Mud, Mud, Mud !

So a couple weeks ago we had an uncharacteristically warm day. My sister was here visiting with her children, too. So after the boys got home from school, we had a mud day! We got the boys dressed in their old clothes, and we shared some with Rebecca! They had an amazing time!
This hole in the back yard is the boys allready.... all through the year they work at it. Digging, filling it in again, digging it deeper, etc. It's completely their own. It had rained, and thus -- the mud.

Of course it didn't stay in the hole! It soon moved to the trampoline! Have you ever jumped with mud?

It can't get much better than this! This is a pure WALLOW in the mud.

Now, I must say... We had them strip down at the back door, and then go straight into the showers! We hosed off their clothes on the back deck, along with the trampoline, and then put all the dirty things right into the washer!

The mess was bigger than we had anticipated, but it was a great mud day!

away...

Well, my excuse is that I've had a camera which hasn't been working, and I've had morning sickness! Both of which are now just fine! My camera is working again (quite mysteriously) and my morning sickness seems to have passed!

Here's a taste of the new green color in the dining room! It's so pretty!
Here's the giant dragon on the wall. The boys had the best time coloring it, and drawing little people everywhere! It took about 2 hrs from start to finish. It was so great!

Here's the new brown fireplace. It used to be a non-descript gray. Yuck! I love it now! It really fits the room, and makes itself a real piece of furniture in the room now!

Here's a little pad for the back of the bench. Now it wont leave black marks all over the wall when it gets pushed against it! Yay!

And here's my beautiful 100% girl! Dressed in all her finery!

I know its been a super long time since I've posted anything....!
So here is the Christmas dress I made for my little girl! I love it! There's little green ribbons with flowers in here hair that match! I love love love how it turned out! I can't wait to do another!

Here's the boys at the Washington DC Temple. We went there last night to see the lights and the Christmas tree display and nativity display in the visitors center.

Aside from Nathan ...... he he he! Even with Nathan it's a great picture!

I love this picture!!!

And this is all of us who went!

coconuts and cookies!

Last weekend while grocery shopping with me, Hunter was thrilled and excited to find a real live coconut! Of course we had to buy it, and this past Saturday morning we broke out our hammers and nails!

In the cup is some of the coconut milk -- which I think tastes really bad! No one liked it, and we were all very glad that we weren't stranded on a desert island!

That evening was our ward Christmas Party, so I baked up a storm, and we had a great time! The kids were a part of the Nativity Scene, and Ben performed with the Young Men a jazzed up arrangement of Oh Come All Ye Faithful!

I had to take this shot this past week of my three boys - with imaginations going wild - all playing legos together!

And this is me! Gary wanted to take a picture on the camera and this is what came out of it! Not too bad!

Wonderful weekend!

New Christmas outfits.

Ready to put up the tree! Someday when we have Christmas at our own house, we'll get a real tree, but until then... we'll save some money and use this one! It really is beautiful.

Ben and Papa working hard together.

Everyone helping.

Ready!!!! I love sitting at night by the lighted tree with a good book! The other night I had Christmas music playing, and children were in bed, and I read the new Ensign magazine that had come. All by the light of the tree. It was heavenly!

St. Nicholas Night!!!

Here's our boots out on the doorstep ready and waiting!
The boys were very excited! They took turns helping each other check on the boots through the front window. Yes... we all still believe around here! It's great!

Finally he came!!! Gary got little wooden cars and trucks and such with some reeses pb cups.

Felicity received a little doll and a Christmas headband.

The big boys got a hat and glove set, chapstick and a little lego set. They were so amazed at how well St Nick did. And kept praising him all night for how he just knows everything! (Thanks, boys!)

Oh, and each one of them got an ornament for the tree. St. Nick gives them an ornament every year.

P.S. This was the very first year that "I've" been St. Nick. It was really fun!

Thanksgiving Vacation in MA

We helped fill the newly built woodshed with wood for the winter.

The boys each got turns driving the tractor. With the bucket full of kids and full of wood!

Cousins enjoying the woodstove. Later we roasted marshmallows and had smores!

My four playing happily!