Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year we decided to stay home because we had been traveling a ton during the fall and we just needed a break. So we also made plans to have a dinner with the brothers on the weekend. But I did buy all the fixings for a great Thanksgiving dinner and got up on Thursday ready to throw the turkey into the oven and found that it was still half frozen. So our plans changed a little. We were sitting around wondering what we were going to do for the few days off Tim had and randomly we decided to jump in the car and head to San Francisco. I know I said we decided to stay home because we were tired of traveling, but for some reason we decided to travel again. So we booked a hotel for a night, and jumped in the car and made the trek up to the bay. We got there that night, planned on seeing the city the next day and then heading back home that night. So we slept well, got up and headed into the city. We found the windiest road in the world, an awesome cathedral, and Coit tower. We were really having a good time just site seeing and hanging out together, when all the sudden we got a call from Tim's brother Brian who was in Sacramento for the holiday with his girlfriend Rachel. He said that they heard we were in San Francisco and that they were headed there too. So we met up with them and headed to the the Golden Gate Bridge. We tried to find some museum but kept getting lost so we headed to Gheridelli square for some chocolate and then to fisherman's wharf to see the sea lions and get some awesome donuts. It was pretty fishy smelling by the wharf, but Isaac loved the sea lions. We had a great time. The city is beautiful, the houses are amazing and the roads are ridiculously steep. We then decided to head home after having the worst seafood sandwiches ever!! We fed them to the seagulls because they were so bad. The drive home is when I start to remember why I hate traveling. I wish we could just beam home instantly like on Star Trek. But we made it and the trip was a lot of fun.

We ended the Thanksgiving weekend with a great dinner with family and really felt thankful for what we have been blessed with.

Our Thankful Tree

I must regress in our timeline a little. For Thanksgiving this year I found a cute idea online and thought Isaac would really like it. So I cut out the trunk and branches of a tree and a whole bunch of leaves. (thanks Carrie for letting me use your cricut!) So in November every night before Isaac went to bed we would write things on the leaves that we were grateful for and stick them to the tree. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pics of what we were grateful for this year.

My little Shepard/wiseman

So for our ward Christmas party this year they had the primary act out the nativity. Isaac was asked if he could be a shepard, and I thinking that he would make the cutest shepard in the world, agreed instantly. He needed a costume so I pulled out one of the hospital gowns I made for when Owen was born (but never wore) and stood Isaac up on the table and pinned the gown to the right length. Of course Isaac being a true boy, hated every minute of being fitted. He cried the entire time. But somehow at the end I wa able to get a few pictures of him without tears. And one with tears. I just love it. So I made the costume for him and we head to the activity, and they end up needing a wiseman instead of a shepard. So he became a wiseman and had a great time. He truly stole the show. All the other kids were being so good, standing where they were supposed too, keeping quiet so you could hear the story being read. And then there was Isaac. He was all over the stage. Running to the front, then to the back, egging on the other kids to play with him, standing inbetween Mary and Joseph and standing infront of the manger looking down at Baby Jesus. I just love this kid so much. He has so much energy and life in him. He keeps me on my toes. And I was right, He was the cutest wiseman there ever was!!

As a little experiment I decided to cut my bangs with the help of a good friend who said "go for it, why not?" So I took her advice, let her cut them and here I am. It was time for a change.

New Camera and New Tricks

Just thought the color in this shot was cool. Our bathroom is really in browns.
This looks filthy...awesome

I love isolating colors.

My bench in normally like a lime green. Super fun to see it in pink.

So in October I had told Tim that I wanted a new camera, but we decided that we really didn't need one and we would just keep the one we had for as long as it worked. Well within a month the night of Isaac's 3 birthday party Tim dropped the camera off a chair onto our tile floors and broke the screen. Now secretly I was pretty happy about it because I knew that we now could get a new camera. But Tim being stubborn said that it would have to be a Christmas present. So for the next month or so I took pictures with a camera with no screen and no view finder. It was a hard time in my life to say the least. =) But the day eventually came where I received a much anticipated package in the mail. Now I do have to say that I count it as a win on my part because I didn't have to wait until Christmas, but it was December. It was an awesome present. We got the Cannon SX20. I love it. So for the next few days I set about trying to figure out how to use it. I still haven't learned enough to be happy with my pictures but they are so much better then the other camera. So here are a few of the cool pictures that I took while messing around with some of the camera functions.

