Butterfly Pavilion

Kaylee and Lexi were able to go to the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster with their friend Cassidy. I haven't ever been there before, but the girls said it was really fun. Kaylee took her new camera that she got from Santa.
Kaylee holding a butterfly:

Lexi holding a tarantula named Rosie:
Kaylee holding Rosie: Kaylee as a tarantula:Kaylee took several other pictures of bugs, bees, spiders, butterflies, a turtle, flowers, etc.

Today it snowed and the kids were able to try out their new sleds they got from Santa. They have never been sledding before and they said it was really fun. They also went swimming at the funplex for a couple of hours. We have really been enjoying the Christmas Break.

The Christmas Bat

We were all very excited to receive a Christmas Bat Pinata from Uncle Kevin and Aunt Pela.

2010 Christmas Bat Pinata from Kristi Farr on Vimeo.

Christmas Day 2010

It's a family tradition to start off Christmas by lining up on the stairs in age order. Each of the kids expressed how this was their favorite Christmas so far. (They usually say this every year). I like to set up the kids with their toys. They love looking back in their scrapbook and remembering their gifts. Soooo....here they are: NOAH
MASON LEXI KAYLEE JORDAN KRISTI DOUG Family gifts Merry Christmas!

Silver Falcon Singers

We enjoyed watching Kaylee sing in her school group...The Silver Falcon Singers. This group is a combined group of 4th and 5th graders who volunteered to participate. She enjoys practicing a couple of times per week in the mornings with Mr. Beckman and her peers. I actually like that she is the shortest because I can always count on her being in the front row...first in line.

Silver Falcon Singers 2010 from Kristi Farr on Vimeo.

Farr Family Christmas Letter

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. I know I am. I am proud to announce that I have my Christmas shopping done. Woo hoo. This is the earliest I have ever done this. Now I just have to start wrapping. I decided to do the Christmas letter online this year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE FARR FAMILY!

Doug has had a busy year as usual. He is constantly attending and directing music concerts/gigs/parades. Music runs through his veins. He was able to take his students to New York over spring break (I was SUPER jealous). They were able to see a show, perform, and go to several tourist sites. His students played at all of the School Basketball and Football games and were able to do a Marching Band show....PHANTASM. It was really awesome. In addition to his busy work schedule, he has been a great Father, and has several callings in the church (Ward Organist, Cubmaster Assistant, Stake Music Coordinator, and Stake Music Cultural Coordinator). He will always be busy....

Kristi: I have also had an eventful year. In April, Noah was born. (I could stop here because that seems to be eventful enough...lol) Taking care of the household and 5 children really keeps me on my toes. I am constantly trying to organize and perfect being a wife and mommy. In November, I started a job working at Target. (This sounds so luxurious. I'm sure you are all coveting me right this minute). I'm working opposite Doug's schedule. I'm looking forward to getting a "real job" one day when my kids get older. I have also been focusing on my health this year and have lost 22 well earned pounds. I really enjoy my calling as the Cubmaster in our ward. Life is good and busy.

Jordan started middle school this year. This is such a big change for a child. Other than having tons of homework, he seems to like it. He joined the Winograd swim team. This sport is only during the fall time. He went to swimming practice every day before school and had swim meets once a week. He was able to learn a lot from his coach. He also joined the band and plays the trumpet. Jordan seems to have a natural talent and ear for music (I'm sure this was inherited from his father). He still has a little "kid" in him though. His new love this year is Bakugan. Once he finds something he loves, he goes all out. He still really loves Sonic too (and has for several years now). He enjoys going to 11 year old scouts once a week.

Kaylee started 4th grade this year. She has enjoyed doing as many "extras" as she can. She joined the Silver Falcon Singers and practices twice a week before school. She really enjoys singing. She is also involved in the Book to Movie club at the Library once a month. (The kids read a book, then come to the library to discuss the book and watch the movie). She was super excited when I allowed her to get her ears pierced this year. She said it really really hurt, but I think now all the pain is gone, she enjoys wearing my earrings. She goes to Activity Days twice a month at church and has recently joined up for a mini art class after school. She is our social butterfly and is interested in all of the trends. I'm already afraid for when she is a teenager.

Lexi is still our happy go lucky girl. She is always smiling and her giggle is contagious. She has many friends and is constantly asking to play. Since she is in second grade, her homework is very minimal. She can't wait to turn 8 in March. Not only will she be baptized, but she'll also be able to go to Girls activity days at church. She loves to play with Noah and make sure he is entertained. She has many hobbies, but still tells me she is bored quite often. She loves to be silly.

Mason is starting to outgrow the terrible twos. (Yes...I know he is almost 4, but I have always said that the terrible twos last for 2 years..from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2). He is starting to lose that baby face and he is getting his boy face. He is EXTREMELY independent and knows what he wants and when he wants it (he expresses this very clearly and loudly). He has always been very sociable and I love listening to him talk with other adults. He will tell them everything and anything that he can think of just to keep talking. He loves cracking jokes. He mastered potty training over the summer (hooray). Even though he is only 3, in some ways he seems a lot older.

