Every year we go to the Swan Island Dahlia Festival on Labor Day Weekend to see the pretty flowers.  This year Lolo, Lola and Uncle Val came along.

Time to rake leaves…

And jump in the leaves…

And throw the leaves…

And if you are naughty, here is what happens…

For my Aunt Marti, because she asked so nicely… here are our favorite pictures from the pumpkin patch this year. 

The pumpkin patch was a lot of fun, like it is every year.  The highlight for the girls this year was the grain bin (picture a giant bin filled with corn and wheat and sand toys).  Also, the kettle corn. 

We took the kids to see Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up a few weeks ago.  It was AWESOME!  The songs were cute, the beloved characters adorable and… the tantrums were epic.  Arched backed, red faced, hearing loss causing, over stimulated, over sugared, no nap tantrums.  The kid sitting directly behind us was screaming so loud before the show started that I think my ears bled a little bit.  But despite that, it was a great show and Emma was so happy the entire time.

We brought Elmo with us…

The show starts…

For some reason Bert got upset and beat up Ernie.

Cookie Monster found this confusing.

Rogene's favorite part was when Elmo used the computer.

Big Bird was exactly the same… EXACTLY!

Abby Cadabby, the newest addition to the Monster family.

My favorite part was when Oscar came out all full of attitude and sang "I Love Trash".

It was magical.

Then this guy came out and sold every single one of those balloons.  What?!  I only bought two!

It was all worth it for Emma to get to see her beloved Elmo.

"Elmo loves you!"

(Thank you to Rogene who took all these pictures.)

Rogene:  I didn't sleep very well last night.  I was cold.  You stole the blankets again, and you lie diagonally across the bed. 

Me:  You snore.  Loud.

Rogene:  I wouldn't snore if you didn't steal the blankets.  I snore because I'm cold!

Someone call the AMA, we've discovered the cause of snoring!

Rogene was helping me get the kids in the car this morning so we could leave for school.

(I haven't cleaned the car out in months a little while.)

He started singing. 

Anybody remember The Little Mermaid song "Part of Your World" where Ariel sings…

Look at this Cove

Treasures Untold

How many wonders

Can one cavern hold

Well, he was singing that tune with these words…

Look at this car

Treasures untold

How many sippy cups

Can one car hold

I managed to snap this picture of him with my cell phone before he started dropping sippy cups and chasing them down the drive way, and retrieving them from under the SUV.

Thanks for the laughs, man!

We celebrated our Christmas morning on December 23 since we were leaving for our surprise trip to Canada on December 24 and we didn't want to transport all our presents.  (Note to self:  next trip to Canada, save the gifts for the real Christmas morning.)

We had our traditional Christmas breakfast, put some nice music on and opened gifts.  The kids had a blast.

Favorite gifts…

Emma - Hug-n-Sniff CareBear, Baby bottles (that go with the doll she got)

Tessa - Hug-n-Sniff CareBear, Bella Dancerella High School Musical

Staci - New cell phone

Rogene - Watch with 2GB USB drive

Bella Dancerella High School Musical

Hug-n-Sniff CareBears

"Mama HALP!"

Thank you Auntie Shanell for sending me the Olivia book.  Emma says thank you for the "Bear Stays Up for Christmas" book.  (They are two of Mommy's new favorite Christmas books to read.)

Thank you Auntie Stacie for the Strawberry Shortcake DVD!  We've watched it several times already.

Photo not taken Christmas morning.  (Pajamas are the dress code for our gift opening… hahaha!)

We had our Christmas celebration at Grandma and Grandpa's house on December 22nd so we could head to Canada and surprise Rogene's family on Christmas eve.

First we had Christmas dinner.  Yum!

 It is our tradition to have "crackers" at Christmas dinner.

And we all have to wear the paper hat that comes inside the cracker during dinner.  We had 100% participation this year!

Then we opened presents, but not before we made the kids pose for a picture!

Kiara got an ipod!

Braden got blue lights to put under his car.

Tessa got High School Musical Sing It! for the Wii

and a Barbie Island Princess doll!

Tim got a lap top from mom and dad Santa!

Emma got a TMX Elmo (not pictured) and a Barbie Loves Elmo.

And Elmo books!

Rogene got a potty humor shirt at the free Christmas celebration.  Luckily Tim stole it.

See the pile of free Christmas gifts?  Don't take the blue on on the right, it has the yellow star in it!

The yellow star.

Tessa passed out the gifts she picked out, bought (at the dollar store) and wrapped herself.  Here is the list of what each person on her Christmas list received.  (I used all my restraint this year to not influence her what to buy for each person.  It's more fun that way.)  In the picture you can see she picked out pink wrapping paper for the girls, and silver for the boys.

Grandma - plastic hair rollers (because she has curly hair)

Grandpa - ?????

Tim - Car polish (because he takes good care of his car)

Pam - Hair brush (because she has long hair)

Darryl - Key chain/flashlight (because he has a lot of keys)

Braden - Plush football (because he likes to play sports)

Kiara - Lip gloss set (because she is pretty and likes make up)

Emma - Sparkly wand (because she likes wands)

Rogene - Retractable USB cable (because he likes computers)

Me - A hand mirror (because the one she bought me last year for Christmas broke)

Later, after the gifts were all opened, Tessa and Emma sang together and fought over the microphone that came with the High School Musical Sing It! Wii game.

A good time was had by all!

We drove to Canada and surprised Rogene's family who didn't think we would make it to the big Christmas eve party.  My sister and her family came too!

I ran into a store somewhere in Washington state to get some crushed pineapple (for a recipe I was bringing to the Christmas eve party) and when I came out my girls were peeking out the sun roof.

Lolo and Lola were very surprised!

Tessa, Emma and Andrew have a pre-party slumber party.

Gabriella and Emma at the party.

Tessa and Rianna

Pam and Darryl at the party.

Braden and some girls upstairs. 

Emma provided the music for the evening.

Tessa and Emma got to open presents Christmas morning with ALL their cousins!

The tree and a million gifts.

Tessa, Rianna, Emma and Andrew.

Anson, Tessa, Rianna and Andrew.

Waiting to open gifts.

More waiting…

Okay, now OPEN!

Kiara doesn't look like she just crawled out of bed.

More passing out gifts.

Emma opening one of her gifts.

Jordan and Anson getting a big surprise.  Lhevinne (their mom) told them she was not able to find a RockBand for them, which was their biggest Christmas wish.  She even wrapped and hid the box so they for sure would be surprised.

Playing RockBand.   Jordan on drums, Braden and Lhevinne on guitar, and Darryl on vocals.

Trey playing Guitar Hero.

Tessa got a Nintendo DS!  (She is hugging it.)

Playing the DS with Auntie Pam and Kiara.

Emma says "More berry!"  (Strawberry)

And then it SNOWED!   Our first white Christmas ever.

Braden built a snowman.

Kiara enjoying the snow.

Here I am teaching Emma how to make a snowball to throw at Braden.

Braden pelting us with snowballs.

Pam throwing a snowball at Braden.

Emma enjoying the snow.

The day after Christmas we all went out for dinner.

Rianna, Gabriella and Tessa.

Cousins.

Lhevinne and her kids.

Riccoh, Rianna and Marj.

Original 5 Talentos.

Lolo and Lola with their grand kids.

The Larsons.

Emma and Gabriella.

It was a very fast but very fun trip!

You're still the one

that makes me laugh

Still the one

that's my better half

We're still having fun

And you're still the one