Happy New Year!

We're in LOVE!

with the Peppermint Joe Joe's from Trader Joe's that is.

My mom sent me a lovely Christmas care package filled with all kinds of lovelies from Trader Joe's and the overwhelming favorite was most definitely the Peppermint Joe Joe's! They are basically a cousin to the classic Thin Mint - all dressed up in a dark chocolate coating and sprinkled with bits of candy cane.
TO.DIE.FOR!!!!!

Here's Jaeger Ray indulging in our new found holiday treat!*

*Notice the flashlight in the other hand - we were reading stories and indulging in yet another Joe Joe in our fort in Dane's room. I figured if we were doing something somewhat educational (reading a book) we could be rewarded with another Joe Joe! ;)

Happy Birthday Grandpapa!

I'm a few days late on this one, but we wanted to let Grandpapa know we love him very much and we hope he had a fabulous birthday!

Sometimes I feel like I have it all together (well, actually not that often!), but lately I've been behind the ball on everything. Maybe it's because I'm constantly chasing after Jaeger Ray as he's into EVERYTHING that is NOT a toy or maybe it's because my days are spent putting together Legos and fighting fires or maybe it's because Dan's been flying like crazy and when he's not flying he's trying to end the duck season with a few ducks for our freezer or maybe it's just because it's been snowing like mad here and sometimes I just feel like drinking my chai tea and gazing out the window. Hopefully, I'll get back to my A game in 2011!
In the meantime, let's just look at those adorable faces above and all take a minute to smile.
Happy Birthday Grandpapa!
We love you!

The anticipation...

is driving these little ones crazy!

Thankfully, there seems to be at least one gift they get to open as each package is dropped off on our doorstep! Grandparents and Aunties sure know how to win the hearts of my children. ;)

Above they are opening these adorable light up snow globes from Grandma & Grandpa.

Here's Dane adding a new ornament that came all the way from Chile! Thanks to Guy & Nannie for this bell. It's been doubling as Dane's fire department alarm too! He runs over to ring it whenever there is a fire in the house. ;)

Here are the boys playing with some toys that Auntie Mary sent. Dane absolutely LOVES these fire fighter figures! We were really only given clearance to open the Christmas jammies in Auntie Mary's box, but somehow these got opened up too.

Movie Monday

Dane's buddy, Kellen, spent the morning with us a few days ago and we had a blast! We made cookies, played planes & helicopters, made Christmas ornaments and of course, danced to the Glee Christmas album! I had no idea the boys would dance down the hallway and back.

They were too cute - I'm so bummed the hall light wasn't on. I love Kellen's bopping head coming down the hallway. I know this video will haunt them in high school!

HO HO HO!!!

Look who's getting ready for Santa!

Movie Monday

Have you elfed yourself yet?

Happy Birthday Grandma Heidi!

Happy Birthday Moom! We love you! Here's a little birthday wish from Dane. :)



We wouldn't want anyone to think we ever get these birthday messages on the first try! Here's one of our MANY tries this morning. (And you may have noticed that one of the supporting roles is absent from the final product! ;) )

Movie Monday

Santa Claus has arrived!!!

Sneak Peek - Day 3

This one's a little obvious, but it wouldn't be Christmas around here if we didn't make Cranberry Hootycreeks. In fact, people have already begun to request them!

Sneak Peek - Day 2

Here's a little teaser to our Christmas card this year. Don't you just LOVE the little belly button poking out?

And if you look closely you can see our bribe of white chocolate chips in his mouth. ;)

ps - That adorable outfit Jaeger Ray is wearing was Dan's when he was about Jaeger's age. Still in awe that Nannie kept many of Dan's outfits all these years, but I'm so glad she did. They make adorable pictures!

Sneak Peek Week!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
And living in this winter wonderland makes it even sweeter!

*This picture was taken from my backyard just a few minutes ago! Isn't it incredible? Sometimes I am truly in awe of the beauty that surrounds us.