Noah was born in April and I can't believe how this past year has just flown by. He has followed the average growth chart to a T. He smiled at 5 weeks, rolled over at 3 months, sat by himself at 6 months, started crawling at 7 months. This last one he just mastered in the last couple of weeks. He spent at least 3 weeks trying to figure it out. Now he crawls around the house trying to get into things he's not supposed to. We have had our tree up for 3 days now and he has already pulled off an ornament. I was hoping that he would be one of those babies that didn't crawl until they were 10 months old. It's funny how your perspective differs from when it's your first child. He has been teething like crazy. His fourth tooth is just about to poke through (I can see it). He loves trying the new foods that I give him.

Girls' school photo

Kaylee-9 Years Old

Lexi-7 years old

Par-tay with the Cooks

I don't know how your Halloween Festivities went, but we had some really fun parties here. We went to The Cook's house (my sister) for dinner and games. Here is Jordan and Lexi balancing a ball on a spoon: (Notice how Mason is being his usual Masonater self and succeeding at knocking Lexi's ball off of the spoon) Charles and Marilee raced against Doug and I....and unfortunately, they won.

Another game we played was throwing 5 balls into the Witch's Cauldron. I wonder if Mason did such a good job because he stuck his tongue out to help him concentrate?!

Aunt Marilee had some really fabulous prizes. She is soooo ready to be a Grandma. Doug read a "scary" story to the kids:We all had a great time at the party. We were also going to go to a free corn maze in the area, but we hit really bad traffic on the way there and it closed before we got there. Bummer. Maybe next year....

Ward Halloween Party

We all enjoyed attending our Ward Halloween Party. It was so much fun. It was held on a farm. There were several games...Cake walk, Bean Bag Toss, Pumpkin bowling, Potato sack races, Donut on a string, Fortune Telling, Face painting, and pumpkin seed spitting (which, apparently, I am horrible at by the way)
Kaylee was an angel for Halloween (she is showing off her cake walk prize): Lexi dressed as a Witch: Potato sack races:
Jordan was a Knight for Halloween: Mason was Spiderman: Noah was a Dalmatian puppy (He even has the slobber part down): They had a hayride set up to take all of the kids to the pumpkin patch where they could pick out their own pumpkin.
They also had these really awesome tunnels out of big bales of hay. The kids played in the tunnels and on top:
After all of the fun and games...we had trunk or treat. The kids stocked up on candy. Jordan also attended another party that a classmate held that evening. Party party party.

Pumpkin Carving

This year's pumpkins: Mason-Spider, Jordan-Sonic, Kaylee-Candy Corn, Lexi-Ghost.

This and that

I LOVE the fall. It is my favorite time of year. I love the culture here in Colorado SO MUCH more than Nevada (sorry NV friends). I love the four distinct seasons. Stepping out into the crisp fall weather seeing the beauty of the trees and grass. It is breathtaking. This is the view outside my back window:

This is everywhere right now and I love it.

I snapped this picture yesterday and I thought it was so cute of Mason and Noah. I love these boys!: Lexi wanted me to put this next picture on the blog. I still really enjoy doing fun, fancy hairdo's for the girls when they will let me and we have time:

Monster Cake Balls

Jordan had an assignment to bring in 30 Scary Halloween treats for his class. I made these cake balls. They are super easy to make. All you do is bake a cake and crumble it into a bowl. Then you add a container of frosting and mix. Roll into balls and freeze. After they are frozen, you dip them into melted chocolate. I also made a ton of chocolate covered pretzel sticks to stick in the sides so they would be spiders, but once I started sticking them in...they fell apart. So instead of making spiders...I piped faces on them with frosting and made "Monster Balls". What kind of fun Halloween treats are you making this year?

President Uchtdorf

How does President Uchtdorf affect your family?

Uchtdorf laugh from Kristi Farr on Vimeo.

Near conference time, Jordan said Uchtdorf and Noah just started to crack up. Since then, it's become a little game in our family.

Crib and sitting

I was super excited to find this crib on craigslist. It is a $300 crib and I got it for $75 from a well to do family who is pet/smoke free. Woo hoo. I love it. I also found this Noah's ark crib bedding. I thought it would fit Noah perfectly. :) Grandma Farr helped me put it together while she was visiting.

Also, Noah recently learned how to sit. He is growing up so fast.

Fall Pictures

Today we drove up to Estes Park and took some "professional" (aka Doug and I took the pictures) photos. We heard about the Elk at this time of year and we were not disappointed.

We also saw this Eagle: Some of you may recognize this hotel...it was featured in the TV series "The Shining" and the film "Dumb and Dumber": And finally....the pictures of the kids: Noah-6 months old Mason-3 1/2 years old: Lexi-7 years old: Kaylee-9 years old: Jordan-11 years old: The boys: The girls: We never did get a good picture with all of the kids (even though we took tons). Here are a few of the "best ones": We had a good time. Please feel free to comment on which ones you liked the best. (I'm still trying to decide which ones to print and put up on the wall).