My Growing Boy

Just snapped a few shot of Owen in December. He is getting so big! 5 months old

Lunch and Naps

So one day while we were out and about we stopped and got Isaac a cheeseburger for lunch. As we were driving I realized that he had been pretty quiet for a while so when I turned around this is what I saw. He had eaten just the top of his bun and then fell asleep. But he was careful enough to not drop his hamburger. What a funny kid. and a super funny way to eat a hamburger. I guess next time we won't try to overlap naps and lunch.

For our ward halloween party Owen was going to be a bumblebee, but it didn't fit so his defalt costume was a rooster. I think he looked super cute. And of course Isaac was a dinosaur and loved it. Thanks Grandma Nielsen for finding a great dinosaur costume.

Pony rides

Right before Halloween we took Isaac to a neighborhood Halloween party where they had pony rides. He has never riden a horse before but I think he may be a natural. He had a great time.

After the pony rides we decorated pumpkins and jumped through the blow-up house. We had a great time.

Halloween 2009

We had an awesome Halloween this year. Isaac was a dinosaur and I was a flower, while Tim and Owen were matching Skeletons. It was so funny. Tim borrowed my black leggings and I made him bones to match Owens. They were quite the pair. I had actually made a bumblebee costume for Owen, but when I went to put it on him it was too small. I was so sad. It was the cutest bumblebee outfit I have ever seen. Well maybe for another kid. Isaac loved trick-or-treating this year, and he is still talking about it. I suspect next year will be even better. We had a fun time going around our neighborhood and visiting friends. And we love CANDY!!

Please somebody save me

We have found that a funny thing happens when Isaac gets into trouble. If mom is the one home then he cries for Daddy. If dad is the one home he cries for mom, and if we are both home then he cries for Grandma. I guess grandma really is the nice fun one.

39 things every mom should know

1. You never have to go to obnoxious kid-themed resturants. Ever. I wish someone had told me that.
2. Don't make birthday parites a huge deal.
3. Do your chores while kids are awake. Using up nap time to wash dishes or clean the bathroom is truly soul-crushing.
4. Put band-aids on everything your kids want you to. Why not?
5. If the kids are awake, bite the bullet and be awake yourself. You'll waste so many hours trying futilely to extend early-morning snoozes that it's not worth it. If you are sick, pregnant, or it's the middle of the night, ignore this advice.
6. Just throw away the poopy underwear.
7. Don't beat yourself up if you have to use a bribe.
8. Teach your kids not to pee outside unless you're camping-you'll be glad you did. But if other people's kids do it, don't judge the parents to harshly-it's all about karma. (If you're in the midst of otty training, all bets off. You've gotta do what you've gotta do.)
9. Buy cheap shoes when kids are little. Feet grow faster than you think.
10. Don't forget about board games. You'll suffer through way too much Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, but Connect Four and Battleship aren't half bad, and Clue rocks.
11. Embrace their quirks.
12. Know this: That stain won't come out. And it's okay. (The sooner you accept this, the better.)
13. At some point it will be February. Things will seem bleak. You will think about vitamins, glasses, more exercise, more sleep, more chores, less TV, more rules, fewer rules, and organic food. Just wait. Things will get better when the snow melts. Know that it will happen again at the end of summer, right before school starts. It the circle of life, baby.
14. Always get boys' haircuts at barber shops instead of hair salons.
15. Answer the question: What is the worst thing that can happen if your kids sleep in their clothes?
16. Never stifle a generous inclination.
17. Try to like what they like. It kind of sucks when it's Bob the Builder, but the payoff will come when they discover Lemony Snicket.
18. Teach them to pump on the swings ASAP.
19. If your child falls asleep occasionally without brushing their teeth, don't wake them; baby teeth do eventually fall out.
20. I know you are supposed to use natural consequences to punish bad behavior., but sometimes it's harde to think of natural consequences. In these cases try threatening your kids with clipping their toenails or some other activity they dread. I've had great success with this one, but yo0u must find your own.
21. Get used to the word zirrissenheit. It means a state of disjointedness, and it's the new normal form ost of us. At least you can feel fancy because it's German.
22. Buy kids deodorant before they need it.
23. teach your children to make their own breakfast-and allow enought time so they can do it without pressure.
24. I can't stress this enough: Use duvet covers on your comforters and forget about a top sheet. Not only will you thank me for this advice, but your kids will thank me as well when they are learning to make their bed.
25. Remember clogging lessons are not in the best interest of the child.
26. Don't administer a punishment that hurts you more than it does them.
27. Always pack wipes. If your kids go somewhere without you, send along wipes. It's like having a mom with them.
28. Do not allow the word wienies in your home.
29. Dress your little girls like, well, little girls.
30. Make sure your kids know how they like their eggs and burgers cooked. You dont want them to feel stressed when ordering at the diner.
31. It's fine to brag about yourself to your kids.
32. Buy quait wooden toys and hand-knit stuffed animals, but don't expect your kids to play with them.
33. Just say "NO" to any toy or doll that comes with packets that have to be mixed with water.
34. Teach them to like cool music. Why suffer through The Wiggles when you could be enjoying Wilco or counting along with Feist?
35. Don't buy the most expensive school-picture packages. It's a waste of money.
36. Give out awards for actual achievements.
37. Your never too old to dress up and decorate your house for Halloween. And it's more fun for everyone if you are into it. It also entitles you to more candy.
38. If the school year, new babysitter, or Karate class gets off to a rocky start, don't totally stress out about it. Instead, think of the imporvement that can be made by the end of the year.
39. Independence is a wonderful thing. For everyone. So is together time. Make sure you have a healthy dose of both.

