Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

If I don't get a chance to post anything on here until after Christmas we just wanted everyone to have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! As you celebrate this Christmas holiday just don't forget the true meaning of Christmas! I know sometimes we can get so wrapped up in everything that we forget! Again Have a Merry Christmas and New Year.... and relax!!!

Santa here we come!!

Every year since Jonathan was a baby we have gone to Bronners to go and see Santa. Since we moved we were really debating on if we wanted to go all the way to Bronners. I said we had to go because it was a tradition and every year the kids get to pick out a new ornament to hang on the tree. We didn't really want to go on a weekend because it is just WAY to busy!!! So we drove up Thursday after Trent got out of work and met both sets of Grandparents up there. We saw Santa first then went out to eat and then came back to Bronners and picked out an ornament for each kid. The kids had a good time. They have been wanting to see Santa for a long time!!!! But we had to wait and go see the REAL santa at Bronners!!! Here are a couple of pictures from our night. I have also attached pictures of the ornaments that we got. The last ornament is the one that Trent and I picked out. We thought it was really cool. The picture does not do it justice though. You can turn the ornament on and it changes colors... it's really cool and it's Santa going to see baby Jesus. The other ornaments are the ones that Santa gave the kids. I love Bronners because they have a Christian base and every ornament they give usually says something about Jesus on it!!! :) Oh and one last thing you will notice in all the pictures of the kids sitting on Santas lap that Grace is holding Jonathan's hand. She would not sit on Santa's lap unless she was holding Jonathan's hand!!! Jonathan told Santa he wanted a Blue Thunder Monster Truck and Grace told Santa she wanted a Barbie!!!

Opps... just noticed that our ornament didn't make it on there... I will try to post it later!!!

Our First Snowman

It has finally snowed enough for the kids to go out and make a snowman... so we thought. Trent and the kids went outside after Trent got home from work on Monday. They made a snowman but it wasn't very big... the snow would not pack. The kids had fun anyways just being outside since they don't get out there very often in the winter. We are suppose to get some more snow this week so hopefully they will be able to build a real snowman.

Miscellaneous of Grace

Here are a couple of pictures of Grace that I took in the last couple of days. The first and second picture are of her sporting her new Michigan State Cheerleading Outfit that we found for $5.00! The third picture is of her sporting her new Lowe's apron and goggles from their works shops that they have every other Saturday. This past weekend they built a football goal post... not so exciting but the next time they are suppose to be building Gingerbread houses! Very cool looking can't wait!!!

Silver Bells

This is our first year of going to Silver Bells. If you don't know what it is it is a parade then the lighting of the official state capital tree. Then after the lighting of the tree there is fireworks over the capital. We had a lot of fun! Trent's parents came along with us. But it was SOOOOO COLD!!!! The parade was really long but it was cool to see all the different trucks decorated with Christmas light. Even Trent's work had two trucks in the parade! Depending on the weather we may do it next year. There are a lot of other activities going on also but since it was so cold we left after the fireworks so that we could thaw out!! Attached are a couple pictures.

Mommy's French Braid

I decided one day to french braid Grace's hair and I had to take a picture of it. I haven't been able to get it too look that good again for some reason. I haven't french braided anyone's hair probably since my neice Emily was little! Now she is 12!!!Enjoy!!!

Cranberry Muffins!

If any of you know me I am not a baker... I use to like to bake but I haven't done a whole lot in the 8 years that I have been married. I found this easy recipe (I am all about easy) on making Cranberry Muffins. So I decided to run to Aldi's to get the rest of my ingredients that I didn't already have on hand. I decided this would be a good project for me and the kids to do. I think the kids enjoyed it. I will let you know what my husband thinks about the muffins after dinner is over. I would tell you myself but I don't like muffins!!! Here are some pictures of our event!
I'm not really sure why some of the pictures didn't turn out dark... I think it might be because I had the blinds open so it was messing up the flash turning it off.

Flashback Friday on Tuesday

This is my little girl over 2 and 1/2 years ago. I can't believe how fast they grow! She is my little independant, can do anything girl! As you see from my last flashback we had problems with Jonathan, we had a few scares with her as well but it was nothing!!! Look how tiny Jonathan is also... wow it's amazing how fast and how much they grow. I don't know if you can tell in the last picture but with Grace I had the largest room on the floor! It was huge... it was probably as big as my first house... ok not quite but close!!!!

Trunk or Treat at Grandpa Bedell's church

Finally on Friday we went to Linden for Trunk or Treat at Grandpa Bedell's church. We had a lot of fun. The kids got to play in the bounce house, go on a hayride and get lots of candy!!! Then after that Jonathan spent the night at his Best Friend Ian's house. They had a lot of fun! We had a great weekend spending time with family and friends.

