An Elf on the Shelf Outing

Today we found out the lovely lady who wrote Elf on the Shelf would be signing her book at Crossroads. It was very nice. She is very nice. Lon told her all about our elf, Apple. If you have a little one, under age 8, this is a WONDERFUL Christmas book. The elf, you get to name him, reports back to Santa every night about the behaviour of the child. Wonderful!
After we got our book signed, we went on the carousel. Three times. Which is the amount of quarters I had in my wallet.

After that it was ice cream, we really can not go to crossroads without getting ice cream at Cold Stone. It was a fun outing!

It's Begining to Look alot Like Christmas

At least in Lon's room! I pulled out the Christmas boxes over the weekend, to start setting up the decorations. Lon wanted it all up NOW. I had his box with his tree and his ornaments and they had to go up NOW NOW NOW!

Lon sorting his ornaments, he had to hand them to me to put up where he told me ! He was very specific about it.

Natasha was slightly amused by it all
Lon was not pleased with me putting on the ornaments, so he took over
He was really having a great time putting them on, even if they were all getting bunched up at the bottom!
The final product! Tree and night light all in one! There are also multi colored lights that twinkle, but I could not get those on film

Happy Thanksgiving!

mmm, pumpkin pie!
Brian brought his sister and his parents to help us celebrate Thanksgiving. Rahul was also with us. It was a wonderful group and I am very thankful to have such nice friends.
The dessert table, including the cranberry disaster cake.
Our turkey, 22 pounds of lovely bird! Then we concentrated on eating and being with friends so I did not take any more pictures. Hope everyone had a wonderful day!

Two Parties, One Saturday

I made the cakes for two parties Lon was invited to on Saturday. Lon really wanted to help me decorate the cakes. I gave him his own pastry bag and a giant cupcake to him to have at it!
He is having fun, even though he looks slightly guilty. Perhaps it is all the frosting that is going into his mouth instead of on the cupcake?
Got his groove now!
Our first party on Saturday was at Pump It Up! Bouncy houses inside. Very fun. Love them. Lon was so happy with the air hockey table. I think I see one in our future. Where we are going to put it, I have no idea. But he sure did have fun with it!
Slides! This place has sliding blankets. But you had to go down one at a time.


Bouncing with Daddy! King of the Hill in a bouncey house!
Pizza! Lon ate almost two entire slices! Good Job!
The pirate-y cupcakes!
Jackson blowing out the candle on his super size cupcake!
They had a King chair. Lon thought it was good for him to sit in the chair!
Balloons too! How very fun! After this we went back home for a little bit, then it was off to Brian's!

Lon thought it was a bit noisy when he walked in, but after a few seconds he was making as much, if not more noise than anyone else!
The Birthday Boy!
He is just too cute!
Brian with his cake. This time there were 3-D train cars
Having fun with the candles. They accidentally got trick candles that kept re-lighting. It was very cute
Brian thought it was rather odd, and very funny!
Grace and Brian
Brian picked out the coal car for his piece of cake
Hugs for Grace
Hugs for Maddy
Then it was time to go home! It was a wonderfully busy day!

What I've Done This Week

The things I have done this week...

Kayla's coat front view
Back view
Dress!
I made two of these shirts. One for one of Lon's friends
Christmas Cars! Jammies. With present buttons...
Steeler jammies, from a vintage 1952 pattern, but I don't like the shirt, and won't make these again.
and enough stuffed cabbage to feed everyone for months! Now, I just need to make some peirogi and we will be all set (I still have sausage in the freezer)

Uncle Chong Saves the Day!

We invited Uncle Chong, Auntie Michelle, Brian and Kayla over to play and have dinner.
Uncle Chong got right to work on installing the new deadbolt. I got a new one at Home Depot, then returned it since it was too big. I brought the old deadbolt face plate with me to get the new one. The lock specialist looked at it, and said, Wow, I have never seen such a vintage miniature deadbolt before! I asked him if he knew where I could get one that size to replace it. Without missing a beat he said: ebay. Great. So I got another new deadbolt, knowing we were going to have to make dust.
Kayla is walking now! She is such a beautiful princess! We found out she like Italian cookies and radishes. Yummy!


Brian still loves trains!
Lon is trying to help Uncle Chong
Then he gets bored and serenades Kayla as she climbs the stairs. She loved going up and down the stairs.
Daddy helping Uncle Chong. They made a trip to Fred Meyer and found the best tool ever! It is a template and drill bit exactly the right size for the new standard size door locks! Too bad we are only going to use it once.
Showing me how much we had to drill out! The house is now secure, again. I did make a good lasagna, with blackberry pie for dessert.

Disney on Ice! Oh so nice!

Saturday Morning we FINALLY got to go to Disney on Ice! The tickets have been on the fridge for oh so long Lon was up at 5 am! We did not leave for another 4 1/2 hours!
Waiting in line.
Of course, we got something to eat and drink. A snow cone and popcorn. Yummy!

Lon modeling his new cone hat. That came with the program
Waiting
Still waiting...
Last photo before the show started!
We were THIS close. Seriously! 6 feet from the ice!
OH MY!! THIS IS SO COOL!
Lightening McQueen! The coolest racer ever!
I am loving this show!
Here comes the Lion King!
They used this character, Rafiki, instead of the little horn bill bird from the movie, as the narrator. The stories were very very truncated so they could put 4 in. The Little Mermaid had some great costumes. Skaters carrying long strips of fabric to make you think of being underwater. The Lion King's animals were wonderful. And yes, this character was this close!!
Lon thinks this is very cool.
Lon wanted to get even closer. He wanted to save Simba's Daddy. After this I had Lon more or less on my lap or I held his hand
Watching the Zamboni, before the Tinker Bell part of the show. Tinker Bell was the last of the 4 stories.
More of the cone
In the end Tinker Bell saves spring.. Everyone is happy. I am not real sure I like the new incarnation of Tinker Bell has a happy fairy who thinks of others.
Spring has arrived ! The flowers were very cool popping up out of the bumpers. Then the show was over. Lon loved it and can not wait for the next Disney show (January)