Christmas Crafts

Yes, long overdue, but just wanted to show off a couple of crafts I did with the kids to prepare for Christmas gifts!

These are what the big kids gave each of their teachers:

Thank you Pinterest for the idea:)

Some homemade ornaments the kids made for Grandparents and Great-Grandparents:

The recipe for the homemade ornaments:

2 C flour
1 C salt
2 Tbsp oil
Mix these all together, then add up to 1 C of water
Roll out and cut shapes.  Do not make too thick or they will crack in the oven.
Bake at 250 for 1 hour!

I have been getting a little bit more crafty lately, so I'll have to show-off my latest project when it's completed!

Spring Breakin' It

The kiddos and I just finished our much needed Spring Break!  The big kids didn't have school and I didn't have daycare for the week.  We started it out with a trip up north, to Minneapolis!  Our kids have stayed in a hotel maybe once, so they were super excited to go on a trip.  We left Thursday afternoon and went straight to the hotel.  Friday was spent at the 'mega-mall', 'big mall', 'Mall of America', whatever you choose to call it!  We started out in the amusement park area, then lunch, Legoland, and ice cream.  Mommy got to spend some extra time there on her own and then Ikea!  Mike took the kiddos back to the hotel for some rest time!

Molli, Mila, Lily, Addi, Elly, Max

Daddy and kiddos on Azul, the train from Dora!  Mommy couldn't go on any rides - with child;)

Miley at Legoland, she just wanted the pink legos!

Saturday we drove an hour west of the twin cities to Hutchinson, MN.  Mike's brother and sister-in-law just moved there, so we helped get them settled into their new home!  We spent the entire day with them and other members of Mike's family.  The kiddos were so pooped, they all fell asleep on the way home (left at 5)!  Miley ended up sleeping all through the night, until 6 the next morning!!!!!!

Sunday we got one last swim in, and then hit the road back to Iowa.  It was a super quick trip, but much needed and fun!  I could have stayed a bit longer, away from the 'real life' of home!

 Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were blah days outside.  I decided, last minute, the I was going to potty train Miley!  We had no plans for the week and the weather was cruddy anyway, so I trapped my kids at home for three days to potty train.  Thursday we got out!  We met a couple of Max's friends from school and their families at an inflatable bounce house place and then went out to lunch.  Friday we met my mom and siblings out for lunch.  Saturday, college friends came over to hang out and 'play' while Mike and Max cleaned up the ball fields to get ready for baseball season.  That evening we went to Mike's sister's house for dinner to celebrate 4 family members' birthdays, all happening this week!  Sunday we spend the ENTIRE DAY outside doing yard work and playing.  Molls also had her first softball practice that afternoon.  

And all of that leads us to the end of spring break.  It ALWAYS goes so fast.  But once it's over, between baseball/softball, graduations, great weather, the end of the school year always approaches quickly.  And then it's summer - which always goes fast too - which means 'baby' will be here before we know it!!!!!!

While I was away......

Christmas at the Young house

Max turned 6!!!!!!

Outside snow fun

Preggo Momma!!!  

I helped Molls with this pic;)

Miley turned 2!!!!

 Photo shoot with Unca Bill

Not Happenin'

So, Max had his school Christmas concert a couple weeks ago (yes, very early.  The music teacher was getting ready to have a baby 5 days later!) and the kids were dressed so nice.  I decided this should be Christmas picture time!!  Yeah right.  Max won't show his teeth in pictures, Molls was chewing a wad of gum at the time, and Miley just wanted to play with the camera.  Then I tried to snap some with my phone.  I LOVE close-up pictures, so I'm a zoom freak.  Well, zooming and taking pics with a phone don't go well together, so they turned out blurry.  Bummer, those would have worked:(

Here's a look at the Christmas pictures that won't be sent out this year:

Since getting all three together wasn't panning out, I decided to try each child separately. 

Darn, all blurry.  

I guess that's what I get for trying to rush the picture taking experience.

AND I must share,  HAPPY DATING ANNIVERSARY to the hubs and I!!  We became official boyfriend/girlfriend on December 14, 2000.  We've been together for 11 years.  WOW!!

A week of Halloween

Another fun-filled Halloween 'week' has come and gone!

It all started on Monday of that week.  We had decided not to spend extra money by going to a pumpkin patch, and I didn't want to just pick up pumpkins from a bin at a local grocery store.  Our next best bet was to go to a vender in town where there were loads of pumpkins to choose from.  We could still wheel a wagon around and the kids could pick out their pumpkins.  And what a gorgeous night we had for weather:)  Here's what they came up with:

On Wednesday night, the kiddos got into their costumes and we headed to Max and Molli's school for the Halloween Carnival!!  I remember it from when I went to school there.  The big kids LOVED it.  Miley was a little overwhelmed.  Let's just say it won't be a family event next year!  Here are the kiddos ready to play some games and get some candy:

 

Thursday night was pumpkin carving night.  We grabbed our pumpkins from the front porch and dad started cutting.  Mom was the 'cleaner-outer.'  Max picked a Hawkeye for a face and dad did an AWESOME job carving it.  Molls picked out a simple face from the internet.  Mom enjoyed carving out that one.  Pumpkin carving is a time consuming job - those were the only two we did!

Friday night, Molls had a Costume/Birthday Party for one of her friends at school, so once again, she got all dolled up as Rapunzel.

Saturday morning we had a playdate at our friend's, the Loy's, whom I used to do daycare for.  Their oldest, Dublin, and Max are the same age and have played together since they were babies!!!  Since the boys have started Kindergarten, they haven't seen each other since summer.  We decided to have a costume playdate because Dublin and Jonas (another Loy boy!) were Mario and Luigi for Halloween.  How could you not put the cute Mario Bros. together?!

And here's cute little monkey, Hobson (Loy boy #3!)

Saturday night, Mike and I had the Sacred Heart Auction at school, so the kiddos went to Nanie's house.  Uncle Bill put together a Treasure Hunt, so they were asked to wear their costumes!  Seriously, from Wednesday night on, costumes were being worn.  Definitely got our money's worth!!!

Then the big day - Sunday night - Trick-or-Treat time!!!!  We had dinner with Mike's family and then the kiddos and some cousins went out in the neighborhood.  The dads were in charge of walking the kids around.  Mike said Miley went up to the doors and said "Trick-or-Treat" every time:)

WOW!!!  Who knew Halloween could last a whole week.  Seriously, you'd think I was talking about Christmas or something!  It's all about building wonderful memories with our kiddos<3