Picking the Perfect Christmas Tree

Today we woke up and decided "Let's go pick the perfect tree!" We started at our favorite tree farm...

We thought "Could this be the one?" but it looked a bit bare.

This one looked a bit small.

We finally found the perfect forest...

It seemed the perfect tree was just around the corner!

Chris used his muscles to hoist it out of the forest.

Wow! I hope he isn't too tired!

Maggie was so excited since she didn't get to come pick out a tree last year!

She wasn't sure if it was the right one at first but then she agreed!

Matthew helped daddy tie it up and haul it away!

He is such a big boy!

After we found the perfect spot to put it, we decorated it.

So much fun!

All lit up and ready to go!

More decorating...

And now the star!

I love it! It is the perfect tree for our family:)

Our stocking are all hung on the closest thing I will get to a mantle!

Ok all joking aside I had to make it seem more exciting than just going to get our fake tree out of the storage area!!! So many of my friends are so brave and bundle up the whole family to go cut down a tree. Well maybe in a couple of years but that would be a disaster for the Herzog family. I do envy them a bit for having the strength, patience, and bravery to go out, but I know that there would be fighting and tears for us. This is why we are going to "hunt" for our tree in the storage area for a few years until the kids are a bit bigger!!!! All the same, I love our tree and I am so happy it is up and ready to go!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! (and I am going to brag a bit)

Cheeseball...playing with the bucket that I bryned the turkey in.

Ummm yeah do you think they are related?

My attempt at a table scape;)

"I'm ready to eat mom!"

The Margaret's

Oma and Opa time

Yum! Pumpkin pie (which she loved of course!)

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! I don't even really know why but I just love the food and sitting around with family. For the last couple of years I have cooked because I just love cooking and I feel that Chris' parents have put their time in over the years so they should just enjoy a day off. Also, they will play with the kids and keep them out of our hair while Chris and I cook! (It's a win win!) Anyway, I have always had a pretty good meal with a few improvements here and there but this year I have to say that I had a close to perfect meal! The turkey was moist, the potatoes were hot, the gravy was just thick enough and I actually homemade a pumpkin pie that turned out pretty darn good! Anyway, enough bragging but I am just happy that my favorite holiday turned out to be a good one: good food, good family and relaxing! It

was Maggie's first Thanksgiving and she loved it! I am not sure where Matthew came from because this is the first year that he has even touched the turkey. Maggie ate two platefuls!!!! Now that's my girl;)

Christmas Time!

I am not one who is usually totally excited for Christmas, but for some reason this year I am really excited. Something about Matthew and Maggie together and really celebrating. Thanksgiving is usually my favorite holiday...and don't get me wrong I am excited for tomorrow already cooking away, but this year Christmas is on my mind. Anyway, hopefully you are not gagging at me as you read this, see my new background or listen to my music for the next 30 days but I am just enjoying it this year. I am not going to be a cynic!

Baptized

Some special earrings she got from Rachel, her godmother

It's like she knows she's about to be baptized;)

My sister and mom.

With Rachel and Terese, her godmothers.

So it has only taken about a year, but we finally baptized Maggie! It was quite special though because the Bishop was visiting and was the one that presided over the whole mass and baptism. Maggie was such a trooper and didn't even cry:) I don't have a lot of the actual ceremony because I was holding her but I did get some of the funfilled weekend of family and friends. When I get more I will post those!

Cupcakes

I did an order of cupcakes for a friend and I think they turned out pretty good! They were turkeys, santas, and Macy's on a fondant star. They were a surprise birthday party with a Macy's day parade theme!

11 months old today!

Oh I just had to post a bitty picture. Little did I know this would be a familiar look!

Fooling around with Matthew!

Wow so 11 months ago today I was giving birth to Maggie. I am already tearing up at the thought of my next month's post. I know I say this every month but I cannot believe that she is almost 1. She is definitely my sweet baby girl and very headstrong! She is not walking yet which kind of surprises me because she crawled so much earlier than Matthew, but I don't worry about this one too much! She is a problem solver and is already desperate to talk. She shakes her head for "no no" but if you ask her any question she will do the head shake! Sometimes I just don't understand how an 11 month old can be moody but she is definitely her mother's daughter and I love her very much!

SURPRISE!!!

My brother in law's birthday is today!

My mom and the grandkids.

Her cake. The ball is a ball of yarn and was carrot cake, her favorite. The sweater was white with a chocolate filling.

My mom turns 60 on Tuesday, November 17th so we decided since we were all sick on Halloween, we would drive over to suprise her this weekend. It was a VERY quick trip because Chris did not have Friday or Monday off but it was totally worth it:) Here are some pictures. Also, I made her cake. She is an avid knitter so I wanted to showcase that in the cake. Love you mom:) PS. She told me she was worried about me because of the "team Jacob" post. Chris reminded me Taylor is closer in age to our son than he is to me. Thanks Hon...