Happy Valentine's Day

This is the bounty of valentines that Finn and Sawyer will pass out today. Last year we made some yummy heart cookies. But this year we decided to go sugar free. Finn is passing out lip shaped noisemakers and Sawyer is passing out bouncy balls (his favorite). I borrowed the idea for the bouncy balls here. The lips were all me and say "Pucker Up. It's Valentine's Day." or "Read my lips. Have a happy Valentine's Day."

Jingle All the Way. Hey.

I don't think we have any Michael Buble's in our future. But they sure have a lot of spirit!

Story time with Santa and a little something extra

On Saturday, we took the boys for Story Time with Santa at St. Martin's. The boys were really excited, especially Finn. It was a well organized event with coloring, cookies, projects, photo ops with Santa and Santa reading stories for the kids.

Finn & Santa

Sawyer did not want to go up to Santa. In fact, Santa apparently scared the vomit right out of him, as was evidenced just a couple of minutes later. Luckily, he didn't get Santa. Hopefully that's not an automatic ticket to the naughty list.

Christmas Tree Hunt 2011

Last weekend we headed up to the Santa Cruz mountains to partake in our holiday tradition of cutting down our Christmas tree. We got a big one this year- about 9 feet. That's right.

Finn picked out the tree this year. Nice work!

Finn is giving it his all trying to cut this tree with the dull saw they give you.

Jason and Sawyer are supervising.

Maybe next year Sawyer will be ready to be the sawyer. Heehee.

Looking good.

Even Momma gets a turn.

Scout is thoroughly unimpressed with the whole thing. But there were lots of different things to occupy her nose so that made her happy.

Here's the whole Papier Clan with our trees.

Christmas Eve Eve

I just realized that I had not posted to this blog since Thanksgiving. Is that possible? We have done so much since then- Disneyland, the Annual Tree Hunt, Decorating at various houses, Christmas parties, Christmas in the Park, and so on.

Here is a picture of Finn and Mickey at Disneyland.

We caught Mickey just as he was heading back to wherever he goes when his shift is over. Then Finn thought it would be fun to play hide and seek with Mickey. Oi. We nearly had a missing child on our hands.

Xmas Tree Hunt '09

On Sunday we braved near freezing temperatures to seek out the tree of our dreams in the Santa Cruz mountains. We thought Finn would have a blast running around the mountain and cutting down a tree. But it turns out that when you are on the verge of losing your fingers to frostbite you kinda just want to go home. Afterward Grandpa treated us to lunch where we had a chance to relax and catch up while blood flow returned to our outer appendages.

Momma and Sawyer pre-hunt. I'm just thrilled I actually got in a photo!

Someone is in the holiday spirit! Maybe we should start calling her Candy Cane.

Let the hunt begin. Scout is ready to lead the charge despite the fog.

Finn helping J cut down the tree.

Here we are with our trophy.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

Finally . . . some photos of the Great Pumpkin Hunt of '09. The patch we visited included a petting zoo and train ride. Pretty cool.

Learning how to feed the goats.

Checking out the prize pig.

Round and round on the train.

Finn's pumpkin.

Hercules! Hercules!

Bringing home a bale of hay (to Daddy's dismay).

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Finn climbing the dragon at the Children's Discovery Museum in his IR/SH t-shirt.

Happy Valentine's Day

I love this layout that I found in small magazine. It's an online magazine for trendy tots. Seems pretty Valentinesque without being all hearts and roses in your face. I want that mirror on the left side- shaped like a little girl trying on her mom's high heels. Bet you didn't even realize it was a mirror. That's how cool small is.

Finn In Boots

Two posts in one day.  And on Christmas no less.

I haven't finished downloading the Christmas photos- haven't finished taking them yet either.  But it is necessary to post this one of Finn in his new galoshes from Nana and Poppa.  J put them on over his p.j.'s and he could barely walk in them.  But he looked too cute.  Now that I think of it this photo hardly captured it.  But still pretty cute.

Covet this!

I just finished my Christmas cookies (for Christmas dinner tonight) and I had to share.

You know you want some. Look that yummy frosting on the sugar cookies.

And Grandma B.'s chocolate powdered sugar cookies are chocolatey and chewy and probably still warm from the oven.

Merry Christmas!

Count down to Christmas

Just a couple more days til Christmas- and I haven't even wrapped a thing!

Here are some photos of the gingerbread house that Finn and I made. I did the heavy construction and he tried to do a remodel.

I am very proud of those icicles.  

Being the first gingerbread house for both of us I think we did all right.

Even the back was decorated with a wreath.

Here's Finn with his hot cocoa with marshmallows.  Think he enjoyed it?  Yup. Check out his super cool double handled mug from Uncle Noel.  Thanks Uncle Noel.  Watch out for a hot cocoa movie to be uploaded as soon as I figure out how to do that.

Happy Holidays! 

Turkey Day '08

Looking super cute in my new sweater.

Thanks Cassie!

Is the turkey ready yet?

How does he sit like that?

Thomas with the dogs, of course.

Awfully calm at the kids' table. Must be dessert time.
Finn had thirds on Nana F's apple pie. That's what happens when Momma and Uncle Kurt give him seconds.