Christmas is coming!

On Thanksgiving weekend we decorated our tree and the this past weekend we took some pictures of the kids to send out with our Christmas cards. I think we got some good shots so now I just have to decide which ones to send. We also had breakfast with Santa on Sunday morning so the kids could tell him what they want this year. Although it took a little coaxing to get Nicholas up near Santa, he was fine once he was there. Marisa was excited to go up there until she realized she would have to get close to him, then she hung onto Mom, but she talked tohim a little bit. They all were able to tell him what they want this year (wii, toy robot, toy guy, remote control helicopter, and dolls). Hopefully Santa was listening!

Nicholas hanging and ornament:

The boys put most of the ornaments on themselves this year and they did a nice job:
Marisa:
Nicholas:
Tyler:
The kids under the tree:

The kids in front of the tree:
Breakfast with Santa:

The kids are really getting into the Christmas spirit and since it snowed yesterday and last night, it is really starting to look like Christmas outside.

Nativity Set

Each year the kindergarteners at SACS make a nativity set out of two by fours and felt. Nicholas has been excited to bring home the pieces as they are completed. Although we don't have them all yet, I thought I would share some pictures as he has completed the most important pieces already. He has been excited to help cut the pieces of two by fours out and then each day he brings one home he is excited to add it to the collection.

First you measure the block to make sure it is the right size:
Then you cut the block:
The saw works best if you stick your tongue out:

Nicholas and Dad:

Gotta sand all the edges:

The happy woodworker:

The finished pieces that Nicholas has brought home so far (Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Angel, donkey and Shepard). They end up making 11 pieces in all so it will be a complete set before Christmas.

How did you spend your time?

I made my annual truffles this last week and I keep coming up with new flavors to try...which only means more work for me! I spent most of two days making them all, but they are so good when they are done. Here's some pictures from this years process.

A picture of the chocolate before melting:

The chocolate is melting - almost ready to start:

A batch is ready...drizzle and all:
The first days work (I made a couple more batches the second day):

I have some chocolate left and a few ideas for some new flavors (besides the new maple nut this year) so I may break down and do another batch, but we'll see! Now if only I could stop eating them!!!!

Thanksgiving Blessings

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Tara and Uncle Brian. The kids are not big fans of turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes but they sure liked the pumpkin pie! Hope your Thanksgiving was full of fun, family and friends as well.

Marisa with Mom and Dad:
The kids with Grandpa:

The kids goofing off with Grandma...notice our little copy cat who had to be in the same pose as her older brother:

A serious picture with Grandma:

A family picture...don't look too close, you may see Ron's fat lip - Nicholas jumped up to sit in Dad's lap, just as Dad went down and they bonked heads - Ooops!

We spent the rest of the Thanksgiving weekend at Tyler's hockey tourney in Cottage Grove where we were able to see Tom and Kris (thanks for coming to the games!) We also went out to eat after one of the games and Tyler enjoyed it so much he is already asking when we can go back to the "North Pole Restaurant."

Hunting

Ron took Tyler out hunting this weekend at his Great Uncle Norb's farm. They hunted for deer for a while but didn't see any, and then they went Rabbit hunting. The first day, he tried to shoot a couple, and missed "by an inch." On Sunday they went back out hunting for rabbits and Tyler shot one. To hear him tell the story is pretty funny (and kind of gross so I won't replay it here) - Ask him to tell you about it the next time you see him! He was pretty excited to get his first animal. They are cooking it up for dinner tonight, while I am at work, so we'll see how he feels after he tastes it. They were hoping to go pheasant hunting also, but ran out of time with cleaning the rabbit.
Since he wasn't grossed out with having to clean and skin the rabbit, I guess I will soon have two full fledged hunters in the house.

Tyler's Lego Suite

Tyler has been excited about creating a house for his lego's and here's his creation - he calls it the Russian Roulette Suite. He cut windows and doors out of the box, and then to make sure that the lego people don't fall out of the windows, he taped them across the front - Safety First!!! He also cut letters out of the top of the box, and then puts a light inside so that when the lights are off, the words show up on the ceiling - except they are backwards - he didn't account for the letter reversal that happens. He has it all set up so that the guys can go from this part of the Suite to another box that he created earlier. It involves riding a helicopter swirling top and then catapulting through the snake car toy, in true Indiana Jones fashion.





Windows complete with tape to avoid falling out:
Front side of the suite:

The proud architect with his project:

Complete with roads and cars: Notice the helicopter spinner and the snake tunnel in the back:

He really has quite the imagination - and it is fun to see how he uses it to create different things.

Only in Minnesota

What a difference a week makes. On Monday is was 70 degrees outside and this morning we woke up to snow on the ground. The kids decided to make the most of it and went outside to play before it all melts:

Marisa tasting the snow after watching her brothers do the same thing:
This looks like some good stuff:
Nicholas, Tyler, Caitlin and Carter with their snowmen:

Tyler working on the snowman:

I can help:

Nicholas rolls up a snowball:

Tyler getting his snowball big enough:

My favorite snowpeople:

Only in Minnesota can the weather change so drastically in a few days, but we love it, don't we?!