Resolutions 2010

Here they are...my resolutions/goals for 2010.


PERSONAL GOALS
lose weight
successful garden
food storage/garden
home decorating
get the piece of paper! (diploma)
classes on sewing/quiliting
one awesome recipe a month

WIFE GOALS
good routine
workable schedule
organized


MOM GOALS
potty training
stimulate his brain
swim/piano/gymnastics/dance class (one or more)
baby #2


FAMILY GOALS
food storage
service and charity
FHE
Virgie cookbook/Bob's book/VOL 2

TRAVEL
St. George *3
Las Vegas
Yellowstone


WANTS
television
couch
couch
(mini-van)

SPIRITUAL
Read Book of Mormon
FHE
Active in church
full tithe payer
heart softened and open

Resolutions 2009 recap

Last year I posted my New Years Resolutions/Goals. I did it so that I could have frequent access to my resolutions and that would help me complete them. I normally have a pretty good track record on completing them. I am never 100% but I do pretty well. This is a recap so that I can explain/ make a history of the good, the bad and the what was I thinking goals. Enjoy.


My resolutions 2009

Get healthy, feel better and be ore aware of my health. WE BOUGHT A TREADMILL. I HAVE USED IT, NOT AS OFTEN AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED. UMM... I ALSO GAINED WEIGHT! OOPS!
Math 1010...finish and pass it already!NOT MATH 1010...BUT I DID PASS PHIL 2010. THEY WERE ONE IN THE SAME IN MY HEAD.
Pay a full tithe 9 MONTHS OF THE YEAR YES...BRIAN'S UNEMPLOYEMENT CONFUSED US. WE DIDN'T REALLY EVEN THINK ABOUT TITHING DURING THOSE MONTHS. WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE. OOPS!
Be active in church WE HAVE GONE A LOT MORE THAN LAST YEAR. BUT WE NEED TO GO TO MORE THAN JUST SACRAMENT MEETING. HOPEFULLY AIDAN IS ON BOARD FOR THIS PLAN.
Read the Book of Mormon READ PARTS, BUT THAT DOESN'T COUNT. OOPS!
Graduate!!! FOR ALL PURPOSES...YES, YES I DID!
Be more crafty SLIDE SHOW COMING SOON. I WILL SAY ABSOLUTELY!
More family time (immediate and extended) WE PROBABLY DROVE EVERYONE CRAZY BUT YES...MORE FAMILY TIME. A COUPLE OF TIMES IT WAS A VERY BAD IDEA, BUT OVERALL, TOTALLY AWESOME!
Be more spiritual...daily not just on Sundays I AM GOING TO SAY YES SIREE!

Mommy resolutions 2009

Help Aidan with speech, motor skills, and conservation YES. IT MAY BE HIS NORMAL DEVELOPMENT LEVEL BUT OH WELL, I AM TAKING SOME CREDIT. HE HAS IMPROVED FROM LAST YEAR.
Be very involved...not overbearing YES SIR!
Numbers, colors, alphabet, and nursery rhymes I HAVE REPEATED THESE THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR AIDAN. I DIDN'T SAY HE NEEDED TO MEMORIZE THEM OR ANYTHING. BUT I DID MY PART. :) HE IS VERY FLUENT IN THE AIDAN NUMBERS AND COLORS. " 1, 2, 3, A, I, D..." THE ALPHABET ONLY CONSISTS OF THE LETTERS IN HIS NAME. AND MOM OBVIOUSLY ONLY KNOWS HOW TO COUNT TO THREE. OKAY, HALF MY BAD. HE DOES KNOW THAT THOMAS IS A BLUE CHOO CHOO, AND LIGHTNING MCQUEEN IS A RED CAAA. :)
Read scriptures nightly with Aidan DID IT FOR A WHILE, AND THEN I SLACKED. OOPS. HE DOES LOVE LITTLE CRITTER BOOKS THOUGH.
Read nightly with Aidan (more than just scriptures) LITTLE CRITTERS ARE OUR FAVORITE!
Preparing for Potty Training HE KNOWS WHEN HE NEEDS TO GO, HE KNOWS WHERE THE POTTY IS, HE JUST CAN'T QUIET GRASP THAT YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY GO POTTY IN THE POTTY. NOT JUST TELL MOM AFTER YOU GO. BUT HE DOES HAVE BIG BOY UNDERWEAR AND LITTLE POTTYS AND A STEP STOOL AND PULL UPS.

