Board Games

Our family loves playing games. We usually play a game or two every week after dinner. Some of our favorites include Apples To Apples, Sorry, Life, The Price Is Right and Monopoly to name a few. For Christmas we received a few new games that we are really enjoying:

Monopoly City

This is a fun twist to Monopoly AND there is a timer so the game does not last for hours!!

Caleb needed some money. He thought he would sell passes for those who landed on his spaces. Instead of paying the price that the card said, you would have a "free pass" that only cost you a million dollars to begin with.

Obviously he was desperate and was not getting any buyers.

Ticket To Ride is a game that my parents gave us for Christmas. This is my favorite game right now. Scott and I have played this game numerous times and I am trying not to be a sore loser! We introduced this game to Scott's parents who enjoy it too. If anyone wants to learn how to play, come on over and we'll have a fun game night.

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This week I added a few new games for us to try. Target was having their 75% off clearance toys. I found 5 new board games. I was so excited to get such a good deal - almost like I won a game!

Wii Are Friends

Caleb had Miles come over the other night. Can you guess what they did practically the entire time? They had a lot of fun and are such good friends.

Wii, Pizza and a Slushie - Everything a boy could ask for!

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And while they were entertained, Scott and I had time to put all the Christmas decorations away. Here's proof that my house is messy more often than some people think.

Now we are ready to start the New Year!

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From Our Family To Yours -

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May your life be filled with love, joy and peace this Christmas season and throughout the New Year!

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Christmas Light Hero

If you are a Guitar Hero fan, like Lindsay and Caleb, you will LOVE this video:

The article that we found this video on is found HERE! I am sure the kids will be wanting us to decorate our house like this next year!

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! . . . Much Pleasure Thou Can'st Give Me.

There are many creative blogs that I enjoy looking at and a few are having a Christmas Tree Party. This is a great way to see some fabulous Christmas trees without leaving your chair. I decided I wanted to participate this year so I am posting a few pictures of the trees we have in our home.

Since we live in Oregon, we like to get a real tree! We do love the smell and beauty of the trees and it is a fun tradition to go as a family to find the perfect one.

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Our tree is decorated with white lights, a beaded cranberry garland, beeswax stars, yummy smelling gingerbread ornaments and country decor. Of course there are some personal ornaments that are part of our tree too. My husband has one in particular that I like to hide in the back. (It has to do with his favorite Christmas movie staring Clark W. Griswold. It is lucky to have a place on the tree to begin with!) And finally our the tree is topped with a BEAUTIFUL, TREASURED ANGEL that my mom made for our family.

(click to enlarge)

In the kitchen, we have a small tree decorated with bows, tags and a star. The tags say:

Family, Christ, Love, Joy & Peace

Here is a simple, small tree with fabric balls, berries and a star. This is placed in our family room.

Not pictured are the trees the kids have in their rooms. They love to have their own small tree with lights and decorations. Caleb, my 9 year old son, decorated his tree with a Nintendo theme: Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Wii remotes and so forth. My 11 year old daughter Lindsay, has various ornaments on her tree that she treasures.

And even though this is not a tree, our nativity reminds us what Christmas is really about.
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We would like to wish everyone a

Happy and Joyous Christmas!

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To find out more about sharing your Christmas decor, check out the following websites:

Hooked On Houses

The Inspired Room

Thrifty Decor Chick

Funky Junk Interiors

The Nesting Place

Southern Hospitality

A Day Of Fish, Mud, & "The Perfect Tree"

Today was a fun day. We first went to a kids Christmas party that Scott's company has every year. The kids were excited, not because Santa and Ronald McDonald were there, but they wanted to get 2 new pets. We would like to welcome to our family:

Gary

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and Gary JR.

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These beta fish were named after a character on the show Sponge Bob - go figure! His work does an amazing job with this party. The kids have fun and leave with a big bag of prizes and treats. (Caleb spent more than an hour winning what he says is a $10 Bakugan toy.)

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This afternoon we finally went to get our Christmas tree. We wanted to go to a u-cut farm so we waited for a Saturday when nothing was going on. We have been so busy and with it getting dark so early, weekends were the only option. We rode the tractor out into the MUDDY field. (I have a lot of laundry to do now since everything is so dirty.) Anyway, Caleb actually found the "perfect tree" for us. Scott seconded the motion, Lindsay said she liked it, and I thought - well I guess I can find a big ornament to fill in that big hole.

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Caleb wanted to try and cut it down. He let Scott cut it down after trying for about 20 seconds.

Zack came too. It was really cold outside so he was bundled up!

While we waited for the tractor to pick us up, we talked to the cows. The cow bit Lindsay's coat.

Decorating the tree sounds like a good Family Home evening activity for Monday night. But first Scott and I have to fight about who is putting on the lights this year. (We don't actually fight - we just both dread putting those darn lights on).

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I guess it is now time to start working on sharing time for tomorrow. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.

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"All I Want For Christmas Is For You To Work On Our Blog"

...Yes! Really!! Lindsay told me last night, on our way home from her band concert, that all she wants for Christmas is for me to update our blog. Actually her and Scott both have been asking non-stop for the past few months. Scott's reason for wanting me to blog again is so that we can move past Father's Day! It has been 5 months since my last post. Things were so hectic and busy this summer that there was no time to blog. And then when I finally had more time, it felt so overwhelming. I felt like there was too much to write about. So instead of picking up where I left off, I am just going to start with what is happening now. And since this is Lindsay's Christmas wish, I am going to start with her.

Last night we attended her middle school band concert. She plays (my old) flute and is also in the bell choir. She is really loving them both. I had to practically beg her to take band to begin with. I told her I thought she would have fun, but before school even started, she was not sure. So last night I asked her if this was the right decision and she said "YES, I LOVE IT"!! Bell Choir is a group of about 12 kids that meet after school on Tuesday's. She is having so much fun being part of the group and I love they way they sound.

On Tuesday, I went with the Bell Choir (and choir) on a field trip. They visited a few local elementary schools and then they went to the capital building to perform. I am glad that I was able to go with them. It is such a good way to get to know the kids and the teacher better. Plus Lindsay wanted me to go. I was sad that I did not take my video camera but I did manage to take a small 1 minute video (from a distance) with my phone. You probably will not be able to see Lindsay playing the bells since I am far away but you can at least try to hear them (ok, well... the sound did not pick up that good either). She is 4th from the left I believe.

Anyway, I will try to be better at keeping things updated. What a busy time to start the blog up again with Christmas in 2 weeks, but I am doing it for my Sunshine! Love you Lindsay!

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Scott!!

We love and appreciate you so much!!

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Father's Day this year was a bunch of changed plans. We WERE going to go camping and then we decided not to. We WERE going to go to the coast, and then decided not to. We WERE going to visit family, and then decided not to. So what did Scott decide to do on his Father's Day?? Take a nap!! It was such a GOOD IDEA that I took one too! We ended up having a nice, quiet, peaceful Father's Day and that is what Scott wanted. The kids made him a delicious breakfast in bed and super-sized cards! Scott, you are such a wonderful husband and father! WE LOVE YOU!

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And a Happy Father's Day again, to our dads! We love and appreciate you too!

and kids!