Got to have it? or Don't get it!

We had such a fun, relaxing Thanksgiving with my aunts, uncles and cousins. We enjoyed delicious food and good company and I didn't even have a messy house after it was over! That is my idea of a party! Speaking of party.... I am waiting to get our Twilight pictures from my sister- what a fun night. We had an amazing party. I will post them as soon as I get them.

Okay, so I was looking through a Pier 1 mag. the other day and saw this really cool hanging stick thing. I thought- I can do that, or a variation of it. So instead of buying the yummy smelling pine bough we always get, I decided to make my work of art. We went up into the canyon (beautiful!) and got some already fallen branches. No trees were hurt in the process of making this. And walaa! This is what I came up with. Well, while Kyrk was all about our trip up the canyon, he kept saying, "Now, what are you going to do with these?" And while he was such a good husband and put in the screws to hang our "tree" he kept saying, "I just don't get it, it's a bunch of dead sticks!" So my question to you is... Like it? or Don't get it! You'll have to let me know. I'm curious what the neighbors might think.....

Up the canyon

Decorating the Christmas tree. You would have thought Malia would figure out those were WOODEN candy canes, but it didn't seem to phase her.

Malia was taking them off just about as fast as we were getting them on.

Dad and Gramsy have given the kids an ornament every year. They LOVE pulling these out and putting them on the tree. Ally has them all in a little area.

This is a really bad picture but after we decorated the tree we all slept out in the living room. It's so fun to sleep under the glow of the Christmas lights.

Ally writing her letter to Santa.

Halloween

Max is not so sure about this...

while Ally digs right in...

Malia's progression went as follows:

Scooping seeds out of pumpkin and putting them into the bowl....

scooping the seeds from the bowl and putting them into the pumpkin....

putting the seeds straight into her mouth...

who needs a spoon anyway???

Ally REALLY wanted to have a cookie sale just like Lyndi and Ashley had a popsicle sale this summer. Soo, we made treats and as we were sitting outside she informed me that I needed to wave to all the cars. She did pretty well and is currently saving up for the new Tinkerbell movie. I think that I should have gotten a waving commission.

Visiting Daddy at work.

Ahh, the power of a sucker.

Happy 3rd Max!

Maxwell Dean. Could it really be three years ago? Max has been our constant entertainment. He has always been more of a challenge but also so full of life and making us laugh all of the time. He is growing up so big, well mentally at least. He weighed in at the doctors at a whopping 24.8 lbs. for his 3 year old appt. (okay, okay, so that was with his clothes on). Max is always making funny faces and just seems to reach out and grab the hearts of all who are near him. All the young men in our ward think he is so cool and Max walks down the hall and gives them all high 5's, while strutting his stuff. We are really trying to discourage him shooting the young men across the aisle during church, it is not a quiet affair. He loves to play with the big kids and wants to be included in everything. Max also loves Malia though and nobody can make her laugh like he can. He is a HUGE daddy's boy and loves every minute he can get with his dad. When sending Kyrk off to work he often says "Dad, can I hold you when you get home?" Max loves all kinds of trucks and balls and teasing big sister. I am happy to say he is out of his blue "boy" dress phase. We love to hear him pray right now, he is very thankful for everything. Tonight he was thankful that we had a knife to cut the bread. The other night he was thankful that I saved his beans on his plate so that he could eat them later and then have ice cream. At least he's thinking about what he's sayin. We love Max and couldn't imagine life without him.

Those are candy tools in his "tool belt", or rather dish rag that I tied around his waist. He thought it was great. Who needs expensive things?

This kid is amazing. He hit the ball clearing the fence by about 5 feet! This was a great present for Mom and Dad because, even though we love to pitch to him, our arms can have a break.

Ready to be Jealous?

Last week we took a trip to San Diego with our good friends, Gary and Debbie. It was perfect weather, perfect company, and just a perfect vacation. Last minute we decided to run down to the beach on the day that we got there. We were sure glad we did. I don't think I have ever seen a sunset so beautiful.

In the hole they were digging to China.

Playing "chicken" with the waves. Malia just wanted to walk into the ocean all by herself, she did not want us to hold her hands. She was crazy! So I finally let her walk into a very little wave that was washing up and of course she fell and she looked at me and screamed like, "I can't believe you just did that!" and walked over to Kyrk. She was done playing with me.

Ally said, "Mom this sand has cinnamon in it." No wonder why Malia liked it so much!

A trip to Sea World.

Shamu was the highlight. We had to go to the show twice.

Malia like the pigeons the best.

All tuckered out.

Ally was in charge of the map.