Wife Resolutions 2009

Pay a full tithe 9 MONTHS OR THE YEAR...SORRY. UNEMPLOYMENT CONFUSED US.
Active in church MORE SACRAMENT MEETINGS YES. NOW WE NEED MORE TIME IN THE OTHER TWO MEETINGS.
Two dates a month SOME TIMES NOT, BUT THE GENERAL AVERAGE WORKED OUT TO BE TWO A MONTH.
Read New Testament PARTS YES, BOOK NO...I AM A SLACKER.
Get married...in the temple WHY YES, YES WE DID! FREAKING AMAZING!

Basic 2009 Goals

Vacation to Las Vegas Motorspeedway in March YES FOR BRIAN (I ENJOYED 10 WONDERFUL DAYS IN ST. GEORGE)
Vacation to Redfish in July YES WE DID, AND LOVED IT
Vacation to DC/ NY in Aug AWESOME MEMORIES!
Visit St. George three times (Races in Mar, Baby Armga in Jun and ???) WE ACTUALLY MADE IT DOWN 5 TIMES THIS YEAR! CRAZY! RACES, ADDISON BORN, EASTER, JUST CAUSE, AND ADDISON'S BLESSING/HALLOWEEN.

Shop around and decide on a...
Couch WE DID DECIDE, BUT WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED YET
House BOUGHT IT AND LOVE IT!!!!
Television WE HAVE DECIDED ON THE SIZE FINALLY, NOW ITS JUST THE BRAND
Treadmill THANK YOU KSL.COM YES WE DID GET THIS!

Events to pay attention to...
Aidan's 1st Birthday YES
Anniversary YES
Honeymoon (Aug...see above) HECK YES
Baby Armga in June MAY, BUT YES
Temple sealing in August YES
Redfish Lake (and associated projects) YES AND YES TO DVD!

Help Brian complete 2 successful semesters at WSU! YES


Okay boys and girls thats the re-cap of 2009. Full of all my excuses and truths. Love me or hate me, I did tell the truth. Not to bad a record if you ask me...

Merry Christmas!

Dear Friends and Family,

It’s that wonderful time of year again. It has gotten colder outside and there is a craziness surrounding the holidays, but what a wonderful time for reflection and pondering. I am hoping to keep this Christmas Card/newsletter tradition without sounding mushy. This year has been an amazing year; packed with ups and downs. This year saw us moving twice, losing jobs, gaining jobs, enrolled in school, traveling often, learning from mistakes, spending lots of time with family and friends, and experiencing some of Heavenly Father’s greatest blessings.

Brian started this year out gainfully employed with SLC but had his contract terminated 30 days after we signed on our new house. Talk about an unwanted house warming gift. He spent nearly five months unemployed. Thank goodness for little blessings that helped us through this time. He was able to take advantage of this time by studying hard for his college classes and learning more about the field he would like to go into. We received a fantastic Christmas gift last week when Brian was offered a position at Juniper Systems. Juniper is the world’s second largest distributor of commercial grade routers; Brian will be doing customer support. He has a fun title, network engineer. We are absolutely delighted with this! This job just keeps getting better and he hasn’t officially started yet. The pay and benefits are amazing. We will have health benefits and paid time off again. Yeah!

Last year found me starting the New Year as a tutor for Davis County. I worked at this position until April, when my school year ended. Due to funding I was unable to return to this position in the fall. I began what was to be my experience as a stay at home mom only to find other plans in store for us as a family. When Brian lost his job, I quickly gained a part time job as a substitute at a local day care. It is the most ideal situation for any mom who doesn’t want a lot of time away from her children. Aidan is able to go with me and play with his friends while I am there. The best part is that I work and get paid; Aidan is allowed to come with me and he plays at the day care free of charge. Ideal!

