Happy Turkey Day, Trimming the Tree and Hobo Dinners

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. We went over to my Grandparents house and enjoyed some great food with some my moms family. Here is a picture of some of the gang.

When we got home that evening I was cleaning up the kitchen and noticed the kids were being quiet. I walked in and saw them both drooling over the big toy catalogue and pointing to all the toys they wanted. I remember when Abe and I would do this.

The next day I went shopping...no I didn't wake up at 4am but from 10:00am till 4:00 I shopped with Missy and Leann. Shaun had fun with the kiddos. Then that night we had a BBQ with Shauns family that were in town from Utah. So Saturday we got around to putting up the tree and hanging the light up outside. Amelia just like to make messes, but Ryker took it very serious and worked hard to help get all the decorations up.

Then Saturday night my brillamt brother thought it would be fun to have a bonfire and smores, well I added to the fun and wanted to make hobo dinners. My dad has a neat set up for cooking charcoal so we had 12 dinners cooking outside...it smelled delish.

It may not look beautiful but it was the best. Everyone downed their chicken and veggies...even Adelle who I don't think I've ever seen her eat a vegetable before...I think my mom needs to make these weekly so that we know Wuggie is getting some sort of nutrition. Potatoes, carrots, squash, zucchini, asparagus, onions, broccoli, garlic and marinaded chicken. My new favorite dinner.

Then out to the fire to get warmed up....it was cold that night.

What a cute couple!!!!! Only a little over 2 more months and they will be hubby and wife.

The fire was way to big and way to hot to get close enough to make smores so we used the still hot charcoal to warm up the mallos. Gama helping Ryker boy.

Abeos and Shannie.....um this girl is due in like 1 week and she looks like she is only 4 months pregnant. Am I jealous.........YES!! Seriously, my sisters are bean poles then I have little Miss tiny baby bump here.......I hate being the "large" sister on the fam.

Well this is probably why I'm the "large" one of the group. I have no willpower or shame for that matter. We didn't make your typical smores.....we used cinnamon graham crackers and for the chocolate we had toffee chocolate and resses peanut butter cups....can you say sugar coma. So good but I wanted to throw up after eating 2 of these bad boys.

Ryker only wanted graham crackers and milk....of course. But Millers was eating all of Shaun's smores. Daughter like Mother.

Great weekend, oh we also had Thanksgiving with the Martineaus Sunday night....pictures to come soon. Love this time of year.

What are you Thankful for???

As you know Ryker is in my preschool class and I'm lucky if I can get him to finish one project each time. He doesn't listen to me very well and doesn't really enjoy writing, coloring or doing projects. But today he got this project sort of done...missing a few things but 4 out of 6 feathers isn't bad. I asked all the kids what they were thankful for and wrote it on their turkey. So when I asked Ryker this is what I got:

He is thankful for his mom and dad (good boy), his sister (so sweet), his CAT (um...we don't have a cat but he says we do) and himself (so we know we are doing a good job of teaching him to have self confidence)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!!

I'm so Thankful for.......

*my hubby

*my kids

*the gospel

*to live in America

*that we are healthy and safe

*great family and friends

*and so much more!!!!

First Season of Soccer has come and gone

This past Saturday, Ryker had his last soccer game. It has been so much fun going each week and watching him play....well sort of =) He mostly followed the other boys around and while they tried to kick the ball he was doing karate chops in the air. It sure made for some fun games.

Millie got to come to most of the games and help cheer her brother on.

Ryker was very proud of his first trophy (Shaun thought it was LAME)

Of course you can tell we don't give our kids ice cream cones to often.....the poor kid doesn't even know how to eat them.

A few random pictures for journaling sake.

Amelia LOVES jewelry... and she sure didn't get that from me. The poor girl doesn't really have much so when she found these jar bands she put like 4 on and made her own bangles out of them. She only has one on in the picture, but normally she has 3 or 4. At least I know where she is in the house...they are noisy =)

We discovered Rykers love for puzzles a few weeks back. I bought him one or two several months ago but he had no desire to do them. He was so bored a few weeks ago so I got them out again and now he can put them together in his sleep. Nana has a huge disneyland puzzle and we are going to get it out to work on for the next few weeks....he is so excited.

This is my first and probably only post without a picture but I couldn't think of a picture to go along with my thought and not make it silly. I want to share my terrifying story that happened to me Friday night. I'm getting very shaking just thinking about writing it because the feelings I felt are all flooding back to me.

Friday evening I got together with Missy my sis in law and we went over to my mom in laws house to do some crafts. The boys all went to see a movie. I put Amelia to bed there a little after 7:00, then Missy and I needed to run to Hobby Lobby to get a few more things for our projects. So we go and get the things we need and the store closes at 8:00pm so we headed up to the front to buy our things.

The girl just got done ringing up all the things I was going to buy and tell me my total when I heard a man talking to the girl at the register right behind me say "give me all your money from the register" I turn around to see 2 men dressed in all black, with a ski mask and sunglasses on. I froze....staring at the gun the man was holding. For a split second I was in shock and thinking to myself ....this man could kill someone. I started walking backward to get away, as did everyone else. All I could think at this time was I have 2 small kids who need me. A group of us got to the back on the store near the emergency exit but we were scared to go out because what if there were others waiting back there (come to find out there was another guy out back). I had my cell phone in my back pocket and called 911 right away. In a time that felt like FOREVER, the police arrived in probably 3 mins.

NO ONE was hurt......thankfully and they grabbed the money and ran. I don't even know if they were ever caught. We stayed for another hour while the police searched all around and we had to write up statements.

