Sunday, November 16, 2008

Annual Lalliss Pie Day


My family has an awesome tradition that we have been doing since I can remember. My mother Diann is an excellent pie maker, and had passed this trait on to her kids. Every year about a week before Thanksgiving, everyone gets together (all the kids and grand kids) and we make pie shells. Then we take our pie shells home and fill them with our favorite pie filling (mine is usually chocolate, banana cream, or squash chiffon) and we bring our pies to Thanksgiving dinner.
The above picture is one of my pie shells this year. Here are some pictures of my kids enjoying our favorite family tradition.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Diaper Free Forever!!

We had some exciting news occur last week. After 11 years, 6 months, and 11 days of changing diapers for four kids (with no breaks in between children), we are now diaper free in the Johnson family. Molly finally got potty trained, and we couldn't be happier (especially with the money we will be saving).

Molly proudly displaying her new princess panties.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Free Photo Album

I know this is last minute, but I thought I would let everyone know about this great deal in case anyone is interested (I know I have a lot of scrapbook friends out there). If you go to Oprah.com and visit Wednesdays show (11/12) you can click on a link for a free 20 page photo book from snapfish.com. You must click the link to get your "coupon" before midnight tonight (Friday, 11/14), and the book must be redeemed before Sunday (11/16). Good luck!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Dodgers Win!!!

Alexa took up girls softball a couple years ago. She loves the sport and has really gotten pretty good over the past couple seasons (her favorite position is catcher, but she also plays outfield). Last Saturday her team (the Dodgers) played in the final tournament and won 1st place (Alexa even helped score some of the winning runs). We are very proud of her and her accomplishments. Go Alexa!!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Happy Halloween

Halloween was very fun this year!!! The kids dug through the dress ups and came up with their own costumes, so there was no stress there. As far as pumpkin carving went- Kenn and I were fine with just leaving them as pumpkins, but the kids begged and begged to make jack-o-lanterns. Finally we gave in and started the whole messy process. Somehow it ended up being Kenn and I cleaning them out, and doing most of the carving while the kids watched and then left to go play (go figure- typical kids).

The kids started out carving the pumpkins
(FYI Alexa can be very dangerous with a knife!)
Kenn finished things up.
The kids with their finished products.

The night before Halloween we went to Tolman Elementary's school carnival (which is LOTS of fun, but always really crowded). We did such activities as a fish pond, spook alley, graveyard golf, sucker pull, batty bingo, and a cake walk (which Luke won a cool spider cake). We even enjoyed fresh popcorn and cotton candy.

Luke with his cake.
The kids and some friends at the carnival.

Halloween night we visited our neighborhood and went trick or treating with our good friends the Smiths. Just going up and down our neighborhood resulted in 4 big buckets of candy (and it was all good candy, not junk candy like I use to get when I was a child). This was the 1st year that Alexa went off with friends rather than staying with us (sad). I do enjoy trick or treating with the kids. We have a great neighborhood with lots of children and everyone watches out for everyone else. One of our neighbors even has hot dogs, chips, juice, hot chocolate, and candy to serve to everyone. It was made even better this year with the warmer weather.

Jake didn't have to go very far out of his way to play a devil this year
Luke ended up being a cute little leopard, again
(although he insisted on having a mustache like Jacob)
Alexa wanted to be a scary vampire, but I think she was more cute than scary
(and I made her get rid of the ugly teeth she was trying to wear).
Molly was a cute little cheerleader- with blood by her mouth just like Alexa
(it was hard of us to see Molly this way because she is in an East High School outfit, and Kenn graduated from West High, and it's red, whereas I support the blue team i.e. BYU)
Kenn has always been a die hard Cubs fan. Since they have not won the world series for over a hundred years now, we decided to honor them.
Here's a sampling of the candy we collected (ugh talk about sugar high)!

Random Pictures from Scott's Visit