Happy Birthday to ME

I had a low key/fun birthday this year. My birthday landed on a Monday so the day before my family gathered at my parents house to celebrate. I wasn't feeling very well but my mom and sister made mashed potatoes (my usual favorite) and turkey rolls. We ate and had some birthday cake that Cirdan brought. Afterwards, we played a new game (Truth Be Told). It was really fun! We had some good laughs. The kids sat around the tree with Papa and Meema to watch the train. Wow...I am old!

Jett photo bombing...

On Monday I didn't have anything planned. Cirdan told me he was going to grab some lunch and bring it home. When he arrived he walked through the door...but my good friend Sandy was following him. She had just come from work so she had to change. I still had no idea what was going on. I soon found out that she was taking me out to lunch and Cirdan was home to watch the kids. What a surprise! Cirdan set the whole thing up....awwwww. Still not feeling really well I chose to go to Chipotle. We then went to Sandy's sisters house to pick up her little boy Kash. When I got home the kids had made a cute sign for me and put it above the fireplace. Cirdan printed out a couple of pictures for them. Such sweet kids!

Sandy knew I needed a cookie scoop...and I love candy!

She also made me this really yummy birthday cake from scratch. It was super delicious.

That night Cirdan was going to take me out for dinner. He even surprised me and arranged for my sister Stacey to come watch Ella and Jett. The problem was though that Jett hates my sister. He screamed and cried until I threw in the towel and said that we can't go. That little stinker!!!! He is such a mommas boy. I really wanted lasagna very badly so I asked Cirdan if we could go get takeout. We ended up getting some calamari at the Cheesecake factory (one of my favs) and right next door was an Olive Garden where I got some lasagna. We ate the calamari in the car and saved the entrees for home. It was a nice relaxing night. Despite having 2 kids in the back seat.

Thanksgiving

This was the first year we celebrated Thanksgiving with Ava. It was so exciting to have us all together....especially since Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Amy was nice and put together some crafts for the kids to do. They made a book and some really cute turkey hats. It also kept them quiet for a while which was an added bonus!
Brad, Gram, my cousin Allison and her husband Cory also came for dinner. I think I ate way to much, as usually, but isn't that what Thanksgiving is for?
I have so many things to be thankful for this year. I have a wonderful, caring husband and beautiful, fun kids. Cirdan is such a hard worker. His business is going as perfect as it could go and we have been blessed so much. I am thankful for our health. I am also very thankful for the ability to stay home with my kids. Sometimes they drive me nuts but I look at their little faces and I feel so lucky.

Ready to eat

Grandma and Grandpa Imbler sent Jett this cute bib

The things I love most

One of the tables

The best part. Dessert! Looking at the picture makes me crave a pie.

The Cleaner

My baby boy loves to clean. If you give him a wipe he immediately starts wiping down the couch, floor, window, fridge...anything that is close. He also loves the broom. If I leave the laundry room open long enough for him to squirm his way in he grabs the broom and starts carrying it around the house until I can get him sidetracked to take away. If I try to take it away before that he freaks out. He loves to clean! Hope he keeps it up...I need a kid to help me clean all these messes!

Sickies

Jett had a fever which turned into a rash all over his body. I thought he was having an allergic reaction since we just recently changed from Pampers to Huggies. A few days later Ella got a fever which also turned into a rash. We took the kids to the doctor and was told they had Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. The doctor said that he had seen this same thing with at least 8 other kids that week. Yikes. Kaiya soon after got a fever but didn't break out. Kids 10 and older and adults are usually immune from this disease. Now that Ella is in preschool seems like we have seen a lot more sicknesses these past few months.

Someone Turned 30!

Happy 30th Birthday Nate! Stop getting so old!

Love

Eating snacks together

Straws out of the same cup

Taking naps

Jett will sure miss Kaiya when she goes back to school

Toy Story On Ice - Daddy Daughter Date

Wow. I have been so busy that I have had no time to update my blog! I am more than a month behind. Yikes!! Gotta start somewhere, I guess!
Cirdan took Ella to Toy Story on Ice in November. It was a perfect daddy/daughter date and they had a blast! Ella's favorite part was Jessi, Buzz and Bullseye and their skating. She also liked the barbies. They sat only 2 rows from the ice...while it made things a bit chilly they had the perfect seats!

This was my very first barbie I had....leg warmers and all!