Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Christmas at our house!

Bryan's family has always done fondue on Christmas Eve and this year we were able to have it at our house. Bill (Bryan's Dad) learned to make it on his mission and does a fantastic job every year! This is year to my surprise Abby and Dylan actually tried it and liked it! after we ate we played a Christmas carol board game that Jenny (Bryan's Mom) brought, where you have sing the next line of a song or guess song titles and that kind of thing. We played boys against girls and it actually came down to the roll of the die because you have to have the exact number to make it to the final square. The girls won in case you were wondering!
The next morning Bill and Jenny came up to watch the kids open presents and for some breakfast. Santa was good to us this year and Abby and Dylan had a blast opening up their gifts. The one surprise to me was Lacey. She wanted to sit on Jenny's lap but we took her and but her on the floor so she could open presents and that totally ticked her off!! She started crying and kicking her feet and she pushed away anything we gave her! So we handed her back to Jenny and Abby and Dylan got to open all her stuff! And they didn't mind at all!
One of the presents was a box of dress-up stuff. I went after Halloween and bought a ton of costumes when they all went on clearance! I even remembered to get some "boy" things! I didn't think Bryan would appreciate his son running around in princess stuff!
(10 pts if you can identify the movie playing!)
Abby was excited about her Lemon Meringue doll. She saw it when we were at the store and of course there was only one left so I told that we were buying it for her cousin and maybe her cousin would get one for her! She was all for it! My mom told me that Christmas lies don't count against you! She better be right!
Christmas afternoon was spent at Bill and Jenny's house. We had a super delicious ham dinner with all the extra! Bill has a train around the tree that the kids can control and make the horn blow-Dylan was completely engrossed!
Jenny found a Christmas karaoke cd and thought that would be fun. We got Bryan and his brother Kris up at the mic. It was hilarious! Now I will say that the key of the song and the accompaniment did make them a little difficult to sing but oh my gosh!!! Take a listen and see what you think!!
The evening ended with a round of Rock Band which seems to be the way every family gathering ends these days!
It was a very nice fun-exciting-on-the-relaxing-side-of-things kind of day!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Impromtu Sleepover

I can home from doing papers the other morning and found Abby and Dylan had decided to have an impromptu early morning sleepover in the living room! They brought out pillows and blankets and everything. It was really funny. And to make it even better they both slept through the "transfer" back to their beds so that was wonderful!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas Eve!

Well instead of a White Christmas we are having a White Christmas Eve! It looks beautiful and it almost makes me like snow again! Then I remember that is will still be here after Christmas and that makes the good feelings start to slip away but I am trying to put the anti-snow feelings aside and enjoy the gently falling snow!
We wish a very Merry Christmas to all our friends and family!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Santa!

After the recital fiasco (see below) we had a Christmas party at church. I asked Abby if Santa was there if she would go sit on his lap and tell him what she would like for Christmas and shaking her head she said "no"! I said " really? Not even to ask for a toy?" Her response was "I just want him to come in and put my present under the tree while I am sleeping."! That made me laugh-the funny thing was she was totally serious!
Well Santa came and after she figured out that is was just Papa in a Santa costume she was totally fine! It was the first year without tears! Last year she was crying and saying "I no want to sit on Hoho's (that is what he is called in our house) lap" over and over and over. It took us a half an hour to calm her down and convince her it was Papa so to not be scared!
I wanted to get one with just Lacey but right after this picture was taken Dylan pulled down Santa's beard and freaked Lacey out and she started screaming! So that didn't work out! Oh well, there is always next year!

Dancing and Santa

We have had a really knock-you-off-your-feet cold going around our house this week so not much has gotten done including blogging! So I am playing catch-up trying to get things done before Christmas sneaks up on me!
Abby had a little Christmas Recital on Saturday. We didn't have to buy tickets which was nice and all proceeds from their bake sale and donations were given to the Make A Wish Foundation. Each class did a routine that was seriously like 30 seconds long! Abby was really excited to get all ready and to do her dance. I had to drop her off in the cafeteria and for being left with people she really didn't know she did really well! I was alittle afraid to leave her honestly because there were lots of 3 and 4 year olds and not very many adults watching them and I was afraid she would start crying when I left! But she did great! So I left to go sit with Bryan and his Parents. So unfortunately the video I got wasn't the greatest. I wasn't sure where she would be and there were alot of little girls, and I knew that their routine was really short and I didn't want to miss it looking for her and our camera doesn't zoom once you start recording. So lots of things working against me! So here is the video, Abby is in the back row in the middle-about half way through they do a little "free" dance and she is the one jumping up and down! It took me half of the dance to figure out which one she was!
Since I didn't to miss the dance I didn't get a pic of her on stage but they were all coming back on stage at the end to sing a song and see Santa so I figured I would get one then. So Abby waited with the rest of her class and all the other kids until it was time.
So the curtains open and all the little kids are up front and looking so cute. And I am looking and looking and looking and no Abby. So my heart starts going alittle faster and I tell myself that she is on the short side of things so she is probably just behind someone or on the other end on the side, trying not to panic! They are all singing and Santa comes out. Now all of you who know Abby know that she has a serious problem with Santa-she doesn't like him! So I knew she wouldn't sit on his lap. After the song was done they announced that the kids could see Santa if they wanted or the parents could come get them. So up and everyone is getting their little kids and I am looking and looking some more-nothing. No Abby. I asked one of the ladies if everyone came out thinking that if they told the kids Santa was coming that Abby would have refused to go and she said that everyone was there so I said "Well I can't find my daughter", she politely asked me how old she was and when I said "4" she made this face like "oh no!". NOT HELPING!!! She said that some might be back in the cafeteria so I race through the halls dodging little kids and their parents while not trying to be rude but starting to go into full blown panic because while I know they were watching the kids there wasn't anything really stopping anyone who wasn't a parent from going in - I know, I know, highly unlikely but I have a huge imagination that seems to run wild sometimes! I burst through the doors and there she is. Smiling. Eating Chips. Alone. She says to me "Hi!". I had to sit down. A lady was like "I am so sorry! I don't know how she got back here! No one was here when we left!" So after talking to Abby we discovered that she had gone out and sang the song but when Santa came she "didn't want to sit on his lap" so some older girls who had been helping the younger ones had gone back to the cafeteria and she went with them whether they were aware of it or not! Nice recital experience right?!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Just Venting!

