Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve we spent the day building a snow cave in our backyard. It was awesome. The opening in the cave got huge and we were still able to sled off the top. We literally were in and out all day working on it, and prepping food and treats inside. We also had visits from Grandma and Grandpa Goulding and Chelsea and Zoey.


That evening we had our Christmas Eve party with the Meads. We did: appetizers, games, dinner (Paul's smoked brisket YUM) more games, decorating sugar cookies for Santa, and then doing the nativity play. It was a lot of fun.




After the party we got in our Christmas pajamas and opened our Christmas Eve gifts: yearbooks, socks and "Santa Spotter" binoculars. We went out to the driveway to sprinkle our reindeer food and the kids were positive they saw Rudolph's nose through their spotters. We took a quick drive to see if we could see anything more and then went home and set out Santa's cookies and milk and read "The Night Before Christmas"

Christmas Day was bliss. We had a beautiful white Christmas and on Christmas day we were literally snowed in at our house with fresh snow everywhere and had a great day just being home together.

Nolan came into our room at 6:55 AM and he was ready! We kept him in our room and held him off long enough for Caitlin to wake up and to make sure everything was in order.

Santa was good to us! Caitlin had asked Santa for a dollhouse when we saw him in the mall and she held true to that request so sure enough she got her dollhouse. She also got gymnastics practice mats and outfits, and play makeup and goodies. From family she received some new princess dresses and shopkins and play makeup. Nolan had three categories on his list: cars, legos, and superheroes. Anything in those categories. So that's what he got! A lego table, iron man suit and legos, all kinda of Lightning McQueens, incredible Hulk things (his favorite) and lots in between. Maverick got a train table and a little barn and some cars and an instrument set, and mostly just had fun checking out everyone else's stuff! My best gift from Santa I found under the tree Christmas morning and it was my Madsen bike! I had wanted one for a long time and given Paul endless hints and I'm so glad he took them! He chose the color and I couldn't have been happier with it! I also got spoiled rotten with lots of other gifts. Paul got some new hunting gear and my gift was a surprise entry to an archery course for him to do in the summer.

After seeing everything from Santa, we sorted gifts and took turns opening. Which quickly turned into the kids taking turns opening (adding mom and dad in the rotation took too long) so we let them open theirs and we played with everything and opened everything and then Paul and I finished up. We also stopped for breakfast too. We just took our time and had the loveliest morning. The rest of the day continued playing with toys and drinking lots of hot chocolate.

joys of motherhood: november

Both of my kids have very active and amazing imaginations. Caitlin makes up stories all the time, so much so that I've had to teach her to be sure to tell me "just kidding" if it isn't true because they can be very realistic. She plans parties and awesome adventures.  Nolan plays with toys like it's his job. (i guess he's a kid so basically it is). He loves just playing in his room and he makes us the best scenarios for his toys and he does voices and everything. It's hilarious and it's one of my most favorite things to (sneakily) listen to.  

The other night Nolan was having a stick horse race against some invisible opponents and he ketp yelling, "come on boy were gonna win this race! Come on (new name every time Around), victory! Victory! We're the fastest!" I was laughing and loving every second of his genuine encouragement for his stick horse. Oh, and they won. 

He has been really into superheroes and can often be hear shouting, "I fight for justice!" I don't know where he learned that and it took be of guard when i first herd him say it. 

One of Caitlin's best quotes ever (after asking me what we were doing that day and I guess not being impressed with our "normal day routine" plans): "I don't like having normal days, I just like doing awesomer stuff like getting candy and stuff." 

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Of course life happened in between our #dicksondailythanks so here are a few other highlights from the month:

5th: We visited the Hogle Zoo with Chelsea and Zoey and although there were literally snowflakes falling on and off, we had a great time! We got to see so many animals up close and enjoyed the time together.

6th: We had our first little snow at our house! The kids got out in their snow clothes and their favorite thing to do when it snows is jump on the trampoline! That night we took the kids for pizza and then to "Color me Mine" to paint and they loved it.

