Wow!

So I just realized we have about 4 months of catch up to do...I apologize if this causes your brain to explode, but I'm going to inundate you with pictures instead of just telling you what happened.  If its worth it, I'll add in a story, but as you know, a picture is worth a thousand words!

 Sorry, we've been a bit lazy with updating.  Its exhausting to have as much fun as we do.

Halloween was awesome!! Mara was a cute cow for the second year (at her insistence) and Levi made an adorable lion- if I do say so myself :)

Next comes November

 Ian took a business trip, and out of sheer boredom at the lack of me and the kids, tends to take pictures of his beautiful surroundings.  

There is never any boredom here at home.  Mara spent November making me laugh.  Especially when she got stuck in her pj's, haha, still gets me!

Ian's parents came to visit and we all enjoyed that! Here, the kids enjoyed the ducks at Gardner Village.  I enjoyed the sweet shop....yum!

Levi liked November because it comes right before December, and that means Christmas!!!  

Also, He bit his tongue.  That was scary for mom.  Now I'm in the "my kid bit their tongue" club!!

 The final November hoorah was to Temple Square with the Pierce parents to see the lights.  Fun (and shivering) was had by all.

They were gorgeous!!

On to December

 It was a busy month! The kids helped with the housework,

 And the visitors began on my birthday!! (Funny story, no pictures of that, but I promise it happened!) Levi and Lilly had a blast together, and he also enjoyed having Uncle Daniel to hang out with.

With all the visitors, we also had lots of treats.  Mara liked that :)

 Levi was funny, as always.  Dressing himself up as a cross-dressing safari guide, playing guitar while waiting for cookies, learning how to eat without a restrictive tray, and of course, showing off his curls.

 With all the visitors, we still managed to go to the Discovery Gateway with our friends- tons of fun!

When Ian was home, he taught the kids how to make an awesome fort.

 Unfortunately, he was gone a lot towards the end of the year.  100+ days gone in 2012.

 While he was gone he missed this tender moment- Levi imitated us at prayer time.  So cute!

But when he was home, he definitely made the most of it.

He also used his time to make this sweet rocking horse for Levi for Christmas.  Its a family favorite.

 Christmas was awesome, but not quite well pictured.  The kids loved the lights, insisting that we "drive special" to look at them.  The presents were enjoyed, and the new kids nativity was carried around, played with, and the lamb even took a quick trip to Alabama with Daniel and Ashley, haha.  Mara liked to line them up in such a neat symmetrical way that I decided it should be documented. Grace spent the whole break here since she was at BYU this year.  (Not sure how she avoided the pictures...) And of course, when reading the Christmas story on Christmas Eve, we had our own Mary and Joseph.  Super cute.  Even though Joseph seems to have a sparkly girdle....eh, no matter :)

And this little cutie finished off the year by getting a haircut- her first real cut since she was 5 months old.  I've been keeping her bangs in check, but thats it!  She donated her 10 inches to locks of love, and thought it was just about the best thing.  I agreed, until I realized how unruly her hair is.  It wants to curl, but not fully- it just flips funny in the back....so if I don't style it, she looks wild.  Thats ok.  I like wild :)

And that was 2012!!