January 2016

Avery's sister, Madeline, has been trying out hairstyles on all her sisters.  Avery is a willing guinea pig.  Avery generally likes the wild girl hair look (avoid brushing your hair and you can get the same look). This has turned a new page in Avery's world.  Now she often braids her own hair or puts it in pigtails, all by herself.  Here are some of her sister's fun "dos."

Aaron and Avery made fancy snacks for Madeline.  Yum. Yum.

I love you, funny face!  Aren't they all the cutest!

Avery's rendition of a pirate ship.

'm at a loss to describe this video.  It sounds a lot like elephants.  It is fun to play with slo-mo on Mom's camera!

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December 2015

Visiting Santa Claus at our annual Primary Christmas Activity

 

 The Christmas lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake.  We went to Utah just before Christmas.

Eating lunch with Avery's sister Autumn (in the grey jacket and glasses) before she leaves for missionary service in Nicaragua.

Christmas Festivities:  Decorating the tree.  Exchanging gifts with siblings.  Every year we draw names and each child gets a gift for their "secret sibling."

 

This year we made handmade ornaments to take to our music teachers, friends, and Sunday school teachers.  Avery was very creative and focused for hours on making an ornament.

 This year we improved on our Gingerbread House making.  Instead of everyone making their own house we made a pueblo inspired gingerbread house in European style.  Each of us decorated the front of a house and we fastened them to a cardboard tower.  It took up less space than our usual gingerbread city and was beautiful.  We did have to tie the houses together with string so they didn't fall off.  Next year we will figure out how to keep them from falling off and still be edible.

 Madeline helping Avery with the frosting.

Nativity Pageant 2015 ~ This is year we had four wise men to keep everyone happy.  Avery was a wonderful wiseman.  She says next year she wants to be the angel or a shepherd.

Christmas Morning.  The pajama picture before we see the Christmas tree.  In the back are Rachel and her husband Dustan, and Aurora and her husband (in matching pjs).  This year Autumn is serving the people of Nicaragua.  Brianna's family comes over later since they have little ones of their own.

November 2015

Brad's birthday.  Looks like a fire hazard!

This is a Fackrell family Thanksgiving tradition.  I'm not sure what to call it: pie explosion, pie overwhelm, pie fest....  But we can't stop making pies!  I (Janet) said we absolutely had to cut back on the number of pies.  Last year we made 17 pies.  So for 2015, we only had 16.  Everyone keeps dreaming up more pie recipes to try.  Of course we didn't have 16 different kinds of pies.  4 pumpkin, 2 apple... etc.  and I'm counting cheese cake as pie!

 

For family night one week in November we made caramel apples. We were super fancy and decorated them with marshmallows.  It was SO messy and SO much fun!  Avery had to use a knife since she is missing her two front teeth.

 This is Avery with big sister Autumn who is home from college and Avery's niece, Evelyn. 

Trying on clip on earrings at the mall.  Zowee!

October 2015

Field Trip to the State Capitol.

 

Happy 7th birthday!

 Pumpkin Patch
This is always a highlight of the year.  Avery's nieces went with us.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunshine, pumpkins, and lots of fun activities.

Halloween 2015

 This year our theme was crayons.  (Except Aaron who had his heart set on going as an astronaut.)  We all picked our color.  I'm afraid Brad and I had to be basic black.  Our wardrobes didn't offer as many exciting springboards for primary colors.