BIG UPDATE

I worked up the courage to do some serious blogging and you may have to go way back to take it all in!  Also I put a post in called "home for the summer" that I think I forgot to publish last April.

November

THE Ultrasound

We had our BIG ultrasound the beginning of November.  This to me is as exciting as Christmas!!!!  It was so fabulous! The technician spent an hour measuring every bone, counting fingers and toes... and giving us the news that IT'S A BOY!!! I was so happy!!! The girls loved seeing the 3d images and the technician printed off a picture for each of them to keep.  I think he looks like me?  It's still a long road... but we are thrilled and impatiently await his arrival!!! :)

Sucking his sweet little Poulsen thumb.

My mom came in November for a visit... When we went to pick her up at the airport Nyah was so excited to see her that she had a nervous break down at the airport waiting for her to come down the escalator!  She would run back and forth, roll around on the floor, and whine impatiently!  When she did finally see her I wish the cameras were rolling because she jumped into her arms with a enough excitement I thought she would black out!!  While she was here we were so busy having fun we forgot to take many pictures! She had a slumber party every night with Nyah and read her Charlottes Web.  After she left Nyah slept downstairs for a week hoping that she would come back! Thanks for the visit Mom.  We LOVE you!!

THANKSGIVING

We had Thanksgiving with friends in the clubhouse at Village Green.  Look at that spread!  Derek did such a great job with the sweet potatoes last year he was requested to make magic again.  I took a risk and made my families crescent rolls (it's just not Thanksgiving without them.)  It was a wonderful meal with great friends!  We rounded out the day with some games, noodle necklaces, and black friday shopping... which included a fake shooting SCARE at the mall we were at... how fitting. :)

kid table.

Reading books with Dad.

Making Grandma Poulsen's Christmas sugar cookie recipe with Dad.  Strange how I am the one with them all day and I am never in any pictures?  hmmm... :)

They love taking turns putting in the ingredients... Nyah is probably making up a song about cookies and Ali is thinking about how she can get her hands on some dough!

Mission accomplished.  Ali did not cut out a single cookie but she won the award for eating the most dough.  :)

Oh Christmas tree... Oh Christmas tree... how lovely are thy branches... covered in green frosting and sprinkles!

Seeing Santa

We went to see Santa at the Bass Pro Shop and had fun playing with some toys... I have pictures of them on Santa's lap but I'll have to add them later.

She's a dead-eye aint she!

Instead of using our advent calendar to count-down to Christmas we did a count-down until the day we left for Grandma's house... hot chocolate with marshmallows was one of the surprises in the pocket.

The circle of life... the night before the girls Christmas dance recital I put pink sponge curlers in the girls hair.  I slept many nights on these curlers in my childhood.  

Showtime 

Ready to rock!

Ali LOVED being on stage.  She ate up every second! 

She was right on with her moves and did a great job!  She was all smiles until the spotlight moved and it was Nyah's turn to dance... 

she was not happy about coming off stage!  :)

Look out nutcracker... here we come!  :)

Our friends celebrated their sons birthday by letting off a bunch of chinese lanterns into the sky... He made it to his one year birthday and was not expected to live that long... so it was a big celebration!

Gingerbread

Another advent calendar activity we had was to build a gingerbread house... Derek's creative juices were seriously flowing!

More Zoo and Children's Museum

At the butterfly exhibit.

Checking out some tank maintenance at the aquarium. 

More face (and coat) painting.

Giving a traffic report.

Nyah got this lego set from grandma Dahle for her birthday... We had fun putting it together... even though there were 10 times as many instructions as there were for her peddlin pets bike.  :)

The finished product.

Pie Eating Contest

Derek entered into a pie eating contest at a ward activity.

Technically he didn't win... however I have never seen him eat that much dessert in one sitting (I usually eat his!)

Art Museum

We go to the Jocelyn Art Museum on Saturday mornings while Derek's studying sometimes.... the exhibit this day was children's book artists.  They had the book's paintings on the wall and then the books on tables so the girls could put together how books are made and where the art comes from.  It was really cool. 

trick or treat

HALLOWEEN

We have this building close to home that has alternating graffiti art on the walls... it made for a great Halloween pics backdrop.  Nyah chose to be a mermaid this year... she got the idea the weekend Auntie Sher was in town and we spent a full Sunday sketching costume design ideas.  Nyah was so excited she started a mermaid club which Ali, Auntie Sher, and myself were members.  We got a little creatively carried away and it went as far as purchasing green sequin fabric at the craft store!  Then the delusional crafty bubble popped and I remembered... "oh ya... I don't sew!" So I stuck with something I do know... online shopping and a beautiful mermaid was born! :)

Derek and I took Ali out shopping over his fall break.  We found this little red riding hood costume and Ali wanted to try it on... after it was on she refused to take it off!  We had to sit her on the counter to check out... she wore it the rest of the day.  She never made it to granny's but felt like a million dollars trick or treating in her hood of red!  :) 

This is a typical shot... Nyah ready to fire off a series of poses at a seconds notice and Ali ready to turn her back or drop a hood to get a rise out of her mom... even with promises of candy!  :)  My little ones couldn't be more different and I couldn't love them any more!

Halloween at Kindernook

The school parade.

Ali came dressed to impress as well.

Nyah's class.

We had cider and pumpkin bread after the parade.

TRICK OR TREATING

There is a candy craving animal inside every child; it rears it's head with fire in it's eyes when it comes to trick or treating.  The girls had an AMAZING time sprinting from door to door... Ali got it last year... but she was even more fun to watch this year as she snuck multiples from every door! :)

On a mission.  Look out big bad wolf there is a new sheriff in town!  :)

Counting the stash... Nyah threw hers up in the air and they both rolled around in the candy with legs up in the air. :)  Happy Halloween!!