Another Dress for Carley

I picked up this fabric for Carley's Christmas dress about a week ago. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not.. or if it was going to be "Christmasy" enough!  I like it with a red ribbon and red bow for her hair. BUT I made one huge mistake and bought the wrong size pattern. It's huge on her. I did take down the pattern.  On the back of the pattern it showed sizes  2-5 and 7-14 but on the front of the patter it showed 7-14.. but I didn't notice until I started cutting it out. So, I decided to give it a try.  I must have cut it down to at least 5.  I didn't take much off the length cause I figured I would just hem it more than normal. Well as much as I hemmed I am almost positive it will fit her next year.  What do you think?  Too big for this year.. put it in the closet and save it? OR try and get two years out of it?  I would have loved to put a silver ribbon and bow and used it also for Ashlee's wedding. I don't know.  

These pictures are from my iphone and the color is horrible.

Christmas Tree Time !

We decided to go with our friend Caitlin this year to a Christmas tree farm.  Well, The Christmas trees that they grew didn't compair to the ones they brought in from South Carolina.  As you can see from the pictures we decided to go with a nicer more expensive one! The kids had a blast!

 There they were looking at worm and then trying to dig it out.. until Carley pulled it in half....

 Stetson was dying to jump in this puddle... but mommy wouldn't let him :(

 She ran and fell in the mud... as you can see she wasn't too happy about it.

 They all decided to pick up the loose branches... and farmers liked the help!

 These were the little trees that we realized they spray painted... 

you can see which ones were painted and which ones were not!

 Ouside the gift shop where we had to pay for our tree.  The house and 

the little building were so cute!

 and finally the fun begins.  But we still need to go 

buy the Star of David for the top!

Ok, I took one last picture with my iphone..I finally ordered the star I wanted from ebay!
It's similar to the ones we grew up with. I don't know where my mom found them. But leave it to eBay!

Home Sweet Home

As much fun as I always have visiting family I must say it's finally nice to be home with my own family. I spent 6 weeks in Minnesota (sill need to blog about that trip) before Sean returned and came back to Texas for one month before he got here.  He got home September 6 and we left for another vacation just a couple weeks later.  Our trip to California included stops in Arizona and southern California before we made it to Placerville and Camino. 

We didn't have good luck hunting at all but I must say we had an incredible time :)

This is only SOME of the pictures from the trip! Way to many to blog!

Arizona

Swimming at Pano's and Denise's house (in September)

Our favorite place to shop CABELAS :)

Stuffed African Mammals

Newport Beach on a rainy day

Watching the Pelicans

Our hotel across from the Ocean!

Stopped to see his Dad on the way up the hill... he hadn't seen his mom or dad in over a year

Reading with Grandpa

Great Grandma Doris took us to Apple Hill

The kids had a blast in the hay bale maze and pumpkin patch

Planned to go on a run.. but I don't think it happened that day :p

When we were hunting we drove an area that was being logged.

 The piles were HUGE!

 Camo Buddies :)

 Spending an hour at the river was by far the most fun we 

had with "just us" we feel at home in the forest!

We celebrated Sean's 30th Birthday and his dad's birthday at Cattlemans with his parents, grandma

and grandpa, brother, and aunt Lisa and Uncle Chris and cousin Gavin.

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Colton and Sean's cousin Gavin (colton's 2nd cousin)

 Sean's favorite riding horse... He spend over an hour in the pasture

working with her and getting her to come to him. She was shown and broke to 

death.. but pins her ears when you catch her. She is coming along but still 

doesn't trust us enough.

Stetson had a blast running around on the farm.

We met up with our great friend Kim Herren Near L.A.

our cheapest but nicest hotel room that didn't even charge for the dog :)

 

 

 

 

 

 He gashed his eye and then I think he took this picture himself :p

Next is just random pictures from the World Zoo in Surprise Arizona where

we also had a blast!