Preschool Halloween Party

At school on Friday (Halloween) Jonathan had a party. They got to wear their costumes to school. They then marched around to all the classrooms and showed off their costumes to all of the other students. Grace and I got to come and spend the day with Jonathan. I have attached a few pictures of the many that were taken. The first picture is of Jonathan almost winning musical chairs.

Pumpkin Carving

This year we did pumpkin carving a little late. We carved pumpkins the day before Halloween. Here are a few pictures of us carving pumpkins. Enjoy!!!!

Funny Story!!!

This morning when I was getting Grace's costume on she said "I wanted to be a butterfly". Then she said "Daddy picked out these." It was kind of funny.... because when we bought the costumes she didn't say anything but now all the sudden she remembers that she wanted to be a butterfly. Kids are so funny!!!!

Meijer and Boo at Zoo

Today we went to Meijer for their Trick or Treat thing. It was very busy!!! The kids still had fun though. I also wanted to go to Old Navy but it's on the other side of town and Trent and I would of had to drive separate since he is on call. Then we went to Boo at the Zoo (Potter Park). The kids had a lot of fun there. They got to make a finger print id, do some crafts, get their faces painted, go thru the Boo Tunnel, go on a hayride, hear a storyteller, and trick or treat at all the little tent areas. We didn't get any pictures at Meijer but we got we got a few at the zoo. There are a lot of activities going on here this weekend. I don't know if we will do anymore but I will post pictures if we do. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Flashback Friday!

I have a friend who use to do a Flashback Friday on her webpage. I thought it would be something cool for everyone to see. This is my little Jonathan when he was in the NICU after he was born. He was there for 12 days!!! Now he is a healthy, very energetic, happy 4 year old little boy!!!! The first picture is of him right before we took him home. He is wearing a premiee outfit and it is still too big. He was 5lbs 10oz when we brought him home. The second picture is of him pretty much right after he was born.

It makes me want to cry looking at this picture though! Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Patch

Well, Jonathan has his first field trip today at school... but did I bring my camera??? NO!!!! They went to Rowe Pumpkin Patch in Mason. We probably got there around 9:30 and were done with everything... eating a donut and drinking cider, going on a hayride, petting the animals and picking out our pumpkins by 10:30. So needless to say he had very short day today. Jonathan got to ride the school bus to and from the pumpkin patch and mommy and sister followed behind in the car. We all got to enjoy every part of it with him and mommy and sister even got our own pumpkins!!! The first picture is of all our pumpkins. We got the first four from a farmers type market down by my sisters house. They were a really good deal the big ones were like 2 for $5 and the little ones were 2 for $1. As you can see the kids painted theirs... don't they look beautiful??? The second picture is of the pumpkins we got today. The big one is mine (Kristen), the next biggest one is Grace's. The littlest one is Jonathan's pumpkin. The funny thing though is last night he told Trent he was going to get a huge pumpkin today and it looks like he picked out one of the smallest ones they had there. Kids are so funny!!! I will be posting more pictures this weekend or beginning of next week of all the things that we will be doing this weekend.

Holland/Grand Haven

Trent and I went away this past weekend for our 8th anniversary which was back in August. Between the move and me going to Washington DC with my family we just didn't get a chance to get away together until now. We had a wonderful time and stayed at a nice Bed and Breakfast in West Olive (between Holland and Grand Haven). It was tucked back in the woods and the house was very nice. There were only 3 rooms the honeymoon, birthday and anniversary. We ended up in the honeymoon. We meet 2 other couples who we ate breakfast with every morning. Except I can't remember any of their names. One couple was from Owosso and the other couple was from Chicago. We don't have very many pictures but we visited a light house in Grand Haven that we got some pictures of.

The kids stayed at my (Kristen) mom and dad's house. They had fun going various places. Friday they went to Sam's Club... it's strange but Jonathan likes to go there to get all the free samples!!! But who doesn't like FREE??? Saturday Jonathan got to help Grandma get the fish out of the pond for the winter then later that night they went for a potluck/hayride with Grandma's church choir group at someones house!! All in all it was a good weekend but a lot of driving since the kids were an house past our house in the wrong direction!!!

Finally event for the weekend- Boat Lift

Finally this weekend we went to Trent's sister and brother in law house on Sunday and took out the boat lift. Well, actually just the guys took out the boat lift. The kids went on a boat ride and in one of the pictures Trent tried to go water skiing but the boat didn't work. Another picture is of Grace with makeup on but her face is also red because she got bitten by a lot mosqitoes Saturday night. Right now her eye is partly swollen shut!!!!! The last picture of Grace is right after she got done eating a bat cupcake.