Thanksgiving Weekend

Good grief, am I ever going to get Thanksgiving posted? That's it, I'm going to sit myself down right now and get it done. We're a full week into December already, for crying out loud. How does the time go so quickly? Jarom's family is getting so large (he has 7 siblings) that this year we decided to reserve a church house for Thanksgiving dinner. We had all 46 or 48 (I can't keep track anymore) of the immediate family members there, plus Grandpa Friedenberger and Shirley, the missionaries and a family (The Engelmans) from mine and Jarom's ward joined us.

It really was nice to have so much room to play. We had our very own stage for the talent show, where we endured enjoyed all 12 verses of The 12 Days of Christmas.

We had room to set up the cardboard turkey shoot. (Notice Justin's version of a turkey is MUCH better than my version for Halle's birthday party.)

We decorated sugar cookies.

And showed off the cute ones. I mean the cookie, but Becky's pretty cute in this picture too!

There were corners for playing barbies.

And corners for sleeping.

Crud, there were even beds for sleeping. Who knew the church gym provided that?

Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without checking out the Black Friday ads.

Even Truman and Izzy got into the spirit of things.

Our Christmas gifts to each other this year were items for 72 hour kits. We all sat in a big circle and took turns dropping out item into all the backpacks. It was as fun as Halloween for the kids. Until they learned the goodies were for emergencies only.

The kids paraded around doing the "Double Eagle March". A tradition from my Father-in-law's family.

While the ladies, clapped and cheered from the stage. (We were all too full and tired to do much marching.)


Grandpa lounged around for a while ( I LOVE this picture of Gregg!),

and Jarom found a few minutes to catch up on a little for work.

After a very full day (we stayed at the church for over 9 hours) it was time to clean up and go home.

The Justin's stayed at our house for the weekend and we had such a great time having them spend the night. Even though they only live about 30 minutes away, it just made the holiday feel like a holiday having guests sleep over. We stayed up until 2 am playing "The Farming Game" (crazy nights in Idaho), then Amber and I headed off to join the rest of the ladies for shopping and breakfast a VERY SHORT 2 hours later. Remind me next year, that I'm not as young as I used to be!

Yo Mama's Ears

Kate has a real abhorrence to earrings on men. She notices every guy that has them and has to say something every time. The quote of disgust from today was, "Did you see that guy's ears? Yuck! What? Was he wearing his mother's earrings or something?!" I just died laughing. Oh....it was priceless.

December 1st

It's December!! Can you even believe it? I don't have the energy to blog about Thanksgiving yet, but I thought December needed to be marked somehow. Here's a few things going down at this house.

• The Christmas tree is standing naked in the living room. It's a pre-lit tree, and none of the lights are working. We have issues with strange light switches that seem to control nothing in this house. Last year we realized one of them controlled the outlet we happened to have the tree plugged into. (4 years of climbing behind the tree to turn it off, when all along we could have been flipping a switch.) I thought that maybe a strange switch could be the problem this year, but nope. We've unplugged and replugged every strand, switched outlets, flipped switches and nothing is working. Then this morning I walked downstairs and one strand was miraculously on. One, nothing more. What in the world??? Who knows if the tree will be lit this year.



• On Black Friday I bought two cute 4 ft potted trees to place near the fireplace. One pot is chipped, the other is completely mangled. I'm just turning them around. No energy to return them. I guess that's what you get for $10.



• We watched Disney's new "Christmas Carol" over Thanksgiving and now Carter won't let us turn out the lights and refuses to sleep by himself. (He was just starting to get really good about it.) That show was creepy! I mean, I know the story is strange, but Disney seemed to really focus on the scary. Nothing very cheery and Christmas-y about it. I give it a thumbs down, and will stick with Mickey's version from here on out. (Although, the 3D animation was incredible!)



• Halle has been asking and asking about Santa. (You know the question.) I'm a firm believer in "when a child asks a question, tell them the truth", so I answered. Many, many tears were shed and I questioned my philosophy. Alyssa has known from the beginning, I never allowed the facade. Jarom didn't agree, so we did it differently with Halle. And although the belief was so fun and pure joy each year with Halle, the end result sucked (to be quite frank). Not sure how I'm going to handle it with the little kids. What do you think? How do you do it? How old were you? (I was of the Alyssa camp, never believed.)



• And not to end this post so dreary, (I really didn't intend to do that when I started, but it sounds pretty bahumbugish so far.) I have 75% of my Christmas shopping completed! This is a record for me. I am a "buy-something-on-Christmas-Eve" kind of gal.



• AND I have my Christmas candle lights in the windows. LOVE driving home at night and seeing all my windows lit up.

How is your decorating coming along? Your tree lights on?

It's Kate's Turn!

Kate-Kate turned 4 this past week. I refuse to admit to myself that my baby is really 4. Two maybe, but four?? I don't think so. But, like it or not, that's the way the chips fall, and she really is a great big 4 year old.

