Jos and Chloe

This was Halloween 2012

LoriAnns house

We went to visit the Jones house. This is what I found. Jenni made this for Patrick for Christmas.

Megan and Max

Marty Party

Santa's visit

Great news! Santa came to visit the Allreds. He did a wonderful job of spreading Christmas cheer. We LOVE Santa! We consider him to be a best friend!!!!! Here is a video of Sam and Santa's bonding.

Emily also has talent

Emily thinks she's really funny!

Brandon's sleek and slyish new shirt

Here is Brandon, dressed sort of oddly for church. I think he is wearing Jenni's shirt simply to prove a point: "If Jenni wears my shirt, then I'll wear hers."

Andy is expressing himself through music

More of Just Julie

More Ackerman Kiddos

Do you need to see more?

Tauni and Julie and Kia

This a picture of two of my friends. They came over for a party tonight.

Today I went to accompany Taunis Show Choir and it was fanomanal!!!!!!

jenni i love yoooou our awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fudge Project

Last night, Saturday, when Amber came to visit, we decided to make fudge; however, a rather large disagreement occured about whether we should trust a new thermometer that read 200 degrees when boiling water. In the end it didn't matter because Dillon is a such a chocolate monster that failed fudge tasted every bit as good as successful fudge.After this weekend, the sugar contract is going to have to be in full force again; fudge is devastating to the diet.

Jake and Gwen's boxing match

Dillon's chocolate experience

The video will say it all!

Updated peas

Yeah! This is my pea experiment. It is working well. Maybe next year my garden will grow! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Christmas Tree

We decorated the Christmas tree today and have big plans to make a gingerbread house and gingerbread tree, too. Sometime we are also planning to make fudge--you know . . . the kind that gets poured on the table and turned with spatulas. I'm a little worried, however, because I'm on a no-sugar contract. Is this good or bad?

Wind Generator Video

Here is a link to a wind generator video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCkpjHPna-Y

You'll love it!

Sprouting seeds

We are just experimenting with sprouting seeds. Thus far my peas have come up in my new compost. Maybe we'll celebrate a garden this year. Amber, LoriAnn, and I are going to experiment with heirloom seeds. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Wind Generator

We just received the motor for our wind generator. Hopefully we'll soon receive the blades. Then we have to find someone to make a few welds for us for the stand and get a battery--then we should be creating a bit of electricity ourselves. I'm excited. I wonder whether it's really possible to regenerate batteries??? Shiny and Amber, will you come see it when it's up and running?

Thanksgiving

We are just in the planning stages for Thanksgiving. Hopefully it'll be mostly a recovery time, giving us rest so that we can keep plugging away. All of the kids, even Joseph and Emily, will be out of school. I love having a great big turkey to eat on Thanksgiving and throughout the weekend. We will need to make a run to the library next Tuesday or Wednesday so that the babies have enough new books to read. Hopefully this will keep them entertained during the slow times. I guess I'll make cute placemats and be thinking of ways so that we can remember to be grateful!