Over the hills and thru woods to James House we go

Yay! We made it, to Minot, North Dakota. Only took 18 hours. Ready to enjoy a crazy cold family Christmas. Wishing everyone a beautiful holiday.

Candy Cane Bark

Ava and I love love love this stuff. Problem is that it gets a little spendy to keep stocked during the holidays, but there is an easy solution to that. Make it myself. So that I did. It was so easy, took maybe 15 minutes. I melted milk chocolate chips in a double boiler, added a little butter so it was creamy and a little vanilla, then poured it in a glass pan, washed the double boiler dried it, then melted the white chips, added milk and butter, while they were melting I put candy canes in a zip lock baggie and crunched them up, added them to the white chips then poured it on top of the chocolate. Finished verdict, not quite as good as GRIRADELLI, but very delicious.






Ava cant even tell a difference and she loved to help make them. This way probably cost me around $3.00, versus $6 to $7.



I made this Christmas Wreath. I really wanted one this year, but couldn't bare to pay the $20 to $50 dollars for one. I went to my local dollar store and got some garland, formed a circle then cut several little pieces and just hot glued and twisted until I liked the way it looked, then decorated. Its not as fabulous as the ones I wanted, but it will do. The only thing I bought was $4.00 worth of garland, the rest I already had. Pretty proud of myself, cutting costs where I can!

A typical day in the ANGELL house

Ava loves to read, read, read. She knows most of our books by heart now, she also love to "make the couch" Which means putting the blanket and pillows on it.

Halley's new favorite thing is to clean out the cabinet of the entertainment center and play in there.

Ava loves to write and draw to keep herself entertained. Today she wrote Mom and Dad with hearts after, which to her means she loves her Mom and Dad. What a sweet surprise when she came to show me, that she can do it all by herself.

Halley is very confused about the season. She loves to take everything out of her drawers and put on as many clothes as she can, today she thought it would be fun to go swimming, and she couldn't go without her cute sun hat and miss matched socks.

On days like today, I realize just how blessed I am to be able to stay at home and make these memories with my sweet, fun girls. I love these opportunities to let thier imaginations grow.

Turkey Day

Was spent at my Father in laws house. I helped in the kitchen all day, Kalab watched t.v and I bet got a couple naps in, while I was staying busy. The girls ran and ran all day, playing with cousins. As usual the Turkey was delicious, potatoes where yummy and I ate way way to much.



Just some pics I snapped over the weekend of my cute and adorable girls!

Pumpkin Pie and Snow Angells!

Today I completely made a pumpkin pie from scratch! What a worth while way so spend a snowy afternoon, when your hubby is at work and girls are napping. It actually takes 3 or more hours start to finish.


Looks so yummy! Perfect to share with our neighbors who are coming for dinner tomorrow!

Ava playing in the snow!

Starting to look alot like Christmas!

My poor tired hubby! Hardly gets any sleep, trying to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table! What a great Man!

This just hasn't been Halley's week. Poor little girl was playing around by the heater and it got her good! She didn't cry much, but burns really hurt! I feel so bad for her delicate, sensitive skin. I really hope it doesn't leave a scar.
She also got a scratch on her nose, not sure how it got there and big bump in her forehead, from running into the wall!

Hubby's Report Card

A while back, Kalab and I wernt exactly seeing eye to eye. Since then he has really been making much more of an effort with our relationship. He has been sweet and helpful, flirty and really just more intune to me. Which I couldn't be happier about! Together we worked out alot of stuff, we have been trying to spend more with eachother and not just time, quality time, talking and doing fun things together. I have noticed that my love and patience for him has grown. Now instead of getting mad at all the little things, I take a couple deep breaths and let it go, not eveything has to be a big deal. A little love goes a long way! So I think we both deserve an A++

...........Sweet November................

I love November. The jitters I get from feeling the Holidays just around the corner. Crafting and making things for the up coming season, I start getting back into the kitchen cooking and baking, warming up the house with yummy aromas and food ready to tickle our taste buds. Enjoying cuddles in the morning with my sexy hubby, in our nice warm bed, watching movies eating popcorn and sipping hot cocoa, snug under a blanket with my favorite two princesses! Play dates at home. Makings messes and best of all having fun cleaning them up with little helpers. Chilly walks bundled up, looking for Fall treasures, pretty leaves and twigs, pine cones.

