5 days till Christmas

Fun post #5.

Getting to finish my work week and spend the rest of the afternoon

with this cool dude.

6 days till Christmas....

#6 fun post.

Cut out sugar cookie day!

A triple bach of cookies...

opening up a packet of Betty Crocker sugar cookies,

adding an egg and butter,

roll them out,

cut them,

cook them,

cool them,

professional cookie baker!

frost and sprinkle them,

professional cookie designer...

professional t.v watcher...

professional busy body....

for these three plus family coming Friday to enjoy!

I LOVE this picture!

This is Breck's "cheeese" face

what a goof!

7 day's till Christmas....

#7 fun post.

Today we had a very busy day filled with Christmas programs!

We started off going to first service,

a very unusual thing for us to be up and ready that early.

But since we went to bed early last night (yes, on a Saturday night)

we were up and ready to go by 8:30 to see Ellery & Calvin in the church choir and play.

Breck made it in church all the way up till the last 15 minutes when he tried to run up on stage to be with his cousins (time for dad to take him out!)

Then we came home, napped, then off to Ellery's first piano recital!

She did amazing.

and Breck,

we'll he did alright himself.

I have to keep reminding Jerod he does really well for a one year old :)

First thing we did when we got home was........

put on our comfy clothes!
Fix some food.

Then lounge the rest of the day.

With football blaring in the background.

Good day.

8 days till Christmas....

#8 fun post.

We have had fun spending time with these two cuties celebrating their December Birthday's!

One had a pool party (pic's to come...if her mom would post them ha)

And this lil' guy invited us to his first birthday!

Breck enjoyed playing with one of the little girl's things that was also at the party!

Pink bib, bottle, purse....

I think it's so funny...

Jerod, not so much!

9 days till Christmas.....

# 9 fun post.

SnOw much fun.

We are always trying to find fun things to do after school.

And since we have no snow outside,

we made some inside!

1). Use cheese shredder and shave a bar of soap

2). Add 2 cups of hot water

3). Use beater to mix till foamy and thick(er)

Enjoy hours of entertainment!

Clean, messy, fun

This boy loved it.

So did my cabinets, floors, counters.

And these goof balls.

After we were all soaped up from head to toe..

We had to do a quick rinse off!  I bribed him with a green sucker!

Yes,

We will be playing this again soon :)

Thanks C.

10 days till Christmas...

#10 fun post.

Breck using his two favorite stuffed animals

kitty & pup pup

KISSING!

awwwwwww.

Squeeky clean

I believe we have about 1 million pictures of this boy in the tub.

{this is his cheeeeese face when a camera appears}

I think it's because

a) He's contained to the tub and can't run away from us?!

b) he loves to sing in the tub and is chatty

making bathtime so much fun

c) His baby blue eyes pop in the tub

and his smile is gianormous!

d) He's just so dang cute!

We can't help but take SO many pictures of this boy!

What's been up?

We'll a lot.

Christmas shopping.

check,

check,

check,

I'm almost done with all my shopping!

Breck has been a great little helper...although this weekend I get to finish up ALL ON MY OWN.

As I'm going up to Fargo to have a short girls night with my wonderful cousins!

{I'll tell you all about it later...I"m sure you can't wait}

Here he is being silly wearing my hat!

He's also been helping me bake & cook

THREE of my favorite things!

My very smart mom told me that I used to sit in the kitchen with her while she tried to bake/cook

and to help distract him from hanging on my legs

to give him a pan, spoon, and marshmallows!

LOVE it. He LOVES it. I LOVE it.

Some of Mr. B's favorite include his nini {blanket} noot {nuk} and his pup pup {puppy above}

It goes EVERYWHERE we go!

Made these for dinner the other night...

Chicken Enchilada's to die for

recipe found here

I've also been working on some Christmas gifts.

Tyring to be creative.

Fun.

and Inexpensive.

Maybe some of you will be getting one of these cute Santa's Cookies plate....

Or festive coasters.

Made by yours truly :)

Better be nice to me! ha!

I bought this cute chalk board & frame at a fun antique store in Buffalo a couple months ago

and decided to hang it on my orange wall when you walk in the house from the basement. 

I think it fits perfect.

Just changed it from

"Give Thanks"

to

"Let it Snow"

hoping this will help bring a bit of snow to our brown yard :)

Next project is to paint the rest of the basement

{just a beige color}

but who knew beige can have a tint of purple or pink in it?? so now on the mission to find the perfect color!

And this picture.

I found online.

AND LOVE it for a babies room!

How fun is that...

The blog that I found it on got these letters at her baby shower.

Each friend was given a letter on their invite.

Then they found that letter and painted it how they wanted too,

then brought it to shower!

How fun!

*ps no I am not expecting :)

Santa baby.....

