Make-A-Wish

This morning we gave Make-A-Wish Foundation a check for $1267.62.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see the "The Arnott Family Light Show" and donated money to this wonderful organization.  Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions. It is a great feeling knowing that we all have helped in making a child's wish come true.

A special thanks to Michael for all of his hard work and to Dylan (the elf) for helping daddy and for passing out candy canes.

Out with the Old! In with the New!

YAY!! Michael and I purchased a new mattress. I am not even going to tell you how old this mattress was.

Our new mattress!!  I love it!

Movie and Recipes

Today I took Dylan to see "The Hobbit". It was way too long but we still liked it.

I have tried several new recipes lately so I thought I would share!  Basil Garlic Goat Cheese Schmear, Chocolate Crack, Italian Christmas Cookies, Secret Ingredient Meatloaf, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie, Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese, Peppermint Crunch Cookie Dough Ball, Spinach Gringo Dip and Jalapeno Bacon Mac and Cheese topped with Cheetos.

Enjoy!  Now I am ready for some down time!!

Day after Christmas

Mason was caught sleeping with his new KU toy.

The kids got to go shopping with some of their gift cards today.  Dylan got to go to Dick's Sporting Goods and pick out a new Nike duffle bag and water bottle for his basketball games. Thanks Auntie "M".  Cass got to go shopping at Kansas Sampler and buy the KU water bottle she wanted. 

I put all the Christmas decorations away and now I am ready for a whiskarita.  Michael got Long Shot Whiskey for Christmas which is made in Lenexa, Ks at Dark Horse Distillery so we are going to try it out.

Merry Christmas

Mason has a new haircut and I hate it so I bought him an argyle sweater!

My boys cuddling

Dylan making fudge!

The three of them are waiting at the top of the stairs for me to tell them to come downstairs to see what was left for them under the tree!

Mason's first Christmas!  He loved his stocking.

Dylan and his new knee board

Dylan made us snow cones with his new snow cone machine.  Cass and Dylan got a soda stream so we tried some soda also.

Cass Marie got her stand-up Harry from the band ONE DIRECTION.

She was also excited about her Vera Bradley hipster bag and duffle bag.

I think we wore out Grandpa and Mason.

  My mom surprised me with a cutting board that had my Grandma's handwritten recipe for pumpkin bread etched on it. Of course I cried when I opened it. What a wonderful Christmas!!

Going Away Party

We had a "going away" party for my friend Ann. She is moving to New Hampshire with her husband on Wednesday! Friends, please stop moving away from me! One friend moved to Arizona, one to Illinois and now New Hampshire!! STOP IT!!!  

Party at The Other Place.

Good luck Ann and Ricky!  We will miss you terribly!!

Snow Day

Mason got to experience his first snow (and his first snow day).  He loved playing in the snow!

Cass got to study for finals.  She has four of them tomorrow instead of two.

Dylan and his friend Calvin went sledding and apparently they were going so fast that Calvin lost his boot.

Who wants to cook dinner on a snow day??  Not me!  Michael took us out to see some light displays and took us to Burnt End BBQ for dinner.  We all enjoyed it!!

I love snow days!

Shopping Day

Well, this was an awesome day but a little sad also. Today was our last shopping day with our friend Ann. She is moving far far away and we will miss her next year on shopping day. It has been a wonderful tradition for many years. This year we left the house at 7:30am and got home at 10:00pm and shopped at 32 stores. What a great day!!

I will never forget our trip to Lukas Liquor.  What wonderful memories!!

Alamo Drafthouse

Ann, Alysha, Michael and I had a great time at the Alamo Drafthouse. We saw "Die Hard" but it was in a special theater that had pyrotechnics. It kind of scared me the first the flames went off!

Outside the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

My Little Elf

Here is Dylan the Elf.  He passes out candy canes to everyone who stops by to look at "The Arnott Family Light Show".  We are also a little famous because we have our picture and an article in the Shawnee Dispatch newspaper. Click here to read the article.

Tonight we are serving homemade hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows at the light show.  Sheila, Pete and the dogs (Leo and Sam) stopped by to enjoy the festivities.

Dylan the Elf and Leo in his Christmas Sweater

The light show goes on till 11:00pm tonight so stop by to enjoy the lights and have a treat.

Day at the Dog Park

Mason got to go to his first dog park today with some of his friends.  I was worried that a big dog would eat him up but they didn't.

A big dog wanted to play but Mason was not interested.

Mason had to take a little break before we went home.

Mason also got his own dog park in the back yard.  Michael finished the fence today and Mason loves being able to run around the back yard without a leash.