Thanksgiving Festivities!

We had a beautiful day on Thanksgiving. We started the day by heading up to the city's 5K Turkey Trot. I signed up to run it and had a great time. It was pretty chilly waiting around to start but great running weather. (I prefer it a little chilly.) Starting was really difficult because there were so many people. The number I heard was around 3600 participants. Once it cleared out I got in a comfortable pace and just ran. I finished in 30 minutes which is what I was planning on. It was really fun to see the finish line and run under the arch. Knowing I would run under it and my family (and lots of other people) would be there waiting definitely gave me a little energy boost. I am hoping I can run one each Thanksgiving. I think it would be a great tradition to carry out with my kids when they are older. I try to go running 3 times a week but I was little anxious about running with so many people but it wasn't too bad at all. I thought it was my first organized 5K but then I remembered I ran in a few while I was at BYU Idaho. During Homecoming they had a midnight 5K run which was a lot of fun. That I think was my first 5K and I know I ran in at least 2 at that time. I haven't participated in one since then so it might as well have been the first. I am happy I could participate and will do it again for sure.

My mom came out for Thanksgiving and we had a nice visit together. She is the most generous person I know and so selfless. While she was here Mark and I went up to temple and then stopped at the outlet stores in Castle Rock. It was really nice to go shopping with Mark and just be together. My Mom and I also went out shopping. We stopped by Target and Kohls and did find some great deals. We were super impressed with the lines and management at each store. We hardly had to wait at all. They were really on top of it and we got there at great times. We also went up to the zoo with my Mom on Friday. We just had to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather. It wasn't very crowded and my Mom kindly let Jared and Lydia ride the carousel which they both loved. Lydia was a little nervous when it started but totally loved it once she got the hang of it. Jared often asks to go but we typically spend money on feeding the chickens or giraffes instead of the rides.  We did add the sky ride to our membership and have had fun riding that.

Jared, Lydia and I had fun making Thanksgiving crafts and playing some games.

We hid the turkey's feathers:

Made shaving cream pumpkin pies: They both thought it was great.

Wet Sand for our "Graham cracker crusts"

And LOTS of colored/scented shaving cream. 

These are Jared's art projects but Lydia did most of them too. I loved the Fruit Loop Turkey and the paper plate Thanksgiving feast. Simple fun!

All month long we added leaves to out thankful tree. I am excited for next year when Lydia can contribute thankful leaves as well.
Here are some of Jared's leaves:

 Fall

Miss Amy

Garbage trucks

Marmee

Preschool

Scissors

Paper

Bed

Toilets

Treats

Blanket

Alligator

Grandma Sue

Mommy

Church

Family

Halloween

Art Projects

Hot Chocolate

Neighborhood

Friends

We attempted to take a family picture and were mostly unsuccessful but my Mom patiently took picture after picture of us. Let's hope our Christmas one turns out better!

None of the adults who were eating dessert love pumpkin pie but Jared was really looking forward to having some so I made these cute little mini pumpkin pies which he and Lydia loved. They were really excited about them. Our dinner was delicious and it was fun to talk about all the things we are grateful for #1 being our family. We have been given SO much.

After dinner we set up our Christmas decorations. It looks so festive and fun. I love how Christmas decorations transform your home.  My mom got Lydia and Jared 2 Christmas toys when we went out on Black Friday and she let them open them up before she left so she could watch them open some presents.  She got the Little People Nativity and their Christmas train. Jared and Lydia love them. I have been wanting to get the Nativity for a few years and we found it for 50% off so it was only 15$. I am a sucker for holiday books and toys.

We are so glad my Mom came to see us and are looking forward to this month's festivities.

Snowy Day and 31st.

We had some pretty snow on Thursday and Friday. It was freezing cold (obviously or it wouldn't snow) but it was cold enough that I did not venture out at all on Friday.  I am not real big on staying in my house all day because I can go a little stir crazy but I admit that sometimes it can be really nice to take a day and just relax so that it what we did Friday.  I got up, worked out, and got ready for the day but never got around to getting Jared or Lydia out of their pajamas. They were perfectly happy with that. We did Thanksgiving crafts, read so many books, played with trains and had a pajama picnic and watched some snow cartoons. It was so fun.

I may have been a little more inclined to stay in Friday because Thursday I went to Jared's preschool for their cute little Thanksgiving feast (there was a little program and we had a yummy Feast together. I felt pretty bad for not taking pictures of Jared while they were singing. One time a phone with a camera could have been useful) and had to drive on really bad roads. They were so icy. Typically Mark's school is a little trigger happy when it comes to calling 2 hour delays yet this one time they really should have they did not.  The problem was that the person in charge of making that call drives around the school district from 2:00 - 4:30 (I wonder if there is a line of people hoping for that job) in the morning checking all the roads to see if they need to call it. Well at that time it was only raining so they did not call it. It was bad. That Thursday there were over 70 accidents during the morning commute. That's a lot! I was glad Mark made it safely to and from Seminary.