Just a couple things and if you don't want to hear me complain then don't read this and it won't hurt my feelings!
First of all this weather is driving me crazy! Most of it is having to deliver papers. I always give people a few days after a storm to clear thier porchs and stuff. I bag them for those days and I don't mind at all. But after like 3 or 4 days your porch, steps, driveway, and sidewalk should be clear! If you are having the paper delivered than you would think they could be alittle courteous! But NO! This morning I was out and there was ice everywhere! Some of the porches were still covered in snow. I had to search for a dry place to put the paper! And when you have like 160ish papers doing that a couple times adds up quick! Then I was slipping everywhere! I mean I just want to get home with out bruises and broken bones and in a relatively short amont of time! Is it too much to ask for people to shovel and put down some salt?! I didn't think so but apperently it is!!
Next and any suggestions would be greatly accepted! Dylan is in to ripping apart any book he gets his hands on! It is driving me insane! I dont know if he thinks it is fun or fascinating. I dont get it. And he is ruining all the books! We have had talks about how that hurts the books feelings and we dont treat books like that way. Time out. Everything! It makes me so sad! Those of you who know me know I LOVE books and I hate for them to be treated badly! I know your saying "get a grip!"! For my books sake help me please!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Eating Bugs!

Well I finally have my own copy of "The Other Side of Heaven"! I know I am probably way behind the curve on that one! We watched it with Abby and Dylan last night. Abby thought it was great and was talking all day today about how she will be baptized when she is eight. Dylan, being a boy, picked out one thing in the entire movie to obssess over. Two guesses but I am sure if you remember the movie then you will only need one! You guesses it-eating bugs! He has been slapping the side of his face and licking his hand and then laughing hysterically! Totally gross! Totally boy! I would like to think that when he is alittle older he will get more out of the movie!

Monday, December 8, 2008

St. Nicholas drives!

I am an Air Force brat and proud of it! Growing up in the Air Force, I got the chance to travel around, which I LOVED! Each place we went my mom found something fun from that culture to incorporate into our family traditions. While in Germany we adopted the celebration of St. Nicholas Day. There St. Nicholas comes on dec. 6th. You put one of your shoes outside and if you were good than you would get a toy and if you were bad then you got sticks or coal. Now every kid likes to think that they are always good but one year something went drastically wrong! We all got up in the morning and ran with anticipation to check our shoes and what did we find? Sticks! Sticks tied in a string. We were completely devastated! I mean it's Christmas!! Now if you hear this story from my mom she will tell you that it was a joke played by some friends of ours and that we all got toys. But if you ask any of my siblings curiously no one remembers the toys! So celebrating St. Nicholas Day is a tradition that I have brought to my own family. So the kids put out their shoes and were excited to get a gift. They thought it was great! Later that night Abby was sitting on my lap and asked "Mom, what color is St. Nicholas' car?". Hmmm, apparently I didn't do a good job of explaining that St. Nicholas is more traditional and doesn't drive a car!

And she is walking!

Well I have been trying to get a video of Lacey walking but she hasn't been very cooperative! Every time I would grab the camera she would sit and crawl over to me! I was like "come on!!"! She would laugh and think it was a fun game. Seriously I have been trying for the past two weeks! But this morning was the magic morning! I love watching babies when they are just learning how to walk! They look so cute and way to little to be walking! Just ignore my messy kitchen! We had family over after church for lunch and never quite got around to getting it cleaned up! So don't look at it! After watching the video back it is a wonder that Lacey was even able to learn how to walk at all with Dylan and Abby running around her! It is pretty funny the things in the background that you don't really notice! Like Dylan trying to get some bread! They certainly make life fun!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Trees and Snow!

