Addresses, please

If you would like a Christmas card this year, please email me your address. You may also leave a comment on this post with your address, and since I have to approve all comments before they are published, I promise not to publish your address for all to see.

Merry Christmas!

Picture Preview

Recently we ventured out into the bitter cold to get some family pictures taken (thanks, Jamie and Cindy!) What an adventure! It was nearly impossible to get both kids to look good in the pictures at the same time! I have been trying to fiddle with a few of them here on our computer before printing them up.

These are not all of the ones I like, but here's a preview. I've been wanting to save these for Christmas, but they are just so darn cute that I HAD to post a couple right now. I guess I'll save the complete family photo for later, so the entire surprise won't be ruined.

(And don't worry, Grandmas and Grandpas, you might find a few of these wrapped up for you on Christmas morning...)

I honestly can't decide which photo of Maggie is cuter. Any votes?

Does this pose look familiar?

Cute Christmas Cards

In the past, we have been HORRIBLE about sending out Christmas cards! We have done printouts with a letter a couple of times (no pictures), and the past two years I think we just sent out a mass email with some pictures attached. However, this year I am going to turn over a new leaf by actually mailing out REAL Christmas cards through snail mail! After hearing how awesome Shutterfly.com is from a friend, I have decided to use them. I have spent some time browsing through pages and pages of Christmas card templates, and here are some of my favorites:







Here's one that I like because you can put the text of your Christmas letter on the front of the card, rather than having to print off copies and stuff it inside the card!


If you notice, I like the cards that allow you the option of putting multiple family pictures on the front. I'm also a big fan of cards that say "Merry Christmas," as opposed to "Happy Holidays" or "Holiday Greetings," although I do appreciate that Shutterfly recognizes that not everyone celebrates Christmas. There are so many options available!

By the way, if you are interested in using Shutterfly for your family's Christmas cards, here is a link to their Christmas card site. You can also make invitations to Christmas parties, or even invitations to New Year's parties. You should definitely check it out!

Right now Shutterfly is having a special where if you create a blog post similar to mine about their Christmas cards, you can receive 50 free Christmas cards! Click here to find out more information.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

We are already in full Christmas mode at our house. We have been listening to Christmas music and reading Jared Christmas children's books. We haven't put up our decorations yet, but we do have lights on our house. :)

I tried to upload an EXTREMELY long video here of Jared reciting the entire Grinch poem, but I finally gave up (or, rather, Blogger gave up on the video). He seriously knows the whole thing by heart, except I noticed that he skipped a couplet here and there. It is so cute to hear him recite it!

And while we are on the topic of Jared, he and I have really been enjoying having our Mommy School twice a week (I stole the name from you, Jennifer!). It is totally casual and only lasts about 20 or 30 mins. each time, but it is helping Jared learn about shapes, colors, numbers, and the alphabet, and I really enjoy the easy crafts and songs we do together. Jared asks almost every night before bedtime, "Do we get to do Mommy school tomorrow?" He loves it.

Also, a few of my blogging friends recommended the site Starfall.com to me, and I just have to pass on that recommendation! Jared has learned about each of the ABC's from this site. In just a few weeks, Jared not only learned how to use a mouse on the computer, but he now can recognize both capital AND lowercase letters of the alphabet, and he knows most of their sounds now. He routinely asks me throughout the day things like, "Mommy, does m-m-m-milk start with the letter m?" And last night, at the late hour of 11:00 pm, Jared thought it was really important to get out of bed and ask me "what makes a ch sound, like ch-ch-chicken?" He asks me almost every day if we can "learn a letter" on the computer. I would totally recommend this website! I look forward to utilizing more of the other features on the site, like the beginning reading sections.

Our Anniversary

This week we will celebrate our wedding anniversary. We don't really have any big plans (we can't with a nursing baby), but thanks to a couple of my cousins, we are going to be able to go out to lunch and then go out after the kids are in bed.

I really love Alan so much. He is such a good husband and father. It's funny, as each year passes and as we add more members to our family, I am more aware of just how important the temple is in our lives. Everything points us to the temple. The temple is what allows us to be a family forever. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Snow!!

Mommy, I'm cold!

