We're expecting!

We are expecting baby #4 at the end of June. This will be our last because I am tired of being sick and fat and pregnant; I am dreading being cut open again; I am ready to have my body back... and we know we're done. We're crossing our fingers for a girl, but will love a boy just the same. We won't know until February. So, check back later to find out. Yeah! We're done!

Festival of Trees

This year Hallie performed again at the Festival of Trees. She loves performing for dance and watching others dance. After her performance she had a major melt down because we wouldn't let her stay and watch the other dancers perform because Cameron was really sick and it was WAY past their bed times. So, needless to say, we left the Expo Center with 3 screaming children. What a fun night!

A few of my favorite things

Christmas is definitely a time when I get to do one of my favorite things... decorating. So, here are a few pictures of our new house decked for Christmas. It wasn't exactly as elaborate as I had dreamed but I am already so spoiled with a new house, so I had to rein in on the spending and use what we already had.

outside-- not a great picture

one view of the home teacher room

our entry way

Santa's entry way

Murder Mystery

Last weekend we did our annual murder mystery dinner with our friends. It was a lot of fun. Mike played "Chief Breaking Wind," and I was "Elvira Fection" -- yeah, somehow I always get the promiscuous character. Anyway, we had fun and lots of yummy food, including Lesli's yummy butternut squash ravioli's.

Bryant & Hallie wanted to pose with Mike's gear before they went to bed

Brandon & Lesli John

the dashing young cowboy & the fiesty cowgirl

Rob & Jamie Titensor
the lawman & the widowed preacher

Monica & Tom Marchant
mother of 13 & the cowboy's cowboy

Happy Halloween

Hallie, Cameron, Joni, Bryant & Brooklyn

Halloween was a success this year. We had dinner with our neighbors and then went out for some intense trick-or-treating with the Marchant's. Tom picked the route and pushed the kids on when they started getting tired of running from house to house. At the end of the night, the kids picked out their favorite treats and donated the rest to the "Treat Witch" in exchange for an awesome toy (walkie talkies). And thus, Tom did his job and we ended up with a ton of candy for game night. Gotta love free candy!

Cameron's 1st birthday

Yesterday was Cameron's 1st birthday. I can't believe he is so grown up. We didn't really do anything yesterday to celebrate, but we had a party for him a few weeks ago.

my little man

we had a costume party for the kids, but Grandma dressed up, too

Gavin, Cailyn, Bryant & Hallie

two little monkeys: Rhett & Cameron with Grandpa Jackson

opening presents

Gavin was pouting because he couldn't have a cupcake yet

getting ready to blow out his candle

digging in

Look at this mess!

Yum!

washing off in the sink

The new place

I know it's been long overdue, but finally, here are some pictures of our new place. We are loving it. There is so much more space for us and it is great living on a cal de sac.

view from the front

the entry way

the home teacher room (someday when we actually get something to sit on in there)

the family room

the family room/dining area

the kitchen

more family room and Mike's massive TV

(his Christmas/birthday/everything present for the next year)

the 1/2 bath on the main floor (not a great picture)

the playroom on the main floor (my favorite room in the house)

Bryant's room (Cameron will share eventually-- his room is to boring to show right now)

Hallie's room (she picked the color scheme)

more of Hallie's room

Master bedroom

master bath

more master bath

Dancing Queen

Monday night was Hallie's dance performance at Thanksgiving Point. The weather was horrible and we almost decided to turned around and go home because it was so bad. But, Hallie begged and pleaded, and didn't care about getting a chance to play on all of the blow-up toys that she would miss while she was dancing. So, we gave in. We forked out the cash to get into the park to sit in the freezing wind and rain, and let her dance. I am such a push-over. However, she has previously struggled with liking dance and is finally starting to find her groove.

Anyway, here are the pictures:

Practicing her smile

Getting ready back stage

One picture of Cameron while he is still smiling (because about one minute later he wasn't)

Wasn't that cute!

Dinosaurs and Zombies

Last Wednesday we went to the Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park to play with Grandma Julie. They had a special "scary" display for Halloween. We had a great time.

Hallie, Cameron and Bryant getting ready to play

Cameron just chillin'



Hallie being dramatic



more messing around




Grandma snuggles up next to a zombie










Mommy is tired and ready to go home




When we got home we made dinner and had some interesting conversation around the table. Grandma needed dating advice and Hallie was more than willing to give it. "Just get on a pretty dress (black, red or white), make your hair straight and pretty, go knock on all the doors in your neighborhood and ask if any old men live there that can marry you."
What a crazy little girl.

Fiesta! Ole!

In Hallie's class during geography, they've been studying different places and cultures throughout the world. The past few weeks have been spent in Mexico. To culminate all of their learning, they had a Mexican fiesta. I am the classroom manager (or room mommy) for Hallie's class so I was able to help plan the party.

The kids made very colorful sombreros out of paper and sampled yummy Mexican cuisine (taquitos, chips & salsa, guacamole, rice, empanadas, and cookies that actually came from Mexico).

The class performed their version of the Mexican Hat Dance and let us take a turn with them.

Obviously, the pinata was a success.

I can't believe Hallie is so grown up. It is so much fun to go to her class, see what she is doing, and watch her interact with the other kids. It feels like I was just there myself not too long ago and I know that if I blink, it's going to be over in a flash. So, I've got to enjoy it while it lasts.

And, last, but not least, one of the boys Hallie calls her boyfriend. Yes, I said ONE of the boys. She is already playing the field. A few nights ago she informed me that she had broken up with Bronson(the last boyfriend), and had hooked up with Justin and Taggart. She claims that Taggart wants to marry her, and that Justin REALLY likes her and she likes him because "he's so stylish," (followed by a huge grin and giggles). I thought to myself, "Yes, the boy looks stylish in his navy polo and khaki pants, just like the rest of the boys in her class." Go figure. Then she told me that she was going to marry both of them. I just don't know what to do with her, but I look forward to talking to her every day after school to find out what has happened at school and to see what she'll come up with next.

It's finally Fall

I'm so glad it's finally fall. Time for pumpkins, corn mazes, and sweaters. I've been looking forward to the cool weather so Mike will stop harping on me about the air conditioning and so we can get a move-on toward Christmas (and everything in between, of coarse). Last night we went to Black Island Farms in Syracuse with Mike's dad and some of the extended Jackson clan. We missed Grandma Jackson who got stuck at work but it was still a lot of fun.

riding on the animal train through the corn fields

playing in the pumpkin bounce house

Hallie and Bryant getting ready to rope some steer

Cameron just hanging out with Grandpa

Cameron riding his own steer




watching the pig races



the big tunnel slide



ready, get set...

Go!



more slides

my little punkin

what a face!

Fun at the farm

The Finance Department at Mike's work had a little party for us at Wheeler Farm. We had some lunch, played some games around the farm and chatted with friends. It was fun to see old friends like Nate and Andrea Paxman, Mark and Christy Weaver, and new friends, Steuart and Cassie Neeley. We all had a lot of fun seeing the sights and smelling the smells at the farm.

family photo opp.

feeding the ducks and geese

messing around with Cameron

Hallie is disgusted with the outhouse

Bryant's booty from the pinata




trying to get a decent pic of the kids... not gonna happen