Brian and I have both been attending more classes at Weber State. I just found out that I passed my last and final class. I will be graduating in the Spring. I am very happy! Finally! It has only taken me 12 years to finish my Bachelors. Brian is about 3 semesters from graduating with a BS in Networking. With his new job comes tuition reimbursement! What a joy!

Aidan is still an only child who brings much joy to all who come around. He is a very independent, adventurous, loving little boy. He has truly enjoyed Brian being home a lot. Aidan loves to encourage Brian to play video games and intently watches his daddy play them. Aidan loves spending time at the day care playing with his friends. We spend many Monday nights with his best friend Zoe Kay learning and exploring. Aidan is very diligent in doing his chores and reading his books. He is becoming a very good conversationalist.

We moved twice this year; once from our apartment into my Aunt Suzie’s home then into our new home. After much thought, prayer and searching we found the perfect starter house for us. This house was meant to be ours. Everything about this house is delightful. We were so lucky to find such a fantastic home in our budget.

We were also able to spend time in Idaho for an Armga Family Reunion in July and then in August we spent time in the Washington D.C. area. The latter trip was planned so that we as a family could go and be sealed for time and eternity. This was the most wonderful experience! Despite a crazy year filled with so much uncertainty, it was a wonderful ceremony that helped us put so much into perspective, but two things stand out, family and the gospel. What a wonderful gift the Lord has given us, the ability to remain bound together as a family even after death. I am in awe of the love that one can feel when we allow the Lord into our lives.

That has been our 2009. What a crazy year it has been. We are thankful to have you in our lives and have been able to grow with you. We hope that this holiday season finds you happy, in good health, and remembering the real reason for all the celebrations, the birth of our Savior. Keep in touch!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!

JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT
TO
JACOB
FOR HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER!
WE LOVE YOU

OVERLOAD!!!

I think I just finally got all caught up.
I just posted some 9 new blogs.
I have been slacking this month.
Please enjoy.
And sorry for the overload.

Being a gentleman

I know the picture isn't very good but oh well. Aidan loves being with his best buddy Zoe Kay. We spent one night walking through the park in Layton and enjoying the lights. Aidan and Zoe held hands that night. It was the cutest thing ever. Aidan didn't want to hold mine or Brian's hand, just Zoe's. What a sweetheart.

Arnold family get together

This year we decided to go over the Grandma and Grandpa's house for a visit for the holidays. What a fun time we had. We love those Arnolds!

Reed and Aidan playing.

Holly taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.
LOL!

Virgie enjoying everyone's company
and good food.

White Stocking FHE

Last year we started a tradition. Every Christmas, for at least one family home evening, we get the family together (both sides) and have a White Stocking event. Years ago my mom received a beautiful white stocking with a note in it. It is a beautiful poem that talks about how we should be celebrating the meaning of Christmas by remembering to keep Christ in Christmas. What you do is you think of a gift that you would like to give to Christ, write it down and then put it in his stocking. Save the papers until the next year and re-evaluate. It was great fun to open up our notes from last year and see what they said. This year we had the McFadden's join us. What fun. Then we have Jeff read about the birth of Christ. Virgie gave me an advent story book last year. It is made up of Christmas stories, christmas songs, and versus from the bible. It is an interactive, flowing way of experiencing the story of the birth of Christ. What a wonderful spirit!

Virgie playing the music to all the songs we sang.

Jeff reading from the advent story book.

Aidan and Zoe dancing around to the music.

Brian and our Christmas tree.
Finally a picture of the tree!

Nate and Keira Jo smiling for the camera.

Aidan the painter

Aidan is constantly asking to use his colors. This can mean any number of things; crayons, pencils, markers, paints or just a pen. Well he asks so I let him. I bought this inexpensive wood word to hang on the wall. It says Family. In time I would like to make a picture collage around the word and hang it up in the living room, one day maybe. One day Aidan found the unpainted wood word and asked to color it. So I let him. He is going to be a very well rounded kid one day, at least I hope so.

