elf hat

Dallin and I watercolored a painting the other day that apperently became an "elf hat".

He made Paul wear it whilst vacuuming.

silly girl

We braved the black friday crowds today.  Braved, meaning, we slept in, got ready, ate breakfast and drove to Target.  Paul ran in while the kids and I stayed in the quiet, toasty warm car.  I am NOT a black Friday shopper!

At one store, we parked and I went to get Ellie out of her car seat.  She was gabbering away on her phone, ie. her hand up to her ear.  I went to unbuckle her and she promptly told the person on the other line,

"I dotta do now, bye"

and hung up.

Grace - by Paul

Growing up we lived about three hours from my maternal grandparents, and we visited a few times a year. There are a really only a few things that I remember about my grandparent’s house. I remember that it was red brick, it had a front room with a large cabinet record player (with a hokey pokey record playing), there was cubby hole under the stairs full of grandpa’s fishing stuff (which the grandkids were forbidden from getting into, although I don’t believe it always stopped us), and there was a small picture hanging in the kitchen of an elderly man praying over his bread.

A few months ago Kristen and I were perusing the local Goodwill (one of her favorite past times), and ran into a larger print of the photo. After one of Kristen’s refinishing jobs it now hangs in our kitchen.

So, here’s to you Grandma and Grandpa Castleton; for helping us understand the need to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving.

{Grandpa Castleton preaching on the streets}

Happy Birthday Sweet and Sassy!

Happy No.2 EllieBoo!

We absolutely love this little girl!

We are so very fortunate to have you in our family!

Your brother adores you.  He says he wants to marry you.  (We're still trying to explain that one to him.)

happy, content, cute, silly, thoughtful, sassy, sweet, smart

a parrot, a puppy, a kitty, a duck

a sister, a daughter, a friend, a peace maker, an angel

AmaZing!

precocious

{making aunt jen's rolls}

{playing with a roll of tape}

Hey, I would do this one again!  It kept him busy for 30 minutes!

shiny and cheap

Have you seen the wreath that Eddie Ross made last year out of ornaments?

Mine's not as pretty, but it was cheap!

If it falls it will break, but it won't shatter.

I bought plastic ornaments on clearance last year, and also some at the Dollar Tree.

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Have you seen this yet?

I love it!

{Here's some trivia for you:  Paul and I came up with Dallin's name due in part to this man (Dallin H. Oaks).  Most people here that we have met think that "Dallin" is a unique name that they have never heard before.  They have a hard time pronouncing and spelling it.}

I am thankful for so many things.

Paul

Dallin

Ellie

family

friends

food

steady income

home

car

health

happiness

the Gospel of Jesus Christ

priesthood

babies

lotion

tender mercies

soap

water

airplanes

and so on and so on

Through all the trials that life brings, I am thankful for the many blessings that life comes with.

Martha trees

hopped over here and found a super link for some more cute trees

{image via marthastewart.com}

"enemies" and friends

"Bad Guy" Jacob and "Super" Dallin

Speaking of dirt...

ornament 2009

I avoided pushed back making more important Christmas things on my list and made our Christmas ornaments for this year.

{fun and easy instructions}

worm house

found this

then later, this

following the trail of dirt, wood, paper, pencils, and water

I found this

after a bath (while mom cleaned up the kitchen)

dinner was served

while Ellie threw Jell-o all over the just-cleaned floor,

Dallin spilled Jell-o down his underwear

at the park, in NOVEMBER

We are loving this weather!

70 degrees today!

It does NOT feel like November.

While I was at a service project this morning, Paul took the kids to the park.

Paul (and Dallin) took some great pictures.

A great picture by Dallin!

Spraypaint Pillows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day, I will have a bigger garage (bigger than the small, packed, one car space that I have now) and I will say:

"Hey ladies!  I am going to do this SUPER cool project......

{image via: v and co tutorial: spraypaint pillows}

....so come on over and make them with me!"

and then we will laugh and paint and have so much fun hanging out in my garage!

okay?

okay.

billy rat pretend mr. incredible

"I love you , too, Mom!" -Dallin Duncan

"Daddy is my best friend" -Dallin Duncan

(socks on hands = "pretend mr. incredible")

a joke, by dallin duncan

Why did the chicken cross the limb?

Because he didn't have any chairs!

me asking dallin a joke:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

dallin's answer:

Because he didn't have a car!

------------------

Dallin likes to call names lately (although he insists it's NOT calling names).

His favorite phrase:  YOU BILLY RAT!

And sometimes, if we are lucky, he shortens it:  YOU BILLY!

------------------------------

Dallin: (lifting up his fist) Punchers going to punch you!

Me:  And you will straight to time-out if you punch me.

Dallin:  (still holding his fist up) But I will not punch you, Puncher will punch you.

Me:  Then Puncher will go to time out!

Dallin:  (realizing that he, too, will go with Puncher, changes the shape of his hand)  It's not Puncher any more, it's Mr. Moo!

------------------

Dallin LOVES his little sister.  He is starting to call her by his own nicknames:

Elle

Ells

I just die of the cuteness when he says these!

--------------------------

I love you, too, Dallin!

growth chart

{growth chart}

woe is me....i have no cricut

so i bought the vinyl on etsy

Veterans Day

Some pictures that we have on hand:

Paul's paternal grandfather Clinton Lee Duncan

Paul's dad Stuart Von Duncan

Kristen's maternal grandfather Robert Lavern Breseman

Kristen's maternal great uncle Albert Boyd (Uncle Red)

Kristen's paternal grandfather Robert Que Steele

Grandpa Steele's platoon

KITCHEN UPDATE

a little antique white paint on the beadboard

a touch up or two or three

a couple things on the wall

THEN complete!

did you notice my COMPLETE color change?

i like to keep things exciting around here

i LOVE it

it's bright and calming

it makes me happy

dance, magic, dance

she's still got moves

even in her brother's shoes and socks

really cool clouds

in the sky

in our back yard

makes me want to go back to my 5th grade science class

(Mrs. Steele?  Why are they wavey?)

He did it. Not me.

The left over birthday cake sat on the counter.

"I just want to shove my face into this cake." Paul mentions.

"Then do it." I challenge.

Forget Ice Water

It seems as though Ellie fixed the water/ice dispenser to spit out what she really wants.

DIY show off giveaway

There is a super fun giveaway going on at The DIY Show Off.

Lots of prizes!

Head on over and sign up for the fun!

get well, get well soon, GET WELL, GET WELL SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a week after my body (and mind) felt normal again...GORY BE!!!....I got sick for a week.

Then Ellie got sick for a week.

Then Dallin got sick for a week.

Then Paul got sick for a week.

Now Ellie is sick again.

Here's to hoping that we will get well and stop cycling this horrible

coughing

sniffling

fever

body ache

head ache

YUCK!

On a positive note, it has been nice to be together, holed up in our house, watching movie after movie after movie. 

Kind of like a tylenol/nyquil/advil vacation.

Leen the Graphics Queen Giveaway!

{image}

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yes, please!

These are beautiful and they are being given away at Leen the Graphics Queen!

The braches would look smashing above my bed and my kitchen is almost done being painted (yeah, yeah, still not done, life happens!) and it needs some new art!

Now, if you don't mind, I have an new Etsy shop to drool over look at.

caramel apples

butterfinger was the winner this year

yum!

and yum!