Zoe's Dance Recital

Zoe had a dance recital today. She has been taking a dance class after school every Monday. They learn tap and ballet. I love the picture at the top. She was smiling so big waiting for the music to start and I could tell how excited and proud she was to dance on the stage for everyone. At the end they did the hokey pokey, so the picture at the bottom is Zoe "shaking it all about"

Gingerbread Houses

Saturday night we had some friends over for Pizza and Gingerbread houses. The kids (especially Noah) ate about as much candy as they put on their houses and then ran around like wild animals way past their bedtimes. 

Noah Meets Santa

I must be the meanest mom ever but this seriously cracks me up!

Christmas is Here!

The kids were really excited to get the tree, ornaments and christmas decorations out. It took me an hour to "fluff" the dang thing out during which the kids broke a few ornaments, made a mess and asked me "Is it ready yet?" about a thousand times. Dan set the mood by putting on Christmas music and making hot chocolate for us all. It was really fun and made me think of the good memories that I have of decorating the tree (or trees because sometimes my mom had 3) when I was little. I am so happy I get to have that experience with my kids now. They were getting really into the Christmas thing and started talking like Santa Claus was going to come tomorrow! I had to remind them how many days it was until Christmas. Then Gabe wanted to make sure that I wrote a note to Santa to let him know that we would be in Utah for Christmas and could he please bring our gifts there. He wanted to make sure that the note said "I am Jennifer Vanchiere Elton, could you please bring our family's gifts to my mom Rhonda Vanchiere's house in Utah" That way Santa would know exactly who we were. Kids are so stinking cute! The next day they spent all day playing with my Christmas Caroler statues and Decorative Christmas Boxes...dang...I should have wrapped those up and saved them for Christmas. Who knew they would find them to be so much fun? 

Decorating the Tree:

8 things...Tagged by Jen W.

8 Things I'm Passionate About:

1. My Husband

2. My Kids

3. My Family and Friends

4. My Testimony

5. Family History

6. Coupons/Deals

7. Reading

8. Traveling

8 Words or Phrases That I Use All the Time:

1. Stop Please

2. Are you ready for a nap?

3. Just a minute.

4. Oh...cool!

5. What?!?!

6. Please Hurry! 

7. Seriously?!?

8. I love you

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:

1. Be good enough to make it to the Celestial Kingdom!

2. Travel as many places as possible

3. Get a Masters Degreee

4. Read as many books as possible

5. Go on a mission with Dan

6. Go to my kids and my grandkids weddings

7. Keep learning new things

8. Learn how to enjoy myself in any situation

8 Things I currently want or need:

1. To Live in Utah by my family

2. A Maid

3. A Dyson

4. A Roomba

5. A Small Digital Camera

6. A vacation somewhere warm!

7. The ability to not have to sleep

8. A Personal Chef

8 Places I want to Visit:

1. Greece

2. Italy

3. England

4. Germany

5. Denmark

6. Disneyworld

7. Anywhere Tropical Resort

8. Utah

8 Favorite Restaurants:

1. Cafe Rio

2. Olive Garden

3. TGI Fridays

4. Burger King

5. Subway

6. PF Changs

7. Aoyama

8. Wendy's

8 TV Shows I watch:

1. Football (especially BYU)

2. The Office

3. The New Adventures of Old Christine

4. Grey's Anatomy

5. So You Think You Can Dance

6. American Idol

7. Big Brother

8. Friday Night Lights

I tag Jolyn, Cicely, Chelsey, and Jennie

Snow Already!

The kids were so excited to take their snow pants, boots and gloves to school today. The first thing they wanted to do when they got home was play outside in the snow!

Louisiana

I went to Lousiana this week to attend my Grandma Myrna's funeral. While it was a sad event it was really great to be surrounded by family:

Me and My sister Amy at Myrtle's Plantation. It is a

haunted plantation house. We were hoping a ghost would

show up in this picture.

Me, My Mom and Dad and all of my siblings. It was really

fun to be together with nothing else to do but visit.

We laughed a lot.

Me and my siblings with some of our cousins and their spouses

Halloween Night

The long anticipated day finally arrived! We went trick or treating and stopped at some friends house for donuts and cider.  

We Just Can't Get Enough Halloween!

Decorating Sugar Cookies:

At the Ward Trunk or Treat:

We have done so many halloween activities I was starting to get scared that my kids wouldn't even want to go trick or treating tonight. They still seem excited though! The ward trunk or treat was really fun except that we had to trick or treat inside because of the snow!!!

More Halloween Activites

We went trick or treating the mall this Thursday with Marty, Michelle, Jordan, Katie and Luke. This one picture of Noah below pretty much sums up the experience...

On Saturday we went to the Hulaballoo at the Children's Museum. They had lots of crafts, some treats and a train ride. We went with Michelle and Jordan. 

Port Farms

Port Farms was another great Fall activity for us this year. There were slides, corn mazes, a corn sandbox, a hayride, tricycle riding and plenty of wide open spaces. We went with our friends Marty, Michelle and Jordan. It was a highly enjoyable evening.