Cheesy Grins and Masterpieces

Whew, another week has flown by quickly.  It's getting closer and closer to Christmas....eeeekkkkk.  I think the older my kids are getting, I am really enjoying our Christmases.  Maybe I know they won't always believe, maybe because they understand the whole idea of it now, maybe it's because they can participate and help out with shopping and decorating.  Who knows?  But the last few years I have been just giddy with excitement to see their faces Christmas morning?  I am giddy when they ask questions about Jesus and his birth.  I am giddy when they choose to do something kind for someone else.

I almost have all of my Christmas shopping done which is pretty awesome, I know some big time show offs that finish shopping Thanksgiving weekend.  Or the ones that have everything wrapped then as well, geez.  What a goal to live up to!  I envy that organization :)
But we are still doing pretty good and ahead of our schedule.

We finished up Fall Baseball for Hunter this week.  The boys actually made it to the tournament which is awesome!  It was a single elimination for the boys and they made it to the second round but then lost it.  They held their own, but it was against the undefeated team.  It was a lot of fun to be out there and cheering for the boys.  We know they are still little but they have grown so much in skill and their knowledge of the game.  It's amazing!!  Hunter received the game ball at the last game of the regular season.  He was pretty excited as you can see in his big cheesy grin :)

Cheesy game ball grin!

This week I had something that stopped me in my tracks, literally.  The kids and I were on our way to Running Club in the morning and as I got in the car, this almost took my breath away.  It's amazing how God can make such wonderful masterpieces.  Even answering all of our prayers, big and tiny he has some time to build this!  Amazing :)

Later that same day, I had to stop and get gas and this started to develop.  Twice in one day?   He makes these amazing pieces of art work.  So similar in awe but so completely different.  I truly felt honored and blessed to have seen such a sight!

Hunter found this Santa hat in our decorations and has been wearing it all week.  He even wore it to bed.  This kid is such a sweat-er when he sleeps so I can only imagine how hot his head was.  I even saw him wake up for a minute, re-adjust his hat and lay back down.  So sweet :)

 I found this adorable camera holiday ornament on Target this week.  So stinkin' cute, I couldn't pass it up.  It looks pretty amazing on my tree, I hate to brag but ahhhh!  I am thinking it might need to have MANDY in sparkly pink paint written on it.... sounds like a craft idea in the works :)

 My Christmas cards have arrived!  I am so excited but less than thrilled to address them all and send them out.  I wish I wasn't such a control freak or I'd have Mike help me, but really you don't want to Mike's handwriting on the cards.  Actually you probably wouldn't care but I do. :)
  On another note I can't believe how much I spent on them.  Eeekkk, I really wish I could tone that part down.  Not only are the cards themselves super expensive but I have to send out so many.... every year I keep adding more and more.  Hmmmm, might have to come up with a new plan for that.... any suggestions?

 I spent most of my Sunday not doing holiday things or editing but catching up on the household stuff.  There were piles and piles of clothes all over my bedroom that either needed to be hung up or washed.  There were piles of paper on my desk that needed to go through.  It was getting to the point of just overwhelming.  Being an organized freak it drives me nuts and I'm not able to concentrate on anything else.  If I need to work, I swear that pile of papers is staring at me and making faces with me.  If I want to sit down and read a book, guess what those piles of clothes are saying, " nannie nanie booboo, we are making a me-ssssss!"  Do your piles talk to you like that?  No, wait, it's just me and my crazy mind, what?
Ugh!  So we did some major cleaning, major laundry, major dust bunny killing and I was able to sigh- SIGH!!!!!!, ahhhh,- climb into bed last night and let my mind just..... rest.  This morning I woke up energized, motivated and ready to go.  It's amazing sometimes what gift you can give to your mind :)

Happy week to you all, hope you can finish your Christmas shopping, hope you can do some fun baking or maybe see something amazing this week that God created like I did!

Day 6: Capturing December- Shopping

Day 6

Ooooohhhh the receipts.... :(

Day 5: Capturing December- Today's Temperature

Day 5

Well the weather hasn't been very "Christmas-ey" lately with the weather, even our Santa has been laying on the beach and playing beach volleyball

Day 3-Capturing December: Red

Day 3

Brain Teaser

Usually I have a little riddle that I post on FB every month but I found this image and loved how it tricks your mind.  So I guess it's still a brain teaser, it's just not an riddle.

Are you all getting ready for Halloween?  I know my kids are!  It's so much fun until I have to hid the candy for weeks after.  Don't you think I would just throw it away but I selfishly crab a few pieces after the kids go to bed :)  YUMMY Kit Kats!! :)

Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!!

Halloween Decorations

Halloween is coming up 24 days!!!  Kids can't wait and I am loving our decorating for Halloween.  Here are some ideas and some inspiration to get you started.

