Feast or Famine

As I think about starting a new year I realize that I have no idea how 2010 will go for our family. I think my own personal motto lately has become "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best". In November of 2009 my brother and sister-in-law had a challenge in their home, they called in "No Money November". At first I thought it was crazy, not to spend more than $125 on groceries or gas for the entire month. Pay only their monthly bills, ie) mortgage, utilities, credit cards, etc. And spend no other money for the entire month. Now they live in a community where they never have to drive more than 10 miles to get anywhere and he rides his bike to work so they seriously only spent $25 on gas for their vehicles (wouldn't that be nice). But as the month went on she blogged about her experience, her attitude was positive, they were holding to their plan and there was a sense of accomplishment in her tone. At the end of the month he sent out an email that went over the entire experience, what they learned, what they would change and how fulfilling the experience was. I've been thinking about that email for the past two weeks and wondering some things about myself:

1. Do I have the self discipline to do this?


2. Would my food storage hold up for the month?


3. Would we eat well balanced meals?


4. How would my children react?


5. What would my bank account look like at the end of the month?

The more I think about it the less crazy it sounds and the more sensible it seems. Especially as I mentally check the expenses for the rest of the holidays and second guess myself at the necessity of the expenditures. So.......here comes "No Money January" at the Mitchell house, let's bring on this learning experience!

Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. The girls enjoyed making sugar cookies together.
They planned, prepared, created back drops and performed a Nativity for Jake's parents and brother Mike. It was wonderful to see them playing "Nativity" together throughout the week in preparation for their Christmas Eve performance.
Ella as Mary, Paislee as Joseph, Grant as a silly wiseman, Jake also played a wiseman and I was able to be a shephard.

Although everyone appears to be happy in this photo Grant is about to be extremely disappointed as his gift is not a toy....

But darling slippers! He was so upset!

Christmas morning we actually had to wake our children up! Not that we're complaining but we thought for sure that this would be the year we would have to start having them "go back to sleep for an hour". We woke Grant up first, as he pushed himself up off the bed the first thing out of his mouth was, "Santa Claus?" Our answer was, "Yes" and he replied, "Okay", as though he wasn't quite sure what that meant but that he was ready for it. He then went and woke up his sisters who were disoriented and confused as to what was going on! Finally everyone was awake and on the same page and our Christmas morning began.

Ella and her flapper costume from Santa!

Paislee with her new game.

And this little guy who enjoyed every single second of Christmas!

Goodbye Mullet

Although it's difficult to tell from this photo Grant has been sportin' a mullet for the past few months. We've been combing the front of his hair flat down and letting his curls have a little party in the back. Sadly his curls were turning into ringlets and it was time to give this little man his first haircut. Yesterday Jake took him to Fred the "barber" in Meridian and those curly locks were chopped.

He's so used to his sister Ella combing his hair he was great through the whole experience.
And here are the final results. I need to find a tutorial on how to do boys hair but I think we'll eventually figure it out.

He looks like such a big kid now instead of the baby he used to be.

Christmas Activities

We've been fortunate to have a lot of fun filled activities during the first few weeks of December. Our stake had a live nativity where the kids were able to witness the journey to Bethlehem and the humble circumstances the Savior was born into. They've had a sleepover with Papa and Grammy with a gingerbread house put into production. Tonight we were able to drive through some neighborhoods around us and see the beautiful Christmas lights. And they were able to visit with Santa.
We are blessed with three beautiful, smart, hilarious children and are so grateful for each of them and the joy they bring into our lives. (The sleepover was last night and we missed them, the house was too quiet without them).

Little Wise woMan

Saturday was the ward Christmas party, it was amazing. Our Activity Committee's theme was "Warm Hands, Warm Hearts" and it was all about service. Paislee had been asked to sing with the primary nativity and she was one of the wise men. I think it's wonderful she is so willing to put herself out there and sing with a group, it sounded very beautiful!

Typical Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we headed to Idaho Falls to spend it with my Mom and Grandma. Jake took these very candid photos of Grant and the leftover turkey leg from the big meal, isn't this how it goes. We start out gang busters with a smile on our face.

We continue to chow down, the food is too good to pass up.
And finally it sets in, we have eaten too much, our pants are no longer comfortable and we need to rest from our over indulgence.

Here's hoping that all of you had as fantastic Thanksgiving holiday as we did!

Another Year Older and Wiser Too!

Our oldest child is NINE years old! I can hardly believe that she started out 7 lbs 9 ounces and is now a third grader learning how to multiply and kicking her parents bums in Mario Kart.

She is such an amazing kid:

Favorite Color: purple

Favorite Activity: playing the Wii

Favorite Animal: cat

Favorite Food: spaghetti

Favorite Book: Harry and the Horrible Dungeon

Ideal Career: Zoo Keeper or Veterinarian

Fun cupcakes I made from my friend's blog (http://www.ourbestbites.com/). The other two kids and I took them into her class as a surprise, they were so happy. Funny story, I'd only been to her classroom once before and wasn't quite sure which one it was. She had a substitute that day so I couldn't even verify the classroom by making sure it was the right teacher. I went into the classroom next door to hers, twenty 3rd grade voices cheered loudly when they saw the cupcakes, I looked frantically around the room, couldn't see my daughter anywhere, quickly apologized to the teacher, turned around to see Paislee standing it the hallway with a , "What are you doing Mom" expression on her face, and left that classroom with twenty 3rd grade voices expressing extreme disappointment, I think I owe that class cupcakes!