Saturday was my 31st birthday. Mark let me sleep on and baked some delicious orange rolls for my breakfast.  Later we dropped Lydia and Jared off at some friends house to play and Mark and I went out to Tucanos for lunch and then did some shopping. Lydia and Jared but Jared especially LOVE going to this friends house to play. (The Pitcher's) Jared asks to go out there all the time. We were hoping Lydia would take a nap there but she was too wound up. We knew Jared would not take a nap so when we picked them up they were both exhausted.  This couple has 4 kids from 10 - 2 so its a fun busy place. Lydia actually started to fall asleep in the car on the way home and she hasn't done that since she was under 6 months old. So they both went to bed early and Jared slept in until 8:00 this morning. Mark made me a delicious ice cream cake which we all enjoyed.  Mark and I had fun shopping. We were on a mission to find me some boots and figure out what type of jewelry I like so he could then pick some out for me.  It worked out great.

So far being 31 has been great!

One week later

The other night I was pretty tired so I went to bed at the same time as Mark (9:00). The next day he told me what a terrible nights sleep he had. I asked him why he thought that was and he said because he didn't get enough sleep. I am no longer allowed to go to sleep the same time as Mark on school nights! I sort of knew this would be the case as we always end up talking about so many things when we go to bed at the same time and end up staying awake longer then planned. I do miss it and now look forward to Friday and Saturday nights more than other nights. Seminary seems to be going well for Mark. He was telling me today (before he went upstairs at 8:40) how he goes over his lessons and thinks about what he will teach and is then given opportunities to teach by the spirit as students have questions and they work through them. Pretty cool. I hope it has been a good experience for the seminary kids. He mentioned to the teachers he works with at school that he was now teaching this early morning scripture class and they were shocked A) that he was doing it and B) that kids actually came. It is pretty cool. Jared has come down with a bit of a cold this week and was awake when Mark went downstairs today (at 5:15, (so early!!) Jared had just finished coughing).  He asked Mark where he was going and Mark told him seminary and told Jared he needed to go back to sleep. I think he was confused A) that it was so dark out and Mark was leaving and B) if Mark was leaving then it should be time to get up. Fortunately he did go back to sleep until a much more decent wake up time. Hopefully Jared will feel better soon.

Yesterday Jared and Lydia were playing in Jared's room so nicely together. It made me so happy. Jared is pretty possessive of "his toys/his room". Even if he is not playing in his room he will often close his door so Lydia can't go in there. It will be a sad day for him when she learns how to open doors.  We have tried to reason with him that Lydia's door is always open and she shares well so shouldn't he try but he still prefers to keep his door shut. Now when Lydia goes upstairs she goes around closing all the doors. Lydia is actually amazingly good at sharing. Anytime she does get a hold of one of Jared's toys and he acts like he wants it (even when we tell him to let Lydia have a turn) she will most often walk over and give it to him. We super appreciate her willingness to give things to Jared but hope she will let us give him opportunities to be patient and share. It's pretty amazing how giving she is for a 22 month old. One of the best examples is the Costco receipt. Both kids love holding the Costco receipts. Most often Lydia is sitting up in the basket so she gets to hand it to the checker.  This used to be Jared's job so I can see how he would feel like he should get to hold it. Well yesterday we went and I suggested to Jared and Lydia that Lydia could hand it to the checker then they could pass it back and forth (they seriously like them that much). Jared did not much care for this idea but went along with it. Lydia handed it over then Jared got a turn then back to Lydia. Then Lydia handed it right back to Jared. He was so happy and impressed he said "Lydia gave it to me and didn't fuss at all!"  Mark and I both said "we could all really learn from Lydia couldn't we?" She is a sweetheart. That or she doesn't want to hear Jared fuss or see him pout. Sometimes I feel like Jared is way more emotional than Lydia. I know she is only 22 months old and I think being a peacemaker is awesome I just want her to know how to stand her ground too. But again she's 22 months so we have some time.  It's not that Jared doesn't share its just that Lydia goes above and beyond what we expect. 

Here they are being so sweet:

It's just kind of magical when they pay so well together. The other day we had some friends over for dinner and one of them commented on how much Lydia loves Jared and looks up to him. She wants to be where he is and often do what he does. It's sweet. 

 Looking so grown up!

We went and got her bangs cut yesterday. She was so brave and didn't cry at all and even stayed relatively still. The last 2 times have been awful! She has also been quite interested in using the toilet lately.  As with Jared we started taking her stinky diapers to the toilet and having her watch us drop the poo in there so she can see where it should go and flush it away. We aren't planning on training her till January, closer to her birthday but went ahead and bought her a little toilet insert. She loves it. Now she will pat her bum and ask to go to sit on the toilet. She has gone pee once and is very pleased with her self when she toots while sitting on there. We will get her some underwear in January and see how it goes. 

 Jared still LOVES his blanket. 

Often when we leave for preschool he talks about how his friends (his blanket and alligator) will miss him when he is gone.  He has moved past his trains which is kind of nice for Lydia because she thinks they are great and doesn't have to compete with him for them. He will play with them but Lydia gets way more use out of them. I am really happy we didn't spend the money on a train table. It's fun to get to make your own tracks and not have something like that taking up space.

