Christmas Preparations

I love decorating the tree. It is one of the most exciting parts of the day after Thanksgiving, especially here since I wasn't able to go to the Black Friday madness. The only sad part was we had to use our artificial tree. There aren't many evergreens here and usually we go up to Idaho and cut one down ourselves. It is a good stand by though and I am grateful that we have it. I had bought a bunch of new decorations last year at the after Christmas sale at Tai Pan so I was thrilled to pull them out and see how they looked.

Derek ALWAYS puts the angel on top.

This year Allee was very helpful and very meticulous. She rearranged the ornaments for a week making sure they were just right.


Pierce was just excited that we let him help (thank heaven for shatterproof ornaments!) The bottom branches were beautiful thanks to him, and very heavy.

Today was a big day, Santa sent Allee and Pierce letters in the mail.

Allee was all smiles especially when Santa told her that he might be leaving gifts for her in Utah and Missouri, because he knew she was flying on an airplane and couldn't take big things back with her. Who wouldn't be excited it's like two Christmas'!

Pierce just kept pointing to the picture of Santa on the top and saying, "HoHo".

On Saturday we took a trip to Springfield to walk around the mall and eat some good food, we ate at Olive Garden and afterwards I was taking Allee to the restroom. We came back and Pierce was squirmy and talking all excitedly about something. I turned around to see a man across the restaurant wearing red with a white beard and hair. Pierce kept saying, "HoHo" over and over again and then waved at the man. "Santa" was a good sport and waved back. I am guessing this isn't the first time it has happened to him, and certainly not the last, I mean he really looked like Santa. This was not a quiet exchange, it had grabbed the attention of at least three tables around us and our waitress who thought it was the cutest thing ever, I agree with her. We didn't point the man out, Pierce just found him. I love the sweet innocence of children and the excitement and magic of this season!

NEW MOON

AAAAHHHHHH! (It really is unfortunate that you can't really appreciate my excited scream!)

I can't say enough about how wonderful New Moon is. I was fortunate enough to fly home to see the movie (thanks again Becky!!). It was a whirlwind trip, but I loved every moment.

Thursday Becky picked me up from the airport VERY early and we spent the whole day preparing for her New Moon premier party. It was so fun to be all giddy about the movie and all the events leading up to it all day.

I think that by far the biggest hit of the party were these:

Really, who doesn't want to have their picture taken with these two hotties?
Our little TWILIGHT group was super excited to pose with them. Shanelle, Katie, Christy, Myself, Hailey, Stephanie, and Mom. (Notice the Twilight shirt? I picked it up just for the occasion, and I LOVE it). After eating, chatting, and playing an amazing trivia game (yes everyone in our party won prizes, we are that good!) we were off to the movie.

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!! By the way did I mention that I loved the movie? It was so much better than the first, and I really can't begin to explain all the awesomness. I know I sound like a giddy high school girl, but isn't that the point? To have something that you can just be crazy silly about. I won't go into details, but I will be seeing it multiple times and definitely pre-ordering the DVD.

It was a wonderful trip and I feel so blessed to have been able to come home and join the excitement with all of my family and friends. Words cannot express how much I needed this and how it really rejuvenated my spirit. Thanks again to everyone who made it possible. And a big thanks to Derek for taking the time off work so I could go be crazy. I know he thinks I am a little obsessed, but it is all in good fun and even though he mocks me I know he secretly supports my addiction!

Shanelle also gave me this, and it is so beyond words that even though I know it is delicious chocolate, I can't bring myself to open it. OOO, I just had a thought maybe I will save it for when I get my DVD, then I will be blissfully enjoying two things that make me very happy.

I know it is blurry, but I couldn't figure out the camera. It says I crev edward cold mint. Too cute right?!

Springfield Zoo

This weekend we ventured down to the Springfield Zoo. It really isn't that long of a drive, about an hour and twenty minutes and WOW was it worth it.

First of all, there is a little place where you can feed some goats and a donkey. Allee absolutely loved it. She was so excited and kept asking for more money to get food for them. Pierce on the other hand was entirely the opposite. This boy usually has no fear, but as soon as the goats walked up to him he was literally climbing over my shoulder to get away from them. Anytime I would walk close to the fence he would freak out and start squirming and whining. It was so odd, I thought he would love them. And as you can see by our pictures, he is so stubborn right now, I never get a good picture of him, that little turkey.

The other great thing about this zoo is how close the animals are. We took this picture without even zooming. The elephants were right there, it was so interesting. Allee was able to see up close their skin texture and we were all watching in amazement as they fed themselves, it really is odd how they can move their trunks like that! The giraffes were the same, and Allee really loved being that close to all the animals, she was interested in ALL of them and we were not able to pass anything by without a closer examination.

After the zoo we explored the town, and let me say I found my refuge from the small town life here in Clinton. The mall was huge and even had a Yankee Candle store. I think it is the biggest mall I have ever been in. We spent three hours walking around and never even saw the whole thing. There are a bizillion restaurants (YAY), we decided to eat at Red Robin because we knew the kids would eat well there. I realize that it is little far away, but when we really want a good dinner or want to do some Christmas or birthday shopping, viola, we now have stores!