-Kacy Faulconer

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch

The week before Halloween I met up with some friends and we took the kids to the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch. We had a fun time doing the corn maze, riding the tractor ride, and climbing up the pumpkin hill. Isaac and Owen even got their own baby pumpkins to take home with them. It was a fun day.

Isaac's 3rd Birthday

After getting home from Spokane, we decided to have another small birthday party/dinner with Ben, Julia and Brian, and Rachel. I made a small cake for him which of course had dinosaurs on it. He had a little bit of a hard time blowing out the candle, but after a few blows he finished the job. And then onto Presents, Presents,Presents!! A dinosaur (T-Rex the coolest dino of them all) shirt from Uncle Ben, Aunt Julia and Griffin. And a dinosaur playmat with mini dinos from Uncle Brian and Rachel. Thanks guys, He loved all of the stuff. It was fun to have family come and help us with our second celebration. Isaac we love you and are so happy you are part of our family. You are getting to be such a big boy! I can still remember your sweet face as I cuddled you in my arms for the first time. I can't believe how much you have grown. You are such a good big brother and friend. You are so precious to us. We are truly blessed to have you be part of our family.

Isaac and his friend the Goat

While up at my parents I went with my mom to look at a piece of property. While my mom was in the house I hung out with the boys in the car. The people who currently lived in the home owned a small black goat that wouldn't leave us alone. He even jumped up onto the hood of my Mom's mini van. Stupid goat. After I chased him off the van, he wandered off a little in to a field. Isaac was enthralled by the goat so I released him from the van and he was off into the field to hang with the goat. He would stand still while the goat ate, then jump toward the goat. Everytime he would jump at the goat the goat would also jump farther away. Isaac thought this was hillarious and was out there harrassing the goat for the rest of the time that we were there. It was funny to see him discover something new.

The Birthday weekend continued

The weekend before Isaac's birthday Tim was able to fly into Spokane for a day and a half from North Dakota. It was so nice to see him and to be able to celebrate all together. And of course there were gifts, many many gifts. He really is one lucky kid. It was fun shopping for him with Tim and my Mom. Somehow I always seem to come back to California with more things then I take with me.

A Waterpark Birthday

For Isaac's 3rd birthday we decided to take him to a place called Triple Play in Cour d' Alene. It has an indoor waterpark, which was perfect because it was cold outside. We had a great time going down the waterslides and swimming in the wave pool. Isaac actually whinned and cried most of the time. I don't know if the water was just too cold or what but it wasn't until the end of the day that he discovered the hot tub and he loved it. I think he has a lot of his dad in him, because Tim can hardly stand being in cold water, he much perfers the hot tub. So we had a great time soaking in the warm water. I also got some great video of my parents comming out of the waterslide and eating it. We all had a great time, even Owen who slept for a lot of it.