Thankful tree 2014.

I waited too long to take this picture. 

Much of the tree is missing due to having a baby around. 

I think she ate the base of the tree. 

This year we are Thankful for……..

Jared: CFE, Daddy's gun fund, XDM 45 3-8, 5X megs, my Jennifer, my girls, my boys. 

Jennifer: Kids that can read, Big kitchen, craft talents, quilting frame!, chickens, Gertrude, CFE, healthy children, vitamix. 

Grant: my bunk bed, foooood, family, smarties, homeschooling, Bear scouts, gum, the house, Holidays, another holiday, more gum,  screen time, TV, my room, nerd guns. 

Nathan: garden, food, the world, Jesus, animals, being nice, family, my room, family, food, life, school, gym, food. 

Charlotte: Christmas, double bed, legos, Halloween, my heart, stuffed animals, family, school, my dolls.

Elliott: toys, Heavenly Father, Halloween, stuffed animals, cake, my family, apple cider, mini oranges, zombies. 

Britton: bbs, toys, books. 

Thankful Tree 2013

                                                                                                                                                                         

So I didn't take a picture 

of our thankful tree this year. 

Although it was up till mid January. 

But here are the things our family 

is thankful for in the 2013 year. 

                                                                                                                                                                             

Jared- CFE, my wonderful Ellie Bellies, my Priesthood, my crown jewel Britton, my sweet Charly, my Grantman, EQ, my sweet little ones, Great Nate, running red car that will never die, having no job but working a lot, MY WONDERFUL WIFE.

Jennifer- My boys (Jared, Grant, Nate), my workout clothes, parents living close by, Gertrude, my garden space, the gospel, my awesome kitchen, quilting skills, living on a court, Daddy wearing real clothes, exercise, my girls Charly - Elle - Bret, blankets to cuddle with, fruit trees.

Grant- my new bow and arrow, cookies, BOOKS, video games, my toys, ME, Wolf Cub Scouts, Mario Bros. Wii, our house, money, our clothes, T.V., G, UM, great food, T.V..

Nathan- moovees, our house, bugs, trees, my Kendama, cub scouts, the oceans, my brother, my haws, Karate, this world, water & air, cats, the 7 seas, my mom & dad, food, colors, my family, our cars.

Charlotte- scribble, scribble, scribble, M & M's, I love my family, fruit snacks, dresses, cats & dogs, Disney princesses, Jake & the Neverland Pirates, princess on ice, beautiful & pretty things, cupcakes, cakes, lollipops, Halloween candy, my brothers & sisters, horses - unicorns - birds, I love my family - flowers - Jesus Christ, the Temple, deer, ladybugs & butterflies. 

Elliott- Nana, gymnastics, Jesus Christ, scribble, shoes, my pink blanket, my toys, fruit snacks, ladybugs.

Bret is just thankful for mom's boobs, naps and cuddle time. At least that's my translation of what I think she likes.   

Thankful Tree 2012

Cruddy picture, I know.

We slacked a bit this year on the every day leaf. 

But it was still fun & we kept up with tradition. 

What the Hasleton family is thankful for this year..........

Jared:  my girls Charlotte & Elliott, my wife Jennifer, our home, my boys Grant & Nathan.

Jennifer: big kitchen, pregnant body, backyard fruit trees, lotion, healthy children, scriptures, CFE,  clean water,  clean kitchen.

Grant: toys, movies, candy, clothes, getting enough sleep, T.V., games, books, house, lessons, school.

Nate: family, going to bed, trees, the Barlow family, our food, (drawing of a haapy stick figure), our family, our neighbors, our home, drawing of a Wii controller.

Charly: Barbies, rubber bands, my friends, boots, criss cross apple sauce, pj’s, going to school, princesses, school.

Ellie: pink, (scribble), snot rags, nursery at church, the word “mine” & “no”.

2010 Holiday catch up

So we started November with our traditional Thankful Tree. Although we constantly forgot to put a leaf on the tree some nights, there were plenty that were illegible, drawn by Charly as she was always coloring the leaves that just "happened" to fall off the window into her hands.

What we were thankful for this year........

Jared: Nate, 19 days till baby Elliott is born, Charly, Grantman, gospel of Jesus Christ, $17,000 in new equipment, pies, mommy letting me open a gym, my sweet wife Jennifer, chicken, for health, insurance coming today!, good food, blue eyed girls.

Jennifer:my safe home, CrossFit Envy, 2 running vehicles, our house to keep us warm, ears to listen, sewing machine, good kids, healthy baby, my talents, good food, free elliptical, electricity, washer & dryer, no swelling, internet.

Grant: playing games, food, the number 1, super bouncy balls, toys, giving away candy, daddy, my brother, my room, scooters, school, car, 2 more days till Thanksgiving, Nana & Bumpba, I love my toys, trophies, house.

Nathan: everything, Jesus died for us, computer & school, good guys, sippy cups, for everything we have in our house, nice stuff (cool toys), our world, ninja guys & flowers, the world (apparently very different from our world), Metro Man, bouncy balls, flowers, warm jackets & clothes.

