Cheyenne's 2nd Birthday

We had a little combined birthday party for Cheyenne and her cousin Austin who had recently turned 6. I made an ice cream cake and the kids wore party hats. It was fun. My mom got the prize for the favorite present... she got Cheyenne a little Dora microphone. It was great entertainment for the kids for the rest of the time they were there. It was so cute to watch the girls dance around singing "we did it!!" I can't believe Cheyenne is two already... time has really flown by. At the same time it feels like she has been a part of our lives forever. We love her so much!

Austin and Cheyenne with their presents.

Watching Cheyenne open her presents.

The ice cream cake... I messed up a little with the frosting writing... it is harder than it looks!

Cheyenne with her playdough. The 2 and the 6 candles were on the wrong side of the cake!

Thanksgiving with the Blum Family

We decided to stay home this year for Thanksgiving and we were so lucky to have family come spend it with us!! It was so much fun! Visitors included my dad, my mom and step-dad, Steve who all came from Washington. Also my brother Aaron, his wife Andrea and their three kids, Audrey, Austin and Ansley who came from Florida, and my sister-in-law Rachel and her two kids, Genevieve and Aubrielle, who came from Texas (my brother Jared is in Afghanistan, so he obviously couldn't make it). That totals up to 8 adults and 7 kids, all in our little house! I was really worried about how everyone would fit, but it actually turned out okay. We cleaned out our bonus room and put a rug up there along with a mattress and an air mattress. The first few days were great up there and all the kids loved to play up there, but the last few days were really cold, even with the space heater. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving and I am grateful that Cheyenne got to spend time with her cousins and got to know them better.

Rachel pushing Aubrielle and Cheyenne on the swings.

Cheyenne and Austin on the dragon at World of Wonder Park.

Genevieve, Audrey, Austin, Cheyenne, Aubrielle.

Austin and Audrey helping Grandma with the rolls.

Some of the cousins playing in Cheyenne's room.

Cheyenne and her cousin Aubrielle playing the bee game.

Aubrielle, Cheyenne, Genevieve and Ansley all in the tub together.

Audrey, Genevieve, Ansley, Grandma Sylvia, Cheyenne, Aubrielle, and Austin coloring around the table... this was all the kids except Berkeley.

This is Austin in front of our Tree of Thanksgiving... we all wrote what we were thankful for on leaves and glued it to the paper. There were so many great things to be thankful for, my favorite was I think one of Audrey's that said "self-defense." That cracked me up. Aaron also had to add a couple silly ones such as "Uncle Rico" and "not expired food." The majority of the leaves, however, had many many great things that we have to be thankful for such as our homes, our jobs, our families, the Savior and the Atonement, etc. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving activity- thanks Rachel for planning it and putting it together!!

Visit from Grandma Connie and Grandpa Frank

We were so lucky to have a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Bennum at the beginning of November. They were so helpful as usual. Friday night we went to Elberton and had Papa's pizza buffet and then watched the first round of state playoffs in the Granite Bowl. ECCHS lost in a heartbreaker upset by the private school Lovett. Lovett is now in the semi finals this weekend.

Saturday Frank and Connie took us to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. It was so delicious. Then we went and got Cheyenne some shoes since she had outgrown all her others. They kept asking what they could do to help and my number one request was for them to babysit so Jeff and I could go on a date. I was so excited, because we don't go on many dates. Our last one was the last time they were here! I had tons of pumped milk stored in the fridge and Berkeley took the bottle with no problem.

We are still trying to convince them to move out here by us, but I don't think Jeff's siblings would appreciate that very much since they all live near each other. It would be so wonderful to have family here all the time though.

Connie and Frank, Thanks for coming and for all of your help! We can't wait to see you again:)

Halloween

Cheyenne and her cousin Katie

Ward Trunk or Treat

Cheyenne and Berkeley

Cheyenne, Berkeley, and Grandma Sylvia

The basketball is my stomach painted orange, it is not a fake ball!

So I know I am a little late in posting this, but I couldn't forget our Halloween. The picture of me is from a little Halloween costume party at the beginning of the month. The others are from actual Halloween. I had just gotten home from the hospital from having Berkeley and I really wanted to go to the ward trunk or treat, but it hurt too bad to put a shirt on, let alone a bra. Hah... so I sent Cheyenne with my mom and sister and my sister's daughter Katie. They had a blast, and their favorite candy was the suckers. On the Saturday before Halloween, we took Cheyenne around the neighborhood, then on Sunday, actual Halloween day we handed out candy.

I was a little disappointed, because I love Halloween now that I have kids, and I wasn't able to get as into it as I like, but it was worth that sacrifice so Berkeley could come early. I am so glad she was born when she was! It was a fun Halloween:) Cheyenne LOVED it and talked about trick or treating with her elmo bucket everyday for the next few weeks.