Christmas Piano Recital:

Today the kids had their Piano Recital. They did a great job!!! The vidoes are a little long, but take a minute and listen. Alyssa played The Bare Neccesities and Ukranian Bell Carol. And Tyler played Winter Wonderland and All of Me.

Trimming the Tree: So Haylee was so excited to put the tree up this year! She asked every day when we could put up the tree so finally we told her after we get home from Utah we could put it up. And let me tell you, she never forgets anything you say!!! On our way home, driving in the car she announces "now we can put the tree up." Monday, for family night is when we trimmed the tree and put up our decorations. Every year we let the kids pick out a new Christmas ornament that they can put on the tree. It is always fun to get them out and remember what stage of life we were at when we bought them. Addyson keeps asking if we are going to keep the tree up all the days? I keep telling her only until Christmas is over. I love Christmas!! I think more than the kids do.

THE ANNUAL : CRABTREE-NICHOLAS TURKEY BOWL!!!! So we drove home to Utah for Thanksgiving!!! I am sure it is because David did not want to miss out on our new tradition we started last year. Every year driving to our thanksgiving dinner we would see numerous families out playing football. And every year David would say how much fun it looked. So last year we rounded up both families and said we would do this every year. Now last year the Nicholas' won by a land slide! (And David wasn't going to let them win again this year. Or maybe it was just they had to regain some pride they had lost last year.) So we lined up the game to be held at Sandridge park. We were missing a few people this year, but still had a grand time. Even my dad got out there and played with us. And the weather was great. This year was the year for the Crabtree's!!! Final score-- 42-14!! This is a must have tradition for all families. Tami was the biggest defensive pest, of this game, according to David. She is always the life of the party! Next year we are going to make a trophy for the winning family to take home.

THE SMALL THINGS:

Today as a family, we went to the OPEN DOOR MISSION and helped deliver Thanksgiving day dinners to those who can't afford to buy it themselves. What a humbling experience for all of us. The kids enjoyed it and Haylee kept saying "this is fun." I think we have started a new family tradition!!! I am grateful this thanksgiving that we are able to be with FAMILY and that we have all the comforts that we need. Dental school has not been easy for us and we find ourselves struggling finacially on a day to day basis. But it is with the help of a loving family and our Heavenly Father that we are able to keep moving on.

On our way to pick up the dinners to deliver, Haylee was serenading all of us. I tried to be discreet in the taping so she wouldn't stop.:) She is our next SUPER STAR!!

Things the KIDS are THANKFUL for:

Today the kids loved playing on their indoor swing set!! Addyson especially LOVES to go down in the basement and swing. I love it because it is warm and I don't have to stand in the FREEZING cold and push them on the swings. The only bad thing is there are not 4 of them. So we have to take turns and that is not so easy for the little ones.

Tyler and the BIG "13"!!! It was Tyler's thirteenth Birthday today. We were all sick and so we stayed home from church and watched movies played games and made homemade donuts for his cake! Hopefully he had a great day. We love ya Bud and are very proud of you!

Halloween 2009 Omaha So Halloween night was beautiful nd much warmer than the Trunk or Treat! Alyssa wanted to stay home and go trick or treating with her friends. Tyler was to exhausted from going on a 50 mile bike ride earlier in the day. We met up with the Burt's in Village Green and went around the apartment complex before our Halloween party at Matt and Melanie's. Addyson loved trick or treating!! She was the first one at the door every time and then she would come back and say "I Love Trick or Treating". They were really cute!! Tyler was our blind referee. If you notice he is never looking at the camera! He was thinking:)

At the party they did a Pinata and all the kids enjoyed it. We also ate donuts off of strings, and they made chili and soup, yummy homemade rolls. And we took homemade hot chocolate. All in all we had a great night and the kids got more than enough candy.