We are looking froward to the weekend when Mark doesn't have to go to bed so early!

Change

A week before Lydia was born (January 2012) Mark was called to serve in our ward's bishopric as the first counselor. (Local congregation leadership).  Today he was released from that calling and called to be


a seminary teacher.
He will be amazing.

The reactions of the kids in his seminary class who happened to be in the congregation today were priceless. One girl started crying (out of happiness).  High expectations right? We have known this was in the works for about 3 weeks. We moved into this ward in June 2010 and Mark was promptly called to be the membership clerk and then a few months later the ward clerk. So he has been working with or in the Bishopric basically since we moved in. That's kind of a record for this Ward because it is very transient, and needy. I mean that is going from one time intensive calling to an even more time intensive calling and it happens to members in our ward all the time.  It's a lot of preparation and super early hours. Our seminary starts at 5:30 so Mark now has his alarm set for 4:50. OUCH! He has a really good attitude and will do a really great job. It was super fun to see the reaction of the students and to have him sit with Jared Lydia and I. Jared and Lydia were way more irreverent today than usual but I think its was because they were so happy to have Mark there. Lydia has really never sat with Mark during Sacrament meeting and she is already a little daddy's girl. I am happy to have him with us. As the member of the stake presidency talked with us he told me to enjoy Mark while I can. He said he was not predicting anything but just to enjoy it while I can. Believe me I will.  Before they released Mark they had to advance a member of our ward to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Once they said his name I knew he was taking Mark's spot and then I felt bad.  They have a similar family dynamic with 2 little girls, a 4 year old and 2.5 year old. I told her to make sure she always sits in front of us so we can help anytime. There were a fair amount of hard, long Sundays where I did not hear anything that was said in Sacrament meeting but at the same time I did it! I was there on time each week and am proud of myself and Jared and Lydia. I am happy Mark could serve with the Bishop (Bruce Rands) he did and learn from him.  I know he learned a lot and will learn even more teaching Seminary. I know as a seminary student I would have really enjoyed him as a teacher. Poor Mark just won't get a break from teaching though! I am going to have to find some evenings to go running now because there is no way I am getting up at 4:30 to go. I thought 6:10 was early enough!

And here are some of the past weeks pictures:

Jared and Lydia are getting lots of use out of their Halloween costumes:
Lydia is really starting to say more words which is great. Now when she sees her costume or a picture of a bee she says "Me! Bee! and points to herself. Its cute.

 Lydia waiting for Mark to get home: a common occurrence.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:

Saturday was a gorgeous day so we headed over to the zoo. We had fun riding the sky ride and feeding the giraffes. 

And checking out the lions. A few weeks ago 2 lions (a male and female) actually got in a FIGHT and the male killed the female. It happened right during zoo hours and people were there seeing it happen. Crazy! Luckily that did not happen again. 

I love that he actually looked at the camera and smiled a real smile. It's kind of a rarity these days so its a big deal. (A lion is laying in the shadows behind his left shoulder.)

I noticed as I was working on Lydia's personalized ABC book that I have very few pictures of her at the zoo. Since we have our membership I rarely take our camera now because we go a lot but I need to get a good picture of her at the zoo for the Z page (Z is for zoo) in her book. She loves reading Jared's ABC book so I figured I better get hers done for her birthday in January it will be here so soon! 

Deception

Jared, Lydia and I are not the biggest fans of vegetables. We pretty much think they are disgusting. I hate that I feel this way but I do. I have tried valiantly to have them in our dinners and be a good example but they are so gross. A few years ago I heard about that book Deceptively Delicious and made a note to try it out but never got around to it. Well, last week I finally got around to checking it out of the library. I read through it and decided I would try out her lasagna recipe for Sunday's dinner. I pureed my cauliflower and sweet potatoes having flash backs to the baby food I made Jared and Lydia all the while getting so excited to try this recipe. I would eat vegetables. Jared and Lydia would and they wouldn't even know it! We sat down to dinner, dished up the lasagna and waited for the magic to happen. It didn't. Jared ate a bite and said "This lasagna tastes weird." What? How could he tell? I calmly ate my salad (I do a decent job eating a salad) not reacting to his comment and got ready to try it myself. I took my first bite and promptly started gagging and had to spit it into my napkin it was so GROSS! I smelled it as I opened my mouth and knew it was all over. I was so disappointed. All my dreams of getting myself, Jared and Lydia to eat vegetables dashed. Such a bummer. So we had cereal and cheese and crackers for dinner.
 I am not going to give in completely though. (I am sure her book works great for many many people) I do after all have 2.5 cups of pureed cauliflower and 3 cups of pureed sweet potato in my freezer. I am going to try just adding some puree to my own recipes and see how that goes.  Chili has a pretty strong taste so maybe it will work. And if I do my own lasagna not her crazy recipe the tomato sauce would probably cover it. Spaghetti too. Jared does love cooked carrots so I guess I just need to find a decent way to cook them outside of a roast in the crock pot or in stew and serve them every night....  How do you and your kids eat your vegetables?