birthday and recital

Joshua has had a big month. He performed in his first ever piano recital, and he turned five. The recital went really well. Joshua was a perfect little performer. He played Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and he sang the whole thing. He did great! His birthday was really fun too. Pirates all around!

Gingerbread house

This year my girlfriends and I built gingerbread houses from scratch. This was an ambitious endeavour. We spent one saturday baking our gingerbread, one saturday constructing, and decorating, and then it took me another few hours on my own to finish it up. Very fun though, and Joshua enjoyed the whole process. Next year if we try it again, we may enter in the "Parade of Gingerbread Houses" contest that Logan Main street has every year. We'll see.

Christmas Eve

Here are some pics from our Christmas Eve festivities. My dad and Jan came for the evening, and Dad was thrilled when we did the pageant! He says it is the first one he's been involved in in all his 63 years.

Christmas in all it's over-done splendor!

Christmas was fabulous. Santa was very good to us! I got some new piano music, a bath pillow. a crepe maker, and a skookie skillet set. Michael got a new golf bag, a massage mat, a new wii game, and a dremell. As for the kids, they made out well this year. Joshua's favorite gift was a castle playset. Andrew's was a wooden block set that makes farm animal noises. They had a blast opening their presents, and following the "treasure hunt" that santa left for them.

Thanksgiving Cheer

This one is for you, Ma! We love you!

Osmond Mania

How did everyone enjoy the Oprah Osmond Occasion (or OOO for short)? Laura finally understands the Barlow obsession with the Osmond family-- they are sooo cool! And, lest we forget they have made our family slightly famous (or at least 'rubbed on famous'-- i.e. Becky's 'date' with Donny!) Laura can now also say that she has hugged a man that has hugged Oprah-- Tom. That goes right up there with getting a private tour of Brisbane from Mel Gibsons cousin. But, that is a story for another time!

Halloween

Here are the kids, Laura too, in thier costumes. Joshua went as Batman and Andrew went as a Smore, in case you couldn't tell. We sent Andrew as a Smore because his nickname, given to him by Joshua, has been Marshmellow for a few months-- or as Josh says it 'Smarshmellow'. We went trick-or-treating in our nieghborhood and did much better this year-- Josh made it to 6 houses as opposed to about 3 last year. Luckily for hime, Laura had gotten a bunch of 'booty' for the kids at the Mall earlier in the day and we had oodles of extra candy at the house. It was a fun Halloween for everyone here!