Christmas in Philly

Before

After
This year we had the opportunity to stay in Philadelphia for Christmas. Yes, I will call it an opportunity. We'd have loved to go home, but we enjoyed three weddings earlier in the year so the travel budget was shall we say less than full. While we missed visiting with our family and friends back home, it was great to have some good family time and enjoy the girls enjoying Christmas! The girls made out like bandits, Santa and the family were good to them as you can see from the loot in the pictures. Derek and I were just as lucky. We had a great time playing together and relaxing for Christmas. We got the whole morning on video, but the only stills we have don't even include our children!! Sad, but next year the camera man will improve, I'm sure.

Christmas Eve Traditions

The Farnsworth family has a great tradition for Christmas Eve. The family gets together and starts off with a great dinner. Then, we dress up the kids and act out the nativity while reading it from the scriptures. Finally, we top the night off with two Christmas pinatas. One for the kids and another for the adults. The adult pinata is a recent addition to the tradition since the kids are growing up (and still want to participate, who wouldn't?) Since we couldn't be there this year, Derek and I made our own pinatas and invited some friends to join in the candy tradition. I thought the kids wouldn't have been able to pull off the nativity, but it retrospect, they would have done great, too bad. But, we did enjoy company, pinatas, cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate. The kids did great at sharing the pinata, and as far as the adults, it didn't even make it to the guys. I guess next year we'll have to make it a bit harder. The next night, actual Christmas eve, we enjoyed a great steak and shrimp dinner. A surf and turf tradition I think Derek wants to keep for good! There's also a Jones tradition of opening our Christmas jammies. I am so grateful for the wonderful traditions of our families that we get to continue and add on to.

The cute kids



Amy givin' Santa a beating!

Ward Christmas Party

Last weekend we had a Christmas dinner at the church and Santa even came to visit! Hailey was so excited this year. As soon as he walked in she was following him around and whispering to me, "there's Santa Claus." When Hailey got to sit on his lap, that was a different story. She was so quiet and tense, but at least she sat on his lap and told him (while looking at me) what she wanted!! The pictures are coming as soon as I get them from Bobbie who was also visiting this last week!

Gingerbread Girl's Night

This month for girl's night we made gingerbread houses. Teresa did a great job making the houses in advance and all we had to do was decorate!! It was fun and I wasa sad to leave early with my weakly decorated house. Thanks again Teresa and the rest of the girls!

Kara's Wedding

My mom just sent me a few pictures from my sister's wedding. My sister-in-law did a great job with the picutures and here are a few of my favorites!
Proof my husband has danced with me
My baby sleeping with great-grandma through the ceremony
The cute couple
My little flower girl!

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving with some friends this year. The Dobsons, Wehmanns and Rogers were able to come over and enjoy a great meal! We are so grateful for the many blessings that our family has received. We have great family, friends and the Lord has given us so much. We are grateful for the opportunity to be in Philadelphia and all it is teaching our family.

Super Saturday

On Saturday our ward had Super Saturday once again. We had some really great workshops - Well prepared and fun! We did some fun crafts I posted a few pictures of some of the stuff. I am a little glad it is over and I think it went alright. On to the next activity...

Nothing New?

Well, there hasn't been anything really going on in the Farnsworth house lately. Last week we were on hiatus because we were all sick except Derek. He was good about trying to help around the house, but now that I feel better I am seeing the lasting effects of my sickness. Deep cleaning was definitely neglected. Derek had better things to do, like go to school and take care of his girls :) But, now I have to get in gear and get back to all the regular stuff. It is amazing what a week of sick house can do. Hopefully we will find more interesting things to post about.

A Mystery

Last weekend Derek and I hosted our first murder mystery! We have talked about doing it for a while and we finally were able to. There were 16 of us, and it was a lot of fun to see how everyone acted and got into their parts. My only sadness was that some people couldn't come. :( I guess lack of babysitters and small apartments take a toll. Don't worry though, I am sure we will do more! Thanks for everyone who participated it was a good laugh and great company. I am definitely going to have to work on my acting skills though, my part was so dull that I had nothing to say, but I guess that's a "classy" lady for ya. Derek did pretty good as my playboy husband, he was busy flirtin' with all the ladies :) It was funny to see him act that way, so different... good acting hun!! Everyone did great! If anyone wants to do one, you'll have to let me know!

