White Christmas

well, Justin got his wish. a white Christmas. when we woke up to this this morning!

Justin had checked the forecast a few days ago and it had not called for snow and he was bummed. 

well, turn that frown upside down mister cause we have plenty to make it feel like Christmas now!

cole went right to work eating it...as he has done since he was a baby.

and ali attempted a snowman on her own, then quickly turned to making snow hamburgers.

she was soooo excited to play in this stuff!

her favorite snow activity (aside from snowman construction) is snow angel making.

cole seized this opportunity to attack!

it worked.

don't worry, she got him back.

a few times.

but all is forgiven in love and snow wars.

they happily played.

and ali even got her snow angel in unharmed

and cole threw snow balls to his hearts content.

he also had time to write me a message in the snow.

it says "I love you"

awe...

after all the hi-jinks and tenderness, it was time to come in and warm up hot chocolate style.

 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I heard the bells...

A few weeks ago Justin told me to go look in the playroom at our daughters...

oh goodness, I tried to prepare myself for what I was to find.

ali looked up and stated "It's our wedding day!"

I think piper was more excited about the refreshments.

oh girls. If only your wedding days were going to be this stylish and low budget.

To the moon, Ali!

a few months ago ali came to me and declared that she was 

"making a jet pack so that she could fly around the world!"

she meant business!

she constructed this jet pack all by herself, she even attached it..which I found quite impressive.

she told me all about her adventure and assured me that she was really going, and that she would definitely be leaving that day.

after telling me all about her travel plans around the world she finally declared,

 "Well, here I go, around the world!"

then she went to the back glass doors and opened them a crack.

"oh!" she exclaimed, "there's a spider. I guess I will have to leave tomorrow."

one little, two little, three little smiles to capture.

ah, I remember the days of trying to get just two kiddos to smile.

It seemed so hard, and now that we have added a third...

I am realizing just how easy catching two kids smiling really was!

When the unpredictable one finally looks the other two don't.

and the ham of the group seems to have forgotten how to smile a realistic smile until she has the camera all to herself.

and when you funally get one that will work and put them out of their misery...

you look thru the film and realize the candid ones might be even more precious...even if all eyes aren't looking.

snow showers

  What do you do when the friend who threw you a gorgeous shower for your third kiddo refuses to have one for her own third bambino? 

You drive 4 hours back to boise,

team up with a few friends, 

put together good eats.

and a few decor items that will merge the Christmas favorite things party you loured her there with and the  surprise shower together. 

then invite some wonderful people to make it a real party!

after all that you wait for her arrival. watch her faces of confusion.

and then delight in the moment of recognition!

and then hold back your own tears that she is so happy.

after this tender moment there is only one thing left to do...

get pay back pictures for the ones she posted all over facebook of you from your shower!

really good payback photo's!

and then realize that no matter how many silly ones you get...

she still looks beautiful!

I was so happy when my friends Sarah and Amber mentioned doing a shower for our friend Ja'nette. I was going to find a way to throw her one even though we were moving. and this worked out perfectly! It was a fun night full of favorite things and favorite people! 

I love it when a plan comes together!

FIRST and foremost.

Our move to Idaho Falls meant saying a very sad goodbye to a wonderful first grade teacher.

Mrs. Parker will be so missed. 

One of the things I stressed about most with this move was Cole's school and teacher.

I mean when your first grade teacher tells you her heart is broken that you are moving and then she comes out with tears in her eyes to confirm with your mom that its true, you know you've got a good one.

Oh how we will miss you Mrs. Parker!

Cole was well looked after when it came to schools and teachers in IF too. His new teacher lives across the street, is in our ward, and loves him like crazy. She is so loving and made starting in a new school the easiest it could have possibly been.

Thank Heaven!

a hero and his damsels

usually we do a family theme, as you most likely know.

this year cole wanted to be Thor so badly we just couldn't deny him. 

while we contemplated making that a family affair (wouldn't justin have made an awesome hulk!) it was my post baby self who felt less than great about squeezing into a black widow costume that ended that thought.

so we went with heros and damsels.

My friend gave ali this AMAZING sleeping beauty costume...which she worked like no other (you will see photographic evidence of that later).

and Piper was Rapunzel...bald Rapunzel...she totally pulled it off!

Cole kicked off the festivities with the school trunk or treat. He went with his pals Landon and Dylan.

what a stud.

Then on the big night ali got all done up. she even dipped into mommy's make up.

oh la la as she would say.

they posed for a few forced pictures.

and then it was off to collect candy!

we knew at this point that Justin had been promoted. and my heart hurt as we walked around our awesome neighborhood together.

(check out how ali is walking in the background)

seriously it doesn't get any better than this!

our little Aurora worked that dress like nobody's business all night.

and refused to take off the heels.

she also kept walking up to our jogging stroller wheel to pretend and prick her finger.

oh al, you make quite the princess. good thing your side kick (bald Rapunzel) and your hero Thor are able to keep up!

overall it was a very happy Halloween!