decorating the tree.

our sunday night was spent looking at ornaments from the past. listening to christmas music, and making our tree beautiful.  it seems like every year, the same lower half of the tree always gets saturated with ornaments (for obvious reasons).  that's okay though, because when they aren't looking, my job is to move them to no man's land (aka the top half of the tree).   but they always seem so accomplished when it's all done.  jack and eden both helped out with the star this year...but jason had to help get it to the very top.  i have also noticed that jonah is very interested in playing with the ornaments on the lower part of the tree.  i may to have to watch that one a little closer this year.  ho, ho, ho.

thanksgiving.

we spent thanksgiving at my parents home this year and i know i am always in for a good meal when my dad is involved.  he is quite the chef.

before we began stuffing our faces, we went around the table taking turns expressing what we are most thankful for.  most everyone was thankful for family (and why wouldn't we be? that is what life is all about) but my sister kayda was just keeping it real when she said she was most thankful for her phone but than followed with family.  she is an honest teenager.

we  had a really great time sitting around the table talking, laughing, eating, and drinking our traditional martinelli's.  once our bellies were full, we cleaned up and sat around and talked on the phone to our family members who live afar.  the kids ran around playing and somehow ended up in the dog cage at one point.  it's pretty hard to keep eden and jonah away from animals.  later, we filled our bellies some more with an assortment of desserts.  jonah realized his love for ice cream and was not a happy boy when it was all gone. it's safe to say that this day was all about food and family.

there are so many things to be thankful for, but really i am most thankful for my little family and my big family.  we are so blessed!

breinholt turkey trot 2012.

i give you the breinholt turkey trot of 2012.

starring:

jonah breinholt: age 20 months (completed 3 laps).

eden breinholt: age 3 years (who completed 5 laps).

ava breinholt: age 6 years (who completed 7 laps).

jack breinholt: age 8 years (who completed 8 laps).

mama breinholt: age 31 years (who completed 10 laps)

daddy breinholt:  age 32 years (photographer who was suffering from strep throat and ear infections).

we are so thankful for our working bodies and for family time.

(ps if you have noticed, i have lost most of my pictures off my blog from an error i made through google picasa web albums.  it was a very sad day.  i hope i can fix the problem but it isn't looking good.)

a trampoline!

my kids have been saving and saving for a trampoline.  mostly ava.  she started the whole thing and got eden and jack on board some time ago.  we agreed to get a trampoline if they paid for half of it.  sooo, they finally earned enough money and now we have a much cooler backyard.  just ask my kiddos, they'll tell ya.

jason got up early saturday morning and went to work with the trampoline building.  he had a few extra helpers along the way.  then, we stopped and took a break to eat some delicious stuffed french toast topped with fresh fruit for breakfast.  by late afternoon, the kids had already logged a few hours of jump time and were not slowing down.  needless to say, it has been an endless jump fest at the breinholt home these past couple of day.