It snowed one of the last days in October. Jared was begging to go outside and play in it! We had lots of fun (although it melted by the afternoon), and I'm sure we will make lots of memories over these next few months playing in the snow.

Our miniature snowman

Maggie was asleep for most of the time we were outside, but once she woke up I bundled her up and took her outside, too!

Here is a darling outfit my mom bought her. I just had to post this picture, too.

Halloween

We celebrated Halloween over the course of a whole week. First was the Stout family Halloween party, complete with costume contest, spook alley, and games. Not to mention all of the delicious food, a sampling of which you see above. Yum! The party was so much fun, and we are glad it is now a yearly tradition!

Yeah, the balloons for our grapes costumes didn't last too long. Try nursing a baby with balloons stuck all over your shirt!


This video is of the donut-eating contest

Then several days later we had the Halloween party with my side of the family, where we carved pumpkins and sang Halloween carols (my family has a repertoire of a dozen or so!)

My dad making Maggie laugh a bit at the party

Yum. I am obsessed with delicious food.

Here is the pumpkin Alan carved.

This was the hilarious attempt at getting all of the grandkids on my side of the family together for a picture. Ha ha!

On the Saturday of Halloween, we went to our neighborhood's very rainy trunk or treat. We were planning on taking Jared around to a few neighbors' houses as well, but we ran out of steam.

Maggie loves Halloween. Can't you tell? Jared wore this same costume for his first Halloween.

Jared the Bee. This picture doesn't quite capture the full effect.

Happy Halloween!

I have got several Halloween parties to blog about, but until I get around to it... have a Happy Halloween!

More Fun Times

Pumpkin tree

Last week, in addition to our fun time at the Farm, we went to Cornbelly's with the Pratts. (Jared was in heaven! He is so used to being cooped up in our house!) It was a lot of fun, but the weekend price was a bit much for a three-year-old, if you ask me.

Jared (and Carson and Emma) on the Cinderella carriage. Jared doesn't even know who Cinderella is yet, poor kid.

Jared the Scarecrow

On the tractor

Jared rode with the Pratts on this wagon ride while I stayed with Maggie

Playing in all the play houses

Apparently not too thrilled about the cow wagon

Emma and Jared in the duck races

Playing on the wooden train (yes, I was there, too!)

Me and my friend Summer

One of the best features is a "corn box": like a sand box but with hard corn kernels.

The Farm

We loved the Halloween decorations!

Last week we were lucky to be able to go with our friends the Pratts to see the animals at the farm! Jared loved spending time with some friends and seeing all the animals.

Riding a pony

Eating our picnic lunch! I know, everyone looks so attractive in this picture.

Petting the cow

Here is a hilarious video of Jared and a rooster. The second video is Jared riding the pony.

Beautiful Bather and Proud Potty-er

How can you not love this girl???



Jared was singing while going potty, something he does quite often. It was super cute! He had been singing "If You Chance to Meet a Frown," which he does actually know the words to, but I guess he didn't want to perform for an audience.

Maggie and Mr. G

This week I was lucky to be able to babysit my newest nephew Gabe for a few hours. He and Maggie are only 6 weeks apart, so I guess I got a teensy taste of what it's like to watch twins!

I tried to catch a few pictures, but Maggie kept turning her head to look at her handsome cousin, and Gabe kept opening his mouth (a half-smile?). Of course Jared wanted to be in the picture, too, but he is so talented at NOT smiling a real smile as well. Hmmm...what to do?

Um, yeah, which of these two pictures is better? I'm not sure either.

The Role of Women

One of my brothers has a blog on which he dedicates his beautiful entries to his wife. I particularly liked his most recent entry, on which he describes the role of women in our Heavenly Father's plan. You can read it here. It is awesome. Thanks, bro.

What We've Been Up To Lately

Sleeping (some of us more than others) :)

Tummy Time (Maggie can now roll from her back to tummy. Thanks again for the texture blanket, Adrianne, and the outfit, Brooke!)

Cuddling with Daddy

Drying apple slices

Canning peaches and pears with my mom-Yum!

Making applesauce with my friend Cindy-Yum again!

I am reluctantly recognizing that fall is now here and am desperately trying to make plans so that I won't go crazy indoors this winter!