We've been busy little elves working on all kinds of handmade gifts and sweet treats for the holidays. I love being crafty and I especially love that Dane enjoys helping me. I thought it would be fun give you a little sneak peek without exposing too much so we won't spoil the surprise. ;) After the holidays, I'll be sure to post pictures of the final products so everyone can see.

Here's a little something for the Grandparents. Hmmmm....I wonder what it could be?!?!

Movie Monday

Thankful for all our many blessings indeed!

Sunday Snapshot

Donuts & biscuits after church make us happy!

What makes you happy?

Happy Thanksgiving!

This time of year is always a bit hard for us being so far from our families, but despite that we managed to have a wonderful time taking in all that is Thanksgiving - friends, fun, football, food and of course - duck hunting!


No Thanksgiving is complete without my Grandma's crunchy red wine vinegar salad, Nannie's hominy dish, a box of Stove Top Stuffing and what I've coined as "double stuffed" potatoes (otherwise known as twice baked potatoes.) So while Daddy spent a few hours with Erik hunting ducks, the boys and I were busily working in the kitchen!

After all the food was prepared we headed over to Natasha's house. The boys had a blast running hanging out with Kellen & Jenny and we adults had a fabulous time stuffing our selves silly while telling fun stories around the table. It was a perfect day and we feel overwhelmingly thankful for our full lives. We truly couldn't be more blessed.

I managed to only snap one picture (shame on me!), so here's one tiny snapshot of our day.

Anxiously awaiting....

Happy Birthday to ME!

I'd say this was probably one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time! Daddy made it absolutely wonderful - I was spoiled ROTTEN! It started with a wonderful weekend - sleeping in, breakfast at one of my favorite restaurants sans children, card making, and a movie date with my dear friend Wendy all planned by Dan! Then there were the daily chai teas delivered to me in bed in this adorable new cup for several days leading up to my big day. :)

And Daddy didn't stop there! Some how he managed to have the first real snowfall land on my birthday (I say real because we did have one snowfall a few weeks ago that caused quite the ruckus at school but it didn't stick and was gone as quickly as it arrived!)

Attached to a beautiful scarf and gloves, I got this handmade card from Dane. It's a bit small, but he's drawn a picture of me wearing helmet and goggles so I'm safe on my monster truck!

And if that wasn't enough, Dan had a birthday cake delivered to my school so all of my co-workers could enjoy it with me! And in the afternoon Dan personally delivered my favorite chai tea from The Flying Squirrel while I was teaching.

And here's Sneaky Dane - caught red handed licking every last morsel out of the cake lid.

Thanks to my 3 boys for making my day so special! And to all of my family and friends for all the phone calls, cards, gifts and love showered upon me. I really do feel pretty blessed and I suppose being 39 isn't so bad after all.

Sunday Snapshot

This cutie and I had such a nice night tonight.

Daddy (who was not feeling well) and Jaeger Ray went to bed early and Dane & I got cooking.
I found a wonderful lasagna recipe that we made about two weeks ago, but it was super time consuming. So, tonight, I enlisted help.

Maybe Dane will actually give it a try for dinner tomorrow night since he put his heart and soul into helping me make it.

Jaeger Ray to the rescue!

Don't you just hate when this happens?

Thank goodness for my little helper and his great pincer grasping skills.

Brrrr.....

It's been cold here!
This morning it was a chilly 18 degrees! It's that kind of bitter cold that stings your hands and chills you to the bone. Thank goodness for cute hats, scarves and mittens. And all of that bitter coldness means we get some pretty spectacular blue sky days and in my book that's just fine with me.

Here we are all bundled up to head to Dane's Thanksgiving party at pre-school.
We hope you all have a snuggly warm day. :)

Sunday Snapshot

Another solid reason why it's important to let the clothes sit on the floor...


They act as a pillow for your son! If I had been responsible (aka - not lazy!) my poor son would not have had something to rest his sweet head on. Thank goodness for my laziness.