Saturday afternoon we set off to the Forest City Stockade Old Fashion Christmas

It was cold outside,

but we were set on going...so off we went!

We bundled up in our warmest

{Breck is wearing my first scarf I've ever crochet}

We rode on wagon/sleigh ride with beautiful horses and bells jingling all the way!

Breck LOVED this.

Then off to see Santa!

LOVE at first sight?!

I don't think so.

Breck watched him over my shoulder....

Then the other...

as Santa sang to him!

We both plopped up on Santa's lap for a quick photo op.

Breck wasn't having it...AT ALL...

and my photographer {uh hum..Jerod...didn't get the best picture of this scene}

so we may have to try it again ;) poor Breck!

The city put up our wonderful decorations!

I LOVE IT.

Sunglasses, bra's, whatever you want to call them...but I like em' either way!

This was the first year Breck has actually noticed them

and I'm not sure he's really impressed with any of this holiday stuff!

He stared at the street lights while plugging his ears as I cranked my Christmas CD!

He WILL learn to love Christmas as much as his mom :)

And here is our Christmas Countdown homemade chalk board!

Cute huh?!

And fun and easy to make {we made for my 4-H Program last week}

Buy a small picture frame.

Buy some chalk board paint & tint it red at Menard's.

Paint glass.

Decorate outside.

Staple Ribbon.

Viola!

*I think I might use a large piece of wood, old mirror, or large picture frame and paint it and make a to do/grocery chalk board to hang in my kitchen!

fun with friends & cousins

Our house has been busy full of friends & familie

and

we

love

it!

Thanksgiving we had over the Barrick family!

Breck LOVED playing with Jackson & giving kisses to his baby cousin Jetta.

********

After school Breck's cousin's come over to play.

Ellery get's her Breck "fix" then she is off to do something else.

While the boys

be boys.

Dragging eachother around on a blanket...

then "fixing" things around the house with all thier made up tools!

A hockey stick = drill

part of a marshmellow shooter = hammer

Santa ornament = nail

I think we could use some real toys for these lil' boys

*maybe for Christmas {wink wink}

******

Friday night we had friends over so the mom's/ladies could bake cookies

and the kids could play!

The three amigos!

Could be trouble in 15 years!

The dad's/men joined us later to eat cookies, pizza, and play cards!

I need the recipe for all of these yummy cookies...

but I only have the one for the all chocolate cookie above

find it here!

******

More of the cousin's...just can't get enough!

Sunday afternoon was our typical lazy day {for Jerod and I that is}

Breck has other plans!

So we invited the cousin's over to play.

The boys were off playing hockey, soccer, making forts

while Ellery and I made homemade donuts!

Then we shared them with the boys along with some hot chocolate goodness.

Let the holiday's begin......

The morning of Thanksgiving I woke up early to take part in the Swenson Family Turkey Day 5K

The weather

was

fabulous!

And a great way to get up and moving before preparing dinner to host Thanksgiving at our house for the Barrick side AND I felt like I could eat my heart out since I did a bit of exercise!

Jerod and I made dinner for 8 adults 3 kids.

Jerod made a turkey that turned out amazing,

I made homemade potatoes w/ sour cream,cream cheese, chives...super healthy :)

stuffing, scalloped corn, and fresh bread!

While everything was in the oven,

we decided to go take family/Christmas pictures.

Breck didn't want to put his pants on...so he ran around the house with his vest and cowboy boots on!

Yelling heehaw!

Our pictures turned out great

and I can't wait to send them all out

(it's a goal for me to actually send them...gets so busy...but I WILL this year..promise)

I forgot to take pictures of our wonderful, delicious, filling, dinner...

but I got our dishes and such!

We ate,

then ate some more,

then topped it off with pie!

The best part of Thanksgiving

besides, family, friends, food and such...

We still have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to relax!

Friday we got out all the Christmas decorations

and put up the tree!

Breck was so excited to help decorate!

This year was a bit different then the past when it came to decorating the house...

ALL breakable stuff (which is most of my stash) either was placed way up high

or not put out!

And our tree...

the top half is breakable

bottom half plastic!

(Breck broke two of my Christmas balls'  while decorating.  He said "football and threw one then said "football" and smashed two together crushing it into pieces")

A new "favorite" spot!

Breck has been laying underneath the tree ever since we put the tree skirt down.

He runs over to the tree...lays under it and says "nigh night"

What's going on here?  This is a mad/whiny face!

Because...

ever since we put up the tree and ornaments

he has been shoving them down his shirt/pj's!

Then they get stuck in the feet of the p.j's

and I have to dig them out!

This time I found:

Santa Clause, a glow stick, and chap stick!

Later this afternoon I found him shoving a star in his shirt!

I can tell that this year,

will be much different then last...

Busy & fun!

Let the Holidays begin!