Kate is a little spit fire. She knows what she wants, and by golly, she's going to get it. She is my shadow, and my look-a-like; I don't know what I'd do with out her. Kate loves Barbies more than any of my girls have and is very much into the "boyfriends and dating" scene. In fact she told me the other day that she can't wait to turn 7 so can kiss. Uhhhh.....try 17 honey! (I have NO idea where she comes up with this stuff!) Kate either likes you, or she doesn't and that's just how it is with her. I always tell people to consider themselves lucky when she talks to them or smiles at them. And if she hugs you, that is the ultimate sign of affection from her. She would live off peanut butter if I let her, peanut butter waffles for breakfast, peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch, a spoonful of peanut butter for a snack, and peanut butter pickles to top it all off. (They're really bread and butter pickles, but she calls them pb pickles.) She adores her older sisters and brother and does and says everything she sees them do. She loves to sing (at the TOP of her lungs) and dance when no one is watching. Playing "sisters" is her favorite game (she's ALWAYS Courtney and you can be Nellie). Kate keeps us on our toes, but life would not be the same without her. We love her dearly!

On Kate's actual birth date, we had a little tea party lunch with her cousin Brylee. I told Kate to go put on her pretty princess dress but she INSISTED on the devil halloween costume. Alrighty then...

We went with a Barbie themed cake this year. Nothing could have been more appropriate. (Poor Barbie, she was little hefty in the hip - one side stuck out a little more than the other. I like to think her dress was just blowing in the wind.)

The party crew. Kate was so excited when her guests started showing up. So excited, in fact, that she slipped and fell, hitting her ear on the banister. It is now a lovely shade of black and blue with a scab to boot. Poor little girl.

It didn't stop her from enjoying the presents though. Does she look like a girl in love or what? The best was her reaction to her new boots. "Oh! OH! OH! Squeeeeel!" What girl doesn't love a great new pair of boots?

All too quickly it was time to blow out the candles and gobble up Barbie's dress. We haven't seen much of Kate since, she is CONSTANTLY playing with her new goods.

Happy Birthday little one, I love you!

Carrots Are Back On the Menu

Yesterday Halle came home from school and shouted, "I can eat carrots again!" Of course I was completely confused and didn't realize they had been banned from her diet. So I asked why. She said, "Maddy got in contact with Jordyn (a friend who moved over the summer.). We said we couldn't eat carrots until one of us talked to Jordyn. It was a challenge! And now we can eat carrots again." Hmmmm....I guess I didn't realize carrots were such a delicacy as to be something sacrificed in a "challenge". (Notice they didn't use candy or chocolate.) HA! What nuts!

Happy Birthday Halle!

It's Halle's big number 9 today! Her last year in single digits.

Halle is the spark of energy in our family. She is a spunky little girl with a great big heart. She loves babies more than anyone I know, and absolutely can not resist touching when she sees one. She is such a passionate person and loves to laugh, giggle, and just be down right silly. She has one of the greatest smiles on earth. Halle is constantly cracking me up with the things she says and does. She loves bugs and animals, and it wouldn't shock me a bit if she grows up to be a biologist. Halle is always on the go and her mind is constantly thinking up something new to create. She is one of the most creative people I know. If there is gluing, cutting, coloring, painting, or taping involved, Halle is all over it. She loves to hug and snuggle, and there is not a day that goes by that she doesn't say. "I love you." She is a little sweetheart and we are lucky and blessed to have her in our family. We love our Halle Loo.

She requested pancakes for her birthday breakfast today.

On Friday we celebrated with a birthday party. The day started out with the traditional b-day outfit. Doesn't she look so grown up with her new haircut?

Aunt Mimi cut a good 6 inches off earlier this week.


The do is darling on Halle!

I was trying to get a picture of Halle and her cake, and last minute she grabbed the blower. See what I mean about being a silly kid. She sure loves to have fun.

Speaking of the cake...Halle's request this year was a "pumpkin patch". I thought I could just get those candy corn pumpkin candies to decorate with, but apparently those are only available at Halloween. So I made fondant pumpkins instead. I was pretty pleased with myself for my first try with fondant.


And while I'll allow myself to pat myself on the back for a decent looking cake, the turkey for "pin the tail on the turkey" is a completely different story. I am SOOOO not an artist! And the only reason I am posting this picture is because I just couldn't help but laugh at my turkey and his breasts wings. I thought maybe you all could use a giggle too.

There was a pinata this year. We chanced it and brought a ladder into the house on Friday the 13th. Ooooooo....good thing a black cat didn't come walking by. ;)

And although the games were fun, I think the best part was finding Mom's camera unattended. This was just one of many great photos I found.

Of course presents are always the highlight of the party. She got so many great gifts. Everything from an art easel, barbie, shrinky dinks, to board games and a homemade teddy bear.

We gave her a little robotic stuffed animal leopard. He growls and purrs and blinks his eyes and such. She has named him Spot.

I think it is safe to say that Halle has had a great birthday weekend.

Now the candles have been blown out and we wait another year to do it all over again.

Don't Let My Baby Grow Up

The other day I walked into Carter's room and heart hit my throat when I saw this hanging on his wall:
It's a darling little girl!



