Real Meaning of Christmas

I thought this video was so so cute. I found it on a blog that I sometimes follow. This couple had a little girl just a couple weeks older than Bridger who drowned this past summer. Thier blog is always so uplifting and inspirational. It is patrickandashley.blogspot.com .... take a look.

Anual Gingerbread House Decorating

I am pretty sure that Bridger ate a piece of candy
for each that he put on our house :)

It is a Patterson Family tradition every year get together
and decorate Gingerbread Houses.
Everyone is very serious about their houses....
sadly, mine just hasn't been the same now that I have little helpers!
But it is still fun and I still leave feeling sick from eating so much candy and frosting.

Noah's Baptism

On Saturday Noah got baptized.
It was really nice because he was the only one in my parents ward
so our family got to do the entire program.
Scott gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.
He compared it to Noah's blanket because it is a comforter.
I am not sure that Noah wanted everyone to know about his beloved blanket :)

Happy Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving started with The Annual Turkey Trot....
and boy was it cold!!!
Like always, we still had fun and
it helps with the guilt of eating all of that food.

A couple of weeks ago my mom and me went to a
cooking class taught by the owner of the "Chefs Table".
It was all about making the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
So this year me and my mom did the whole dinner completely from scratch.
I am going to put all of the recipes on theskilletsisters.blogspot.com My favorite part was the mashed potatoes and stuffing. The Cranberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding was also super good, and not too terribly difficult.

The boys ended the day with a football game,
leaving Scott claiming that he had a dislocated RIB!!!

Putting up the Tree

Our Thanksgiving Weekend ended with putting up our Tree....
which at our house, I have to admit is a huge ordeal.
I am pretty crazy about how my tree looks and children wanting to help
is a little bit difficult for me....
but Dakota was so cute and ended up being a big help.
Bridger so far is content with turning the lights on and off and leaving the ornaments alone.

I have decided to put off getting out our downstairs tree...
I am just not sure that I can trust all the little hands that will tear it apart.
We will give it another week or so....

Out of the Crib

Last Sunday Bridger climbed out of his crib 3 times....

so we decided that it was time to take the front off

and make it into a toddler bed.

I was a little worried how bed time and nap time would go,

but so far.... so good!

5 Years Old!!!

Today is Dakota's 5th Birthday!!!!
Hard to believe that I have a 5 year old.... no longer a toddler in any way.

He was born the day before Thanksgiving, 3 weeks early.
He was 7lbs. 6 oz. and 20 inches long.... descent size for being early.
I remember that I hadn't felt very good and hadn't felt him move very much, so I stopped by the doctor's office on my way to school. My blood pressure ended up being too high so my doctor sent me over to the hospital to be induced.
After hearing his heart beat and knowing he was just fine, I remember being mad that I had even gone in because I really needed to take a test.
Dr. Lameroux told me that it was probably going to be a 48 hour induction.
That seemed crazy to me, but 2 days later,
almost 48 hours on the dot..... Dakota was born.

2 days after that, Scott and I left with a new baby, and I really was scared to death. I had no idea what to expect. Lucky for me Dakota was the best baby in the world. He seriously slept the whole 1st year of his life away. Even now, he would sleep in until 10 every morning if I let him.

Dakota has always been very independent and super stubborn. I think that is just part of being the oldest child. At the same time, he is also very loving and extremely sweet. He is always quick to say "thank you" and "I love you"!!!

Dakota is 110% all BOY!!!!
He loves hunting, camping, bugs, reptiles, sharks and pretty much all toys. Right now his big thing is Legos!!!I love it when he builds random things and then proudly shows me.
He is also really into letters!!! He is even starting to read and doing really well!!!

I could go on forever about Dakota.....
but really I just want to say that I am so glad that 5 years ago today, Dakota started our family!!!

Happy Birthday Dakota!!!!