"Heading" Into Trouble

Allie decided this was the new way to go down the stairs.  Papa Jim was telling me this is what she did one evening while I was away at work.   I didn't doubt this dare devils new accrobatic way of going down stairs, but had yet to witness it.  Well, today Allie showed me how she prefers to go downstairs.  Thankfully she slowly creeps down one stair at a time.  I am hoping the day doesn't come when she goes full force, headfirst, and backwards down the stairs crashing into the wall.  I wonder where she got her "crazy" genes from?

Truffles

Tis the season for making up plates of yummy treats for friends and neighbors.  Tonight I have a work "candy" party to attend.  I made some carmels and just thought I would continue with some other yummy goodies to go on treat plates.  These yummy truffles were so easy...thanks Meg for the recipe

1 package orea cookies-crumbled fine in a food processor

1 8oz. package of cream cheese softened

chocolates to dip the truffles in and any other garnishes to go on top

*Mix the oreos and cream cheese together to form 1" balls.  Dip in the melted chocolate (you can use whatever color of candy melts you want to match the time of year, or for baby showers, etc).  Then drizzle with additional chocolate and garnish with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, etc.   Place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.  Yummy!!!

Allie had to get in on the action.  She waited patiently eating her favorie treat, pistachios, until I was ready for her to sprinkle away.  When we were done I took a picture of the truffles.  Allie wanted her picture too due to her contribution.  This is one of the first pictures she actually smiled when I told her to smile 

Saturday Adventures

Well our busy month of December began.  There are so many fun and free things going on it's hard to choose what activities we are going to do.  We started off the day by attending a free cooking class at Young Chef's Academy.  Aunt Katie and Cam met up with us and the kids had a fun time rotating through a few activities.   

These kid-freindly cookie cutters were awesome.  I got one for Allie to play with her play-dough

Decorating a gingerbread man

These cute aprons were adorable on these two

The next adventure that we headed off to was the Eagle Country Christmas.  We couldn't pass up a free visit and photo with Santa, along with a visit from one of the reindeer.  

Allie was all smiles after her visit from Santa.  She was a little hesitant after the girl in front of her in line broke down in tears.  After some reassurance, she realized Santa wasn't so bad and went and sat on his lap

Hanging out listening to some kid's choirs sing

Getting around the easy way.  Pap and Grandma Deb were able to join us for the fun

Reminiscing about that great moment on Santa's lap.  Allie just loved looking at her picture with Santa

We met up with one of Santa's reindeer

Later on this evening we went over to my friend Kelly's house.  We met up with a few other girl's from work and I attempted to make a gingerbread house.  Allie was supposed to be my helper, but she ended up stealing my candies once they were opened.  I actually could have used some help along the way with this project.  Silly enough Kelly and I had major issues with the frosting bag that came with the gingerbread kits.  We both cut to big of holes in the bag, which was a bad mistake.  Despite loosing great amounts of frosting onto the table and into my mouth I tried switcing frosting bags multiple times but finally ended up with mearly no frosting.  

The beginning of my night before things got ugly

Michelle's cute daughter Morgan was the entertainment for the children

Graciously everyone ended up sharing frosting with me so I could finish my gingerbread house.  Thanks for the fun night ladies!

Double Dippin'

Well it's about time we had our double dippin' coupon days in Boise.  At the beginning of the week it looked like there weren't that many great deals going on- Kmart did have double coupons going on so I thought I would head over to check that out at some point during my week.  After hearing word on Tuesday afternoon that Kmart was out of a majority of products, we had someone check with Wal-Mart to see if they would add match Kmarts douple coupon deal.  

Well, you guessed it...while at Wal-Mart with coupons in hand we found out that they sure would ad match.  It couldn't have been any more beautiful than that.  Double dippin' at Walmart of all places.  We began Tuesday night at 8 p.m. searching through our piles of coupons trying to figure out what we could get for free or less than $1 after doubling the coupons.  Well as you can imagine this ended up being quite the process and we ended up leaving the store at 12:30 p.m.  Oh...I bet you want to know how much I spent.  My subtotal was 223.19.  After I went dippin' my total fell to $13.08.  I had one item that I did not have a coupon for-that was the etcha sketch for $4 that you see in my photo below.  Yes...I am single parenting this week and I had Allie with me this entire 4 hour trip.  She actually couldn't have been better for me, so she definately deserved a little reward.

Hunting For The Perfect Tree

We decided to experience the hunt for the "perfect" Christmas tree this year.  We have always had our free fake tree and decided to venture out with our friends the Histands to find a real tree.  We had such a fun time and I highly recommend our new $10 family tradition.  

Kelly and I had quite the fun time hiking straight up the mountain, carrying our children, trying to get to what looked like the perfect trees.  Well, the trees are quite decieving from far away; they always ended up being bigger and not as perfect as they look from down on the road.  While admiring our not so great trees, a couple of forrest rangers recomended we head up a trail where there were supposidly good trees.  We took their advice and ended up on a hike with nothing to show for in the end.  

