Jen's Birthday

Marshal gave Jeni chocolate

Avy made art for Jeni

The Hemingway's gave Jeni a cookbook and apron

Jeni got a book from a friend

Cool sun glasses

Ice cream cake

Make a wish

Decorated garage

Jeni had a nice birthday.  When we got home from church, we found that someone decorated our garage door (Jeni thinks is was two of the youth in the branch that did it during Sunday School).  Jeni got an ice cream cake for desert and lots of fun presents.  Mya gave Jeni a paper bag scrapbook, but the picture didn't turn out. 

Christmas Tree

We set our Christmas tree up early this year.  Rather than waiting for the first weekend in December, we put it up the weekend after Thanksgiving.  The kids had a great time doing it.  Each kid decorated a certain part of the tree with "their" ornaments. 

The kids had fun doing funny poses

More funny poses

Yet more funny poses

Thanksgiving 2011

We had a nice Thanksgiving this year.  We had the Heap family over as well as the missionaries.  The Heaps just moved here from Oklahoma and their kids are about the same age as our kids.  The missionaries are regular visitors at our home on Thanksgiving because we are one of the few families in the branch that doesn't travel somewhere for dinner.  The food was great and the kids had fun playing games with everyone before and after the meal. 

Notice there was no snow outside.  It was in the 40s and was one of the few Thanksgivings recently where it wasn't cold and snowy.  Dave put the Christmas lights up outside to take advantage of the mild weather. 

We put a white paper table cloth to cover the kids table.  They each had a turkey place holder with crayons so that they could color during dinner. 

More pictures of the kids at dinner.  The adults sat at a table in the living room. 

The spread of food prepared by Jeni and Jamie Heap

Dave and the missionaries enjoying the variety of food available. 

Roller Skating/YMCA

This past week Mya and Avonlea's school had a field trip to the roller skating rink.  It is down the street from the school and all of the kids had fun.  Jeni went as a chaperone and had fun with the girls.

May and Spencer

Avy having fun with some of the older kids

Avy and her friends taking a break

 The next day the kids were out of school.  Jeni still had to teach her Zumba class, so she took the kids to the Y with her.  They played in the kids play area while she taught her class.  Afterwards, she took the kids to the swimming pool. 

The turkey mascot at the YMCA play area

They had a blow up turkey outside the pool at the YMCA

 

Avy's Antics/Les Miserables

Avy did lots of fun things this past week.  She has been helping Jeni in the kitchen as the "Little Chef".  This is where she puts on her apron and chef hat and helps prepare dinner and other things.  Avonlea also loves to build things and must have a picture taken of everything she builds.

Avy building Rapunzel's tower.  The long yellow blocks are Rapunzel's hair.

Avy makes a good pizza

Little Chef making macaroni and cheese

Little Chef is happy helping her mom

This past week Dave took Jeni to see Les Miserables at the Fox Cities PAC in Appleton.  The PAC is probably the best venue in Wisconsin for viewing Broadway productions and the seats were really good.  The production was great and they both enjoyed it very much. 

Fond du Lac Muscial Play

Jeni, Marshal, and Mya all had the chance to see the high school's performance of the Pirates of Penzance.  Mandy, a young women from our branch, played the lead in the play.  Becca, our neighbor and kid's babysitter, was also in the play.  They all had a nice time.

Jeni in the pirate stocks for being naughty girl :)

May with Becca

Mya, Mandy, and the boy pirate

On a side note, Avy is ready for Christmas after a visit to the hardware store

Larry and Jani's Halloween Visit

Larry and Jani came for the weekend.  They helped Jeni with her church Halloween party, went to Little Farmer, carved pumpkins, and took Marshal and Mya trick or treating.

Prisoner Larry being held captive by Officer Jani

Marshal's tree pumkin

Mya's scary pumkin

Avonlea's princess pumkin

A batty pumkin

Carmel apples at Little Farmer

Atop Little Farmer's hay bale castle