The New Year is quickly approaching

So it is just 2 sleeps away...2011.....and I'm trying to decide if I should make my list of resolutions for next year or if I should try to get stuff done that I have wanted to do this past year but haven't done yet.  So do I sit and shred the hundreds of papers in my "to shred" pile or should I clean the scrapbook table?  Or do I gather the pics I took all year and make a 2010 book of the Gaspar Family?  Or do I try to finish adding pictures to this blog so that it is up to date?  Or do I make the picture collages and birthday letters for Jacob's birthday?  Or do I work on our business website?  So much to do...will I ever get caught up?  Is there such a thing?

Well for now- I think I will just spend some time watching tv and then reading a book.  The things I love to do each night. My to do list will be there in the morning!

Thanksgiving

Thanks giving this year was spent in Prescott.  Over the week of Thanksgiving the boys all wrote down the things they were thankful for on a feather for our Turkey.  This was the final product!  There were 100 feathers.  Some were sweet...family, God, JoJo, etc.  But other things were silly, like toilets, the digestive system, beds, etc.  

This time of year is my favorite!  I love the smell of pumpkin and spice and pumpkin bread.  I love the colors of fall (though we don't see many colors here- I can dream!)  And I love the idea that at least for one day out of the year- we can stop and think about what we are so blessed with.  My goal for the year to come is that I can learn to recognize how blessed I am each and every day and to teach my family to do the same. 

Jonathan and Papa Gil watching the football game.

This year Lisa offered to help me make the pies for Thanksgiving instead of going to Costco to buy them.  We made apple, pumpkin and chocolate silk.  Jonathan helped with the chocolate silk right down to the chocolate shavings and whip cream.

The weekend before Thanksgiving we had dinner at our house with Chris, Katie, Marc and mom and Bill.  

When we arrived in Prescott on Thanksgiving morning, Papa and Grandma made us breakfast....pumpkin pancakes.  YUMMY!  After breakfast we went downstairs to see the new train!  The new train even blows smoke!  The boys LOVED it!

Addicted

ADDICTED....That is the story of my life.  Carmel Frapp (light of course) no whip with extra carmel...makes my day.  Though lately it has been pumpkin spice frapp....mmmmm!  It is my guilty pleasure.  It is something that I know is too expensive but is just enough to make me happy without going to the mall and spending money on clothes and such.  I've made my own at home but it just isn't quite the same.  

Thank you Starbucks.

TP

Well last night we did it.....Randy and I taught our small children how to toilet paper a house. (4 houses, in fact)  Over the past week, Marquis has been tp-ing the boys bikes around dinner time and then ding dong ditch so we see the bikes but can't find who did it!  Then Marquise and Jack spent the night and we took them TPing for the first time!  It was hilarious!  They were SO loud and laughing and silly and then JoJo didn't want to give up his toilet paper.  Then as they finished- they rang the bell and took off!  I didn't know ringing the door bell was part of how kids TP these days so I trotted along slowly in my pajama pants and slippers!  It was quite an experience!  They then wanted to do more so they TP'd Cameron's house and our house to finish the evening!  The next morning we went to clean it all up.  I have a feeling it is only the beginning.....

COPY CAT

JoJo is the clown of the family!  He likes to copy anything his brothers do.  If Jon lies in the grass, JoJo lies in the grass.  If Jake peeks out from behind a tree, then JoJo peeks out from behind the tree.  But his little smile makes us all laugh.  No one ever seems to get annoyed with that little guy!

Jordan Turns 4

My baby is four years old today.  So hard to believe that he is moving beyond his toddler years.  We had a Thomas cake for his birthday, made him a shirt and got him his first bike.  He LOVED his bike!  NO FEAR! He was ready to ride and ride fast!

His other favorite gift was his pillow pet that Grandma and Papa King got him.  He LOVED his pillow pet!  All he could keep saying is "Its a pillow, its a pet.  Its a pillow pet!"

Legoland Aquarium

The Legoland Aquarium opened in Tempe this summer so I had wanted to take the boys to visit.  Randy came in from one of his roadtrips to meet us there!  Though the aquarium was a bit small for the price- the boys loved it!  

My Weekness....

"Can we have a sleepover?"

It all started when Jonathan had a friend over to spend the night.  We wondered where they should sleep so we thought we'd pull out the memory foam we had and lay some sheets and blankets on it and they could sleep on the floor in the game room and watch TV.  Well it was quite a success and now they ask almost every night if they can have a 'sleepover'!  Not necessarily with friends but just with each other!  Even Jojo has gotten into the act!  he thinks it is hilarious to sleep on the floor!  

Slave labor

The time has come....for our oldest child to learn to mow the lawn!  One of those days you wait for but think will never come.  And as much as Randy dreads mowing the lawn- Jonathan was THRILLED to learn a "man's job"!  He even put on his Michigan shirt so he could match his dad!  Slave labor....gotta love it!

GRAND CANYON

In early July, Randy had a road trip and I had cheer camp so Grandma G and Papa G GRACIOUSLY offered to watch the boys while we were gone!  What an incredibly BRAVE thing to do!  They took the boys to the Grand Canyon and the horse races and kept busy playing and exploring the animals around the house!  The boys had a great time.....when I walked in the door- Jonathan did not stop talking about all their adventures!  When I asked if they wore out Grandma and Papa - they said, "NO- they wore US out!"  Not sure that was the case but none-the-less, a great time was had by all!

Suns Camp

Phoenix Suns Summer Basketball Camp

The boys had a GREAT time at the Suns camp this year!  Jake loved visiting the snack bar on a daily basis to get his Skittles!  And Jonathan actually won the Coaches Award this year for his hard work!  Thanks to Uncle Jay and Chris Beard....they were able to attend this camp once again!  

FOURTH OF JULY

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Despite Randy's crazy work schedule and road trips- we were able to continue our traditional 4th of July trip to Prescott!  We drove up just for the day but had a great time with ice cream, great weather and a little time with Grandma and Papa and lots of fireworks!

We spent the afternoon at the house playing and relaxing outside followed by a BBQ!

The highlight of the day was Papa's new BB gun.  With their safety goggles on- they learned to shoot!  They actually did quite well and were shooting soda cans with pretty good accuracy!

We then went on a walk to the "creek", however with the dry weather- there was no water.  But we had a fun little hike none-the-less!

Jonathan is growing up before our eyes......

And Jake is as goofy as ever!

Probably the last time I'll get to "play dress up" with these boys!  Jake was not too thrilled about dressing like his brothers.  So I had to get a picture of the 3 of them in these great 4th of July outfits!

O I WISH I WERE AN OSCAR MAYER WIENER...

July 4th....stopped at Safeway to get my morning java and low and behold....the WIENER MOBILE was in the parking lot!  It's not everyday that you see a wiener mobile so we had to jump out and take a picture. 

The Garbage Truck

Jordan has LOVED the garbage man for as long as I can remember.  He runs outside as soon as he hears the truck drive around the neighborhood.  He'll stand outside, watch in awe and wave to his Wednesday morning friends!  Sometimes he'll get a honk but usually just a wave from the dear garbage man.  So this past Christmas it as no surprise that he got 3 toy garbage trucks.  But this orange one is his favorite because it actually has a can that moves up and down.  So this special night- he wanted to sleep with his dear friend, the garbage man.