Pumpkin Carving

Goblin Gallop

We took Gillian to the first ever Goblin Gallop...it was at an apple orchard and a costume wasn't required but practically all participates were dressed. It was a nice added event for the Halloween Holiday!

First Halloween Party

Gillian was invited to a Halloween party. She was very excited to go. It was a very nice situation. She was invited by a girl in her class and apparently when the girl's mother was young her parents did these parties for her so they were carrying on the tradition. I got Gillian all ready and of course had to get some pictures.

Pumpkin Patch

We decided to take Gillian to the pumpkin patch, this is something we have always enjoyed doing every year. This year we thought Gillian would be old enough to attempt the Corn Maze (which Craig and I had never attempted prior to this)....I'm not sure any of us were old enough to try. We spent about 2 hours in the maze and ended up coming back out the way we went in as we couldn't find any other way out.

After the Corn maze we decdied it was time to head back to the market to wait for the wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch. While waiting at the market we purchased some cookies to eat...YUMMY!

We ended up on a wagon with a bunch of college kids...college kids that were loud and had way too much spirit for our family. We tolerated them but I think they annoyed all 3 of us. Once at the pumpkin patch it didn't matter how annoying the college kids were...it was time to find the perfect pumpkin!

Christmas Eve

We were lucky this year that Criag had swapped so that he could be home on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I know it won't always be this way. The morning was low key, Craig slept since he finished working at 7am and I worked from home. Gillian played through out the morning. The afternoon was just as low key except Craig and I played with Gillian. In the evening we went to my parents for Christmas Eve dinner. It was nice and relaxed and quiet.

Daddy and Gillian

Gillian

Grammie and Gillian

Tom and Erica

We got home in time to get Gillian ready for bed and to calm her down for her excitment for Santa coming to town.

Cookies for Santa

Advent Calendar

When I was a child I loved having an advent calendar for the month of December. My Mom would always try to get us one when they were available but some years they were no where to be found.

Now a days they have advent calendars that you buy and you fill the daily treasures. I think these are fabulous (and this was the 1st year that I told my Mom not to bother doing one for me...lol). My Mom does one for Gillian and one for my neice E. Gillian thinks it is fabulous as well. She calls it "my day" and everyday after dinner she asks to pick her day. Some days it is M&Ms, some a peanut butter cup, some hersey kisses and if the day is empty that means a present. I have told Gillian that the calendar is a count down to Christmas and the day before Christmas is the last day....I don't really think she understands this but we will have to wait and see. Until then, we will keep enjoying her days:)

Getting ready for Santa

The family went to get their hair done tonight. Need to get beautified for Santa coming to town:) This pic made me chuckle. Gillian is becoming such a big girl and warming up to people much quicker....

Gingerbread House

We are getting into the Christmas spirit or atleast trying. Our entry way and kitchen are normally decorated but do to a renovation, there are no decorations. Just our living room, Gillian's room and outside are decorated. I saw a gingerbread kit at the store and thought it would be something fun to do. Craig, Gillian and I had a blast putting this together.

Trimming the Tree with Candy Canes

This is the 1st year in the 6 years that we have lived here that candy canes were bought and are going on the tree. I'm not quite sure what we will do with them after the holidays but they add to our tree in the mean time.

Holiday Party

Today we went to a holiday party at Grampie Miner's work. We went last year and it was very cramped and in a small space. This year it was held in a different location which had more room to accommodate the number of people that come out for the party. Gillian is very excited for Christmas this year so I had told her that Santa would be there for her to speak to about her requests for Christmas. Although she was excited at home for this, I knew she would not be brave enough to go near him on her own.

So we arrived and it was set up really nice and had plenty of room. They had coloring and a basket that all the kids could choose a little toy from until Santa arrived. Gillian choice a blue Jeep because she is very into cars right now and she prefers red or blue because that is what Mommy and Daddy's car colors are. So we sat down and waited because Gillian didn't want to color with all the other kids and as soon as he was there she couldn't take her eyes off him. So they called the 0-2 year olds 1st then the 3-6 year olds so we got up there quick and were 5th in line. Instantly Gillian did not want to go so Craig took her up so Grammie Miner and I could take pictures. She did smile but didn't' really speak to Santa. Overall it was fun and I know Gillian enjoyed herself. I love things like this....gets us in the spirit of the holidays.

Grammie Miner and Gillian

Daddy, Gillian & Santa

Gillian opening her present.

Christmas is coming...

So I had promised Gillian as soon as Thanksgiving was past we could start preparing the house for Christmas. So today I asked Craig to get all the decorations down from above the garage so Gillian and I could start with the tree. I don't do real trees, don't want the maintenance, not sure I could handle the smell, just prefer the fake tree. Anyway, Gillian was thrilled that our task for today was to get the tree up and decorate it. She did really good, I put the branches in but she had to bring me the branches by color when I asked for whatever color was needed. Then she did lights on one side of the tree while I was on the other and then it was time for ornaments. I took them out and she found spots on the tree for them. Gillian did a wonderful job...pictures to come later...

So while getting ready to decorate Gillian brought up the purple Christmas tree she had seen at the store. She kept asking if our tree was purple and I told her that our tree was green and finally the last time she asked I said, "our tree is green like the trees outside." Her response,"All trees are different colors, they aren't exactly the same." How do I argue with that logic? I can't. So after we were done the tree for the living room, Gillian and I packed into the car and drove to the store to buy the purple Christmas tree. We got a few princess ornaments for the tree too. She again did a wonderful job decorating it. Then when we were done and turned off the lights in her bedroom so the tree would light up her room, she asked,"Do you think that Santa will leave a gift under my tree too?" I said,"Of course Santa will, he checks in on all the good little boys and girls that he delivers gifts to and surely he would leave a gift under the beautiful tree." I don't know how she is so smart but I'm so thankful for it...

A fabulous day...

My day started by my child screaming,"I need to go potty!" Which I would rather than have her wet her bed so although it was 6:15am I would take that as a good start to the day because she didn't wet the bed. I made some pancakes and Gillian watched TV until it was time to go to dance class.

Grammie and Grampie Miner came this week to see Gillian dance which she had been excited for all week. She is a very proud dancer which makes me extremely happy. Dance class had it's normal moments of extreme laughter when watching about 20 3-4 year olds learning.

After dance we went home, I bundled Gillian up and took her for a walk around our development, exercise for me and fresh air for her...win win. After that we went and cycled (recycled) which it had been a few weeks. Gillian gets so excited and has even started pointing out the products that we recycle prior to them ending up in the garage. She talks to the other people cycling which normally she is so shy, must be they are doing the right thing so they are safe. LOL.

For the afternoon we were going to the pumpkin patch at Rulfs with Grammie and Grampie Brooks, Uncle Sean, Andrea and M. It was a chilly day, maybe 50 degrees. It smelled like fall which is my favorite time.

When we got there, first there was play time on the playset.


Then there were pictures in the cut outs.

Flash back to October 2007.

Then we went on the wagon ride.

Then we made it to the pumpkin patch.

Then we found our perfect pumkin.

Then headed back to the orchard.

Then visited with a horse that was taking a break.

Then home. Amazingly Gillian didn't nap, she fell asleep for maybe 10 minutes in the car then woke up when we got home. Gillian and I hung out until I went to shower, shortest shower ever and came back to the picture below...it was a fabulous day...