Real Life

This week I figured out why so many people send photo cards with just the kids on them. If they're anything like me, they hate, I mean absolutely abhor visiting photo studios, and then they try to do pictures at home which end up looking like this one. I actually laughed when I saw this because it's just us, it's so real. Brett's always happy and easy going, the kids are dogpiled on me, the baby is screaming her head off, and I'm just shrugging with a look of, well, at least I'm not paying a sitting fee for this, but I sure could use a Big Gulp! This, by the way, is not the photo I chose for our card-when and IF I ever get the cards done.

So our Christmas is different this year as Brett is away on business and won't be returning until possibly the 23rd, but hopefully this Friday. We've jammed a bunch of this week's activities in over the weekend-we went to see the lights at Temple Square, went to Willard Bay, made ornaments, celebrated Izzy's birthday early, and had hot cocoa. It'll be hard being a single Mom during the first real week of snow and so close to Christmas. I love this time of year and the guy who I cuddle up with on cold nights isn't here to share it with. Also, I have some shopping to finish up and the idea of entering the mall with three kids in tow the week before Christmas kinda makes me want to purposely loose my keys. On the bright side though, we'll be spending a lot of time in our pajamas this week and enjoying Cocoa Krispies for several meals of the day. Also, I'm now free to wrap the Christmas gifts as early as I want and I have the bathtub all to myself! And, when he does make it back we'll get to celebrate by taking a roadtrip to Nevada and gorging ourselves with soda, bacon, cheese, and whatever other fat ass inducing foods my parents' house is always loaded with!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Somehow I managed to not take a single picture of Thanksgiving dinner. There was a turkey, the best sweet potatoes ever, we were gathered with Kathy & her family at Judy's, it was terrific. Thanks Nana Judy!

I did get a lot of other pictures over the weekend. Here is Brett's and John's project-the tire swing. Tire, scavenged from the neighbor's junkyard, er, uh, yard. Rope, stolen and then returned by Brett, cutting by Papa John, and assembly by my tree huggin' husband himself, who did have his insurance card on him but thankfully didn't need it.

Cost to make tire swing, $3, kids using said swing, priceless.

Saturday we went bowling. This is commonly done by the Bradshaw clan, as we all love any excuse to talk about balls and throw or shoot things, but Judy told me she'd only gone once in her life, and John hadn't gone for 25-30 years! We don't know if Grandma K has ever gone (either does she) but we even had her bowl a few frames and we all had a good time!

Logan, Judy, Anna, Quinn, Madison, Izzy, and me.

Here's a shot of Brett and Elizabeth, can you see her chompers in there? Yeah, she's getting big, but she's still just a sweet happy little squirt.

Quinner's birthday was the day after Thanksgiving. He is now 3 and for his birthday he gave us a gift-he now uses the potty all the time because, "I'm big like Kai and the other big kids!" Yeah, I couldn't be happier!

Nana Judy got Quinner a Spiderman cake which he loved. He was spoiled with so many new toys including a set of play tools and toolbox from Daddy, very popular, and Zingo-a picture bingo game for kids-you weren't kidding Jill- they LOVE it!