Christmas Decorating

According to Mallory, Hayley and Brittney--WE FINALLY GOT OUR CHRISTMAS TREE UP!!! We finally took the plunge and bought an artificial tree--a prelit one even (Christmas lights and I do not get along very well so I was very excited for the pre-lit tree)!! Scott and I sat and watched the girls decorate the tree. They had a blast!! It took Brittney about 2-3 minutes just to hang one ornament but she was so excited when it didn't fall off the tree. The girls started getting really silly as they laid down under the tree to hang the ornaments down low. After all the ornaments were hung, the girls began making their own snowflakes to hang on the tree too! We definitely have a "Kid Tree"--it is very ornament heavy near the bottom!

The girls have been sooo excited for Christmas this year!! I had to remind myself that I was once a little girl too and I was always very excited for Christmas. The girls set up our Little People Nativity Set (we have the whole set now, which we absolutely love--the girls can arrange and rearrange it to their hearts content and I don't have to worry about it) in the windowsill and they each got to choose a few decorations to put in their bedrooms!!

Princess Hayley (Mallory and Hayley went to a Princess Birthday Party earlier today)

Princess Mallory

Hayley trying to decorate the underside of the tree!!!

Brittney (Brittney dressed herself this morning--she thinks it's summertime outside --it's a cold 20 degrees outside--FREEZING!)

Brittney trying to hang an ornament



Mallory hanging a few under the tree



The Ropelato household is ready for Christmas!!

Thanksgiving 2010

Scott's brother Jerry and his wife, Darinda, hosted Thanksgiving this year at their home in Huntsville. Everything was delicious!! Mallory, Hayley and Brittney got to sit at the little kid tables along with their cousins in Princess chairs. They were in Heaven!! Scott and I sat at the bar--right in front of the turkey and mashed potatoes!! We didn't even have to stand up to get seconds! They were the best seats in the house (well, maybe Larry and Dawn had the best seats because they were at the bar right in front of all the yummy pies)!! We had wonderful food and great company!! It was so nice to sit around and visit with Scott's family!! We don't see each other near enough, in my opinion!

Mallory, Hayley and Brittney love playing at Aunt Darinda's house! She has the biggest and best collection of dress up clothes!! All the girls would go upstairs and get all dressed up, then they would come downstairs and parade through the dining room and kitchen and head back upstairs to change into a new outfit. They came through at least 4 times and we never saw an outfit twice!!

There is so much to be grateful for at this time of year! I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of a loving Heavenly Father and for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for a husband who loves me despite my weaknesses and shortcoming. I am so grateful for Scott's perfectionisms and for the hard worker he is. He is the best father to our three little girls and a wonderful husband!! I am so grateful for my little girls--they are so loving and good. They are so thoughtful and forgiving. They remind me daily of our Heavenly Father's great love for all of His children!!

What a wonderful day!!

Scott teasing his niece, Shannon--isn't that what uncles do best!!

Jocelyn, Mallory and McKell (with her back to us)

Kaitlin, Lexi, Hayley and Brittney

Grandma Donna and Mallory

Scott and Mallory

Scott and I (this is the only picture me--Thanks for taking it Dawn--I have food in my mouth but it's proof I am here;))

Hayley

Lexi, Hayley and Brittney

Lexi (the little one in black), Jasmin, Jocelyn (hiding in the back), McKell, Mallory, Hayley and Brittney pausing for a photo shoot during one of their Costume Parades!!

The First Big Snow of the Year!!

Mallory, Hayley and Brittney were so excited to go play in the first big snow of the season! We had to drag out the snow pants, boots, gloves and hats and get them all bundled up to go outside! They marched outside in a single file line and went out where they could make snow angels. They jumped and slid all over the trampoline! Brittney was outside a total of about 4 minutes before she came in crying because she had fallen in the snow and her mitten had fallen off--she was done for the day and didn't want to go out again. Mallory and Hayley went and found some friends to play with and they ended up staying outside for about an hour!! They never did get the hot chocolate they asked for--ooops!!