She requested Chuck -E- Cheese's for her birthday dinner (we tried to bribe her with something a little more fancy, to no avail). I guess we have to be happy she's still a kid, even if it means expensive, disgusting pizza. The one saving grace at that place, they have Coke Zero in the soda fountain! They did have some new games and rides for the kids to play on this time, this one was her favorite!

Some of my favorite things about her:

Love for others

Ability to get ready for school in 20 minutes (we're hoping this wears off on her younger sister before next fall)

Upturned nose

Willingness to help with her siblings

Her obedience, she does things the first time she is asked

Her quick mind, she is always paying attention and focusing on the things we are saying and absorbing them in

How outgoing she is

Her hair; long, thick, straight....so jealous

The Cowboy and the Bride

Halloween was great this year! Sadly we have pictures from our pumpkin carving night and the Primary Dance Party but I can't get them to load from a seperate SD card. However I do have these photos to share.

Ella had planned on being a bride for Halloween for months and months. Thank goodness it was an easy costume to put together as this dress is already one of her favorites for dress up. She wanted Grant to be a Bumble Bee, but when we put the costume on him he had it off within two minutes. He wanted to try the Horse costume on, that lasted less than 30 seconds. Finally he decided on the Cowboy costume. I wish you could see his tiny holster and his tiny guns a little bit more clearly.
Two very happy Trunk or Treaters! We have the most darling video of Grant filling up his pumpkin from the larger pumpkin we were handing candy to the other kids out of. He had the concept down and was taking full advantage of it. However, I can't figure out how to get the video from the hard drive onto the blog! Come over, we'll show you on the TV!

Procrastination; a naughty word

In the past I have written down goals that I have had and had them come to fruition because of basic planning, sadly this has not been working for me lately. Last year I wrote a post titled "Battling Thor", it was a list of my weaknesses, I decided to post it because peer pressure is a powerful thing. In that situation it worked, I was able to get a much better handle on some of my weaknesses. I'm hoping that by posting my personal to do list I will have the same results.

1. Finish quilts:
Paislee's Minkee Blanket
Ella's Butterfly Quilt
Grant's Flannel Blanket
The Rag Quilt I started over 6 years ago
Bind the quilt for the ward humanitarian aid
2. New baby projects:
Minkee Blanket
Receiving blanket
3. Super Saturday project
4. Finish canning/freezing/drying:
Potato soup
5. Sort through girls baby clothes, wash and hang
6. Update food storage list, get back to couponing, and make a food storage plan
7. Finish emergency car kits
8. 72 hour kit
9. Start scrapbooking again

I know there are many more projects I have been guilt ridden over never completing, we'll see what else I can dig up as I start this process. Wish me luck!

**Items that are italicized and in bold have been completed**

An Evening of Joy!

Next year there will be six of us making the trek to the pumpkin patch. We found out today that #4 is a girl, now the question is, what color of hair will she have?

Friday night we went as a family on our annual pumpkin picking outing and had so much fun! We arrived at dusk so we hopped right onto the hay ride to take us out to the pumpkin field.

Isn't he the sweetest little guy ever! He kept trying to pick up these pumpkins that weighed more than him, the grunts and strains were hilarious.

The kids with their orange jewels. I have to add that the girls gave their pumpkins baths yesterday while they were on the front porch, apparently they didn't like the dirt lingering on them.

There was a little petting zoo at the farm. At first he wasn't too sure about feeding the baby animals but this little pony made him laugh and laugh and laugh as he nibbled his fingers for a treat.

Paislee is in heaven right here. A pony ride! I think she could have rode her horse for hours and never tired. She definitely loves animals.

Grant and Ella were able to double up on this horse, I think his name was Joker.

I think this little ride is a must every year. It was packed the first few times we walked by it and we decided to wait, every time it pulled away without our kids on it Grant would run after it yelling, "Wait, wait!"

This was a new addition this year, swings! The entire time Grant kept saying "Weeee! Weeee!

And Ella was all smiles!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

I swear last year at this time we were still wearing short sleeve shirts and this year it's winter hats, gloves, and coats. I really miss fall! Monday morning was Ella's preschool field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. She was so excited all weekend to go. This is her friend from preschool, they were attached to each other the entire time, so cute to witness friendship between your children and others.
On the wagon for the hay ride.

Grant went through the hay maze all by himself by playing follow the leader, he kept up with the kids in front of him and made it out safe.

Ella waiting for the rest of the kids to catch up.

This was just too cute to pass up the picture of. Little boy strolling confidently through a maze of hay, so sweet.

Picking his pumpkin.

Ella's preschool class.

Ella and her 5.8 lb pumpkin, it was interesting figuring out how to carry both pumpkins, Grant, my camera and my 20 week prego belly through the patch. Thank goodness Ella didn't want me to carry her too!

They have a little petting zoo, the baby camel and the pygmy goats were still sleeping while we were there but we were able to see the horses. Both kids had a ton of fun. I'm excited to go next week with the entire family!