Festival of Trees

Our first time at the Festival of Trees!

I went with a group of friends. This turned out to be a very fun and also meaningful event.

I was so impressed with all of the different kinds of trees there were and how beautifully they were decorated. This 50's malt shop version.

And an ocean wave. Pretty creative!

They also had every kind of gingerbread house imaginable.

Here is Noah's Arch. There was also a whole carnival but I didn't get a picture of it.
Besides the trees and gingerbread they had lovely quilts and wreaths, and all of it for sale, proceeds going to Primary Children's Hospital. In fact EVERYTHING from food down to homemade gifts in the gift shop was fully donated. Now this may be old news to the rest of you but remember I was a first timer here!

At the 'kids corner' we had all kinds of fun.
Christmas face painting ....

Candy cane crafts. ...
(and yes Embrie actually was able to do this with very little help I was impressed!)

fishing ...

elf wands with which to work you magic ...

and one of the favorites, of course, being inside a giant bubble!

this picture was taken mid-pop Embrie just wanted to reach out and touch it

if you blow while inside the bubble you can make little bubbles come out
(yes it was our first time doing this too)

he thought this was amazing!

HOWEVER, HOLD ON TO YOUR BRITCHES !

Garrett's very favorite thing, mine too ... (Embrie will get back to us on this)

Seeing the man in red himself

*SANTA CLAUS*

Garrett was so excited the moment we told him he would get to see Santa. For this is the first time, within his memory, that he has seen Santa! You should've seen the excitement on his face. He could hardly hold still! And although he is a little shy meeting strangers, he knew he would have to be very brave and talk to Santa. He did great! He asked for a train set. (In fact he was so excited he forgot what he was going to ask for and looked to me for help remembering.) It was absolutely adorable! Thanks Santa for taking time out of your busy schedule!


Embrie was a bit hesitant, but she did well. We let her wit with brother for a little comfort.

So to sum it up I would say it was pretty fun!

Deck the Halls

trimming the tree

each person with their very own ornaments

dreaming of a white Christmas

getting one so far

We love Christmas time!

Happy Thanksgiving

Wow! I have so much to be thankful for! Here are a few that I thought of during the month of November:

1. My Health I thought of this first because I had just completed my 2nd half marathon and count myself very lucky to have the ability to run, however exhausted it may make me.
2. America! the free country we live in, we like to complain about it sometimes, but really, we are very blessed.
3. My sweet children I couldn't ask for better than them, they are the constant reminder of what I am living for and how I should be living that life.
4. My husband. Who often puts his wants in the back seat for the rest of us.
5. Parents. Who have also given much of themselves for the good of others (including me) and have taught me so much.
6. Grandparents. Ditto to everything in #4 plus they've taught it to us all down the line.
7. Friends. I have no idea how I became worthy to have the great people in my life.
8. My hair. oh how I dislike fixing it, but that is much better than being bald!
9. A nice warm home. I count myself lucky to have this during the cold winter months.
10. Food. No one in my family has to go hungry, another blessing.
11. Brad's job. Which makes the last two possible.
12. The Restored Gospel. Thankful to live in a time and place where I have this knowledge.
13. Jesus Christ. Who suffered for our sins and makes all thing possible.
14. A Father in Heaven. Who loved us first who has given us everything, even the most precious gift.
15. Prayer. Something that I NEED everyday.
16. Repentance. I would be nothing without it.
17. The Snow! I love to see the world covered in the white stuff! I have to have the change of the seasons or life would get very boring!
18. Animals. Sounds like something my son would be thankful for but seriously, look at the variety of amazing creatures!
19. Books. I love to read.
20. Plumbing. enough said.
21. The Temple. my family sealed forever.
22. Medicine. we are always reminded of this one when we get sick, what if we had to endure without the cures or relief of symptoms, people used to!
23. The Trials that I have been through, in hind sight they've made me who I am. (this doesn't mean that I am asking for more though!)
24. My Dad. the time that I had with him on this earth sometimes feels like it wasn't enough, but I am lucky to have what I did have.
25. Christmas Time! Truly the most wonderful time of the year!

Thanksgiving for us was spent with the Callahan side of the family. We gathered, we ate, we hopefully felt thankful. The kids loved every second of playing with their cousins!

Here they are doing a craft after the big feast.

We spent a few extra days there. The kids played, we went swimming, they played some more, Grandma Peggy let Garrett help with cookie making, they played some more. . . .

He thought that the ice cream scoop/ cookie scoop was the best idea ever!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day!

Girlie Stuff

Embrie's playgroup has been a fun new addition to our lives. So far the only kids that have come are girls. And so we are entering into some fun girlie things. (We don't do a lot of girlish stuff around here, although I will say that Garrett,too would love it if I did a tea party.) Here are just a few pictures from some of the things we've done:

Witch hunting at Gardner Village, I just thought this was a cute one of Embers peeking through the fence at the witches.

and with one of her little buddies, holding hands, TOO CUTE!

and more recently a tea party!

more to come ...

National Adoption Month

I have been blessed to know a handful of families that have been able to adopt, one of them within my own extended family. I have seen how much the lives of all involved can be blessed. So this month (and throughout the year) support Adoptive families and birth families!

We attended the '5th Annual Adoption Walk With Me' 5k last Saturday.
We wouldn't have known about it, but for my cousin and his wife and the 2 adorable boys that they have adopted. She hosts an adoption/family blog. Please check it out for information about adoption or how you can support adoption. She has a list of events going on this month for National Adoption Month. I'll include it at the end of this post.

A friend of mine, who recently adopted explained that you are not just bringing a child into your family to raise as you own but that they really are your children.

I believe that 110%

Dressed in Orange for "Orange you glad for adoption!"

You don't have to be an adoptive parent to support adoption!

http://therhouse.blogspot.com/

Thankful Hearts

Happy Thanksgiving month! It feels like a breath of fresh air to be celebrating our thankfulness for our blessings.

This year I am trying to incorporate the holiday of Thanksgiving into our family more than we have done in the past. We have a Thanksgiving Tree! Each day, each of us think of something we are thankful for, write it on a leaf and hang it on our tree. Our goal is to make these bare limbs full of blessings be the end of the month.
(snagged this idea from a friend from last year, I thought it was marvelous!)

And finally ....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!

All Hallow's Eve night, we trick or treated with friends in the pouring rain.



The family in costume, as you can see Brad got really creative! After trick or treat we ate soup and bread sticks and watch a movie with some friends. Made for a nice cozy night after being out in the rain.


This costume was seriously the best one I saw all season! My friends Stacey dropped by to show it off. Seriously, how much do you think a costume this perfect would cost? Well I can't tell you because they MADE it themselves!!!!! Her husband was Sully and her daughter was Boo, of course she is Mike, so clever!

And that is is for our addition of Halloween month. I am officially caught up, SIGH.