Game night and the discovery...

Last Saturday night we were bored so we got together with the Larson clan and played some Trivial Pursuit. I LOVE ME SOME TRIVIAL PURSUIT! After the game Aidan was tired. When Aidan gets tired he gets hyper, makes it nice for me because it means that when he crashes he really crashes. This was the night that we learned that Aidan will be a line backer when he grows up.

This is Aidan trying to knock Pat over.
Notice Pat is sitting on the couch.
He wasn't going to be very successful at knocking her
down, but that didn't stop him from trying
over and over again.

Uncle Matt cheesing it up for the camera.

Aidan using Uncle Matt as a horse.
Aidan wouldn't let Matt stop for a long time.

Matt couldn't take it any more.
He passed out on the floor.
Good times.

Silly Boy

This is just a cute picture I wanted to share. Aidan, the character, is a growing personality. I love it. The other day he moved some toys around so that he could place his old booster seat in just the right place, in front of this storage container. Then he meticuously place certain Mega Blocks on the container, we will call it a table. Then he anxiously pulled off his pants. Next he sat down on his chair and began building his tower. He built his for about 30 minutes before deciding his legs were cold and wanted his pants back on. Silly boy!

Suzie's Santa Soiree

On Saturday Suzie got some friends together and we had a little party. We just got together and hung out. It was Katie, Brian, Aidan, Suzie, Jeremy, Katelyn, Daddy Kenny, Doug, and Alma Jean. Doug and Alma Jean are Suzie's friend from Happy Valley. We just visited and had a good time. We did play a little Wii, but mostly just visited. Doug is a former Sprint Car Champion. If you know what that is you will be impressed, if not I apologize.

Here is my brief synopsis. In the world of racing sports there are many levels and divisions. NASCAR is one, F-1 cars and Indy cars are others. Some of the smaller divisions are funny cars, midgets, dragsters, figure 8's, modified and sprint cars. I don't know enough of these other divisions to tell you the differences, just know that they exist. Want to watch them go to your local track or watch the Speed channel.

Jeremy wants to be a race car driver. He is good enough to do so, I think. Well putting Doug and Jeremy together was awesome. All they did was talk shop for hours. Its amazing the things you learn and pick up. That was fun.

I digress...

I only took one picture at the party. Sad, I know. But its a goody. Here is Suzie playing with Aidan. She has on her festive Santa hat. Aidan is sitting in front of her. They were both playing with her dog, Jake. Aidan decided to put his Tony Stewart car on Jake's head. The great part, Jake just sat there. Didn't shake it off or anything. What a good doggie! And that is Daddy Kenny's foot, just hanging out. Good times, good friends...you can't go wrong!

Temple square lights

We have this tradition. We go down and see the lights in Temple Square. We are aware that others have this tradition too. But apparently everyone was there the night we went. It was so crazy. That's what we get for waiting until yesterday to go.

2009
This is the Larson family nativity scene.
Every year we will take our picture here.

2008
Our picture from last year.

A beautiful shot of the temple.
I love this iPhone. The pictures are awesome.
We may just frame this and
put it in the living room.

A nativity scene that I really liked, not quite sure why.
Maybe it is the rolly polly figurines.
Maybe it is the elephant/yak animal at the stable.
I don't know, I just liked it.

Another awesome, pretty typically shot of the Temple.

I have been to Temple Square OFTEN.
I have never noticed nor been aware of this!
Wow!
Make sense though right...

Do you see what I see?
Hundreds of people
paying attention
to the narration
at the large nativity scene.
Yes...but I was trying for a picture of the
Christus.

The family leaving me behind as I
take pictures like a tourist.

Beautiful little plaque on the wall.
It is a depiction of important
individuals throughout the
Book of Mormon.

Trying to get a shot of the lights.

I don't smile, I show my teeth!

This is Aidan's new smile. He won't smile on demand anymore for pictures. But if you ask him to show you his teeth...this is what you get. He pushes out his lower jaw, squints his eyes and becomes a bit of a bull dog. What a cheeseball!

