Santa Claus Parade

Before December had even started we found out that during one of the last weeks of November that one of the neighboring cities would be hosting a Santa Claus Parade.  I was ready to go and so we bundled up the girls to take them!  Adaya ended up falling asleep and sleeping through the whole parade but Jessa was a champ and gathered candy that was thrown for her and her sisters and waved and said hi to all who passed us.

One of the floats was a horse drawn sleigh and they offered to have free rides after the parade was done.  So when Jessa asked if we could go; as much as I just wanted to go home after the morning we had, I said yes and I am happy that I did!  As we were waiting in line we ended up running into our friends Jenny and Alison with their girls!  It was fun to spend some time with them as we went on the horse drawn sleigh together and then we headed over to a local church when Alison's mother in law was helping to host a luncheon.  It was really nice to be able to be invited along and the girls had a fun time playing with Neely, Jacey, Stella, and Mia.

When family feels so far away it is so nice to have some friends nearby!

If we can just remember

On November 11th we went over to the town's memorial site to celebrate Remembrance Day.  I tried really hard with the older girls to teach them what it means to remember and what it is that we are supposed to remember.    The girls were really well behaved and sat quietly and stood at the fence as the program began and it was nice that we could teach the littles how important it is to remember.  We spent the first couple of weeks learning a song  called I've got Peace in my fingers.  We were trying to learn it to sing so we could send a video out to family members because this was the first Remembrance Day we would celebrate without Grandpa Bear here.  However, when it came down to record we weren't being very peaceful and had some littles argue EVERY single time about who needed to be in the spotlight.  However, the words of the song are really nice.

I've got peace peace peace in my fingers watch what I can do
I've got peace peace peace in my fingers I'm going to shake hands with you.

I've got words words words in my head what what I can do
I've got words words words in my head I'm gonna talk things over with you

I've got love love love in my heart watch what I can do
I've got love love love in my heart I'm going to give some to you.

I've got peace peace peace in my fingers
words words words in my head
love love love in my heart.  I'm going to share some with you.

We spent the rest of the day together as a family and it was a quiet but nice wrap up to just how wonderful it is to have a land where we truly do have freedom and peace.

300!!

If you could see me right now you would see me doing a quick jig because I have officially hit 300 posts!!  It may have taken me 6 years but I did it hurrah hurrah hurrah!!  That is something to celebrate and a good post to celebrate it on!

My heart was bursting this week!  It was one of those weeks where you are entirely content and grateful for ALL the blessings you can see around you!!  Children are so amazing and when holidays come around there is such a magic that enters your home and life as you look at something through the eyes of a child.

On Sunday we were able to watch the primary presentation that Jessa participated in.  It's a proud mommy moment when your little baby gets up there and rocks her part.  With confidence in her little voice she repeated her words loudly and clearly "my family follows God's plan by taking the sacrament!" She then proceeded to jump off the bench where she sat for one song and twirl around like a ballerina through the others.  Brother. Akitt grabbed her for some cuddle time and it was fantastic!  I am so grateful for how loving he is towards her.

Monday was Halloween and definitely a day that the girls have been counting down in school since the start of the month.  Jessa woke up asking if there were 3 days left to Halloween and she was stoked to learn that the day had FINALLY come!! *So fun fact about our family if you are just joining in!  J and I have done themed costumes since we started dating:
1. Prince Charming and Cinderella
2. The Smurfs
3. Good vs. Evil
4. Pirate, Princess and Monkey
5. Happy Meal from McDonalds  J was Drink, I was Hamburger, and Jessa was fries
6. Santa, Elf and Reindeer (the girls were Cinderella and Gus Gus)


This year I let Jessa have her voice heard and while she debated back and forth between My Little Pony or Paw Patrol she finally settled on Paw Patrol when she shot out the idea that I should dress Annalina as my purse chicken Chickaletta.  It was from there that everything fell quickly into place I became Mayor Goodway, Jonathan was Ryder, Jessa was Everest and Adaya was Skye.  I made all the costumes throwing things together and was pleased with the results.  It made me even happier to hear that one mom asked Jonathan where he bought his vest from that I had made from duct tape, ribbon, and felt and that Jessa definitely did look like Everest!

Last year Jessa was just the cutest as we first took her to go trick or treating the excitement was just bursting from her as she squealed with delight as we went from house to house!  I loved her enthusiasm and how happy it made me to have her she her excitement with us.

This year Adaya was so stoked about all that was going on and decided not to take a nap in the afternoon meaning she crashed around 6 as we are leaving to go Trick or Treating.  Jonathan handed out Candy so she could have a 20 minute power nap while I took Jessa around the condos.  Truthfully, I expected some squeals of delight this year but she was just quiet.  I didn't know what she was thinking but she must have been having fun as she asked to go to the next house and the next one and the next one!

When Dayday finally woke we set off on our trick or treating adventure but it took Adaya a while to warm up to the idea of carrying her pumpkin bucket and coming door to door to get the treats.  Finally when she realized that you got candy out of the deal she was out of that stroller and on her way to get candy with Jessa!  And now we seem to have a little pumpkin who literally wants to carry her pumkpin bucket with her everywhere :)

Another melt my momma heart moment happened the morning of Halloween.  I had awoken early with Adaya who was having a hard time sleeping with a nasty cold our whole house had come down with the week before and brought her downstairs to rock her while the other two girls slept.  Well Jessa awoke to come sleep with me like she does every morning only to find that I wasn't in my usual spots.  I waited and listened and finally I heard her little feet as they came down the stairs one by one.  When she saw me she came running over to me her hair flying all over and she said mommy I couldn't find you so I asked Heavenly Father to help me find you!!  WIth that I responded and it worked!!!  I am so grateful for a little girl who already knows that Heavenly Father will definitely help her whenever she needs if she just asks!