Christmas Weekend 2012

We loaded up Saturday and headed to the lake cabin with the Jensen/Briggs clan to celebrate Christmas and enjoy the winter weather on a frozen lake, with good food and good company!

The weather was perfect and allowed the guys and little boys to spend much of the daylight outside on the lake ice fishing and four wheeling, sledding and playing football (turns out it hurts a bit to fall on a frozen lake...).

It was nice to enjoy the Christmas season a few extra days, without all the running around and hustle and bustle that comes with the Holiday Season.

 

The boys LOVED getting pulled behind the four wheeler on the tubes.

 

Candon couldn't get enough, even when his buddies ditched him for ice fishing and tackling daddy.

Porter in the hot tub, yes that is snow behind him, but they loved every minute of it.

Kenna Boo-Boo made an outside appearance (Adalyn wasn't so lucky, she was inside napping)

Kevin and Candon and McKenna (she is hiding behind Candon) being pulled on the sled behind the four wheeler.

I LOVE this picture, the adult guys drinking beer as Candon lays waiting for his ride. This pretty much sums up the weekend ;)

Kenna waiting to see Daddy's big whopper he never caught.

Another silly Porter enjoying the hot tub.

Kevin pulling Coley and McKenna

Porter kept throwing snowballs at me, while I was trying to take pictures.

Braylon pouting

Braylon watching the fish try to get Grandpa's bait.

Still pouting...

The three amigo's enjoying the warm water in the cool temps.

Daddy and Braylon

Fishing again, he could fish all day if we let him!

All bundled up to brave the elements.

Grandma getting a ride from her three grandsons, it was very comical to watch, Braylon and Candon tried pulling her and she didn't budge, Porter comes and grabs a hold and she started moving.

Another time in the hot tub.

Braylon ready to go for his ride.

 

The lake is different in the winter than in the summer, but we had fun nonetheless :)

 

Baking Cookies

Porter and I baked cookies on Sunday night, baking is one of Porter's favorite things to do, he is excellent at dumping all of the ingredients into the bowl, locking the mixer and turning the mixer on (full speed)... the best thing that Porter is good at is helping to taste test the goodies!

 

Taste testing the first batch, it took A LOT of patience for him to wait until we were done mixing

First taste...

Taste tested... Porter approved... Going back for seconds

So good that Porter wouldn't even share with Reese... That doesn't happen often

I caught Porter stinking his fingers in the cookie dough.

 

It was such a fun night to bake, I am not a huge fan of baking, but if it means spending time with Porter and watching how excited he gets with every added ingredient and baked cookie, I could become a much bigger fan!

 

Oh Christmas Tree... Oh Christmas Tree...

We picked out our Christmas tree weeks ago, the boys picked it out together and were very excited to watch Papa Todd cut it down and load it up in the truck.

They wanted no part in decorating the tree, but they did have fun checking it out afterwards, capturing one of the most MAGICAL pictures of the three of them!

 

The 5 of us in front of our Christmas tree, Porter was not in the mood to take a picture, he wanted to watch Papa cut it down instead.

 

My Magical Christmas picture of the kids in front of the tree, I love this picture! I want it blown up! What you don't see of course, is that Porter was actually crying while I took the picture, because Braylon pushed him 5 seconds earlier, Adalyn is chewing on a branch of the Christmas tree and Braylon is telling me he is NOT going to tell Porter sorry for pushing him and he WON'T go to his room, he will hide until Daddy gets home... But the picture depicts that they were all happy and in awe of the tree :) Something I love about pictures, you capture a moment without the noise, commotion and sibling fights :)

 

Winter Wonderland

We went outside yesterday to enjoy the Winter Wonderland! Adalyn was taking a nap, so we all bundled up and enjoyed the Beautiful snow that was bestowed upon us!

The boys love the snow, for completely different reasons, Braylon loves snow ball fights and loves to be tossed in the snow, snow thrown at him, everything snow and boy! Porter on the other hand loves to throw snowballs at you, does NOT like to have snowballs thrown at him, loves to build snowmen, forts and shovel the snow. It was a great first big snow fall of the year and we had a lot of fun playing in it!

 

Maxie bundled warm! I love his smile :)

Throwing snowballs at Daddy

Stopping to have a drink of Daddy's Lemonade

Braylon was in his glory, chasing Ben and throwing snowballs at him.

Reese got in on the action of playing outside too! He would knock Braylon over or "box" his snowballs out of his hands. Braylon thought it was hilarious (as you can tell from the picture)

 

Braylon on the move!

Porter got out some of their sand toys to play with in the snow.

I love this picture, Braylon "tasting" the snow

It is very difficult to throw snowballs when you are hysterically laughing!

 

I could look at these pictures all day, I love how "real" they are, the kids were being silly and themselves and it shows in these pictures! I am grateful for moments like these, so bring on the snow Mother Nature :)

 

End of Summer...

Two weekends ago we headed to the lake on Sunday for a Vikings/Dock Pulling Party. Braylon got to do some fishing for the last time of the summer and Porter got to go jet skiing. Adalyn got to spend time outside enjoying the nice weather. I LOVE fall and it was the perfect excuse to take some pictures and be creative.

 

 

Little "Diva" as daddy calls her!

 

Daddy and Porter went out to go jet skiing and ended up with a dead battery... Uh-oh

Daddy trying to paddle his way back... Very comical to watch!

But Grandpa and Braylon saved the day!

Braylon fishing! He has a passion for it!

Another one!

Porter will drop his line in and then wonder off to do something else, like take a stroll in Grandpa's shoes!

Last pontoon ride of the season! Bray was cashed only a few moments into it.

While Grams and Adalyn played!

 

Hard to believe that summer is gone, but I LOVE fall and enjoy a little of winter, mostly the holiday season, so I am okay with a nice change in the weather for a short while. Ben is hoping to get up to the lake this winter to take the boys ice fishing (Mommy is not so sure about that). So we will see the cabin soon enough!

 

It's a Bird, no it's a plane with Braylon Max Jensen in it!!!!!

On Sunday Braylon had the opportunity to go flying! He got to go in Grandpa Rick's airplane to La Crosse to see Candon. Mommy was very nervous, this was the first time he has been flying and the flight is only an hour, but if he didn't like it, it meant having to turn around and bring him back.... But Braylon LOVED flying and did a wonderful job! I was in church with Porter and Adalyn when they took off, Porter got his bible presented to him during church. So I wanted to make sure to be there when they landed, so that I could capture the special moment!

 

Porter, Daddy and Adalyn waiting for Braylon to land, Porter clearly didn't want his photo taken. I almost felt like a paparazzi hiding in a bush taking their picture :)

We spotted them!

Here they come!

 

Almost landed

 

Safely on the ground!

 

Porter gets to go flying with Grandpa next, I can't wait to capture that moment as well. I know now where I can stand and have so many good ideas for the next round of photos :)

 

 

 

Pumpkinfest '12

We (minus Braylon) headed to Pumpkinfest on Sunday afternoon. Porter had a blast picking pumpkins, we walked away with a wagon full, Adalyn had a wonderful time just being along for the ride. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon!

 

Porter and Grammy Pammy picking out pumpkins of all sizes!

Pix waiting to see which one Porter would pick out for her...

Adalyn and Daddy snuggling while we waited for the "train" ride.

Porter and Daddy

 

Grammy and Porter doing the pumpkin roll, Porter's pumpkin won! (Sorry horrible picture, I wasn't ready and didn't get my camera set up properly!)

Adalyn and Mommy!

 

We had a blast, but missed our other Crazy rug rat!