Who is this!?!

Can you guess who this handsome man would be? Shhh keep the secret to yourself. :) I asked Grandpa if he would help us out this year and let Aidan meet Santa Claus. See, Bob has a connection. Grandpa Bob said yes. Aidan and I went over to their house and Grandpa went back to Grandma's bedroom to begin the help out process. Aidan was mad already. He always follows Grandpa around. Grandpa wouldn't let him into the bedroom. Aidan was mad. Then about 15 minutes later Santa Claus came out of the bedroom. Aidan was confused to say the least. He ran back to the bedroom, only to find that Grandpa had disappeared. He kept saying Bo Bo Bo Where. So then I tried to talk him into sitting on Santa's lap. Aidan wasn't into it. He wanted to know where his Grandpa went. He was very concerned for Grandpa. After a while I got him to sit on his lap to take a picture. Those are on Grandma's camera. But then Santa's hat fell off. Aidan, the hair lover, recognized that head of hair! He then grabbed a hold of Santa's beard...and tada! Grandpa is an official Santa Helper! Amazing. Aidan even wanted to try on the beard. That didn't last long, he didn't like it. When Santa returned to the bedroom to go back to the North Pole, and Grandpa came out Aidan had a mouthful to say to Grandpa. Aidan gave him hugs and loves and even took Grandpa back into the bedroom to find Santa. Hilarious people! Maybe it was more entertaining for me because I was there, but it was great fun!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

I am not a baker. I enjoy the experiment in the kitchen. I call myself a cook. I can cook. But knowing that I am not a baker I have decided to try and get better at it. I am not a baker because it requires reading directions, following them, using measuring spoons and cups, and paying attention to it while it bakes. I can not tell you how hard this is for me. I get distracted and forget to turn the timer on, or I can't find my measuring cups (thanks to Aidan), or I lose all ability to read a recipe correctly. Trying to double a recipe can be disasterous. Remember I never passed my math class, those fractions are killer! So I am a cook who has been trying to be a baker this holiday season. I only know of two mishaps. With one and sugar cookies I misread the directions. It asked for 1 cup of butter not one stick (very dry and crumbly), and the second had to do with zucchini bread and how many eggs...3 eggs per batch which gives me two loaves of bread. I tripled the batch to make six loaves of bread and so that means I needed 12 eggs right...wrong! 9 eggs... I had to go and by more eggs after that snafu. I didn't even think about pulling out three yolks and making scrambled eggs, I panicked and threw them all away. See I need lots of practice.

One of my nemesis' is Sugar Cookies. The Damn things hate me. To make matters worse most people think that sugar cookies with no shape aren't very good so I have had to work on how to use my cookie cutters. I did my research. I love Alton Brown on the Food Network, Good Eats is so helpful for my questioning everything mentality. But being my baking enemy I decided to do some this year. I made the dough and let it chill for three days (recipe calls for 3 hours but I have had issues with that in the past). So I got it good and chilled. Alton said to use powdered sugar instead of flour when rolling out the dough, I will only enhance the flavor and not make the cookies dry. I began the process. I managed to roll out the dough and cut out about 6 cookies. I was successful in my endeavor. Then our roommate Keira Jo came upstairs and she finished rolling them out. She is amazing! Seriously. I was meticuosly using the cookie cutters (I am pretty sure that 20 minutes for 6 cookies is ridiculous), she was speedy and efficient. Wonderful Keira! Then the baking process. I usually get very bored baking cookies. Every 10 minutes you check, rotate and start over...boring. But I did it, I survived. I used two cookie sheets at a time.

Then we let them cool for one day, 24 hours. I am sure that the men in this house considered it some kind of torture. Then the decorating process began.