We usually have a nice big christmas tree with glass ornaments downstairs with all the decorations out and it looks beautiful and I love it! But this year we decided to have the tree upstairs and since I didnt want my whole livingroom all tree we opted for a smaller tree! We also got plastic ornaments this year which actually look like real ones, because I lost alot of my nice ornaments last year to little fingers and with a 14 month old I had visions of none of the ornaments making it to next year! And I didnt want to spend the month stressed out about little fingers touching things! We let the kids decorate this year, since the ornaments were shatterproof!, and they had a blast!
Then we got a big blast of winter after our little blast that we had on Sunday! I really think that snow is only good for one thing and that is to look pretty on Christmas morning! After that I don't want to look at it, shovel it, drive in it, watch it fall. Nothing! Unfortunatly for me I married someone who lives in a place where we typically have snow till around march. Not cool!! But as much as I hate it the kids love it! Last year they really weren't into playing in it. But I let Abby and Dylan play while I was shoveling and they had so much fun! I had to make them come in after a 1/2 hour because it was so cold! Abby actually asked me if we could go to the park this morning! I told her no way! It was like 10 degrees this morning! I know the pictures look like I was only watching Dylan but I got more videoclips of her because she was alittle more interactive with the snow than Dylan was!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A little fun with books!

Abby decided that she needed a doll house for her princess figurines and being the creative little girl that she is built one with a bunch of books! She was very proud of herself!
Lacey decided that she would pull on the books she could reach from her seat and knock down the doll house that Abby had worked so hard on and read a story by herself! She was very proud of herself!
Dylan decided to take over the space where the books are supposed to go! He was very proud of himself!

Monday, December 1, 2008

A Little Holiday Cheer!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

and winter is here!

Well goodbye fall and HELLO winter! Yesturday I woke up to shouts of "it's snowing it's snowing lets go make a snowman!" So I figured we had snow. Not my most favorite thing! I had to quickly pull all the blinds before little hand pulled them off the window. They were so excited! It is our first snowfall with some accumulation. So there we were getting ready for church and Abby and Dylan were jumping up and down saying "let's make snowballs!" They didn't quite grasp that you need more than 1/4 inch of snow to do those things! Seriously there was about enough snow to leave a footprint! Getting them in the car was a real treat. They were running through the yard and having a really great time so I had to be the mean mom and stop the fun! Then I finally got them in and then the complaining started "my feet are wet, I am cold"! It's funny how those complaints in the 2 minute drive to church simply disappear when they hop out of the car and run to the grass to make more track in the snow!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving Delivery!

Anyone want to deliver papers for us tomorrow morning? Its only 187 papers! We will write you out a route list! Any takers?! Happy Thanksgiving!!

A little bit of everything!

Well some of these pictures are alittle old but when I took the parade pictures off and saw them I had to do something with them!!
Lacey has started flipping her plate and whatever is left on it over her head and then playing with her hair when she is done eating! Not fun to clean up! this particular night we walked into the kitchen with spaghetti noodles in her hair. Let me tell you those are not the easiest things to get out of hair
Dylan decided to go trick or treating around town as a football player. We went a couple times this year and most of the time he was batman but Bryan was excited for him to wear his Bears jersey! If you haven't guessed we are Bears fans in this house! He also likes to sneak out into the hallway to fall asleep. Sometimes I don't even know he is there untill I go to bed! It surprised me how quiet he can be when he wants to be! Atleast I know it is possible!!
These were when we raked leaves the first time! Abby and Dylan loved it and I practically had to drag them inside! Lacey on the other hand was not thrilled at all by playing in the leaves and took every oppourtunity to escape when they arose! She crawled across the yard, across the drive was and down the sidewalk before she would stop and turn around! it was really funny!
these are from the second time we raked leaves! It was cold by the time we actually got them up and out of the yard!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Festival of Trees Parade!

Every year around Thanksgiving there is a Festival of Trees out here. It is held in a Downtown Convention Center. People sign up and very elaboratly decorate trees, mantles, stockings, doors, and ornaments. They have a huge room full of Gingerbread houses. Everything can be bought. It is really cool. It is kicked off by a parade. It is the largest helium balloon parade in the midwest! The kids got a kick out of it but man it was FREEZING!!! It was about 25-30ish degrees and WINDY! It lasted about an our and when it was done the feeling in my fingers, with gloves, and my toes was pretty much nonexhistant!
The kids were awesome! They didn't ever really seemed fazed by the seriously uncomfortable weather-they just kept asking for food! They sounded like we never fed them! Anyway the parade was filled with tractors (of course it is a must have!), bands from the local high schools and troups from some of the dance studio. We even had Miss Iowa! And of course the balloons! The one sad thing was that since it was so windy they weren't able to have the ballons fly very high so that was a bummer. The parade was even complete with a sleigh pulled by Deere. And no before you laugh at me and think that I don't know how to spell remember where I live! We are in John Deere country out here! The sleigh was pulled by John Deere tracktors! It was totally fun! Unfortunatly that was one picture I didn't get, sorry!! They had on troup of
batonists(?) or baton twirlers which ever(!) and the poor girl in the front she must have been freezing!