Oh Christmas Tree!

We are thankful to have a tree farm less than a mile away! Rosen thought we should get the biggest one we could find but was "ok" with the one we picked out :) Grandma & Grandpa Braid came along as they will be in Hawaii visiting Justin & Gloria this Christmas and so will not be getting a tree of their own.

 

Turkey Trot

This year Nathan's parents Bill and Kathy joined us for our traditional Turkey Trot in Manito Park Thanksgiving morning. We like to start off the morning with a good walk (it helps ease the calorie binge later in the day). The girls did pretty well this year, I think it was a little warmer than last year. Naomi rode on Dad's back and Grandpa pushed Rosen in the jogger (taking "short cuts" through any piles of snow they could find) 

At the duck pond afterwards. Rosen said that the mallards are "Oregon Ducks" because they have green heads. All but the one pictured below... maybe they loose the green as they age???

Welcoming Baby Boy Braid

My wonderful neighbor Katie Thomas was so excited to hear that we are expecting a baby boy that she begged me to let her throw me a shower because as she said, "every baby deserves to be celebrated". She is a great friend as well and we look forward to having our boys and girls grow up together. (She has an almost 3 yr old girl and a 15 month old boy) This was the adorable cupcake "cake" that Katie got for me in my favorite flavor. 

Everything is blue! Things are going to be changing at our house!

My other neighbor Tawnie was so much fun to watch playing this game - she had to see how many balloons she could stuff into her shirt. We were all in tears laughing!

My mom won this game - guessing my girth. Mom-in-love came in second.

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

We just couldn't wait to get out and play in the first snow of the season! The girls had their PJs on under their snow pants and coats. :) We made our first family snowman (complete with a University of Oregon hat and hammer hands). I think the girls enjoyed sweeping off the driveway the most though. Too bad it was melting as fast as they were clearing it!

Harvest Party

As a family, we don't really celebrate Halloween but we celebrate the season at the annual Harvest Party that our church hosts every year. This year Rosen dressed up as a ballerina (a shocker, I know) and Naomi was our beautiful flower.  Surprisingly Naomi kept her hood on all night without a fuss.

We stopped by Papa's and Grandpa & Grandma's houses on the way (Mom came by earlier during the day to see them) to the party to show off their costumes. (There are no pictures from Grandma & Grandpa's because they were DONE taking pictures and getting crabby before we even got to the party!)

Having a ball at the party... or should I say bean bag?

Daddy dressed up like a Cintas Manager!

Naomi did an excellent job of participating and waiting her turn.

She really loved this basketball game... we had to pry her away from it to go home. :) The girls came home with a grocery sack half full of candy (which Mom & Dad graciously helped them eat most of over the next few weeks)

Daddy's Girls

The girls thought that Daddy looked so nice in his work clothes that they just had to try them out for themselves. :) It doesn't get any cuter than this!

Pumpkin Patch 2009

This year we went up to Green Bluff with my MOPS group (Mothers of Preschoolers) to the Pumpkin Patch. The girls each got to pick out an apple from the orchard and began to eat them promptly. (Naomi took more time on hers..... she wanted to make sure to drop it in the dirt a few times for good measure).

Here the girls are going through the corn field maze.

Naomi thought she'd take an apple break...

Here the girls with the other kids in our MOPS group stop for a photo op. (I think there were two other MOPS groups wandering around also).

The kids loved Penelope the talking pumpkin :)

But not as much as they loved the pumpkin donuts and apple cider! The pumpkins on the table are the ones the girls got to pick out and take home.

I think Rosen was more interested in the hay on the hay ride then the tour of the orchards. :)

A pioneer homestead at the pumpkin patch. Rosen wanted to stay all day and play house.