Chicken Tortellini Soup with Fresh Spinach and Parmesan cheese, yum!

Andes Mint Holiday cookies! Everyone loves them!

Home made sausage Pizza.

New bows I've been making. I love these!

Halley's Vest is just darling with her matching bow. I made it for one her Christmas presents, but couldn't wait to try it on her, then she wouldn't let me take it off! She loves it!

Halley playing Queen of the Couch!

Ava's cute Peguin out of play dough, she so creative.

Playing around.







Making messes.

and Helping clean them up!

Halloween 2010

What a good Halloween we had this year. Dad spent the first Halloween with us in 3 years. He's always had to work. We enjoyed door to door Trick Or Treating and a party at a friends house. I was so tired from running the marathon, I didn't get to many pictures. Bummer. But we sure know we had a good time. Halley didn't want to put any of her candy in her bucket. She had 5 pieces of candy in her hands and kept trying to get more. When she figured out that she got candy at the door, she would run (or wobble) from door to door, trying to beat Ava.

Ava had 3 different costumes this year. Her and Halley dressed up as Belle and Snow White for Boo Zoo. Then Ava still fit into her costume for last year, a witch, then at the last minute she decided to be Sleeping Beauty. Ava wore her play heels all night, walking from house to house. What a trooper, I brought different shoes for her just incase, but she didn't want them!

Halloween Half Marathon!

Today I have been able to walk without any pain in my legs. Yesterday wasn't to bad, I only felt sore when walking up the stairs. The days before that I could hardly walk without pain radiating through my entire body. Well worth the pain for the fun I had running the Provo Halloween half marathon with my younger Sister, Jaycie and Brother, Josh. I ran it in 2 hours and 5 minutes. Which is a personal best. I signed up under the athena division, which is for runners 150 lbs or heavier. I came in 13th out of 85 plus runners. 4,300 is the total number of crazy runners that signed up for the race. Thank You Josh and Jaycie for making this a truly memorable day!

Fall time deliciousness!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip

12 oz Cream Cheese
3/4 C Pumpkin
2 table spoons of Taco Seasoning
1/2 lbs Hamburger
Green and Red Bell Pepper
Olives

I mixed the pumpkin and Cheese until smooth added the seasoning then the meat then added
half of each the peppers and as many olives as you want.

Then dip your favorite cracker or Veggies! Don't be afraid of the pumpkin, its very delicious.

Mommy's little helper!

Isnt amazing what a little bit of flour, milk, salt and eggs can do?

Finished! My families favorite.

Quick Get Away!

Bri and I enjoying some Krispee Kreme with the kiddos!

I've been feeling slightly depressed lately. Alot of different things all at once seem to hit me pretty hard. One of my Grandma's died, Kalab and I feeling well ya know. Thinking about the upcoming winter. Kalab and his job. Just a lot of stress in my life right now, I decided I needed a friends trip. Nothing to bring your spirits up like some good old gal pals. The first night I stayed with my Best Friend, Heather and her girls Lily and Ella and her Husband John in Twin Falls. We had a yummy BBQ and enjoyed some nice Fall time weather down in the Canyon. Surely wished I had gotten some pictures, but was just enjoying my time to much, busy chatting and pushing kids on the swings and catching them at the bottom of the slide and walking down the river bank. Memories and feelings are better than pictures anyway.

Next I was headed to Meridan, to visit and friend who recently moved there from Pocatello. We had a good night of playing at really neat and huge park. Did a little shopping and got pizza for dinner. The next morning we did some more shopping at the Boise Mall, had some lunch then I left Ava so she could stay and play with her friends, while Halley and I headed into Caldwell to check out the house I grew up in and my old High School, and eventually met up with some old friends I graduated with, that I hadnt seen since. It was really cool to see them. I was a little apprehensive about the visit because it had been so long. But it was really amazing to see how everyone was pretty much the same, including me. We visited for over 5 hours and it was still hard for me to get away. I didn't realize how much I missed them. and How cool all these girls really are.

Have You Gotten Lost!

We sure did while having a blast at the local Corn Maze! The girls played carnival games and ate candy and Daddy pushed Halley in the stroller while Mom chatted away with friends and chased the girls around! All in all a fabulous Fall time!