God Bless America! Happy 4th!

The fourth of July is coming up next week.  It's a great time of summer, the BBQ's, the pool parties, and the fireworks.   The kids are out of school, hopefully everyone's schedule has cooled off a bit.
I wanted to pass on some ideas to do for the 4th to celebrate beyond the BBQ and watching fireworks.   I am sure we will watch the fireworks and have a little BBQ as well but adding some other fun events might prove to make for an even better holiday!

 Make a great dessert!  There are a ton of good ideas on Pinterest.  Check them out and let your kids help you.    It's a great way to bond with your kids and also enjoy a delicious snack.

Read the decleration of Independence- For you and your older children this is a great reminder of how proud we should be to live in this beautiful country.

Make a craft!  Again Pinterest is the way to go.  There are so many adorable crafts on there that you can get some ideas of.  It would be awesome for you to do the crafts a head of time and decorate your house for the week.

Decorate your front yard!  What a great way to show off your loyalty and how honored you are to be an American!

Display your flag high and proudly!  Hang it on your house, wear it on your shirt, or stick it on your car.



Head out to the local parade!  This is a great thing to do with the kids.  There are always festivites and events.  Games to play and people to see all dressed up!

Read a book!  If your kids are younger there are a ton of books to read to them to explain the meaning of July 4th.  It's never to early to teach them how to appreciate the USA!

And of course, spend some time with your family, have a BBQ and watch the fireworks.  No matter what you decide to do this 4th, take some time to really remember how lucky we are to be American and be honored you get to live so free!  That is sometimes easy to forget with the hustle and bustle of every day and all that goes on in the world. 

Have fun and be safe!

Easter Family Fun!

Easter is just a few days away. The weather here is so awesome around Easter. We really live it up during the Spring. The nights are still cool and the days are just a little bit of perfect.

Just wanted to share a few ideas with you to celebrate Easter with your family. Easter should be a day of relaxing and enjoying the day with your family so I hope these tips will give you some ideas to start your own family traditions.

1. The Zoo- the weather is perfect and the zoo is always a pretty stress-free location, unless of course you loose your kid for 5 minutes in a crowd. :) Yep done that. Oops! Go early in the morning to be the crowds, have some lunch there and enjoy your day of strolling and learning about the animals.

2. Easter Egg Hunt- of course! Mike and I usually have to get up pretty early to hide the eggs, we tried one year to hide them the night before and woke up to some dogs who had a midnight snack all night long :( Either way it's a pretty inexpensive and fun activity for the kids to do in the morning while you have muffins in the oven. ;)

3. A Picnic- we have done this several years. It's so much fun to pack up a basket full of lunch goodies and take them to a park. Bring some balls and some hula hoops or bikes and let the kids play while you relax and take in the sun!

4. The Jelly Bean Trail, again be careful if you have animals unless you can do this early in the morning. You'll need about 2 bags of jelly beans. Start a trail from their room door out to where ever you have their Easter egg basket hidden. Might even be fun to make fake trails as well to throw them off.

5. Explain the story of Easter. This one should be done every year regardless. Teach your kids the real story of Easter, remind them it's not just about the Easter Bunny and candy.

6. Have some fun baking. There are a ton of Easter recipes that are fun and easy for all family members. Bake cookies or cupcakes and have the whole family in on the fun.

7. Dye Easter Eggs- this one could get a little messy but I actually found this really cool gadget this year to dye eggs. It's called the No Spill Egg Coloring Kit- you can purchase it online, but I found mine in my local Home Goods Store. Sounds like a lot more fun for me that I won't have to clean up such a nasty mess. I am all about the non clean up for mom on a holiday!

8. Lastly, do some Easter crafts, again there are plenty of websites that have all sorts of things. One of my favorite websites for all those ideas is Family Fun! It's my go to website for crafts, actives and games!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter this weekend! I hope you can find these ideas useful and whatever you do I hope that you spend the day with your family, that is all that matters! :)
Happy Easter!

.

Family Fun Together! -"Peanut Butter Heaven Balls"

Here is a little idea to do with your kids on a Saturday afternoon. Even after school is pretty fun. It's a nice little recipe that's easy for the kids to do. I wait all year for Christmas time so I can make these little peanut butter heaven balls.

First of all let me explain that I think peanut butter and chocolate go together like salt and pepper, ketchup and fries, kisses and hugs. You get the idea. So when I can make these I am in heaven for the few days I get to eat these! :)

First you'll start off with a box of Rice Krispies, a generic brand can be used to substitute any of the ingredients. You will need 3 cups

Also....

1 jar of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, your choice)
1/4 cup of melted butter
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 package of bark chocolate. Do not use nestle chips. They won't work as well.

