Christmas - just the four of us!

                                                      

This year we decided to stay home for Christmas after all the chaotic moving! That also left us the perfect opportunity to start our own traditions with the kids. The traditions began by our Christmas tree picking adventure! We got a 5$ permit and drove (like 15 min.) to the National Forrest and began looking for the perfect Christmas tree!

 

We had researchedwhich type we wanted and decided that we would get a 9 ft. tree since we live in a shelae? (couldn't find how to spell it! You know the cabin- like houses with a wall of windows and the wood beams all showing, etc!) Anyways- we set off and decided to make a picnic of the day. There was just a little snow in the mountains but it was very cold and I hadn't brought our snow stuff. Well we discovered that not only were we not going to get the perfect tree but we couldn't find ANY tree that was remotely close to the 9 ft. range, or if they were they weren't very full! So trees do not grow as pretty in the wild 

apparently! Allie started throwing fits, and we about gave up when Zach spotted a beauty! He ended up having to drag it through a little river but it was beautiful and so full! When we got it home we discovered that it was actually more like 12 feet and not as full as non- wild ones, but we liked it and it was a fun day!

Allie was so much fun this Christmas! She didn't care what present she received! We went to some town events and made all sorts of crafts and projects as well as visited santa! She kept telling everyone "Happy Christmas" as they would walk by! Even after a night of events - when Christmas morning came she had forgotten! It was easier to keep her distracted until daddy was ready, however. When she did come out she was seen with her classic Allie dramatic expressions which make all the work worthwhile! She loved her gifts and so did Leah! 

A few funny things...

Allie has always said some of the funniest things,  but a few things that have happened in the last few days are...

She was singing "I love to see the temple" She sang... " for the temple is a house of God. A place of love and BEAUTY... " she pauses and then says "Oh! Beauty mom!"(meaning sleeping beauty).

I said:  " Yes Allie, but not sleeping beauty. Beauty means pretty"

Allie: " Oh yeah, beauty means Preeety!"

Me: "Yes."

So for a few days she would always stop after beauty and say, "Pretty mom, pretty!"

Today she was singing the song once again and so I joined in and it went like this...

Both: "For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and "

Me: "Beauty."

Allie: "Wait! No mom! Jasmine! Jasmine!"

I was laughing so hard! She is so funny!

Then for Halloween I taught her the song " Mean old witch with a hat" . On sunday her nursery teacher told me that Allie taught the whole class a new Halloween song. We new exactly what it was. 

I'm a mean old witch with a hat.

I ride on my broom with my cat.

And my nose is pointed and my chin is too.

And you better watch out or I might scare you.

I'm a mean old witch with a hat... Boo! 

Then later that day she was singing it and the song went...

"I'm a mean old witch with a ... and my nose is pointed and my chin is three"

We stopped her and said, "Allie and my chin is too!" 

She said, "No mom I'm three!"

Crazy girl!

The vacuum incident

One picture can say it all- can't it?! Allie was cleaning her room until she came out like this! She was scared at first, but soon started laughing at herself. Being her mom can be so exciting! 

Hiking

A few weeks ago we went hiking in the forrest near our home. It was unlike any forrest I had ever been to, with different types of moss and toad stools. It was very wet and cool, and there were many water falls nearby. 

Leah was a trooper being carried of course, however half-way through Allie decided she didn't want to walk anymore! 

We stopped to see a beautiful waterfall and also visit the largest cedar tree! It is said to be over 3000 years old, and even with all of our arms around it, we didn't even reach half way around! It was an amazing site! It was a great day with the family!

Trick or Treat!

 

For Halloween we went to the ward Trunk or Treat and trick-or -treating on Halloween. Allie and her cousin Cameron had such a fun time together! Being family and only three days apart- they have a lot in common. We all went trick-or treating together except for the boys Skyler and Kaleb, who went out with friends! Allie was Sleeping Beauty and Cameron was Tinkerbell. Leah was a little ladybug!

All of the kids were so excited to wear their costumes. I gave them glow sticks and some fireworks that were left over. They ran up to every door and after quietly knocking cameron would say" Hi" or Happy Halloween and Allie would say," Trick or Treating"! Everyone loved them and with a full bag of candy, including some full size candy bars, they were the last ones in the small town to return home that night! Smiles on their faces! 

 No silly,  Sleeping Beauty didn't need a pumpkin!

Snow during general conference!

What a surprise! Idaho had "unexpected, unusual" snow during the first week of October! Whenever I'm there it snows and that is what people tell me! We loved it though! The snow was perfect snowman making snow- so we made a snow-girl! Allie loved eating it as usual!

Ballerina girls

I made

 some ballerina tutu's just for fun and decided to take picts of the the girls! We

 have been 

"traveling around" for a few weeks and had plenty of moments to take a few snapshots. Unfortunately, none were the best of Leah! She wasn't feeling well and was a little grumpy- oh well next time! Also,

 happy to say we are finally at the new home!