The Princess and the Fire Man

Happy Halloween!

This year trick or treating was quite an experience. We have never been away from home and we didn't know quite what we would do. Thankfully the Heck's invited us to go trick or treating with them. ( Thanks Angie for being proactive).

We met together after dinner and went around their neighborhood. We had a great time talking and Allee was glad to have someone to go knock on doors with, she was much less timid than she would have been with just Derek and I. We went around for about an hour and by then the kids were getting tired and cold. It was so great to have someone to go with, the kids had friends and Derek and I had friends to visit with as well.

Allee the ever beautiful Aurora. I think this is my favorite costume EVER. Allee looked so beautiful in all the pink and she was really fun this year, she even said trick or treat AND thank you at most of the houses, and if you know Allee when she gets in a new situation, that is a major milestone.
Pierce was really funny this year. He would walk up to the doors, and if you tried to carry him he would just squirm and say, "walk". He would march right up to the door and say "treat-me", quickly grab as many treats as allowed, and most times a few extras before I could grab his hand, turn and look for the next house. I couldn't help but laugh a little at each house at his reaction. When we got home he went through his pumpkin and as he picked up each piece he would say either, "candy, or M&M". I can't believe how much he has changed since we moved.

We really missed going around to our family and friends and seeing everyone we loved, but all in all it was a good Halloween and we really appreciate the Heck's for taking us in.

Pumpkin Carving

This is one of our favorite traditions, our annual pumpkin carving. I love the looks on the kids' faces when they dig their hands into the gooey mess, it is priceless.

This was Pierce's first year that he willingly participated. At first he just pulled faces and enjoyed putting the lid on and off, but after a few minutes he really got into it.
For Pierce's pumpkin we did a Mickey Mouse. He is SO into Mickey. He really loves it and every time he sees it he yells Mi Mo.


Allee, our sweet princess chose Princess Aurora. She is going to be Aurora for Halloween and thought her pumpkin should match what she was going to be.

Isn't it amazing what templates on the computer can to? I love it because neither Derek or I are artistic, but every year we seem to get a little better at taping the paper on the pumpkin and slowly tracing the lines with a nail. I think these are our best work yet, and the kids get excited to see their own pumpkin.

Moving

Well, here I go with my first post since the big move. It has been a crazy week full of up's and down's. I thought I'd just share a few.

Up: I finished the Halloween costumes in time. Aurora and a fireman, what could be cuter?

Down: Saying goodbye to our kids rooms. There are so many wonderful memories that were made in these rooms, and it was really difficult for me to leave them, OK let's be honest, I had a couple of major breakdowns during the packing and moving process.

Down: Obviously saying goodbye to our family. Just before we left we had a great time playing in the leaves at my parents house. We have been very blessed to have them around so much, and I don't quite know how we are going to adjust without them.

Trees. When our kids were born we planted trees for them, Allee has an Autumn Blaze Maple which turns this vibrant color in the fall, when she was born.

Pierce's tree is a Deborah Maple and gets yellow flowers in the Spring, the season he was born in. The leaves become a deep green in the summertime and in the fall they turn this beautiful golden yellow. I just hope the new homeowners love these trees as much as I have. I told Derek we will definately be planting these same trees in every home we live in.

Up: The kids are adjusting better than I thought they would. This morning Allee and Pierce played this game for 20 minutes while Derek and I were downstairs unpacking a few more boxes. I never noticed how well they play together. Pierce is copying everything Allee does and The way he has changed in a week is remarkable to me (or maybe I was just too busy with my own things to notice it).

The fun of an unfurnished house. The first morning we woke up here was quite an adventure. The kids slept on the floor and Derek and I on a blow up mattress. Breakfast was on the dining room floor with plastic bowls and spoons. The kids had fun just running all over and being crazy, I could let them and not worry because there was absolutely nothing they could hurt!

The biggest up, is that we are all together. I am very blessed to have these three and I know that through this move we will be stronger. I trust Heavenly Father that we will have all we need and there is something He wants us to learn here in Missouri, I am just not sure what it is yet.

Family Ties

Now that we are on the countdown to our move to Missouri we took some time to create memories with those we love the most, our FAMILIES.

Just the Bolduc girls.

It really has been amazing how close I have grown to my sisters. We would fight like cats and dogs growing up, and now I see them or talk to them at least a couple times a week. We do a lot together and I never thought that would happen. I am really going to miss them. We probably still drive my Mom crazy, but looking at this picture you can sure tell there is a lot of love in their home.

Well what can I say about the boys, up until I got married it would have been just Dad in the picture. Their numbers are slowly increasing and it is amazing how great brothers are.
The Carlsen girls.
It is amazing how much the family has changed since I joined it, those girls keep growing up! I remember when they were just tiny. Derek's mom is great about getting everyone together for birthdays and keeping the family connected with what everyone is doing.

The Boys. The picture describes them perfectly. They are WAAAY to good, and they know it.

