Scott, Carly, Spencer, and Parker Pannell

Scott and the boys picking out the Christmas tree from Lowes The finished product. Since Scott is usually out of town during the holiday season, we usually get a 3-4 foot tree (one that I can manage by myself) - since Scott was here this year, the boys picked a big tree. New addition to the decorations this year was Liam, our Elf on the Shelf. Salt lake City trip, with no kids! We did some Christmas shopping, hot tubbing, sleeping, relaxing, Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, and dinner with best friend Melina. Decorating gingerbread houses. This is the extent that my two will decorate, they prefer to just eat the candy. Pannell cousins - visiting Santa at Paul's in McCall Christmas morning brought new Ipods, Skylander Giants, art table, big wheels, a new dresser, and other miscellaneous toys New art table - since the picture we've also added a big white board on the wall, to hang art projects. Making Spencer color or do any sort of art project use to be a chore - but ever since he started preschool he loves to sit and make things. We woke up Christmas morning in Boise, and ended Christmas in McCall. He told me specifically, that he wanted, "Angry Birds space with the green bird." He was so excited - Thank you Grandma Lori! The day after Christmas the boys and I drove to Seattle with Scott (class Scott needed to attend for work). Had to hit the Space needle - and more importantly, the lego store Parker's new favorite thing about McCall - the dog, Bella

Spencer started preschool at Boise Cooperative Preschool.He goes 3 days a week for 3 hours a day.This preschool keeps a low monthly tuition rate because the teacher is the only paid staff member. The board members are all volunteer, and the parents are required to volunteer twice a month.In addition to the low monthly rate, spencer recieved a "half" scholarship, so his monthly tuition rate is cut in half.Can't beat $42.50 a month for preschool!! Even not cutting the cost in half is a good price. It has been an adjustment for him, he really likes his teacher and his friends there, but doesn't love that he HAS to go every other day. He would prefer it be optional. Had we started him in kindergarten this year, he would have had a rude awakening. Super hero stickers After Scott brought us back from Louisiana, he had to go back for a few months. He returned to Louisiana on August 1 and came back to Boise on October 5...and October 5 was the day Spence broke his arm...trampoline. He didn't fall off, just landed weird after he was bounced. He had a soft cast with a sling, then five days later got his hard cast. Thankfully he did not have to have surgery, even though he did completely break both his radius and ulna. He picked an orange cast - half BSU, half Halloween. This cast goes up past his elbow,and will wear it for three weeks. Then he will get a short cast for another three weeks.It has not slowed him down at all! Literally, the evening after it happened, we drove up to McCall to visit Scott's side of the fam. It took everything we had to keep him from jumping, running, playing hard, and playing on the four-wheelers. He hasn't complained of any pain. I gave him his pain medicine just to try to slow him down. This is the day after he broke his arm - he wasn't about to let everyone else climb and not him. Preschool field trip to Linder farms I love this picture, but i forgot to take off the yellow vest (preschool field trip, yellow vest to keep track of everyone). Costco Pojo's with Dad Batman The boys have a loft bed, with a slide.We added pumpkin lantern lights to add appeal.Can't get a much cooler bed than that, and yet, they still won't sleep in it. I give up.

We made it home from Louisiana - I lasted 8 weeks.With no yard, no close parks, no fastfood playlands, no indoor play areas, not all of their toys, and no family or friends..we didn't last very long. Plus, it was so hot the boys couldn't stand to be outside.It was fun to see a part of the country that I have never seen before. We went to New Orleans, the Gulf of Mexico, took a swamp tour, and ate a lot of food.And we brought back ragin' cajun and LSU gear, alligator heads, and voodoo dolls. What have we done since we returned?: First thing, we went up to McCall so Scott could see his fam for a day or so before he flew back to Louisiana My boys thing that four-wheelers are the greatest things ever invented Payette Lake - The coldest lake ever, especially compared to swimming in the luke warm Gullf of Mexico Two of Spencer's Pannell cousins: Hannah and Gavin All three of us wearing our Olympics shirts - for our opening ceremonies party Parker sitting by part of our obstacle course. We had the kids do some olympic games before the opening ceremonies Spencer and my cousin Tasha's son Zeke Same kid - after we took the clippers to him Boating at Lucky Peak with Grandpa Mortensen Spencer and Alex going for a ride with my cousins Miranda and Sam July 29 2012: Spencer learned to ride a 2-wheeler

We returned to Avery Island (Home of the Tabasco Factory)to check out the Jungle Gardens. Tabasco brand products were founded by Edmund McIlhenny on Avery Island in the late eighteen hundreds. Today Tabasco is still manufactured there, and the company is still family-owned. McIlhenny's son, later turned 170 acres of the island into today's "jungle gardens" - full of exotic plants, alligators,a 900 year old Buddha (gift to McIlhenny), and a bird observatory. Thousands of migrating snowy egrates return to Avery Island every year. We had the chance earlier this summer to check out the factory - but due to the weather we weren't able to walk through the gardens. We were very excited to return, and the gardens are definitly worth the extra trip. Get ready for picture overload: The boys are standing in front of some bamboo - this was one of the smaller plants. The island is full of huge bamboo plants The boys on top of the bird observatory tower Can you see the alligator behind us? Just to the right, you'll see the reflection of the sky..Then right where the reflection of the trees come in is the alligator. another alligator