You start by pouring the krispies in a large bowl. Add in the jar of peanut butter. Next melt the butter in the microwave and pour onto the mixture. Last take 1/2 a cup of powdered sugar and add in to the mixture and save the other half for later. Stir the mixture. Now you can start making them. I usually take about a spoonful of the mixture, sprinkle some left over powdered sugar in my hands and start rolling them in a ball. The powdered sugar helps so the mixture doesn't stick to your hand.
Next take the package of the bark chocolate and place it in the microwave. Read the instructions because each package is different. You may have to start with one minute and then do 15 second increments until it's melted. Don't over heat though. You want the chocolate to be nice and creamy.
You can place the mixture balls into the chocolate. I try and use a big spoon with holes in it to use as a strainer for the excess chocolate. Once they are covered you will place them on a cookie sheet to harden. Place a piece of wax paper on the cookie sheet first. Once your tray is filled place it in the fridge to cool and harden. And then voila`! MMMMMMM.... heaven with every bite :)
Hope you all have fun!























Baking is a success when your 5 year old looks like this

Christmas Family Portrait Season 2010

It’s that time of year again. Before you know it Christmas will be here and the time to get your family portraits taken will be here even sooner! We are going to do a few things a little different this year- you’ll still get great images, an amazing slideshow and a wonderful family experience. We’ll be running a special for family portraits in October and November. I have added an extra date this year because we always fill up and I just want to get you all in :)
Specific dates and locations will be scheduled for the special package. If you would like to have a different location, date or month for your family photos, the package will be full price.This year the dates for the special are

Sunday October 17th @ Scottsdale Civic Center
Sunday October 24th @ Mill Avenue
Sunday November 7th @ Mesa Center for the Arts
Sunday November 14th @ Heritage Square in Downtown Phoenix

*Each date and location will have five 1 hour time slots starting at noon and the last one starting at 5pm.

The family special will include
1 hour session
An online slideshow presentation
Disk of images
$275.00

You must book your session in advance and a non-refundable retainer of $100.00 is required to hold your location and time slot

Hurry and book now, slots will fill up quickly!!!

***Any other dates, locations and times, the session will be $375.00**

Remember, Mandy Hank Photography still has the Preferred Portrait Club referral program- so the more people you refer to Mandy Hank Photography, the less you’ll pay for your own family portraits. Ask for details!!***

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Hank Family!!!
Be safe and enjoy your holiday!!

Polar Express

Last weekend we drove up North about 3 hours to Williams, Arizona. They have this awesome experience every year that I've been dying to take the kids to. We wanted to wait until they were old enough to appreciate it and still young enough to believe in Santa.
They try to recreate the Polar Express story about taking a train to the North Pole to see Santa Claus.
You check into your hotel and head over for dinner. Once dinner is done, you change into your pajamas and hop aboard the train. The train looks just like it does in the movie. When you are on the train, they hand out hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. The audio story of the Polar Express is read and you travel up to the North Pole in the dark. Once you arrive, the kids can look out the window at this little village they have decorated to look like the North Pole. And everyone sees Santa outside waving. Santa climbs on board and the way back he visits with each child and hands them a sleigh bell. Everyone sings Christmas Carols the only way back and for Reagan and Hunter it really was magical.
Their faces were so lit up in awe that it was really him. They were so adorable and innocent, it definitely brings a tear to your eye.
We went with three other families, 8 adults and 10 kids. The adults brought some of our own "hot chocolate" to drink and sat around and played card games. The kids jumped on the bed, ate a ton of candy and stayed up later than they ever have, (a huge mistake when the next morning came)
We woke up the next morning and took the kids to a play area. The thought in our heads was, "oh we'll spend the morning up there and let the kids play in the snow, oh how fun for them." Yeah that lasted about 15 minutes and the kids were having meltdowns. Crying and screaming the snow was cold, they were wet, the couldn't walk. You name it, we heard it. So we played for about 15 minutes, dried them off and back down the hill to Phoenix we drove.
It was a short trip but definitely a great time! Memories like that you can't pass up.

Waiting in line for dinner


Here's little Kholey at dinner


Alaina


Got our pj's on and ready to go


All the moms had matching Pj's- don't we look adorable?


Alaina yelling for the train to come- the kids were so excited, they could hardly stand it


Hunter waiting for the train


Can you just see the excitement?





And here he is!!!! Handing out sleigh bells :)


Hunter trying to catch a snowflake on his tongue- if you look close he did get one :)








All 10 kids :)


Jaxson happy because we haven't reached the snow part yet





Everyone is still happy at this point


Reagan doing snow angels :)


Starting to loose it a little





It really started to snow on us which is so not normal. People we live in Phoenix and cold to us is 70 degrees. It was fun and I think we appreciate that fact we don't wake up to every morning and have to scrape it off our cars :)

Oh and I got to mark off goal #75. Take the kids to Polar Express for Christmas –accomplished 12/11/09