Super Saturday

Yesterday, our ward had a Super Saturday activity. There were all kinds of craft projects to sign up for and a few free classes. There was a wreath project, a dish towel one, a glass block one, and a etching one. I signed up for the dish towel one and the glass block one since I had already done a glass pan etching a few years ago and I have a Christmas wreath too. The free classes were the bow making and candy making. We also had a ward cookbook that we were supposed to scrapbook a cover for. I never got around to doing that though. I'm only going to post pictures of the glass block since I didn't get to finish the dish towel. I'll post those when I get done with it.

I think the hardest part of the glass block was making the bow on the top of it. It was 3 yards of ribbon and it was hard to hold it all without letting go and having to start over. I might need to practice some more on the bow making part. The letters and snowflakes were on a vinyl sticker sheet you just peeled off the backing and stuck onto the block. I think I want to make a few more for other holidays. It was pretty fun. It was also nice to get a little break from Jacob and do some fun crafts.

Video Time

Ever since we last visited (Great) Grandma and Grandpa Reed, Jacob has been practicing his jumping. Grandpa Reed would spin in a circle and jump and Jacob is determined to copy him. He's just starting to make it off the ground too. It's pretty funny to watch though.





Since it started snowing, when I come in from outside, I leave my shoes by the front door so I don't track water in. Jacob has discovered them and has been putting them on and walking around the house. They sure look big on his tiny little feet. I think he needs more practice :)




When we started decorating the Christmas tree last week, Jacob started singing. He loves the "Old MacDonald" song from his Baby Einstein videos and that's probably the only song he knows. (Well, besides Oooh, Ah--from the Laurie Berkner dvd) He has his own version of the song though. It's "Ey-a Ey-a O" not "Eigh Eigh o". I think I like his version better.

He really is a sweet little boy and we love the happy moments he adds to the family.

Puttin' Up the Decorations

Today we decorated the Christmas Tree!!! We put it up on Friday along with other decorations after Jacob went to bed. He woke up in the morning walked out and saw the tree and all the decorations then did his cute little "Ooohh!". Today we got out all the tree ornaments and got a little step ladder out for Jacob so he could help too. It was so much fun.

All the decorations...

Jacob looking at what we put on the table...

Rachael and I got this snowman the first year we were married...

Our tiny, but great tree...

Ralphie with his Red Ryder, Carbon Action, BB Rifle

All but a few decorations we have are wooden so it was nice that Jacob could play with them and not break them...

Rachael showing Jacob how to hang the ornaments...

Jacob somewhat got the idea...he would put them up and then take them down

Rachael showing Jacob again how to hang and leave the ornaments

"Airplane"

Our Moose-amily

This guy lives down the street from us...

Jingle Bells and Airplanes

He didn't like the location of this ornament

Our finished tree...so cute and simple

Jacob is still a little confused with his animals though. He thinks that all the moose and reindeer say "Moo"

It's the Santa Bear

After Christmas steal of 2008

Reindeer Games...

Even got out the Christmas cookbooks...

So, now it's starting to look a lot like Christmas around our house... I love this season

The End of Another Thanksgiving

This year we had a great Thanksgiving. We went over to our friends Michael and Katie's for Thanksgiving Dinner/Day. It was so much fun...we watched football, talked about things going on, ate a big, wonderful dinner and then sat around since we stuffed ourselves. After a little while some more friends came over and we played the regular Scene-It, Disney Scene-It and Lord of the Rings Trivia Pursuit. The kids all played back in the bedroom while the adults were out in the front room. When we got home Jacob had a little to eat cause he didn't really eat much of dinner and then we watched Toy Story 2...until he passed out and we put him to bed.

We also opened up the Thankful Box today (see post about it below) and read what everyone was thankful for. Here are a few things the Windholz Family is thankful for in 2009:

• "I'm thankful for the trials in my life"
• "I'm thankful for my job and that it provides for my family"
• "I'm thankful for family traditions that we get to do with our kids"
• "I'm thankful for Jacobs cute reactions to little things (we drove past Christmas lights yesterday and all Jacob did was ooh and awe)"
• "I'm thankful for good friends who let us share Thanksgiving with them"
• "I'm grateful that you made me go to Institute with you because we probably never would've started dating (5 years later look how happy we are)"
• "I'm thankful for my smokin' hot wife"
• "I'm thankful for mommy" (Jacobs contribution)
  
• "I'm thankful for the joy Jacob brings into my life"
• "I'm thankful for my parents"
• "I'm thankful that the church is guided by living prophets and apostles"
• "We may not have all the luxuries we may want but we get by and we have cute lil' family. We're happy and for that I am grateful"

We have so many things to be grateful for and so many people that we are grateful that they are a part of our lives to share their experiences, friendships and their company. We hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving.

4 Years and Still Counting

Today is Rachael and my 4 year anniversary. I didn't want to make a long post with lots of pictures, so I took some of my favorite ones of Rachael (there are a lot so if you don't want to watch it all, it's all good) and made a slide show with some of my favorite songs. She's my best friend, a wonderful wife and mother, my fishing partner, my source of inspiration, my everything. I enjoy every moment with her and feel so lucky that she wants to spend every moment with me. Enjoy the show...



I LOVE YOU RACHAEL!!!

Hope the years to come are just as wonderful and adventurous as the last 4 have been.

50 Free Christmas Cards with Small Shipping Fee

So, yesterday our friend Katie posted on her blog that you could get 50 free Christmas Cards with Free Shipping. We went to website listed below and found out that you still get the free cards but there is a small shipping fee since there were so many people getting them. The fee was $3.19 which is still relatively small compared to what you would pay at Wal-Mart or where ever you go to get Christmas Cards. It was pretty easy to make and fun. We took some family pics in our apartment for the cards and got some good ones. The offer ends November 30th so click on the link below and have fun...Thanks for posting about it Katie

Use coupon code: freebies4mom-1109
http://www.seehere.com/pcOverview.do
(You have to do the 4x8 size)

New Blog

I made a new blog to show some of mine and Rachaels pictures of whatever we don't want to post on our usual blog...Some people not enjoy a long string of pictures without stories or what they are. I still use Flickr but there are size requirements unless you want to pay and I don't want to pay whereas with a blog it doesn't fill up for a long time. It was an idea I got from two friends...Katie, whose blog shows a bunch of artsy projects and fun stuff and from Ryan, who suggested I should make a blog with just photos that I like kind of like a portfolio of pics...so thank you both.

So, my new blog is listed as Tylers Photos and the web address is www.picksofpics.blogspot.com

Here's a few sample photos...hope you enjoy!

Traditions

One of the traditions we have adopted as a family is one that Tyler's family does. For the month of November, they get out the Thankful box. It looks similar to the one pictured at the bottom of the post.

We place a little notebook and a pen next to the box to make it easier to remember to write something.

The tail feathers of the turkey are the hand prints (traced hands) of each member of the family.

Each person writes something they are thankful for each day then, folds the papers up and puts them in the box.

On Thanksgiving, we take the papers out and read them all together as a family. We have done this every year since we have been married and look forward to getting it out every year. Thanks Windholz family for allowing us to participate and continue on with this tradition.