I know this happens all the time and someone trying to steal money is not usually wanting to kill people, but during that time, seeing a man with his finger on the trigger is a feeling I NEVER want to feel again.

I'm SO grateful to my Heavenly Father for keeping not only me safe but all those who were there that night. Some might find this to be over the top but I'm a very emotional and sensitive person. I'm also very grateful for Police officers and those who risk their lives to keep us safe and feeling protected. I'm so excited this week is Thanksgiving and I can spend time with those I love. That is a night I will never forget but wish I could.

Couch Potatoes and Crafts

Ok so my kids aren't couch potatoes....they watch a few shows a day. I just had to take a picture of them because I love my kiddos so much and they make me laugh all the time. Also I love the brother-sister relationship. I grew up being BEST buds with my brother so as I watch them play together I can't help but be reminded of me playing ninja turtles one minute then a little later he would play school with me. Or he played dolls with me and then I played cars with him. It was the best of both worlds.

ps- I always said I would let my kids wear "graphic" t-shirts--I don't know why I just like my son in polo shirts for some reason. But lately Ryker ONLY wants to wear his Buzz shirts EVERYDAY. He has always liked them and I let him wear them on Saturdays but now that he dressed himself he will get these shirts out of the dirty clothes and put it back on. Needless to say it is a struggle every morning. Then we have Ms. Mills who LOVES shoes. Look at her sportin' these adorable boots from Nana.

Ok you all know my crazy love affair with FELT. I hope to whip these Thanksgiving yummies in the next week.

So I think advent calendars are so fun and was planning on making one for Thanksgiving. Well Nana loves to spoil her grandkids and saved me and Missy hours of work. She got this for us and Ryker doesn't let a night go by without us writing down what we are thankful for. What a great tradition we have to look forward to each year.

It is not to late to make a simple one.

Now for my latest craze....Homemade Christmas gifts. I'm going to try and post different things you can make for your munchkins. This first one I DIDN'T make. I'm going to copy the idea. But I'm going to make a "Disneyland" play mat since my son is a Martineau and obsessed with the happiest place on earth. I will post when finished.

This is the first Christmas project I have finished and LOVE it. Me and my friend Amanda have been getting together once a week to work on projects. When I was done with it i told her I wanted to keep it for myself and play dollies. Did I mention I love toys. So here is Amelia fabric mini dollhouse. It opens and closes and has a handle on top so se can take it anywhere.

Back view

Inside

I make Rykers simple and bought him some army guys to play with. See, boys can be just as fun- just not as frilly.

Well if anyone is interested in the pattern, let me know....I can send you the blog it is on. I need to learn how to put links from my blog to others. I know, I know-- everyone knows how to do that but me. Hopefully this got your creative juices flowing. More ideas to come.

10 years ago....

IF ipods were around these songs would have been on my top ten list:

*Backstreet Boy- I Want it That Way

*Britany Spears-...Baby One More Time

*Smooth-Rob Thomas and SanTana

*How Forever Feels -Kenny Chesney

*Getto Cowboy- Mo Thugs Family

*This Kiss- Faith Hill

*No Scrubs- TLC

*Kiss Me- Sixpence None the Richer

*Livin the Vida Loca- Ricky Martin

* I Want you Back- N'SYNC

and many many more.

I was a junior in Highschool and having the time of my life!!!! Luckily I had some amazing friends who I have countless fun memories with. We never had drama or did the girl fight stuff. Just crazy fun.

Most of my "sista friends" as we call each other were the year before me so they were all Seniors in 1999. They just had their 10 year reunion this past weekend and even the out-of-state sistas flew in for the fun event. I didn't go to the reunion stuff but we met up late Friday night to do something we LOVED doing 10 years ago. TEE PEEING. YES a bunch of almost 30 year old women went and toilet papered one of our highschool guy friends. He is single and lives here in Gilbert still so it was perfect. We all loaded into Natties teal cavalier......I mean white tahoe and snuck down his street.

Oh I love you girls and I'm so glad we are still so close. We are now a bunch of HOT moms and still can get together and feel like we are in Highschool again.

This picture is actually from 1998

Ok we were dorks and went and took professional pictures. We even wore white and denim and half of us were in overalls. Nice.

Current Pics:

Heather creeping through the yard.

We haven't changed a bit ladies!!! Ok so our hips are wider but that's it =)

We missed you Lis, Morg and Linds!!!!!

Riley Bear is here

Missy and Nolan are proud new parents of this little guy...... Riley Bear

He was born Monday November 2nd at 3:30pm. Missy is doing great and we are so glad they are both healthy and everything went well.

Needless to say I love being an Aunt and I'm SO EXCITED my kids finally have a cousin.

Thursday we went on our Preschool Field Trip to the Zoo. It was a little warm but we had a great time. Guess who FINALLY touched the Sting Rays........yep my Ryker boy. =)

Nice face Millie.

Riding a horse bench.

Great day, love my family.

Oh no....who will save the Candy Corn Princess

Have no fear....the Halloween Hero is here!!!!

This year we took the easy route and Ryker didn't really care what he was for a Halloween, as long as he had a weapon of some sort. I made a simple cape and mask and the Halloween Hero he was.

Every Hero must have someone to save, so Millie volunteered to be the Candy Corn Princess. Getting a GOOD picture of Millie is not that easy, she won't look at the camera, sit still or smile on command.

This was the kids getting ready to walk, I mean stroll over to the church for our Trunk-or-Treat

Happy Halloween from the Martineaus

Lame post, not great pictures but at least I have an on going journal for my family right??