Following this excursion the boys took off to hunt some trees down for us.  When we recieved word that the boys spotted some "good" trees  Kelly and I started our trek back up the mountain with the kids clinging to us.  Owen cracked me up because the whole time he kept saying "fall," questioning wether this would be his fate.  Well, after going up the mountain and back down a little ravine with kids in tote, the boys were right.  We arrived at a patch of trees with a handful of good ones to decided on....that is if we could have decided quickly.   Finally, decisions were made and we were heading home with 2 trees in hand.  Thanks for the fun time Histands, we look forward to the annual outing next year!

 

The three unopinionated members of our tree hunt

Aaron cutting down my tree.  Blake was still watching the kids at this point.  I'm not sure I would have trusted my husband cutting down my tree with the saw

The boys with the "perfect" trees in hand

The cold, proud recipiants of the Christmas trees

Once we got home we decorated the tree and got up the Christmas decorations.  Allie just loves this little train set that Blake had when he was a kid.  She sat for some time just watching the train go around the tree-so cute!

Our whole day turned out to be a big kickoff to Christmas.  Boise Center On The Grove lights up a Christmas Tree every year and Blake and I have been going for the last 4 years.  Every year we seem to drag more people down with us.  I just love events in the community where we can come together and have a fun time.  Who doesn't love standing out in the cold, bundled up next to family, listening to the live band play Christmas carols, singing out load in my off tune voice, and counting down to light up of the tree?    

Allie and her Aunts

The weather was so nice this year that so many people ended coming out to the tree lighting.  Allie needed a better view of the tree, so she ended up on dad's shoulders

Our yearly family photo....this year we are missing a few things in our picture.  1-The big lit up tree in the background  2-Allie chomping on her binky

Thanksgiving

Well, what a day!   Thanskgiving this year was spent with the Hansen Household.  We started out the morning with a flag football game.  I am not quite sure how the game ended up, due to running after and keeping track of kids.  

Following the game everyone's appetite was ready for the Thansgiving Feast.   We literally had quite the feast this year.  Some new additions to the dinner table were stuffed mushrooms,  yummy cheese spread, and Texas Roadhouse Rolls (can't go wrong with these).   The afternoon was lazily spent getting ready for Black Friday.  Katie and I started out our shopping a little early.  Michael's Craft Store opened up at 6 p.m.  on Thanksgiving Day.   One store crossed off our list and many more to go the following day.  

Good buddies...sporting their orange flags for the game

Everyone huddling around....preparing their "play"

Aunt Katie with all the kiddos....who ever knew running down the hill could be so fun

Cheerleaders from the sideline

Of course, my kid was up and down and out of her seat most of the meal.  Miss Natalia...Allie's second mother chased her down to force in some bites of food so Allie could have dessert

All smiles after Turkey dinner

Tryptophan from the turkey hard at work

Nauty OR Nice

Allie has had a mix of nauty and nice in her lately.  Today I made the mistake of leaving crayons accessable to Allie's reach.  We were both downstairs and Allie had gone upstairs to grab something.  After being upstairs for a minute, Allie called down to me "Mom come look."  I regret not going up the first time she called for me.  When I finally went upstairs I was welcomed to a beautifully colored wall.  In order to keep myself sane for the moment I took Allie and put her in bed, shutting the door behind me.  I immediately took a deep breath and went to the internet to learn how I was going to clean crayon off the wall.   Thank heavens for the internet; I don't know what I would do without it.   After learning that toothpaste would remove this masterpiece I went and got Allie.  I thought it was only fair that since she made the mess she needed to try her best to help me clean it up.  

 Work by my little Picasso

 After Allie helped me clean up for a minute, I went to work scrubbing solo.  I had forgotten to put away one crayon and you think this girl would have learned her lesson.  No, she was hard at work behind my back coloring on the other wall.  I went and laid her down for a nap and told her we weren't reading books.  I think this was a first time we have never read a book before bed and she was devastated.  She knew she had not been good and that mom wasn't happy.  She looked up at me and said, "Don't tell Mr. Peeps I've been naughty.  I want a baby!"  (For those who don't know about Mr. Peeps, he will make his appearance in a few days)

Well on the flip side of the coin Allie has fallen in love with her new baby Megan.  She just adores her and is so sweet to her.  Allie has to have her baby everywhere we go.   The reason this doll fell into Allie's lap is because she weaned herself from her "binks."  I couldn't believe it myself. 

 After recently talking to a friend about weaning her little guy from the binky at one year, I was kicking myself because I should have followed suit.  Allie has gotten more attached to her binky lately and I was dreading breaking her away from them.  Only a few days after talking to my friend Allie woke up one morning and had bitten the tip off of her bink.  I reminded her every day that when the binks were gone, there would be no more.  She continued every day until all 8 binks were broken.  After we had a not so bad first night without the bink, we went and picked up Megan.  We've had a couple nights of  peeing the bed, and a couple weeks of adjusting but things are now smoother.