Each year our neighbors have amazing Christmas Lights and a life size nativity in their yard. We often go by that way and drive real slow so that we can enjoy the set up. The first time Ben did this I thought he was driving off the road – now I know he’s just getting close to the fence so that the kids can see the nativity from their car seats.
We had a lot of fun over the weekend. I didn’t take as many pictures as I wish I would have but that is always the case when it is “local” fun. (that’s what I’m calling the non vacation, every day kind of fun like this weekend was.) Â Ben and I started the weekend with a Friday night date – The Blindside really is a good movie. I loved it. Saturday morning we met up with the Nettesheim group and took all of the kids to Cabelas to talk to Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.This was the first year that we had to wait in line to sit on the big guys lap – seems like everyone figured out the free Santa and picture this year. When we finally made it up there: Â Packer Gave Santa a big hug, Cali cried her eyes out and Benji was shy at first but at the end of his visit with Santa he realized that he had better let Santa know what he wanted or else Santa might not know so he went back and asked for a scooter, Ben 10 Stuff, and Ninja Turtle Stuff.
This is all 4 families ready to drive to Cabela’s:
and all of the Cousins with Santa: 3 of the 4 families are missing their youngest child in the group shot – why are little ones always afraid?
After Cabelas we all had lunch together and then that night a group of us went to the Hale Center Theater in Orem and watched “A Christmas Carol” – they do a great job with that play – we all loved it – my husband loved it the most. He is a Christmas Maniac, his middle name should be Santa or Nicholas. Sunday we got together with some of my extended family for my cousins baby blessing. And then we were off to the Hancock Wassel party – where I got to drink Grandma Robertsons Christmas Punch and eat too much and visit with friends. That was our fun weekend. That 2 and half days always goes to quickly, then you throw a party or two in and it really flies by.
This is just a fun picture of Packer, Benji, Camry and Pacen – we hadn’t seen these guys in a week or two so they were happy to be back together last week and the fruit by the foot was obviously the cause for smiles in this pic.
We got our tree and decorated it last Monday night. Cali was in bed before we got to the ornaments but the boys had fun pulling each one out of the box. Thanks to Benji and Packer we  have one of those trees where all of the ornaments are in the same spot , low, front and center 🙂 We love it.
We had a great week in Indiana and Wisconsin with Ben’s parents, siblings, and extended family. It was great to spend time with his part of the family that we don’t get to see very often.
Benji and Kiah got along great - all of the kids did.
Packer loved playing trains while we were there!
Ben made this pie using a real pumpkin! He was quite the baker this trip.
Ben's mom hanging out in the kitchen with him while he baked.
Hanging out with Micah in Indiana!! They just loved PLAYING.
Grandpa took Wednesday off from work and brought out the Electric Train to entertain the grandkids.
Ben with his apple pie! I must say that this truly was the BEST apple pie that I have ever eaten! and the best pie of our Thanksgiving Feast. Hands Down.
Cali was a mama's girl the whole time. Everyone wanted to play with her but she had a hard time warming up to it all.
Our last day - In Wisonsin at Ben's brothers house - Benji enjoying some more cousin time.
Micah turned 3 while we were there!
Here's Ben chatting with his sister and dicussing Ninja's or something with the oldest neice and nephew.
We really had a fun trip. Benji and Packer thought the airplane was pretty neat. Flying with 3 young ones wasn’t easy but we managed and survived and we learned that if you buy tickets for 2 people with the same name they will give away one of your seats and make checking in difficult! Thanksgiving dinner was in Wisconsin with Ben’s Grandmother. She takes us all to her country club so we didn’t cook or clean, we just enjoyed the food and the company and the Packer game of course. We spent Thanksgiving day with Grandma and some of Ben’s aunts and uncles and siblings. I caught a cold and Benji and Cali caught the pink eye that was going around – so we took it easy today and will jump back into real life in a few hours when Monday morning gets here and my alarm goes off for me to go running… ughh I shouldn’t have eaten so much pie!
Here are some of our family pictures. I’m excited to have them done and excited to pick them up after Thanksgiving!! We are having a great Thanksgiving week. We are being lazy and spending lots of time with Ben’s parents and Emily’s family. I’ll get my camera going so that I can document the week soon.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Eat an extra piece of Pumpkin pie for me, or know that I am eating an extra piece for you!
We’ve had a slow week around here but I find that I enjoy those weeks a lot. Actually now that I think about it we’ve done quite a bit. I’ve been in and out of the Dentist trying to get my teeth right after fixing a cavity – right now I am feeling good so I’m hopeful that that is over. Ben had a sick bug yesterday and I had a touch of it so my brother Joel came over and entertained the kids for several hours – that was AWESOME! Ben and I went out to eat with some of his siblings and spouses on Friday – that was the busiest night that Fudruckers had seen in years and we started our Christmas shopping that night! I admit that we are listening to Christmas music sporadically already. We’ve had a few rough BYU and Packer football games so nothing exciting there. I’m doing Cali’s scrapbook in the few minutes a day that I can. And then a whole lot of the normal kid to school, Cali naps, try to only let the boys watch the same show one time a day -they are addicted to Monsters Vs Aliens and Over the Hedge right now. We are still fitting in a few park days before it gets to cold. Here are some of the random pictures of recent:
Here is our cute 11 month old
She Loves to play Peek a Boo these days.
The View from my Hot tub!
Packer is still our Fruit Eater – I love how he lined up all of his peels here and he gets them real clean.
This is when Joel was entertaining the boys – we can almost get the rakes out, just a few more leaves need to fall.
Cute boys! They are posing with Flat Stanley who came form grade school in CA to visit and see what UT is like.
And this little Monster thinks that it is ok to eat the sand! arghhh
OK – I have to update my blog because that last BYU post is just to lame to look at anymore. So Here’s a peak into Halloween at the Nettesheim house. The boys have been counting down the days until they get to wear their costumes. We’ve been singing, “This is Halloween” from the Nightmare Before Christmas and Packer lets us all know that “this is NOT Halloween!” So tomorrow we will sing the song for real.
Benji got to wear his costume to school today and Ben wore his to work…
Can someone teach these guys how to flex their muscles? Cali and I are going to be super heroes also!! I’m sure we’ll get more costume pictures up soon.
There is magic in the air today! It is almost time for the BYU v. TCU game!! Than and Sam Hancock were on ESPN this morning. We barbqed at their house this afternoon and the dads and sons even played some football in anticipation. We are heading over to Pete and Amanda’s for the game. I am excited to watch – GO COUGARS.
It is also Super Saturday for my ward so I got up early and spent the morning at the church getting some craft done. I’m not the best but it’s fun to do once a year. I got most of my stuff done but had to bring one project home because I got caught in the chocolate Dipping class – YUM YUM. Sheila might be my new best friend.
IT IS GAME TIME!!
We have had horses behind our house since we moved here and we have actually become pretty attached to them. One of Benji’s first tricks as a baby was that we would ask him where the horses are and he would point out back every time no matter where we were in the house. So the neighbors decided that it was time to sell the horses and they took them away yesterday. Benji and I both cried this morning when I told him that they were gone. ( I’m not an animal lover but I did love these animals because I just got to enjoy them on the occasions I wanted to and had no responsibility for them.
Last night was our annual showing of Charlie Brown. We had a lot of fun with friends and family. Benji keeps asking if we can do that again next year – “Yes, We Can.”
And the Hot Chocolate was really something this time. Maybe the best I’ve ever had.