Thank goodness it's ONLY his little pen pal cousin who had sent him a letter earlier that day. But still....it's only a matter of time before there will be "girls" taped to his walls and I won't be the center of his world anymore. I'm not so sure I'll be able to share him very well.

Whew! I Can Relax Now.

Today was the primary program for our church. This is the BIG culminating event for all the songs and lessons they've been learning throughout the year. I teach the kids the music and, I'm not going to lie, I had butterflies all morning long. I knew they COULD do great, but WOULD they do great? (Two completely different things!) I had also asked some parents to join us for one of the songs. We had never practiced it with everyone together all at the same time. And at the last minute one of the Dad's lost his voice. And just to make myself a little more crazy, I decided to have my very own kiddos (Alyssa, Halle, and Carter) sing a verse of another song all by themselves.

I should not have worried a bit. The kids, every single one of them, sang their very best. The program came off without a hitch and I was so proud of them. They knew all the words, the sign language, they smiled, and sang loud. I just loved it. The congregation loved it. And I know our Father in Heaven was beaming too.

And now....I can breathe a sigh of relief and relax again.

(After the program, one of the primary classes (the 7 & 8 year olds) wrote Thank you notes to all the leaders. My favorite one was adressed to me as "Dear Mistress". TOTALLY cracked me up and made my day.)

I Feel Giddy, Oh So Giddy...

Okay, this is my best coupon shopping trip yet and I got so giddy about it, my left arm started aching and I thought I was going to have a heart attack. (I'm totally not kidding. Apparently I need to get out more.) Anywho... I went to Smiths tonight and this is what I got:

• 9 boxes of Kleenex
• 13 bottles of Gatorade
• 4 bags Halls cough drops
• 5 bottles of Tylenol
• 4 packages feminine pads (I have 3 daughters, got to start stocking up.)
• 8 packs Orbit gum
• 1 tube Colgate toothpaste
• 6 cans veggies
• 5 cans evaporated milk
• 6 boxes granola bars
• 3 bottles Snuggle softener
• 2 boxes saltines
• 5 boxes hot chocolate

Total without savings card = $164

Total w/savings card = $79

Total w/ savings card + coupons = $55 !!!

MAN-waring

Kate is SO funny about our last name. For the longest time, if anyone asked her if she was a "Manwaring", she would reply, " No, I'm a girl-waring." She's finally to the point where she'll now say she's a "Manwaring girl". But do not leave out the girl part. She's not about to be confused for a man.

Oodles of Fun

Halloween weekend was full of fun. I loved having Halloween on Saturday. We got to party all day Friday, and then make a full day of it again on Saturday.

First we helped with Carter's class party. Here we are playing "pass the pumpkin".

Next up, Halle's class to help with the whipped cream eating contest.

Carter wasn't about to be left out of the party, whether it was his class or not.

As you can see, no one seemed to mind a bit that he was joining in. (And yes, this is a different set of kids from the picture above. He would have participated in every single round if I'd have let him.) Halle has got the best little kids in her class. All of them are so sweet and accepting. (Don't ask me where Kate was. She kind of ran all over the place and had a grand ol' time.)

After school parties were over, it was time to head to the church ward party where Billy Ray Cyrus guarded the jump house. LOL!!

I had to snap a couple of pictures of some of the other awesome costumes that showed up. I wish I would have taken more. Here's a Cave Mama and her hatchling. I love how the carrier was an egg!

And how classy are these vampires?! His necklace is real silver (thank goodness he wasn't a real live/dead vampire) and black onyx. It was awesome.

On Saturday, we started things off with a viewing of Astro Boy. I was very pleasantly surprised at how cute this movie was. And I think Carter has a new favorite show to quote from.

And then it was time to trick-or-treat! We headed over to Grandma's trunk-or-treat where we got everything from Krispy Kreme donuts to bags of cheetos! Then we hit Aunt Mimi, Grammy, and Grandma Ruby. She gave the older girls something extra special (along with candy)...drum roll please...shower caps!!! It was all I could do to not snort out loud!! But they were a hit and Halle is SO excited to own one, she says she's always wanted one. Oh my....it gave me a good chuckle.

Carter was a pirate this year. He wouldn't let me draw a beard on him though. And honestly I don't think he cared one iota what his costume was, as long as it involved a toy weapon, he was happy.

Little Thumbelina put her sparkles on all by herself and would show EVERYONE her wings.

Alyssa went to a birthday party on Halloween day and they made these cute little witch masks. She thought about wearing it to trick or treat in,

then changed her mind.

Halle was Dorothy this year. I think Grandma's little Dorothy costume has been through almost all of the granddaughters. Unfortunately, there were no ruby slippers in Halle's size to be found in town, so we went with pink rubies this year. She was such a great sport and didn't even complain about it a bit.

We got home late from visiting everyone, so we didn't even start handing candy out from our house until 7:30. By 8:15 we were out of candy....200 pieces in 45 minutes. It was nuts; so many people!! I think it is safe to say, we had a very full and fun Halloween!