Troubles & Triumphs of a Growing Family: November 2014

Decorating the tree, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Parade` 2014

I sure do love the holidays! Hate the cold weather but love the warmth of the fire place when its cold outside. I got into the Christmas spirit early this year. I am so excited about Brooklyn this year. She is going to love opening presents. She loves everything about Christmas right now. She loves the decorations, trees, snowmen, Santa's, and everything else! She gets super excited when she sees Santa or a snowman. I just hope when we take her to see Santa she is as excited. So since I was in the spirit and had a few minutes...I put the decorations and the tree up early! Usually all the boys like to decorate...but just like with the pumpkins, only Colton wanted to decorate. So Colton, Brooklyn, Derek and I decorated while the other boys sat on the couch watching and playing a game.

For Thanksgiving this year we spent the morning at my mom and dad's house and then ate dinner in the afternoon at Derek's parents. It was a good day and was great to spend the whole day with family. This was Bristol's first Thanksgiving so of course she had to try some turkey! She put it in her mouth, made a funny face and spit it out. After dinner we all went downstairs to have dessert and check out the sale ads in the newspaper. Of course later at night I had to head out into the craziness to get some Black Friday shopping done! It was a successful year shopping!

Colton and Brooklyn both ready to go with their tutu's on! Such a good big brother!

The boys and their brews lol...no they didn't drink them!!

I took Brooklyn to the Christmas parade this year and froze our buns off! It was a balmy 17 degrees! They always have it the night after Thanksgiving so there was no changing it due to cold weather. I wrapped Brooklyn in her snow pants, winter boots, jacket, hat, and mitten...then put a blanket on her in the stroller. I think she was pretty warm...but I froze! She had a good time and loved seeing all the lights, decorations, trucks, snowmen, and minnie and mickey mouses. She also got to see Santa on top of the fire truck! After the parade we got donuts and hot cocoa and went home to get warm!! Brrr

First Snow 2014 :)

We had our first snow day already! I hate knowing its one more day we have to go in June but I love being snowed in with my babies. After naps we went outside to play! This is Brooklyn's third winter but the first she is really able to move lol. And its Bristol's second but she still can't move...she's so bundled up she looks like Ralphie from A Christmas Story.

This was Bristol's first time in the snow though since we never took her out in it at all last winter when she was a newborn. She didn't hate it! She just sat next to us while we built a snowman and watched

Brooklyn loved being able to walk around in the snow and throw it...oh and eat it! She loved building a snowman although she stood eating snow while Derek and I built it. But now every time we pull in the driveway she has to go look at her snowman. Once her hands got cold though, she was ready to go in and get warm. Next snow fall we have to take her sledding with the boys!

Zach learned how to snow blow the driveway too. Derek is having surgery soon on his shoulder so Zach and I will be in charge of that this winter.

Zachary learning to snow blow the driveway!

My little Ralphie <3

First time in the snow!!

Enjoying the taste of fresh snow!

"Helping" me build a snowman

Brooklyn loves her Zachy

Getting chilly and ready to go in..

Such a sweet face!

Derek and Zach playing snowball basketball

Pumpkin farm and Halloween!

We took the girls to the pumpkin farm this year and had a blast! It was kind of chilly that day so we didn't stick around too long. We took them through the corn maze, on a hayride, and into a kids play area. Brooklyn had a blast! She started to get tired at the end and had a meltdown lol...

Trick or treat night was fun! The girls dressed as themselves..hehe..MONSTERS! Colton was Batman...and Dylan was a zombie! Dylan wasnt impressed with trick or treating this year so he went home early and didn't really collect candy. Colton had a blast with his cousins though. Brooklyn stayed in her stroller and only collected a little candy. She didn't seem too into it but liked going for the walk and looking at the moon!