Iceskating

Backyard Tubing

Santa's Gift was a huge hit, thanks to Dad's muscles!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was fun at the Starley's. We had a cute Nativity story with Katelyn as Mary, Sarah as the Angel, and Abby as a Wiseman. We had a great night together and ended with the family tradition of opening matching jammies. Nate was very jealous of my star wars themed jammies! Abby threw in a nice surprise and started crawling on that very night.

Peek-A-Boo Abby

Abby is starting to get around these days. She doesn't ever move while you are watching her but if you turn your head for a minute she's right at the Christmas tree yanking on the ornaments. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that our tree has already toppled over once this year spraying broken glass all over the floor...that being explained I left the girls in Abby's room while I answered the phone. Katelyn and Sarah of course followed shortly thereafter and I heard Abby start to wimper. I walked in her room and her cries went silent. I couldn't see her either. I thought that was odd. So I went in my room to see if I had had a zany moment and she was actually in there. Nope. I went back into the nursery and could hear her soft breathing. I lifted the bedskirt of her crib and this is what I saw:
Abby are you in there?

It's Abby

Abby pretending she can't move

The girls have been extra cuddly these days and it was fun to catch a shot of them with Grandma and Grandpa tonight.

Mommy and Katelyn moment, sometimes you just have to hold them on your lap because they grow up too fast!

WSU Bookstore Meet Santa and Reindeer

My mom saved me by watching Abby while Katelyn, Sarah and I joined my sister-in-laws at the bookstore to meet Santa and his reindeer. We had just lined up when Katelyn announced she needed to use the potty. Of course the nearest bathroom was upstairs and around the corner... Once we had that taken care of the rest was really fun. Santa was very sweet (we had carrots to feed his reindeer).

The craft was making a cute Santa frame for the free photo. And they had cute Dr. Seuss cutouts to take photos.

Outside we met Snowflake and Blitzen and received special reindeer food for Christmas Eve.

Then we found out the girls photo was in the Standard Examiner (if you saw the girls last Thursday in the Top of Utah section).
All in all a day with the cousins, santa, reindeer, and crafts-what could be more fun!

Ropelato Family Christmas Party

There's nothing better than hanging out with the family during the Christmas season.
We had a darling nativity with Katelyn as Mary and Sarah as Mary/Angel.

We played games (m&m straw game, and Christmas Jeopardy), ate delish food, and visited.

What could be better? Oh yeah we had a visit from Santa and the whole family got new socks. Nate received sports socks,

Stace received super soft socks,
Katelyn had princess socks with little crowns over each toe,

Sarah had crazy stripe socks,

Abby had cute little yellow socks.

Like I said, Good times had by all. Cousins Sarah and Lexie in twinner outfits!

Marc and Randee

Click here to view this photo book larger

Sledding

The great thing about Mt. Ogden Park is the sledding bowl, so we took a day trip to the park and the girls loved it. Even Abby went down the hill.
Snow Bunnies

Snow Angels

Sledding Hill

Girls Turn

Sarah's Happiest inside

Thanksgiving Flu

It's a bummer when your kids are sick for the holidays. Katelyn had a crazy high fever of 104.3 for several days (11) combined with stomach flu, sore throat, cough, and aches. It was very sad. Sarah and Abby of course followed suit and it made for a very homebound November. Katelyn was feeling better for Thanksgiving so we took her up to the big feast at my parent's house. When we got there she was happy for about 10 minutes and then went in on my mom's bed and said, "Mommy I miss Sarah." So we visited for just a few minutes and then I took her down to our second feast. Colleen didn't have any little ones so we thought it was okay to have our sickies at the meal. It was fun to be around all our family for such a special holiday.

Quiet moments with my reading partner

A view of the lethargic. Katelyn woke up in the middle of the night panicked, "there are rice krispies in my bed." Yep and on the wall, carpet, her hair...poor, poor girls. I think I averaged four laundry loads a day for a couple weeks there.

Pilgrims and Indians

Sarah admiring her big sister

A glimpse of the party at my parent's where Katelyn was missing Sarah

DIY Thanksgiving Placemats

Whenever I compare my envisioned craft idea and it's lackluster fruition, I am left disappointed and I promise myself I wont go through all that work again without help. So when these placemats ended up working out I was thrilled! I hope you can appreciate them but feel free to make them cuter with buttons and ribbons, etc.
Here's the story:
I was reading in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine and saw a cute construction paper turkey placemat idea. I thought hmmm...that sounds fun. So I cut a couple of feathers for the girls to decorate with glitter and markers and started to make the bodies. Somewhere in the process I thought it would be cute to use scrapbook paper visuals for the feathers where each one could represent something we are thankful for. Then after assembling them I didn't want them to be ruined after one meal so I headed over to Kinko's and had them laminated (they were too big to use my laminator...).
Here is the result:

An example of discussion during dinner:
wheat=I am thankful we can harvest what we plant in our garden.
missionary= I am thankful we have freedom of religion and can share our beliefs with those around us.
soccer=I am thankful we have healthy bodies and can play sports.
marriage= I am thankful to be sealed to Nathan and I was able to choose my husband.
tiger pride= I am thankful for public education (school mascot).
disney sledding scene=I am thankful for 4 seasons and childhood fantasy.
The table view

(I made 5 but didn't put names on them so we can have more options)
It really has been fun to talk about the feathers while we are eating! Feel free to make some for your family as well.
Sorry I didn't post a shot of the plate on the placemat but it fits the center belly and the head, feet, and feathers poke around the edges of the plate.

Abby Sitting Up!

Way to go Abby! 6 months old and she's sitting pretty. She is attempting to push up to crawl but it's still pretty early yet. I can't believe how fast she's growing up!

It's always so sad to take down fun decorations but...the pumpkins were rotting

and the window displays are falling, and the ghosts were drenched in the rain

not to mention my children losing their clothes

but they sure are sweet!

Leaves!!!

We spent a day at Grandma's House jumping in the leaves:


Don't you just love Rosy (the kitten)