7th: We celebrated Cason's b-day. It was an "Inside Out" party and I didn't get any pictures but it's no mystery how much my kids LOVE Cason and love living by their cousins!

The kids have been riding their bikes absolutely every chance they get! They both got new bikes last month and they LOVE riding. They are becoming really great riders.

11th: Had our first big snow at our house! This was Maverick's first time to get out in the snow and he wasn't quite sure what to think! But he lasted a little while.


13th: I took the kids to go see "Home Alone" in the movie theaters for it's 25th anniversary. Unfortunately the movie player was having issues and the movie started cutting out and had to be stopped. Lucky for us I discovered I had bought the DVD from the $5 bin and we owned it at home! So we finished it the next day and the kids have been asking to watch it ever since. They think it's hilarious and Caitlin the other day called someone (jokingly) a "filthy animal" which made me laugh really hard. And glad that THAT was what she picked up on out of the movie and not other things! (They always seem so innocent in your memory and then you watch movies with your kids and realize how many things are in there you never noticed before!)

10th: went with a few friends to the dinosaur museum! It ended up being a freezing cold day so we were happy to be doing something fun indoors!

13th: I got to go decorate the Walker's home for Christmas. I have decorated their home for about 6 years now. I love doing it and getting in the Christmas mood and using my talents. Also my parents were in town for a quick weekend trip to attend a wedding.


14th: I decorated the Lewis' home in preparation for Christmas and also the wedding I am helping with. We also went to the tree lighting at Traverse Outlets, which has the largest real tree in Utah.




18th: The kids went to the dentist to get all their cavities filled. Yup, more than one on each of them. They were awesome at the dentist and even Nolan did so well. Now we will be stating from a clean slate and hopefully no more for a long time!!

19th: Grandma and Grandpa Dickson were in town and we had a fun time going with them to visit the Gottfredsons and Great Grandpa Dickson. We all helped to rake a huge pile of leaves and the kids loved playing in them.


20th: Baby Reese was born! Rebekah had a very fast labor, I almost missed it! But I was so glad that I made it and was able to be there for the birth. It is always such an amazing experience to see a baby be born. Reese is an adorable baby and has some really great parents. We are happy to have another baby niece!

21st: The kids got to come meet Reese and of course they were enamored.



28th: We came back from St. George and woke up the next morning to a bunch of snow! We took the RZR out and pulled the sled behind it and it was a blast!

#dicksondailythanks

In November my main focus was on being thankful and teaching the kids the meaning of Thanksgiving and the feelings we should be experiencing during that time. I decided I don't give Thanksgiving enough credit for bringing in all those wonderful fuzzy feelings of gratitude and compassion that I love during the Christmas season. This year I wanted to try to teach my kids to appreciate the Thanksgiving season more and learn how to truly give thanks.
We did things everyday:

1 set out Thanksgiving decorations, started a thankful poster

2 Family Home Evening lesson on feeling thankful and turkey shooting game

3 Made thanksgiving cards for family

4 Fill a shoebox at Hobby Lobby to send to someone less fortunate

5 Did random acts of service throughout the day

6 Made a please and thank you sticker chart

7 Had turkey waffles

8 Caitlin gave ME a service by bringing me breakfast in bed, that night we read books and scriptures about gratitude

9 Family Home Evening lesson about the 10 lepers and had a treat

10 dropped off goodies for people

11 Veterans Day: made holiday mail for heroes

12 Thanksgiving/fall craft day

13 celebrated #worldkindnessday with random acts of kindness

14 Colored "my thanks book" printout

15 Made a hand print runner

16 Thanksgiving bingo

17 Played the "hot spot" game

18 Left a thank you gift for the mailman 

19 great grandparents visits

20 Welcomed baby Reese

21 Made donations, each of us picked a few thing.

22 Prayers and help for Bo and the Barnes family

23 made a video log of the kids' top thankful things

24 dropped off cans to the food bank

25 gave each other "service stars" when we noticed other people doing nice things

