Thanksgiving week...Columbus, Akron, Toronto, and Michigan

We finally were able to go with Glen to some interviews the week of Thanksgiving. He had two in Ohio and then we were planning on driving up to Toronto for a few days to visit with Glen's Grandma.
On Monday we headed to Columbus where we got to stay with the Snow family and visit while Glen was interviewing. The Snow's lived in Toledo before they moved to Columbus and it was a lot of fun to see them. Before we headed to Akron, Ohio we stopped at an amazing ice cream place. They had a sweet potato ice cream that was so good! The kids had the most colorful ice cream they had and it was lavender flavor. BLAH!! Glen didn't mind it but I thought like I was eating perfume. Doesn't the pictures of Taylor eating ice cream just make you want to feed that girl ice cream everyday? She was so happy and excited.
Akron was the only place that actually paid for the hotel for Glen and it was pretty nice too. We had pizza hut pizza and Glen took the kids swimming while I got the pizza. The kids think it is so fun to stay in a hotel. We spent the next day playing at McDonalds, Old Navy, Wal Mart and the hotel while Glen interviewed.
After the interview we drove straight to Toronto. By this point we were swimming in stuff in the car. The kids did really good in the car and we spent a couple of days with Glen's Grandma. Of course the kids wanted to get into every cupboard and drawer possible but we had a lot of fun up there. We helped put up Christmas lights and had some great food. We had a great visit.
Saturday morning we drove down to Michigan and went to the temple and spent the day with Glen's parents. The kids really love it there and were excited that we stayed the night. We drove home Sunday morning just in time to speak in Sacrament meeting and Glen had to teach young mens and I had to do sharing time. It was a crazy week but a lot of fun. It was nice to be with Glen so much for a change.

Matthew, Madison and Taylor

The hotel in Akron had a love seat just Matthew's size so it made a perfect bed.

It was a huge play place and we had it all to ourselves. Matthew is up at the top in the picture below.

Glen and I were deep in conversation somewhere in Canada and I heard a lot of laughing and this is what we saw after turning around. They had found our electric toothbrushes and thought it was so funny. It was pretty fun to watch.

Walking down the street near Oma's house

Goodbye November.....birthdays and more!

November has flown by and I am finally getting some pictures up. We celebrated my birthday on the 1st and Matthew's birthday was the 21st. Glen was gone for his birthday so we celebrated a little early. Matthew is such a sweet boy and we are so glad we have him. He loves to run and jump and jump; I can't wait to have a house for him to have more space to move in. He is always telling me how much he loves me and he loves to cuddle up with me on the couch. It's good he can be so sweet because he still is very picky and strong willed and has his moments you could say. He loves to play with Taylor and his friends; he does not like to play by himself very much. He loves going to preschool once a week and right now he is taking a kids in the kitchen class at the YMCA that he likes. One of his favorite things is playing at the YMCA's gymnastic center; such a great thing to do in the winter. They have open hours once a week and he is always asking to go. Matthew is loving to draw and write these days which is so fun to see...I included a few of his pictures from the past few months. My favorite is his Christmas tree. I drew one first and I was shocked to come back into the room and see that he had drawn a tree that really was almost as good as mine. I am not very good at drawing!! We had a few of Matthew's friends over for a couple of hours and later as a family we went swimming. Matthew asked for tacos for dinner and a batman cake. We found Matthew asleep on the couch before 8:00....it was a fun day!!!

Pictures from left to right "I Love Mommy, Christmas tree, flower, rainbow, pig, "Happy Halloween," and a rose

Taylor wanted me to take a picture of her while we were getting ready for birthday cake.

Such a scary pirate with his hook???

He has been wanting this batman toy FOREVER. He wanted it last Christmas and I didn't want to get it by I finally gave in and got it for him.

Matthew loves riding his bike and we have to run to keep up with him sometimes. It is probably good are sidewalks are horrible because it slows him down a little.

Taylor woke up from her nap awhile ago and Matthew wanted to go get her by himself. When I went upstairs they were singing London Bridges. It was so cute!

Preschool group......we learned about China so we had a parade with our dragons.

Matthew wanted to make something a few weeks ago so we pulled out some pine cones we had and glued them all up and poured on glitter. Glitter is such a mess but Matthew enjoyed it.

With two of my favorite people on my birthday. My other favorite person was taking the picture....I was so glad Glen was home. More November and Glen updates coming soon.

Surprise!!!!

It is always fun to walk into a room and see what Matthew and Taylor are doing. Okay, it's not always fun....I sometimes find Taylor coloring on the couch or Taylor hitting Matthew in the face. But, a lot of times it is fun to see what they are pretending or what they have climbed into that becomes a boat, their home, or a spaceship. The pictures below were all places I found them except the one of them in the washer; I put them in there after I found them in the dryer. I especially love the one of them in Matthew's bed with all the animals. They were just laying there talking...they can be so sweet with each other sometimes. With Glen being gone so much lately I am so glad I have these two to play with all day! ( we'll see if I still feel that way after church...Glen left again this morning and my stomach is not being nice to me today) Have a great Sunday!

Matthew dragon and Taylor Princess

Our ward trunk or treat was a lot of fun despite Glen being gone. I felt I was just looking for Matthew every two seconds most of the time and after this was over I was happy to be done with Halloween. The kids had fun walking across the stage in the costume parade and of course getting tons of candy. About a week ago I threw most of it away; it felt so good to just get rid of it. Matthew wanted to wear his very fabulous dragon costume again this year and Taylor called herself a Russian princess. Glen's parents gave Taylor this very cute outfit after they got back from Russia. It was cute because sometimes before the kids go to bed we tell Matthew and Taylor stories about Matthew dragon and Taylor princess so it was funny they ended up in costumes to go along with something we have been doing for a long time.

Taylor skipping and dancing across the stage. There were a lot of cute little kids.

I caught Taylor with quite the face here; I promise she wasn't really this miserable the whole time.