Family photo

So with most people doing causal outdoor pictures I wanted dressy indoor ones.  Plus, I wanted to use this fun backdrop in the pictures.  I am rather pleased with them.  There are more to come, the different groupings but here is a start. 

Thank you Emily Garrard, more of her wonderful stuff can be found here.

Cookie Party

Saturday, Dec. 11th

Played a few gamesKatie picked them

Beforethe decorating began.

Yummy, he licked the frosting off and then ate the cookie.

Perfect Morgan.

Spectacular Zach.

Creative Katie.

 We had some black sprinkles that the first group put on cookies for their siblings to make their mouths black but the second crew decided to eat them and see what happened.  This is what happened.

 They would eat a handful, run to the bathroom and come show everyone what their tongues looked like... pretty fun, crazy and they loved it!    

Trevor's sister, Stephanie, gave us a 24 days of activities mini muffin tin and we loved it.  On the 10th we had the activity of making cookies, so on the 11th we had friends over to decorate them, instead of a cookie exchange because it was easier for me.  Then on the 12th our activity was to take treats to neighbors.  We used some of her ideas that came with it and them did some of our own. 

Some of the activities we did were:  watch a Christmas movie, decorate cookies, plan and carry out a service project, go sledding, start 12 days from Bushka and Papa, sing Christmas Carols -  we skyped Grandparents to do this, play a game, make a gingerbread house, get and wrap sibling presents, read about the birth of our Savior, decorate the tree, listen to Christmas music, attend a Christmas party, read a Christmas story, get and wrap Teacher gifts... there were several more and they were all fun and it is a do again next year.
The muffin tin activities made waiting for Christmas nicer, more exciting and we did more/different things than we would have without it.  Thank you Stephanie!!!

other children featured: Carli and Caden Millward, Clara Gerratt, The Armstrong children: Isaac, Abby, Emma

New Irish Nephew

On Thanksgiving day Trevor's youngest brother Robert {Bob, Bobby} and his wife, Julee, had this bundle of joy at 5:04 p.m.   Welcome to the family.

I stopped in to see him Saturday night for a little bit and got these cute photos!  What a cute baby boy he is and he looks like a perfect Clark.

Thanksgiving 2010

This was our Thanksgiving at the Cox's this year.  The children made cute Turkeys and names for the table.  Brittany did such a great job on hers.  Morgan, Zach, Katie and Jessica made the rest.  I think mine was made my Morgan.  I am surprised it only has two eyes because she loved gluing on the eyes.  We had a delicious tummy busting dinner.  To start it off we each had 5 Indian corn kernels on our plates.  Dad read a story about them and then we each said something we were thankful for for each of the five kernels.  Some of us were, "I thank you for"  but all in all we were thankful for a lot of things and it is always good reflect on the many, many wonderful things we have in life.

  Sara stopped by later to visit and then she and Trevor went to see Bobby and Julee's Clark who was born at 5:04 p.m., yep one more thing to be thankful this day. 

This is me at 5:58 a.m. on Friday morning getting ready to leave the house for a day full of shopping, being that it was black friday one of the biggest shopping days of the year.  I love this day and this tradition.  This year it was my mom, myself, my sister-in-law Cathy and my niece, Brittany.  (same as last year)

I don't think I have laughed as hard at a Thanksgiving weekend before.  I learned things about my family I may need counseling over. :)  We did a football pole for all of the college games that weekend and Dad won... but we all got prizes.  Brittany got the flue and she nicely shared with her Dad but they were all better before driving home and let me tell you everyone in the car was grateful.  I learned a few new signs, got a few more laughing wrinkles and had to leave early on Sunday due to roads but - I would do it all over again to have such a wonderful weekend. 
Just wish there was more time to visit with our Irish fam. It is hard when they are with family on the other side... At the blessing of Clark we are Irish timing it all weekend. 

Snow much fun!

 

meet Bob, our snowman.

watching out the window

no mercy

White wash time.

The biggest snow ball of the day.

It was the first snow of the season and it was the perfect time for playing.  They, Trevor, Katie, Zach and Morgan, played out in the snow or well over an hour.  They built a snowman, had white washes, threw snowballs at each other and simple enjoyed all of the wonderful fluffy perfectly wet white snow.  There is something about playing in the snow that makes you smile, the cold of the weather disappears and laughter just comes out of the mouth...  oh to snow, the fun and the love.

11-20

Jason's first playtime in the snow

...was short lived.  Getting him dresssed took longer than did his playtime.  I took him inside to watch through the boys bedroom window as the others outside and he loved that.  Maybe next year he will enjoy it more.