26 Thanksgiving: We spent Thanksgiving with my family in St. George, Utah. My parents drove up and my sisters and I and my grandparents went down. We all stayed in a couple condos and we swam, watched movies, played with cousins, hiked the Red Rock, visited the children's museum, rode the carousel, got frozen custard at Neilsen's and looked at Christmas lights around town. Thanksgiving morning a bunch of us ran the 5k turkey trot. Paul and I had Caitlin and Nolan run with us and they both did amazing! They did the whole thing themselves and were very motivated. both finished in under an hour! I'm so proud of them! Thanksgiving dinner was absolutely delicious, as it always is with my mom. Can't believe she can cook a Thanksgiving meal anywhere in any kitchen and always have it turn out so yummy. 
I really enjoyed the Thanksgiving season this year and the opportunity to give service and to spark that in my kids. Hopefully they learned a little about giving and serving and why we should do it. I know I had some special moments and experiences with them when I felt like they got it. I'm most thankful for my little family and for my Heavenly Father who has entrusted me with them. 

a SUPER Halloween

Having Halloween on a Saturday meant it was a long and full weekend!

The 30th: During the day we went to Gymnastics, came home and got changed into the kids' costumes. They were so excited for their class Halloween parties at preschool and they had a great time. Played games and did a costume parade and got to pass out treats to all their friends and of course get some in return. After school we got lunch and then went to vivint for their family trick or treating! There was a great turn out and lots of fun to see everyone. There were fun games set up and of course way too much candy. The kids look forward to trick or treating at Dad's work every year.

That night we had a big Halloween party in the Mead's backyard and it was so much fun. Bounce house, cotton candy, fire pit, chili, food, toilet paper mummies, donuts off a string and pin the spider on the web. It was a blast. There was something for everyone and the kids ran wile hopped up on cotton candy and sugar from the day's events. We popped a hole in the bounce house (luckily towards the end) and partied hard. It got pretty cold but no one seemed to mind. It was a wild night!



Halloween Day I woke up early and went with my neighbor Kathryn to run the Haunted Half! I had signed up for it awhile ago but never quite found the time to get out and run to train (I had been working out though). I told myself after just having done a full marathon, a half would seem easy and refreshing and there was no reason that I should not get my best time. I set out with that intention and made myself run as fast and hard as I could. The course was not very easy, some rolling hills and a steep climb at mile 12.5 but I stayed ahead of the pacers and would not let myself slow down. Paul and the kids met me at the finish line with cute posters and I crossed right at 2:00 according to the clock so I was nervous to see my actual chip time since I knew it'd be close. I got the print out and: 1:59 !!!!! My best time ever and finally under that 2 hour mark! So so happy.

Caitlin loved her sparkly supergirl costume ("NOT superwoman, superGIRL" she would correct anyone who made that mistake) and perhaps more than her costume she loved getting to wear makeup and glitter hairspray.

Nolan has had his Batman costume for awhile now and it's a favorite. He loved the muscles on it and he told me a few times "I'm really the real Batman right now!"

Robin was the cherry on top. He was so adorable and made the perfect sidekick.

Paul and I got in on the action with Wonder Woman and Captain America and had fun being the SUPER family.

We started trick or treating around 6 that evening and had so much fun. We drove the RZR to some farther streets and then nearby the kids rode their bikes from house to house. They loved it! We pushed Maverick in the stroller and he loved picking out candy from the buckets. The kids knew just what to do and had so much fun. Our neighborhood is a lot of fun on Halloween.. lots of outdoor movies, yummy treats like scones and lights and music. We even had a "Headless Horseman" riding the streets!

When we had finished trick or treating we came home and had dinner. Our kids love passing out the candy almost as much as giving the candy so whenever the doorbell rang it was exciting. Nolan took a few cues from Paul and was telling people "Nice costume!.. You look great!... Your welcome!" It was hilarious.