Homeschooling Valentine's Day Party!

We had the Gillingwaters over to our house for a Homeschooling Valentine's Day party. They kids had a lot of fun eating cupcakes, making crafts and playing. Nice to have another homeschooling family to do this with.

Aren't they so cute!
My girls love crafts!

You can tell how much Dillon loves crafts.....not!

A Star In The Making!

Kaitlyn had a 1 day workshop of voice lessons and Kate and I were the 1st ones there, so here and I had some fun with her being on stage. Here is some pictures I took of her. She loved it.

Beware....some scary pictures ahead....

Don't look any further if you don't like blood and staples in the head.....
This is what happens when you hit the back of your head on the chair........

My poor baby girl. I felt so bad for her. She was so tough through all of this.

Christmas Day with Nana & Grandpa Stan

My mom made me this wonderful cookbook with a lot of her favorite recipes. It is now the end of March when I am finally getting these pictures here on my blog and I have made almost everything in this cookbook. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift that you gave me. I look forward to passing the recipes on to my kids. Thanks for being such a great cook mom. I will cherish this cookbook forever.

Dillon's a happy boy. He got a Wii game that he really wanted.

Nice tie for church.

This is one of many things she got to go with a castle that she also got. She has played and played with all of it since Christmas. This was a great gift for her.

Nana got Lexie and Kate both really nice coats for Christmas. They both look so cute in them.

Kaitlyn got a Wii singing game and we all had the best time singing on it. It was the hit of the night. I wish I had time to post all the pictures from this day because we all had a great Christmas. Thanks Nana and Grandpa Stan for making our Christmas so great.

My brother's girls playing with Lexie and her new castle. They loved it as much as she did.

Christmas Eve with The Hooley's

Grandma Hooley knitted Kate and Lexie these cute hats and scarves......
Looks like Jason got ahold of Lexie's.....always the silly guy! Can't take him anywhere. hehe.

Grandma and Maddie had a good time opening gifts together.

Happy girl! Grandma knew what she likes!

Happy boy! He got a Wii game he wanted!

Christmas Pictures in Front of the Tree

Christmas just isn't Christmas to me until I get a picture of my kids in front of the Christmas tree. This is the 1st picture taken with all 3 kids. December 2003. Lexie was just barely 1 month old. I just LOVE this picture and this picture means so much to me. This picture brings tears to my eyes. I have such sweet kids. I wish they could stay little forever! This picture was sent out in our Christmas cards/Birth announcement that year. Sniff....they were so little. Good times!

Kaitlyn- 7 1/2 yrs. old, Alexis 1 month and Dillon 3 1/2 yrs. old.............(sigh & sniff)

Oh Dillon.....I just love this little boy!

Now look at them......

Kaitlyn 13 1/2 yrs old, Alexis 6 yrs. old and Dillon 9 1/2 yrs. old

Still just as sweet and cute as ever!

Hope you have enjoyed the memory. I know I will look back at these pictures in a couple of years and wish they were still this age. They grow too fast. So sad!!

Oakland Temple at Christmas Time!

This is the Oakland Temple at Christmas time. We had the best time there. I seriously didn't want to leave. We were still in the visitor center and it was closed. They weren't letting anyone else in. They were letting those that were still in there wonder around. It was just so peaceful there. We watched a movie on Joseph Smith and listened to some people from San Francisco play Christmas music with bells. It was just so beautiful. Then we went outside and took pictures. Just a great night. Really helped me to feel the true meaning of Christmas. Lights were lite up everywhere. I REALLY want to go to Temple Square at Christmas time and knew we couldn't go, so this is the closes thing to it. Someday I will return to Salt Lake City at Christmas time and see the snow ontop of the lights and go to the Festival of Trees and go on a carriage ride in the city.......(sigh)! It is my dream for about 16 years now. UGGGG!
Love this picture. I need to put this one in a frame.

So cute! Don't smile Dillon. They had a great time there too.

This year Kaitlyn and I decided to do something different, instead of Christmas baking for family, we decided to bake and make some goodie plates to give to friends from 3rd ward who have made a difference in our lives. We gave to 15 people. Could of given to many more. Kaitlyn and I had a great day baking. We made Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Hershey Pepperming Kisses on top, Chocolate Crunch Candy and Peppermint Fudge. I wish I got a picture of all of them and the cute plates we made for everyone, but I had a great day and Kaitlyn and I were so busy. 6:00 that night we loaded all the plates in the van and we all piled in and delivered to our friends. Everyone was so thankful and we will miss everyone so much. So thankful for the love and the difference they have given to our family.

This is peppermint fudge that I make every year. It is Dillon favorite and he can't wait for Christmas just so I make this. I can't tell you how many times I made this in December for friends and family, Christmas parties and for us to enjoy at home. This recipe is so easy and it is a sure pleaser to everyone!

We also made Gingerbread men and girls too just for us to decorate and for us to eat. It was a lot of fun. Kaitlyn cut out most of these gingerbread shapes for everyone to decorate.
Jason got home and wanted in on the action too. I think he just wanted to put a lot of frosting and candy on his so he could eat it. I think he had 3. What a sugar tooth he has!
The kids decorated and had a lot of fun.

The Gingerbread men and girls everyone decorated. So cute and fun! Thankful for this memory.