Hayley's Thanksgiving Feast in Kindergarten

Hayley's Kindergarten Class had their Thanksgiving Feast at school today. I was so lucky to go and eat turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls and a pumpkin cookie with my little Native American!! Hayley was so excited to eat lunch at school and I am so glad she was excited to have her mom join her!! I had a wonderful time just with Hayley!

I love you Hayley!!

Halloween 2010

Halloween was pretty laid back this year since we celebrated it on Saturday. The girls only had to dress up once (Mallory and Hayley's school doesn't celebrate Halloween at school) which was sooo nice!!

First, we had a Ward Halloween dinner at 4:00 p.m. with Soups, Chili's and Rolls. There were a lot of people there which was great. After we ate, they had a Children's Parade and we were done (no Trunk or Treat this year!!!).

Then we came home and had the girls WAIT until the first Trick or Treaters came to our door!! They were impatient little souls because they were asking every two seconds if they could leave. Finally, after our doorbell rang for the first time, Scott took the girls out!! Mallory and Hayley could have been trick or treating forever but Brittney got tired really quick. Scott took them around the two main blocks in our neighborhood and they all came in with plenty of candy.

After they got home, they all dumped out their stashes and sat there and sorted and traded with one another (just like I used to do when I was a little girl).

Mallory (a Ballerina), Brittney (a Good Little Witch) and Hayley (a leopard)

You can't see me!!!

An Orange Pumpkin Head Leopard

I drew Hayley's nose upside down--oops!!

Brittney and her friend Alyssa at the Ward Halloween Dinner

Ella, Alyssa and Brittney

Hayley, Mallory and Brittney

Mallory and her balloon bracelet made by Becky Bateman in our ward--she made a balloon creation for all the kids as they came to her house--she is talented!!

A Big Surprise!!

A big box arrived on our front porch the other day!! I looked at it and there was no return address. I knew I hadn't ordered anything in the last few days and I had no idea where this box had come from and I began to wonder if I should open it. I studied the box for another minute and then I saw the postal stamp of where it had been postmarked. It said, "Manheim, PA"--oh, it was from Scott's sister in Pennsylvania. She had called several months ago wondering if we wanted any of Taylor's clothes she had grown out of. We received a box of lot of clothes!! Mallory and Hayley were both so excited!! There were a lot of shirts and shorts (which I put away for next summer) that both Mallory and Hayley can were and lots of socks. Brittney was a little disappointed because nothing was her size. Mallory gave her a few pairs of ankle socks with bows on the back!! Brittney was in heaven!!! She wears the socks all the time with the heel of her socks up on her calves!! She loves them!!

Mallory and Hayley were so excited to wear some of Taylor's old clothes to school--they don't look old to me!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH SHARI AND TAYLOR!!!

Black Island Farms

Brittney and I went with a few friends in our neighborhood to Black Island Farms today! Brittney loved being able to go somewhere just with Mom (she always runs errands and goes shopping with me by herself but this was a FUN thing to do alone with Mom)!!

My good friend Dallas organized the Little Preschool Group (so we could get a nice discount) we went with. First, we met up with Dallas, Deakin, Scotlyn, Brittany, Taigen, Amy, Arim and lots of Dallas' friends and their little kids. We went on the tractor ride first out to the Pumpkin Patch were Brittney was able to find her very own pumpkin--she had a hard time deciding but she finally ended up with a little pumpkin she could carry all by herself.

After the tractor ride, we went and looked at the calves, pigs, sheep, peacocks, turkeys, llamas, and goats. Brittney did not want to get close to the fences at all!! She is so funny around animals!!

Next, we went down the huge slides. Brittney was having a hard time climbing up the very first slide so I went behind her to help her up. Brittney sat on my lap and we rode down the slide together--I'm getting a little old to do this but it was fun. After going down the big slide once, Brittney ran to the shorter slides that she was able to do all by herself. Brittney rode on the Cow Train and jumped in the Huge Pumpkin. Brittney and I had a great time together!! Before we left, we bought a pumpkin for Mallory and Hayley and several other small gourds and pumpkins to add to our Fall Sensory Bin we made.

You can tell how much fun Brittney had just by the expressions on her face!! I am so glad I was able to capture this on film!!