I mixed my colors, I loaded my decorating containers and I prepped the preparation table. I was ready to begin. What a tedious process! Maybe if I was talented in the painting department I would have enjoyed it more. Toward the end I didn't decorate nearly as well. After a while Aidan caught on to what I was doing, so did Brian. My boys, my thieves happily ate the broken cookies, the bad frosting jobs and even licked the table where I dropped a frosted cookie (thanks Aidan). I survived boys and girls. And I can now say I did it, and I can also say I won't be decorating sugar cookies very often. TEDIOUS!

Station prepped and ready to go.
Yellow, blue, red and green frosting ready to go.

Plate of "boring" cookies ready to be decorated.

Me trying my hardest to be creative and
domesticated...think Martha Stewart/Sandra Lee.

I haven't even started and you can see the stress in my face.

The bests that my creative side could do.
Some snowmen didn't have faces.
Some gingerbread people were cyclops'.
Some candy canes were barely stripped.

My purple turned yucky black...
All the snowmen look like mini mobsters.

I just passed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just found out that I just
PASSED
my logic class!!!

After 12 years of college I did it!

YIPPIE!

Please do this! It won't take long

I just found out about this website. I wish you would all take a few precious moments and participate.

www.letssaythanks.com

Information taken from the Facebook event description.

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving overseas. You can't pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!! It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers over there need to know we are behind them.

This takes just 10 seconds and it's a wonderful way to say thank you. Please take the time and please take the time to pass it on for others to do. We can never say enough thank you's.

Thanks for taking to time to support our military!

Brian's first day on the new job

Today is Brian's first day at his new job, Juniper Systems. He left early this morning to drive into Ogden. He had on his clean clothes, had his new books and paper, he done did his hair, ate a yummy breakfast and remembered to take his lunch. Do I sound like a dotting Mother? I kind of am. I am so thrilled that Brian was offered this job. I am glad that all of his hard work paid off. I am even more glad that Brian was happy, content, and relaxed as he kissed me goodbye this morning. No more stress. No more worries, at least not just yet. I am so excited to hear how his day went!

A New blog to read...and maybe a little something in it for me too

My good friend, Debbie just started this new blog called Cheer and Bless. I have a hard time describing it. If I had to use words to describe I would say "A blog about being a woman, complete with all the craziness that we are." I think everyone should check it out.

I also would like you to check out a specific article she wrote. Tell her and I what you think. :)

http://cheerandbless.blogspot.com/2009/12/pictures-of-womanhood-strength.html

"He he he, Dadda, he he he!"

The other night Aidan was lying in bed, watching his favorite movie Cars when we heard the following...."giggle giggle giggle Dadda giggle giggle giggle Dadda" over and over again. It took us a minute to figure out was going on, when we did we both giggled and reported to Aidan's room. Once in his room we found the following. A giggling 20 month old, pajama pants off, diaper off, tossed haphazardly onto my cedar chest (where they temporarily sit while we finish with diaper changes), and something wet all over the floor and the bedding in the crib. We couldn't be mad. When Aidan saw us he quickly babbled something about diaper, there, ut-oh, and potty. Upon further examination we noticed that the diaper he took off was already wet. So we have deduced that he didn't want the wet diaper on anymore and took it off, throwing in the spot where dirty diapers go. Then we he realized it was cold, oops. And then he was calling for Dadda (Dadda is any older human personage to Aidan) to come and see what happened. Here's another funny tidbit. After we got him changed and into new bed sheets, he got mad and demanded that we get him out of the crib. Finally we conceded, confused as to what was happening. At this point Aidan promptly walked over picked up the wet diaper that he removed himself and he immediately walked it to the kitchen garbage can, then demanded to return to his crib to watch Cars. Taking diapers to the garbage is his job and he takes it very seriously.

"He he he, Dadda, he he he!"

Snow Day!!!

On Tuesday we woke up to awesome snow on the ground. We all wanted to go and play in it. Those of you on FB with me remember this day. I couldn't decide what to do about Aidan. We bought him some snow pants for Christmas, we wrapped them and put them under the tree. Well as I was trying to decide whether or not to unwrap them and use them that day, Aidan decided for me. I went upstairs to find that he had unwrapped a present. Amazingly the one that I was thinking about opening, snow pants. So with the new development we decided to go forth and let him wear them.

