Lights

So we live in San Diego right?  And it rarely rains, in fact it seems like it hasn't rained in over 180 days.  So Saturday rolls around cold, windy and rainy, yes rainy.  So natually the best thing to do on that day is....put up lights of course.  Duh!  So poor Mark put up our christmas lights in the pouring rain.  It would sprinkle than start pouring.  He was soaked but would not give up until they where done.  Poor guy.  Here he is...

You can't really see the rain but it was coming down really good at this moment. Not the best picture because I really didn't want to get wet.  I know I'm a wimp.  And would you believe the next day was dry and sunny, and the next, and I'm sure the next...

Colonial Days

Michael aslo had colonial days, he did not dress up so this is what I got of him. 

Corn Days

Savannah had Corn Days just before thanksgiving, all the students brought in something with corn.  I made corn bread, of course there was enchiladas, tostadas, tamales, seeming how the majority of the students are Mexican.  It was all very good.  There was one tamale that was berry flavored very good.  And someone even brough tin corn cake, a lot like Carrot cake also very good.  Here's my one and only picture.

Golfing

Later on Friday Mark, Michael and his dad went Golfing.  Sounds like they had a lot of fun.

And Michael actually tied Mark on one of the holes.

Black Friday

I never thought I would get up before 5 am to go shopping and let alone Wal-mart (not a huge fan) but i did.  Mark's mom and I got to Wal-mart around 5:30 or little earlier.  It was really crowded and people where already leaving so we got a good parking spot but the lines to check out where huge.  I didn't get their early enough for a couple of things but I did get something I wanted it was really good deal.  (had to take that out incase someone read this.) WE got several other DVD's as well, toys, WE actaully spent 3 hours there.  I think we did good.  I went a little later though and saw that one item was cheaper, not one I bought so I thought that was interesting.  It was fun and not as bad as I though tit would be I think I'll go next year.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful thanksgiving and I hope you all did too.  Mark's parents came so it was nice to have family.  It was just the 8 of us, but we had enough food to feed 20 people.  Mark's mom was a great help.  I had read a story earlier to my kids this week and it was about the pilgrms and the 5 kernals of corn.  IF you don't know that story the legend is during the "starving time" somedays all they would have is 5 kernals of corn to live on each day.  Later after their crops started doing really well each thanksgiving they would put 5 kernals of corn, each one represented something they where thankful for. 
Here is mine:
1.  My family
2.  My Savior Jesus Christ
3.  A free country
4.  Good home to live in
5.  Our health.
Of course there is many more.  But I loved that story and want to read it each Thanksgiving.  Those who first came to this country made many sacrafices and we own them our thanks. 

Here our some pictures of our feast.

Us starving and ready to attack the turkey Cullen style.

each year I brine our turkey this year I used a different brine recipe I thought it was really good and will probably use it again.

Our gravy came out so dark, I had to take a picture, it was so rich and good.

And Thanks go Grandma Dedee for providing the kids Sees chocolate turkey's, they loved them.

Visiting Teaching...

Do you ever get stuck and think I need something new for visiting teaching?  Well I found this great little store that has the best idea, they also have a blog.  Each month they have a new idea for Visiting teaching.  This is the link The Pioneer Party and Gift store, this is the November idea.  They also have other stuff.  Some of the things we could probably make but they are so cute.    Just thought I would share this with you.  The blog is on my list called Pioneer Party.  Just thought I would share, I'm sure those of you in Utah have already seen things like this but they are simple and always incorporate the message of the month.

New Moon

All I can say is I loved it and now I feel as giddy as a 15 year old girl.  But I did not scream like the 15 year  girls in our theater, that was so crazy.  It was funny, sweet and romantic.  I'M a sucker I know.  It was fun to see it with friends because I know Mark would of made fun of it the whole time.   I liked it a lot more than I thought I was going to.

My little artist.

avannah loves to draw, and yesterday she saw Taylor's cornicopia and said she could draw one. So while she watched a movie this is what she drew. I thought she did a pretty good job. She even has shadow's.  sorry it's sideways.

Cinnamon Eggnog Scones--YUM!

