Thanksgiving Vacation 2012

This year for Thanksgiving we traveled to Utah to spend the holiday with my Dad's family. We made it just in time for the annual Speakman Reunion! It was so great to see everybody and let the kids get to know their cousins. 

One of the activities for the night: Pinata of course! And who broke it? The amazing, all powerful BRAXTON!! (he was pretty much the only boy there...so not surprising.)

The kids with all their LOOT! 

WEdnesay before Thanksgiving, Brian and Neil and their fams took us and Jessica and her girls out to the FREEZING COLD mountains where we PLAYED!!!! They brought their TOYS and we spent the day riding quads and bikes and having a grand ol' time! 

The beautiful Bella and Aunt Joan!

Conrad enjoying his lunch

Just chillaxin!

Brax on the "kiddie" quad. He fell in love with this thing, and wouldn't give it back until he HAD to...

All the girlies, eatin lunch 

"The Hot Mommas!" :) (Jess, Sarah and Tina)

Brax and Bella on Zoe's quad. 

Uh...Justin's idea, not mine!

He had a little too much fun...

Did I mention it was C-O-L-D???

Neil, "initiating" Justin. I had my turn before this. I thought I was gonna die...

 After Thanksgiving we visited Justin's best bud Chad and Rachel and their kiddos. It was so good to see them again and catch up. We love their fam! We went to the park for lunch and some play time. This was one of the coolest parks I've ever been to! Check out this swing!

Braxton and Bridger...buds already. Makes their daddies very happy! 

And now its CHRISTMAS time (already? seriously?) and we have been holiday-a-fying this place like crazy! The kids did great helping to put up the Christmas tree.

The finished product! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Halloween 2012

One of our favorite Halloween traditions is making the our "Ghosts in the Graveyard" dessert. So simple and easy and the kids love it! This was Conrad's first year...I think he was pretty excited about it.  :)

HALLOWEEN EVE! Braxton was Mario, Bella a ballerina, and COnrad wouldn't keep his costume on despite bribing and begging so he just sat in his stroller and enjoyed some candy. Optimus Prime and the dragon are some friends we have here on the street that came with us. 

Oh, ya, and I was a gypsy! (In my 5 in. heel shoes! Whew!)

Happy Halloween! 

Now, let the HOLIDAYS BEGIN!!

FHE FUN

Can you guess what we did for Family Night last Monday?? 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 

THis is their signature pose right now.. Brax's thumbs up and Bella trying to copy it...

Mother Nature's Farm

For Bella's preschool outing last week we got to go to a local farm, Mother Nature's Farm. There was hayrides, animals to pet and feed, pumpkins to pick and decorate, a bounce where the kids could bounce off the walls (literally! HA! :) and loads of fun to be had. The kids had a BLAST and we all enjoyed the cooler weather and Fall fun. 

I love this time of year!

Brax, cousin Hyrum and Bella

Sweet Girl

On the hayride! The kids loved it

Braxton's favorite part was feeding the animals. He loved watching their long tongues flick out,

Bella and cousin (and best buddy!) Hannah

My perfect, happy little man. How I love him! 

Decorating pumpkins

THE BOUNCE HOUSE!!

New York, New York

Last weekend Justin and I took a little weekend trip to New York to attend his best friend's (from high school) wedding. This was our first trip ever ALONE...without the kids...since we have had them! It was a quick trip but SO NICE to be together and just spend some time being "us" again. 

Highlights of the trip: 

- GORGEOUS fall colors

- Cold weather

- Meeting Justin's "buddies" that he has always talked about

- Staying at his mother's BEAUTIFUL B&B in Wallkill, NY Thursday night and spending a little time with her 

-The YUMMY breakfast she served us Fri morning

- Getting to wear my snazzy dress and rockin' 5 in. heels Aubray and I picked out for the wedding! 

- Spending lots of time with my hubby

- SLEEPING IN Sat. morning (was waiting months for those few hours of bliss...) 

-Watching Brian and his new wife be so happy and in love

"Not So Great" moments:

- Getting food poisoning Thursday evening from the seafood dinner at Philly Airport and puking my guts out for the whole  plane ride to his moms and many hours after

- FLYING STANDBY - getting bumped Thursday morning from our first flight which then made us late for our connection in Philly, requiring me to stay and eat the nasty said seafood which led to poisoning

- FLYING STANDBY - Getting up at 3am to catch flight that then stranded us in Charlotte, NC airport for 24 HOURS  as we repeatedly were bumped from flight after flight after flight. (Word to the wise - NEVER fly standby on a Sunday, ESPECIALLY if flying to west coast)

- Missing my kiddos

His mother's beautiful home in Wallkill. 

Oh the loveliness! I couldn't get enough of the beautiful changing fall colors

On the drive to Connecticut, street lined with beauty the whole way. LOVED IT!

My outfit for the wedding! WAHOO!!  

My and my hubs

Yup. Thats my man!  

Brian and wife. SO CUTE

Justin, gettin his groove on on the dance floor!

At the wedding, having a blast!

Thanks again to everyone to helped watch our kiddos so we could go. What made this such a wonderful trip was not having to stress about the kids cause we knew they were in good hands. You are wonderful and we love you!