Aidan bundled and ready to play in the vast whiteness!

My favorite picture.
I can imagine him saying it...
"I can't get up! Ralphie! I can't get up!"

Brian shoveling the sidewalk.

"Thanks Dad for the run way!"

And mom's favorite.
The picture where he really couldn't get up.
He was so tired when he fell down,
he couldn't get back up. LOL!

All done with that fantastic snow!
Aidan was so tired, he didn't even fight
when we told him it was time to go inside.

And finally Aidan's first experience with
"Hot" chocolate.
It was really luke warm cocoa.
But he loved it all the same.

Layton Park Lights

Last Saturday night we was bored. You read me right. We was bored! We had done all of our shopping and stuff and was bored. So Brian and I decided to head over to the Layton Commons Park and walk around and see their lighting display. I have never actually walked around to see the lights, driven past yes always, but not walk through. We bundled Aidan up and headed out. Someone should start to remind these parents not to forget to bundle themselves up. What a nerd! Brian was prepared, I was not. I had on my hoodie. It was freezing. Needless to say it was a quick walk through, with some OOOOHHHHs and AAAWWWWEEEEs. And then we ran to the car for the wonderful warmth. Here are some of those pictures.

Aidan running ahead of Brian.
Aidan was excited and confused by everything.

Just a picture of the lights.
I have no idea what is in the snow.
:)

Gingerbread houses

Last Friday we had the McFadden's come over for some yummy food and good times. I made a large pot of Chicken Curry. Yummy! I am slowly making this recipe my own. I am so excited to be able to make it a Larson Family staple, even Aidan loves it. I digress. The main event for the night wasn't the Chicken Curry, it was the gingerbread houses. Megan and I have been talking about doing this for weeks. I have never done one before, ever. I have always been nervous about them, there sticky! But through some sweet talk by Megan we agreed to purchase those pre-made gingerbread kits that you can buy at Wal-Mart and other such stores. I got one style and Megan got another. I am happier with my pre-made box because even the royal icing was pre-made, on Meg's you had to mix it up and wait a little bit so that it could come together. Well this was a project for Aidan and Zoe; they were not into it, not even a little bit. They enjoyed all the candy but not much else. Who would have thought that gingerbread houses could make people so competitive? Not me. What started as a project for the kids turned into Larson's vs. McFadden's and then Boys vs. Girls and then Nate vs. Keira Jo. So much fun it was! Next year I think it will be more fun, because now I know what to expect and can better prepare myself.

Nate and Steven working on their "Man-ger." I believe, my opinion that they modeled their idea off of what would be consider a manger and a man cave. Their house is very detailed and delightfully funny.

Keira Jo working very hard on the traditional gingerbread house. See the left side of the roof...that's what I helped with. I am so proud.
A better view of the "Man-ger." This house uniquely designed for a man. Inside this man-ger the owner has equipped the home with a large couch, a HUGE wide screen television and amazing surround sound system. The house also as room for the man's horse. And because one has made room for his horse inside the house one should share their surround sound with the horse. Notice the speakers hung on the wall for optimum pleasure. This house is also decorated outside with an amazingly placed swamp cooler and a tower of used tires. The imagination!
A better view of the traditional gingerbread home. This home is prepared for anything that winter can bring. Notice the Santa Claus catching hook on the roof. This home owner has also decorated the home and the yard with decorations. The fence around the structure has a colorful fence. The eve's around the house are decorated in beautiful red and green lights. The owner also took some time to place down some ice melt for you, on the path to the front door, dyed nicely in festive colors. They also placed a wreath on the house and a blow up Santa Claus in the front yard to show their holiday spirit.

It was fun night for all. So glad we were able to do this activity.

Now we need your help, my devoted blog readers. We are in a contest. I am taking a poll. Aside from who did which house, I would like you to vote on your favorite house and tell me why. The winner of the gingerbread house viewer opinion poll will receive your accolades and praise. You can vote in two ways. Leave a comment. Or see the poll on the top left of the Larson Blog page. Thanks!