Bishopric Dinner

Every year we try to host a bishopric dinner and Family Home Evening. I use the word try because I failed miserably last year. This past Monday was the dinner. There were about thirty people who joined us for dinner, a lesson, and a white elephant gift exchange.

WARNING: if you are not interested in bringing multiples into the world, DO NOT drink the water in our ward boundaries. Of the 30 in attendance, there were four sets of twins!

It was a great night and we are so thankful for the good families that serve with Travis in the bishopric.

All the twins. They are all boy girl and range in age from seniors in high school to 8 months. Notice our twins not bothering to look at the camera. "Oh that's just mom with the camera again..."

Happy Birthday Emma!

On December 3rd, Emma turned 9. She continues to be the peacemaker in our home, an easy going girl, eager to please and to do what is right. Emma is hilarious and loves to laugh and make others laugh. Everything seems to come easy to Emma and if it doesn't she has the patience to keep at it until she gets it right. Emma is a leader and a good friend. She is very aware of people around her and so sensitive to others needs and feelings. In so many ways she is an example to our family and we are very blessed to have her.

Emma and her best friend Emma share a birthday and this was their year to not have a party but to instead do something just the two of them. They chose to go to a trampoline center and then to Goodwood for some ribs. It was a fun night. I love the friendship the Emmas share.

The day of Emma's birthday was the Homedale Christmas parade and the Emmas got to be in it. This normally would not be an event attended by the Kraupp family, but the kids really enjoyed it and we may just have to make it a tradition.

Emma's favorite birthday gift? A basketball hoop for the driveway! She can't wait for it to be installed.

Hot Chocolate Anyone?

Jacob is quite the entrepreneur. He and his friend Brock decided to set up a hot chocolate stand on the side of the road. Unfortunately, we get very little traffic. I called a few friends, and before long he had $6.00.

He asks everyday if he can set up a hot chocolate stand and is hoping to save his money to buy his own Dyson vacuum.

Viva Las Vegas!

This month is Travis and my 12th anniversary. We celebrated with a 4 day trip to Vegas at the beginning of the month. Ali came home from Rexburg to stay with the kids and we had a great time!

One of my best friends from high school calls Vegas home and we met up with she and her adorable little guy for breakfast.

We stayed at a hotel twice the size of our little town.


We walked up and down the strip and ate really well, and were so glad our innocent little children weren't there to see what we were seeing. Oy!

We loved the water show at the Bellagio

We don't take very good pictures of ourselves...

We went to the m&m factory

As always there is business to conduct. Both with church and work.

Travis was a really good sport and went to the outlet mall with me for FOUR hours. We also had a lot of fun with Travis' bro and some of his family and we all went to the BSU/UNLV game. So fun!

It was so nice to laugh and talk, and then to come home.

Happy twelve years Kraupp Family!

Halloween

Happy Halloween nearly a month late!

The Kraupp kids love Halloween. Megan is still talking about it the day before Thanksgiving. Annie enjoys the candy, but could go without dressing up. Speaking of dressing up, it seems there are more and more events each year for which we put on costumes and celebrate Halloween. I think we dressed up three or four different times this year.

Annie was...dressed up. Everyone kept asking her what she was. I told her to just say, "I'm dressed up."

Emma was Dorothy. Grandma Jo was kind enough to sew us a skirt, and Sophie was kind enough to let us use Halloween paint to spray her black.

Jacob was an astronaut. It was perfect considering how much he enjoyed the Kennedy Space Center this past spring and it cost $1.99.

Megan was Minnie Mouse. It was her third year dressed as Minnie and I have enough costumes in the Halloween box for three more years of the same. Considering she thinks she owns Disneyworld, what else could she be?

Justin dressed as Buzz. What else would he be?

We sure feel blessed to have all these girls in our life!

Carving Pumpkins

On Halloween night the Kraupp Kids got to do something they have never done before--ring door bells, say trick or treat and hold out their bags for candy. Living in the country like we do, it just isn't something they have ever done--so we thought it would be fun to trick or treat in Grandma and Grandpa's neighborhood.

Aunt Kenna went with along for the madness
It was a fun but long day and there were some tired kiddos on the ride home.