Dear Kristen

And any friend or family member that also might look at our blog-- I am blogging! 
I haven't been neglecting updating family/friends on purpose, its just that, the time I have to blog is after the kids are in bed, totally uninterrupted minutes, but that also happens to be the time that I can't sit up straight in a chair and have to be in my bed on my side in case I instantly fall asleep.  I was able to take a nap today-- so hooray for updating the blog!
Also, I am using the laptop, so we have limited photos, the next time I blog,.... soon-ish, I will have a few more pictures.  But for now...

Annie driving the firetruck at the Children's museum.  I am pretty sure her shoes are on the floor in front of her and I am amazed that we haven't lost them yet.

Archie dressed and ready to go to his first soccer game of the season!  He loved playing, did his best and we had a lot of fun watching his team.  Mid way through the season we learned to stop yelling from the sidelines because he either didn't hear us, or got confused from too many different directives...

Pumpkin Time!  Yes it was about 98 degrees.... and we are on a hay ride in southern Arizona, but we did get some good pumpkins. I was about 5 months pregnant carrying a 10 pound pumpkin on the walk back with Annie insisting that she be carried as well.  My champ of a son decided he could carry the pumpkin for me...:)  we only made it about 8 feet, but it was the thought that counted.  Lately he has told me "I am sorry that you have to bend over mom, 'cause you are pregnant and it is hard for you, so you can ask me to pick things up for you."  Melt my heart. 

This guy.  Love him so much.  He is indeed climbing a make shift ladder (it is actually a motorcycle ramp) to the top of the recycling bin.  Note, he has on his work jeans, his work vest, his new tool belt from Uncle Devin and Aunt Kara, filled with tools from G &G Brady.  He moved his ladder around all morning 'fixing' whatever he could climb up to. 

New church clothes!  This was very nearly his favorite birthday gift.  He wore his 'church costume', as he called it, all week, and finally got to wear it to church and was telling everyone about it. 

He dressed himself as a missionary:)

Annie and Grammy Manker!  Our super amazing, fun trip to New Mexico for Thanksgiving.  My Aunt and Uncle live in the mountains of Albuquerque so there was snow:)  The kids got to go sledding, and play and get cold, it was delightful.  We had so much fun. 

Decorating the Christmas tree.  The tree is on a table, and it is only about 4 feet tall.  We started a new tradition of eating Apple cheese crisp for dinner, then decorating the tree as we talk about where the ornaments all came from.   Christmas music in the background etc, it is supposed to be magical.  Well, my visions of this tradition carrying on may have been squashed.  I was the only one who really wanted dessert for dinner, the kids didn't like it and Ben just doesn't like dessert unless he has had dinner.... as far as the rest of the night, it was magical, but there was a scramble to put ornaments up, two broke in the jumble, Ben and I were the ones who really cared about where they came from, but it was really fun nonetheless.  Archie has been very excited this year to put decorations up and to do anything that is a 'tradition'.  I love having a buddy to get excited with me about all of this stuff! 

Love this girl.  I think this picture is just after she had a mini tantrum because she couldn't get her bike to go.  But, we have definitely decided that helmets are always a must when riding anything with wheels.  Yes, she fell off her bike and slammed her head into the only metal panel within miles... the fire hydrant is on our property, so there is some kind of metal panel in the ground right next to it that switches things on or off or what have you.  I don't know how she did it, a giant bush was in my way, but when I heard her screaming her helmeted head was directly on the metal panel and I think she was more mad than anything because even though she was not hurt, really, she would not get up.  It was an amusing sight, Annie face down on the ground, helmet on, knees under her, hands tucked under her chest like she was nuzzling down for a nights sleep, but screaming.  I don't think she would have cracked her skull open, but there would have been blood.  She still sucks her fingers, and it is still cute to me, except for the time between her sitting on the toilet and walking literally two feet to the sink to wash her hands and she pops those fingers in.... c'mon, girl, you just touched the toilet seat all over, yourself, and probably a million other things I didn't see.