sisters were with their in-laws this year, hence the small affair.

On Friday we did as much lounging and relaxing as is possible with 4 energy filled boys. We roasted marshmallows that night in the fireplace and made s'mores. Yum!

We are so grateful we were able to go to the cabin this year for Thanksgiving. It was a quick yet fun vacation. Hopefully and tradition to continue throughout the years.