Audree- Bravest of the Brave!

The first day back to school after the Thanksgiving Holiday Audree and her friend, Ellie, volunteered to sing the National Anthem to their school during the morning announcements. She was a little nervous, but it didn't show a bit! I was actually quite impressed, they did a fabulous job. That's a tough song, but they hit every note, sang on key and their timing was perfect. I was such the proud mommie!! Great job, girls!!

Thankgiving is a Treat!!

We LOVE our annual trip to California for Thanksgiving!! It's our last hoorah of sunshine for several months...while we were there this year I just kept driving with the windows down trying to soak in all the sunshine and warmth that I could (which was easy to do when it was 80 degrees outside!). What a great week!

We got to see Travis and Katie's family on Saturday and Sunday...and then they headed out to be with Katie's family. We were glad to see them while we could...Bryton is getting SO big! Besides, we would have missed out Travis's mustache...which would have been devastating!

While I went and had my make-up done, Jake took the kids to watch Mackenzie and Garrett's soccer games! They had a blast hanging out with their cousins!

On Monday we took the kids to Knott's Berry Farm! It was the perfect choice...not too big, not too small! Lots of roller coasters for the big kids (and Jake) and smaller rides for Spencer and Audree (although Spencer was bummed he couldn't go on more of the big rides!). Karlee and Rylee loved "Old Rickety" the wood coaster, Spencer loved the race cars at Camp Snoopy, Audree loved "Jaguar" the roller coaster and Daddy loved the "Xcelerator". There were also lots of rides we could go on as a whole family...which is best of all! Then Grandma GiGi and Grandpa met us for a chicken dinner afterwards. What a day!

Thanksgiving Day was great...Daddy went surfing in the morning and we all hung out in our jammies cooking up a storm! I was in charge of the orange rolls...as usual! The kids helped Grandma GiGi make cupcakes. We ate at my cousin Julie Goodman's house. The kids loved it because they had a ping-pong table, Spencer loved their bunny "Hopper"...he chased it al afternoon trying to feed it carrots! After the big feast the kids walked to the nearby park and played. It was a great day!

One afternoon Brooke came over and gave all the little girls make-overs...they LOVED it! Then I gave them a photo shoot...so girlie!

Our last day in California we hung out at the beach! It was a bit chilly...but the kids didn't mind a bit!

Brooke is a make-up Star!!

When we headed out to California for the annual Thanksgiving trip we headed out a day early so that I could go to Brooke's make-up school in Burbank with her and Mom. It was such a fun afternoon!! Brooke showed me her school and gave me an awesome make-over...they had a photographer on site who took photos and then she did Mom too! We laughed all afternoon...mostly at my atrocious modeling skills (that's why I am usually on the OTHER side of the camera!). Apparently I have "tight lips" when someone is taking my picture...and my posing skills could use some work...ha ha!! Anyways, it was a blast and I am so proud of Brooke for chasing her dream to be a big Hollywood make-up artist...I think she'll be great! Thanks again for a great afternoon girls!!

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Spencer's Big Boy Room!

Since the girl's all got new rooms this year, it was only fitting that Spencer should get a new Big Boy room too! I was so excited to do an actual "Boys" room and it was clear that it needed to be a monster truck room...he is SO lovin' the monster trucks! I looked around online to find some inspiration and when I found it I knew it right away. It was this cool mural...only one problem...I don't paint murals. Luckily, I know someone who does!! This great family that I have been photographing for years has a mural business...we worked out a sweet trade and I couldn't be happier with the results! Jake and I painted the room tan and got things all ready and then the mural was painted while we were away in California for Thanksgiving...what a sweet surprise Spencer had when we returned home!

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Favorite Home Decor

So, Audree and Spencer are the resident artists at my house (unless you're talking cardboard, fuzzy ball and googly eye sculptures...then that's Rylee). The fridge is always covered in spelling tests, lunch calendars, notes from Primary, and the latest school artwork...we needed a place for the love notes and sweet drawings to go. About a year ago we started putting them up on the iron sculptures in our bedroom and it has become the home art gallery since then. Audree and Spencer love to draw things for us and put them up in our room and the pictures always make me smile! I do have to say that Spencer pretty much only draws pictures for Jake though...he has made it very clear that while he loves his "mama"...Daddy is his favorite and he is way cooler, stronger and all around better than Mom. I guess that's fair.

Jake and I often go to bed at night to find a great little drawing or sweet note on our pillow from Audree...she is such a sweetheart! The other night this happend again and Jake decided to write one back (I was SO tired, I told him to make it from me too and I crashed). When he came back up to show it to me I was impressed with the large, heart-shaped note...he taped it to her door so she would see it in the morning. When she saw him the next morning she gave him a huge hug and said she loved it. I love them both!