I learned how to make jewelry the other day, thanks to some very good friends Rhianna and Kati.  I like this new hobby very much, but I think I could spend booku bucks on it.  Here is a necklace I made for myself and a bracelet for Mercedes.

Pictures I took today.

This is Owen.  He is my next door neighbor's child and I watch him while his Mommy and Daddy go to work/school.

The Christmas Tree

I was so surprised this year when Todd started talking about getting the Christmas tree out the day after Thanksgiving.  Usually he won't let me until Saturday, but he would prefer Dec. 1st.  So this year we got it out, but didn't end up decorating it until Sunday, Nov 28.  Lincoln was cute to watch.  He and Owen got into the ornaments a lot on Monday, but have since realized it is not worth getting in trouble and going to time out. I'm so glad because Monday night I really wanted to take all the ornaments off!

My little reindeer.  He would only wear them for the picture and then promptly took them off.

Helping mommy.

Mercedes just got to watch most of the time.

Lincoln putting up his Cars ornament for last year.

Putting up his Mickey Mouse ornament for this year.

Mercedes did help put up her "Baby's First Christmas" ornament.

The first time we used the tripod and the delayed picture setting on our camera.  Excuse my pregnant looking belly.  I did join a gym this week and hope to make that go away quickly ;)

Thanksgiving

These are the only actual Thanksgiving day pictures that I got - I was too busy stuffing my face.  Anyway, for the first part of the day we ate a lovely lunch made mostly by my mom at Megan and Jim's house.  Last year when we went to Iowa for Thanksgiving, my mom didn't make my favorite dish, chicken noodles.  So I've given her a hard time ever since.  She almost forgot to make them again this year - she would have never lived it down.  Luckily they were made and I ate lots of them.  After we ate we were lazy and played games and planned out our Black Friday shopping excursion.  I love Black Friday.  I know a lot of people don't, but I think it is so fun.  We only ended up going to Walmart at their midnight sale, because we decided we shouldn't spend any more money.  I did have other things that I really wanted, so you should definitely be proud of me.  Usually when I want something I buy it.  We just got a bunch of $5 and $10 blu-rays and a few little toys for Lincoln. 

Another fun thing we did was go out to Eagle Mountain for Pie Night.  This is a Dow family tradition.  Every year Todd's mother and grandmother make like 20 pies for Thanksgiving.  So, we have to carry it on out here in Utah.  We actually went to my sister-in-law's parent's house to eat and be fat and happy!  We had 16 pies I think.  Some of the ones I remember are coconut cream, cherry, apple, kentucky derby, cinnamon, peanut butter, chocolate, sour cream rhubarb, oatmeal, and pear.  Sorry if I forgot yours!  Anyway the ones that I tried were delicious.  I could only eat 4 pieces!!

Lincoln loved the chocolate pie!  He ate the whole piece and wanted another.  Then he only ate one bite of that piece.  Stinker.

The little boys.  Lincoln loves to play with his cousins.  He talks about them all the time at home.  Here are two of them, Nathan and Alec who are closest in age to Linc.

A New Little Lady

On November 19, our family was joined by a new little niece.  My sister, Megan, delivered a perfect little girl to later be named Alyvia.  She is so fun and cuddly.  A bonus to this is that my mom came out for the event and stayed for Thanksgiving.  Which means I didn't have to do much cooking :) Unfortunately my camera was acting up last week so I didn't even get a picture of her.  I found my camera book later and figured out why it was doing that, but it was annoying during the time.  It was just the lens not being screwed in all the way apparently.  

The only picture of Linc I got at Megan's house for Thanksgiving.

My sweet Cedes always moving and smiling at mommy.