Allee's 5th Birthday

I cannot believe this little one is 5. In my mind there is no way five years have passed. Allee is a gift to our family. How did this 8 lb 9 oz chubby cutie turn into this . .
As you can see she is definitely her dad's girl. She wanted a Bears jersey so she could cheer with her dad when they watch football.

It is amazing to watch Allee grow. She is all about Princesses, dancing, and sports!

We are so blessed to have her.

Allee's party with all of her friends. We have such great friends here and we Allee is really going to miss them. The kids had a great time popping balloons, hitting the pinata, and racing around the yard at the party. Although the hit was after the presents were opened all the kids got cups and plates and caught grasshoppers and a preying mantis. Why did I go to all the trouble to plan party games?! There was plenty of entertainment in the backyard!

Firetrucks

This week we were able to go with Dave and Steph to take a tour of the Logan Fire Station. It was so much fun. As I have mentioned, Pierce is completely in love with fire trucks so I thought this would be perfect. The firefighters explained about their trucks, told us about all their gear and demonstrated how to get into it, and then showed the kids the lights and the fire pole.

At the end of our tour they gave each of the kids a badge and a hat. What a wonderful way to spend the morning!

I also learned that "Pierce" is the brand of firetruck and engine (I learned the difference). I was so excited that I took a million pictures with him by the logo. They were all over the equipment as well. Who knew that we also named him after firetrucks?!

July 4th

I think the Hyrum Parade is one of our absolute favorite things to do on the 4th. Both Derek and I have been going since we were kids and both of us have made many appearances in it throughout our lives.

This year it was just Pierce and I watching. He loved the big firetrucks with their lights and sirens blazing. I thought it would scare him but he had the biggest grin on his face when they went by. He would turn to look at me and point, just to make sure I saw the amazing things he was seeing.

Derek and Allee were throwing string cheese for Schreiber's. They have done this for the past three years and it is always a big hit. Derek always says that once the parents realize what they are throwing they will push the kids out of the way and start yelling for some cheese.

This is such typical Allee, that I had to put it in. Every time I want to take her picture she has to pose in some way or another. Half the time I am trying to make her quit so I can actually see her face. This time it was too cute. After the parade we go to my parents house and have a BBQ, relax, and eat all of that great parade candy.

Like I said, the 4th of July is our favorite holiday. We go all out, we dress up as much as possible to show our patriotic spirit and hopefully through all this celebrating we are teaching our kids what a wonderful place we have to live, how we should be thankful every day for it, and how blessed we are to have men and women willing to fight for our freedom.

Fireworks

The fourth of July is one of our families favorite holidays. We try to squeeze as much in as possible. It makes things a bit crazy, but hopefully we are making fun memories for our kids.

My family gathered for the Hyrum Fireworks. If you have never been, it is really fun. They are free and really help us kick off the 4th. We park and my parents and walk the three or so blocks to the Hyrum soccer fields. We just hang out, enjoy treats, pull out the glow sticks and necklaces and let the kids run around. The fireworks aren't as spectacular as Logan's but any excuse for fireworks and we are there!

Pierce couldn't get enough. After every firework he would laugh and say, "more". I was excited to see how he would react this year and the louder and bigger they were the better.

Allee and Aunt Christy and the Logan Fireworks. We take blankets up about 10:00 in the morning and have this great spot on the hill just south east of the stadium. We take up pizza and meet some friends and family up there. The fireworks were amazing and the kids had a blast.

Summertime

Now that it is the middle of June, it finally warmed up! The kids were thrilled and we took the opportunity to go to the pool with Dave, Steph, and Livie. It was just as crowded as I figured it would be, but the kids had a blast. We took a picnic lunch and after the kids had picked at their sandwiches we hoped in the pool. Pierce is fearless when it comes to water and he was in it up to his chin most of the afternoon.

Thank heaven for Uncle Dave, he took Allee in the deep water and down the water slide which is something I couldn't have done when I was there without Derek. Allee was glad she didn't have to stay by the babies the whole time and was able to be crazy with Dave. She could have stayed in the water for hours, she is such a fish!

This is why we had to come home, later that evening was her performance for the Young Women's Camp Fundraiser. I love this fundraiser. It gets Allee out of the house three days for two hours. She loves dancing and was excited that she was able to do more. Our little hula girl was awesome, the way she changes from year to year just astonishes me. She was so cute and it was really fun to watch her dance next to her friends Lauren and Elise.

This past Friday was such a break to all of the rain, and we completely enjoyed ourselves. The kids were so worn out by the end of the day that they just crashed, it was wonderful! Finally it feels like summertime is here.

Prima Ballerina

Our beautiful ballerina



Although she says ballet is her favorite, I think she is awesome at tap. The night of the revue was MAGICAL. All of our family was able to come and support Allee and we definitely have a good cheering section. This was Allee's second year at Tueller's so she totally knew the drill as far as the revue was concerned. She has improved so much and I love to hear all the new things she has leared every week. We really are blessed that she loves it there so much. She was so excited and danced so beautifully, Derek and I are so proud of what an amazing dancer and wonderful daughter she is.

After the revue Allee always gets to pick where we eat, it was no shock that she picked Firehouse yet again.