So  felt like baking this week, so I made cinnamon eggnog scones.  Very good.  I've never made scones like this before, just the deep fried kind.  If you do check out the recipe I used cinnamon chips that I found at alberston's.  My kids liked them too.  Something fun to try.  It was hard either.  This is from the website Baker's Banter, it's in my blog list.  The have so many yummy baking recipes.  The kind that makes my thighs growing just looking at them, but every now and than it ok right?

A Visitor

This is my Friend Alison, we haven't seen each other in 5 years.  But it felt like just yesterday.  We met in Boston both of our husbands where in Dental school (two different ones.)  It was so fun to see her.  We laughed, talked about memories and kids.  It just happens that Her 3rd Child and Mine have the exact same birthday and we each have two boys and two girls, all very close in age.  She is one of those genuinely sweet people.  It was so fun, my cheeks hurt from smile so much.  WE both talked about how Boston really help strengthen who we are and our testimony's.  Being surrounded by feminist their we learned a lot (of Good things.)   I remember being so intimated when I moved their all these sisters who where getting PHD or Masters or had really good career, and I was only a housewife.  But I do not anymore feel small because I am a stay at home mom.   I'm proud of it.  We had some great experiences there.  The sisters I was intimitated became some of my friends.  One espeically was such a great listener and someone I could just go and talk to.  Our ward was really diverse.  My testimony grew so much there, I really miss it.  I can't really explain the change that took place there, but it was good.  I made some good friends there and it is still the place we lived the longest.  It was so fun to visit with her.

The Temple

So Mark and I went to the temple yesterday.  It was really nice to go.  Well let me just say don't ever bring an expired recommend, that is a year expired they treat it very suspiciously.  Good thing for computers because they show your new recommend as well.  Actually someone else in the temple has a computer with this information on it and he printed it and brought it down so we could go in.  So they confiscated the old and let us go, we later found the new recommend in the temple bag at home (we did Initiatories so no bag needed.) 
Well the funny thing is while we are waiting a man and lady come in wanting to know how to get into the chapel, because they couldn't find a way in.  So they could pray.  She didn't speak very good English.  When they tried to explain this is not a chapel, so said, "Oh is this a Hotel?"  They explained no it's a temple.  But that's Mark and I's new inside Joke, "we really should get reservations at that hotel sometimes."  It was funny.
The fun thing was doing family names that I have been working on. 
We also did a little christmas shopping too.  It was a great day together.  Which is so very rare. 

Two Student of the Months.

So Savannah and Michael where each a student of the month in their class last week.  I was very proud.  They didn't want any other pictures taken, and my battery was running low so sorry for the poor quaility.

I love how happy Michael looks, he always feels good when accomplishes something.  I'm just happy that they are each doing well in school and mostly problem free children in class.  Michael was really cute the night before he had to wash his favorite clothes to wear.  And than he said, "mom remind me to practice my smile in the morning."  He's so funny. 

Trick-or-Treat

I have to say I normally don't mind trick or treat time, but yesterday I was not looking forward to it at all, Mark and I are both sick with really bad head cold, the kind that makes you exhausted, feels like your head will explode kind.  Basically we are miserable.  We'll Mark seemed to be worse than I and so I took off with the four kids to my friends house.  We had planned to have dinner and go in their neighborhood.  We had a great dinner of chili dogs (not something my stomach was totally ready for.) It was actually nice to get out in the night air, I felt a little better but was wiped out when we where done.  That being said...We did have fun and the night was full of drama.

This is drew after our first house.  Let me explain, we went to my friends condo complex because you can hit 10 times more houses in the same amount of time than in our neighborhood.  So he didn't have to walk far.  This his him saying.."I don't want to walk."  He planted himself and folded his arms.  Thankfully he soon got into it and had a lot of fun and last most of the night, until like the last 5 minutes and I had to carry him. 

Here's the group sorry it's blurry and red eyed. 

Wigs and hats came off, and I had to carry those.  Than poor Savannah dripped on her dress on the way back to my friends house and screamed like she broke her leg, I am not exagerrating.  She was so mad she was screaming, "I hate this dress."  Thankfully she was not really hurt, a couple of scratches and a small bruise, but was soon forgotten when we got back into the house and shrek 2 was playing.  So all in all it was a pretty good night, and kids where good and had a lot of fun and of course came home with lots of candy!

Now can I get better?  I have been sick for way too long!