Charlotte: juice, cereal, juice, BB’s, blankets.

But most of all, the safe arrival of a healthy baby on Thanksgiving day!

Don't think for a moment that Charlotte will let Elliott

get allll the attention.

Then the Christmas season started with

Jared & I figuring out Daneece's infamous toffee recipe.

We made 4 batches in a week.

And no, we didn't give away most of it.

My teeth hurt for a bit.

The Christmas Eve pagaent.......

Not entirely sure what's going on here....

The meanest looking wise man ever.

All the fuss on Christmas morning with the Barlow fam.

A shoo fly quilt I made for my Mom.

It's made completely from left over fabric.

If I've ever made something for you,

you can probably see some of your fabric in there.

Then as if I didn't have enough to do........

I experimented with quilting & found I have a new love

of spirals. Aren't they purty!

Then came New Years. We spent it down in Santa Clara

with the other Hasleton's.

Then to top it all off, Jan 3rd was Nate's 4th birthday!

All in all, it's been a crazy couple of months.

But we've enjoyed it!!

Thankful Tree 2009

We started the "Thankful Tree" last year for Thanksgiving. Starting in November every night (that we remembered) we would say what we were thankful for, write it on a leaf, & tape it to the tree. If you remember last years tree, yes, this is the exact same one. I never took it down. When June rolled around, I figured it would stay on our door for this year also, instead of having to make a new one. Charly kept tearing off the grass on the bottom. Oh well.

This year we were thankful for:

Charly: Raisins, Boop juice. We didn't guess too many for her.

Nate: Ninja Guys, Jesus, Blue Blankie, Daddy, Hot Wheels, Chicken Nuggets, Snake Eyes, Mr. Incredible, Vinnie & Allie, Juice, Mommy, My Family, Legos, Chairs, Charlotte-Me-Grant-Mommy-Daddy. Every night we asked him, 12 times the first thing he said was, "Jesus & Ninja Guys." Love this kid.

Grant: Cereal, Doors, Thankful Tree, Shoes, Charlotte in her bini "she is so A-DOR-ABLE", Pizza (Mark the Pizza guy, does the Payne family read blogs?), Yougert (yogret), Books & CD's, Tang, School Pictures, Candy-suckers-Kit Kat, Apples, My New Book, Fruit Snacks, Bubbles.

Jenn: White Noise, Working Dryer, Yummy Cheese, My Sewing Machine, Child Bearing Hips, Weight Loss, Soap & Dish Washers, Blankets & Heaters, A Backyard to Garden, Healthy Bodies, Working Cars, Refrigerator, New Countertop & Sink (someday), Our Home.

Jared: Church Callings, Actin & Myosin, Combustion Engine, Savings Accounts, Snot Rags, Everlasting Covenant, My Kids, Ice Modalities, A Safe Ride Home, A Good Wife.

It was fun to think about what you're thankful for. I think this will be a family tradition for next year also. Thanks to Jared for cutting out many perfect leaves!!

Last year we were thankful for: Clothes, Me, (a scribble), Chicken Nuggets, My Boys, Something "Healthy Eyes", Books, TV, March Madness, PIE, Toys, Basketball, Bikes, Cheap Gas, Motherhood, Food, Good Deals, Mac n Cheese & Sleep, The Holiday Season, Internet, Scriptures, Oranges, (another scribble), Playing Outside. We didn't write names so we'll all have to guess who wrote what.

Thanksgiving Diva

It all started with an urge to try my hand at gardening. Nothing has ever before survived these previous urges. I kill the unkillable plants. But this year, I got tomatoes & pumpkins to grow for me. This picture was taken early on in the season. By the time my plants were done growing, they crossed my whole backyard. I was very proud of myself for being able to grow my own veggies & actually be able to eat them. We had sooo many tomatoes. And I looked forward to not having to buy any pumpkins for the Holidays. 

I was too scared to actually carve any of the pumpkins we grew, afraid they would be gross inside since I grew them, so we all colored them for Halloween. There were about a dozen all together, more than we knew what to do with. So a couple days ago, I say it's time to toss the pumpkins, they've taken up their share of space for long enough. Then got the inkling to cut them in half for the boys to see. Then started wondering if I could reuse the seeds to plant for next year, I got online & started looking at things to do with pumpkins. Found some yummy recipes, & decided to try some of them out. 

I ended up with some DELICIOUS oatmeal choc chip cookies. They are actually VERY good. SO I am feeling mighty proud of the fact I was able to cook something that I grew. Not just tomatoes in a salad, but actually baking the pumpkin & puree ing it, then freezing some for later. These things are stuffed with potassium & vitamin C. & loaded with vitamin A. There is no butter, & not too much sugar. That means it was all right to let my kids have them after 9 pm right?? At least they were eating pumpkin & oats. 

We have also started a "We are Thankful for..." tree. Every day I ask the boys what they are Thankful for, & we put it on a leaf for our tree. I have never done this much for Thanksgiving before, & am feeling mighty happy with my self.