Derek's Birthday

We had a good time on Sunday celebrating Derek's 28th Birthday. He enjoyed a diaper free Sunday, as well as a yummy breakfast and dinner. A few friends were able to come over to join in the celebration. Since his birthday is so close to Halloween, I did the "never done before by his mother" :) Halloween themed cake. While he said he has plenty of Halloween cakes, I still think it turned out pretty well. It was even green inside. Thanks for everyone who could make it over.
I am also grateful to be married to such a great man. Birthdays are great occasions to think about everything wonderful about people! Derek is a great husband and father. The girls light up when he comes home. He plays with them all the time and really gets involved. He is a good teacher and example in our home. He is smart and works hard. He is attentive and does great little things like leaving notes for me just when I need it most. He supports all my craziness, including school and is great at playing with the girls when I need a few extra minutes to finish my homework. He honors his priesthood and enjoys his calling. I think he's pretty cute too. There isn't much more you can ask for. Happy birthday!!! Check out that flame!

Ward Halloween party

Friday night we had a ward Halloween Party. It was really fun to see all the cute kiddos and my girls had a fun time. I was "doctor" suess (kinds of a play on words there) and the girls were thing 1 and 2. A perfect fit I think. Hailey loved the blue hair. Derek was a cubs fan that committed suicide after 100 years bad luck. He even had his hundred years ball and chain to prove it.

Pumpkin carving

This week for family home evening we carved our pumpkins and the Stevens were able to join us. I wish there were more pictures, but apparently my camera is on the way out, all of them are blurry :( Here are the few that came out! Thanks to the Steven's for coming over, we'll be sad when you leave for a while.

More Rickett's Glen

Here's a few of the boys "hangin' around" and their beloved haul for one night of fire wood. Yes, we used all of it for the night and a small, short lived fire in the morning. The last one is Hailey showing us how to break the sticks for the pile. She had a great time helping Jeremy put the little sticks in order.

Camping at Rickett's Glen

This past weekend we were able to go camping up north at Rickett's Glen. While it was ridiculously cold for my kids, it was fun! The Rogers and Sperrys were able to camp with us. We took a long hike to see the many waterfalls. Derek carried Ashlyn the whole way! Brett was such a trooper and held Hailey when she wouldn't walk and I was tired! I think he carried her about a mile and a half of the way! She was a trooper though, she walked a lot for her little two-year-old self. We did enjoy some good camp fires and company.

Time Out For Women

Last Saturday about 10 girls from our ward were able to go to the Time Out For Women that came to Philadelphia. It was a good day with great speakers like Emily Watts, Hialry Weeks, and some other great ones I can't even recall the name off the tope of my head! It was a good opportunity to spend time focusing on spirritual things. It was also good to have some girl time and eat at Reading terminal.

The girls' latest

Yesterday Hailey comes out of my bedroom chewing a large wad of gum. Here is how the conversation went...
Me: What's in your mouth?
H: Gum, want some?
M: Where did you get that?
H: daddy's drawer
M: Did you ask?
H: No
M: Then why did you get some gum?
H: I said to me, "I want some gum"
I could only laugh...
I wish I could remember to write all the funny things she says. She is enjoying preschool and doing well.

Ashlyn has her own funnies too. If you pretend to be asleep and don't move, she will run up to you, hitting your face and say, "Geh up" Geh up". I didn't believe Derek either 'til I heard it myself. She also says "go" to close drawers, push her sister, and went she wants you to move. Her other vocab includes had (hand), hayee (Hailey), eat, mow (more), mom, dad, ssih (sister), nay (like a horse), duck, qak (quack), maaa (moo), soo (shoes), up, eeows (ears), eyes, no, no (nose), baby, buff (bath), ewfa (elephant), baw (ball), peas (please) and I may have missed a few others. She is also doing really good with signs.

Free handbag?

I was just looking over my friend's blog and saw that handbagplanet is having a give away , 24 bags in 24 hours, to intro their new site! It ends tomorrow! I somehow can't get the link to show up, but it is www.handbagplanet.com

Freddy Hill Farms

Thursday we were able to go on a fieldtrip for Hailey's preschool to Freddy Hill Farms. We were able to take a hay ride out to a small pumpkin patch and pick some good ones! Then, the tractor drove us to a small corn maze to walk through that ended at a slide. To top it off we had little ice cream cones! The weather was great and surprisingly warm. It was a large group and lots of fun. After that I was able to teach dance, complete two exams and go to a stake meeting. The best part was coming home and my husband had cleaned the entire house, put the girls to bed, bought me flowers and wrote a cute little note. Perfect ending to a long day!

The things kids do

I just thought I would post some of the funny things my girls are doing. Ashlyn loves to stare upside down, I am not even sure where she learned it. She has been doing it since she could walk. And my sweet Hailey, dressing into whatever she can get. Yes, those are Ashlyn's p.j.s and mommy's earings. I love the little things they do!