*And yes, Dane is sleeping in our room on the floor. Dane gave up his big boy bed for the floor in his own room and then when I came back from Anchorage he was sleeping in our room on the floor!

Movie Monday

Dan and I were watching TV one night and this commercial came on.....



We both thought the rap was hilarious and we especially love the high part - "Mega-Mega-Mind" and the little fish that talks like-a-dis. We haven't been able to stop saying it in our household. We finally found it on YouTube so we could have immediate access to it and now Dane is addicted! He thinks it's hilarious. Here's his rendition of Mega-Mega-Mind and Who Are You? Enjoy.

I'm in Anchorage at a reading conference this week and seeing this video of him is just breaking my heart. He is so precious and I just love him to pieces. It's so hard being away from all of my boys. I sure am one lucky girl!

Sunday Snapshot

Guess who found a new toy?


He spent about an hour climbing in and out of there this morning! He's pretty resourceful - Dane never even thought to open that drawer when he was Jaeger's age. ;)

Happy Birthday Grandpa Mike!

We love you!

Parties, the glacier and more!

We're still coming down from the high of Halloween fun! We had Halloween festivities the entire weekend. Here are a few photos from just Friday and Saturday!

On Friday, we were invited to a Halloween party and the kids got to partake in the good 'ol fashion mystery bucket. The wet spaghetti was definitely a favorite!


On Saturday, we went to the Mendenhall Glacier for their annual Halloween Rock-ToberFest.

Here are Firefighter Dane and his trusty firedog Jaeger Ray just taking it all in.

Dane trying his luck at mini-golf.

My happy pumpkin!


Is this fire contained? Anyone need help in there?

We waited quite a long time for this yellow dog, but it was worth it!

Happy Firefighter!


After the glacier, we headed to Swampy Acres for a pony ride. Dane wasn't too interested so we skipped the pony rides, but Jaeger sure loved chasing after the chickens!

Halloween Flashback

2007 - Little Peapod Dane


2008 - Dane the spider


2009 - Dane was quite lucky this year and got to dress up in not one, but two costumes!
Here he is rocking his sheep costume.


And here he is passed out from the sugar overdose! You can actually see the candy slobber on his chin. ;)


This was the year that Jaeger Ray made his appearance as an adorable Tootsie Roll.

And here are our sweet boys together.

The festivities have just begun.....

The Halloween festivities that is!

This morning started with a Noah's Arc themed party at Dane's preschool. Everyone was encouraged to dress up as their favorite animal. Dane went as a sheep. (In fact, you may remember this costume from last year...) Who else forgot about the crazy Hollywood phase?

And in case you're wondering - yep, it's a Nannie original!

Here's how he looked this year in his sheep costume.


The little ears won't even fit around his sweet head! He's such a big boy now. I should have taken a full body picture though - Dane was definitely waiting for a flood. ;) But, the sweet little feet that Nannie made scooted right up to the sheep costume and you couldn't even tell!

Here are a few more photos from this morning....



Yep, that's little Jaeger Ray causing havoc. In a matter of minutes, Jaeger had his hand in the green paint and managed to paint all over the table. You can't leave this guy alone for even a second!

After school we went by our "pumpkin patch" otherwise known as Don Abel's. (A local hardware store that puts a few barrels of hay with some pumpkins on them.)


The best part about Don Abel's is definitely the free lollipops! Here's Jaeger Ray indulging...


And there he is offering a little lick to you - just like Auntie Kissy! ;) (Only 2 people will understand that comment, but I couldn't resist! I love you Kissy Poo!)

We ended the evening by making these little lovelies for a Halloween party we are going to in the morning.


My ghost making helper (yep, those are supposed to be ghosts - just in case you couldn't tell! Martha, I am not. :) )

The sneaky smile after stealing yet another white chocolate chip from the bag!

We have a whirlwind of a weekend ahead of us, so stay tuned for lots of photos of firefighters and Dalmation dogs! ;)