Nectar of the gods (ok maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration)

We are a little bit obsessed with this stuff around here. Have any of you had it!?! It's only around at Christmas time and it's been a LONG year waiting for it to arrive, but you can bet we've already had our share. We're considering buying a year's supply so we can survive till next year. ;) If you haven't tried it you DEFINITELY should! Yummy!

Salvation Army Did It Again!

We stopped in at my favorite place on a total whim last night. And once again I came out thrilled! All for less than $25 total we got...

An entire snow outfit for Tanner! They are three separate items, but look how nicely they go together! Plus the coat and snow pants were 50% off! Yay! AND the coat has a zip out liner as well. I LOVE that because you basically get three coats in one. (the two parts separate and then together) Now we just need it to SNOW!!

Couldn't pass up these cuties! They're kinda vintage and I just LOVE them! I love that they aren't the standard Santa/Snowman Christmas decor. Can't wait to put them out this year!

Totally thinking ahead to spring/Easter. Well at least I was after I saw this adorable sweater vest! Tanner will look dashing this spring!

And last but DEFINITELY not least, we got this child sized rocking chair! I've been wanting something like this since Tanner was born. Then yesterday we were sitting in the stupid eye dr.'s office for 2hrs. and Tanner loved the little chair they had there. And who would have guessed I'd happen upon this the same day! It's in great condition. I may refinish it, or I may not. Either way I think we'll save this for Christmas. Tanner will LOVE it!

Thank you again Salvation Army for making my day!

Just when I thought he was learning....

So I'm constantly trying to get Tanner to be less messy when he eats. Sometimes he does so well and doesn't spill anything and other times he ends up like this...

Sadly the only thing I could do when I saw him was burst out laughing. Which of course made him think he was SOOO funny. Way to enforce bad behavior mom! Although after his eyes started to burn he quickly changed his mind about it being funny. I guess eventually he'll learn, but sooner would be nicer than later!

**Update: After showing Tanner our blog and this picture I tried to feed him the rest of the can of ravioli he was eating the other day. He just started crying and saying, "Mess, mess, MESS!" over and over again. I guess the picture scared him and he didn't want a repeat of the other day! Ha! I fed him (he NEVER lets me feed him, so he was seriously concerned about the mess to let me feed him) and he calmed down. I guess something IS sinking in!! ;)

Goodbye Leaves...

Saturday was our Relief Society Christmas Workshop from 9am-1pm. While I was gone Dean and Tanner got started cleaning up the millions and billions of leaves in our yard. Dean's Dad helped a ton and I helped some when I got home, but it basically took Dean 8 hours to get them all cleaned up and the lawn mowed. Crazy! But man does it look nice now! Anyway, Dean was even thoughtful enough to take some pictures of Tanner playing in the leaves. I think they had a TON of fun together. Sometimes it's nice for them to get some time alone together cause it doesn't happen very often. And lets face it, Dad's way more fun than Mom!

An Attitude of Gratitude

Now that it's November we've been working on our gratitude around here. Monday for FHE we made our annual "Thankful Turkeys" and talked about our blessings. We also add a leaf each day with something we're grateful for to keep us focused all month. Tanner was VERY into "helping" make the turkeys and did pretty much ALL the gluing. Thanks Tanner! He's also gotten very good at saying "thank you." Perfect timing eh!? Here's our Thankful Turkeys 2009...

And I was inspired by this to make these...


Thanks Mel! We hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving seasons as well!

patting myself on the back

Today I:

• cleaned the toilet, sink, and counter in the bathroom.
• Bathed Tanner
• cleaned the stove and oven
• packed up the halloween decorations/costumes
• packed up all the clothes Tanner's grown out of recently
• changed Tanner's bedding
• did the laundry
• fixed twice baked potatoes for dinner
• and talked to Cassie for 141 minutes! ;)

It's only 8pm and I still plan on getting Tanner to bed and cleaning the kitchen sink and counters tonight as well. And of course I did all the usual stuff like take care of Tanner all day, and tended to the fire, etc. It feels good after 14 weeks of extreme fatigue and constant nausea to actually be VERY productive! Yay for a good day and being through the first trimester!

Update: It's now 10:30pm and Tanner's been asleep for 2hrs. I cleaned all the counters/appliances/and cupboard doors. Wiped down the high chair, kitchen chairs and table, and swept and mopped the floor. Plus I somehow convinced Dean that he should fold the whites! Whahoo!

High School Football

Last Friday we decided spur of the moment to go to Hopewell's Football game. Dean's parents and Grandma and PapPap all went as well and we had a LOT of fun! Plus we creamed the other team which is always a plus. Here's a few pictures of the night...

Go Vikings! (although secretly I'm still a DART at heart!)

Grandma, PapPap, Me and Tanner

Dean, Mom and Dad

PapPap was nice enough to share his fries with Tanner, and Tanner was nice enough to share his half-eaten fries with PapPap!

Tanner could totally climb this fence in front of us. He's CRAZY!

Halloween 2009

The day before Halloween we got a package from my parents (Grandma and Grandpa Hilton). Tanner was so excited to open the box and get some treats. He even tried to eat one of the suckers with the wrapper still on! Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Yum! Crunch!

We actually had Trick-or-Treat on Halloween this year. That doesn't happen very often in Pennsylvania because it can't interfere with High School Football. Ha! But it worked out this year. It was a bit cold, but luckily it didn't rain and we were fine. We went down our street and despite only going to probably 8 houses or so, we ended up with LOADS of candy! Only three or four families came down our street so everyone would give Tanner handfuls of candy. And around here because of the lack of trick-or-treater most people hand out king size candy bars instead of the fun size. Tanner had a blast. He walked the whole way and said "Thank You" at every house. He would have trick-or-treated all night had we let him!

Tanner and Mom with our lit pumpkins

Dad and Tanner trick-or-treating

Tanner with Grandma and Pap-Pap - they loaded him up with treats. He even got orange juice that he had to drink in-between every house! ;)

Tanner with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. He was their one and only trick-or-treater and he definitely enjoyed their treats!

Trick-or-Treat at the Senior Center

Every year our ward puts on a Trick-or-Treat activity at a local old folks home. We dress up, and decorate refrigerator boxes as different things to create a little town for them to trick-or-treat through. This year we had a tent put on by the scouts, a jack-in-the box by the Young Men, an aquarium by the Young Women, Jasmine on her magic carpet, a gift box, and flowers and butterflies in between each one by the achievement day girls. We had a lot of fun and hopefully brightened their day.

Tanner had to pass out their granola bars all by himself! They all wanted to take him home with them. He did such a good job. We were at the end of the line and sometimes he'd get impatient and run to them instead of waiting for them to come to us. He's a cutie!

Mom and Tanner (behind us was a talking parrot that Tanner LOVED)

Dean pushing a lady around to collect her goodies

Dad pushing a lady as well

Janna dressed as a clown and Mom helped her hand out pretzels. Tanner was a little nervous to go anywhere near her. I guess he's not a big fan of clowns. ;)