Happy New Year 2012

 You know that you really like your friends when they invite you up for New Years Eve and the 4 hour drive (each way), with four kids, for just a 24 hour stay is completely worth it.  Thank you Ezra and Lisa for once again hosting our family.  Our time with you was the highlight of our Winter Break.

 I was seriously trying to figure out how to recreate this whirlpool at home.

 

Natalie and Davis busy making Flubber!  I love Davis' tongue when he concentrates!

  

Getting ready to ring in the New York New Year...Man, we were a rowdy bunch.  Perfect way to start off 2012...

 

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Last night these kids pushed me over the edge...Two weeks of vacation, fun, staying up a little too late, getting up too early, playing, playing, playing and FIGHTING.  I was going to be a crazy person, so I resorted to my, "If I hear any more fighting I am going to tie your hands together until you learn to get along!"  It was secretly fun for me to watch them eat dinner, clear the table, make hot chocolate for our Family Night and watch the Rose Bowl while being tied together.  It's interesting, but I have noticed they are communicating much better today.  

By the way, Davis is mortified that I am posting this.  That makes it even more effective. :)

Christmas 2011

 This year, the boys actually understood the story of the Nutcracker, so they set up our nutcracker and a tough Lego ninja to guard the presents...just in case any over sized mice decided to descend on them.  

 The kids had to wait "patiently" for Mom and Dad to be up and ready.

 We first opened our stockings, gifts from Santa and had breakfast before heading to church.  As soon as we were home from church we were back in our pajamas for the rest of our relaxed Christmas Day.

Please tell me ours was not the only house that looked like this when the day was done?!?!?!

Other December Highlights

 I took the three big kids to see the local production of the Nutcracker.  Several of our good friends were in it, which made it extra fun.  Good job George, Aiden, Avery, Lauren and Allison!

 On Christmas Eve, our dear friends, the Courtrights joined us for dinner and of course they spoiled the kids with LOADS of gifts. 

Miss Carol finished the girl's new stockings, just in time for Santa's arrival.

Hunter

Sometimes I find really interesting things in the laundry.  Usually I find rocks, Legos, the occasional tissue (not my favorite), etc.  After Thanksgiving I found this picture of my nephew, Hunter, in the pocket of Owen's pants.  Owen was missing his cousin, so he was carrying around his picture.  Another reminder that my boy is tenderhearted after all.  Thank you Hunter for being a kind and fun older cousin.

I crack myself up...but apparently so do other people...

For the past several years we have been invited to a Christmas party hosted by some friends of ours.  As part of the party we are asked to bring a white elephant gift.  I have fun trying to think of something clever to bring each year.  At last years party I was listening to our host gripe about the goldfish that their kids had won at the Halloween Carnival at our church....BAM--That sealed the deal in 2011 we would bring a goldfish to the party as our white elephant gift.  Everyone would hate us, but it would be hilarious.  It was genius! Well, all year long I giggled when I pictured one of our friends opening the gift with a look of horror on their face....NO, not a goldfish!!!!  The day of the party I took the girls to buy this cute little creature and then placed him in a canning jar.  I made the canning jar visible from the top of the bag with the hope that someone would see it and think it was a jar of my peaches or pears.  You cannot image the shock on my face when two gifts prior to our gift being opened, somebody else opened not one, but TWO GOLDFISH!  Seriously?!?!??!  I laughed so hard.  Another friend had gotten the idea on-line!  Man I hate the internet sometimes.  There goes my "creative" idea....Oh, well.  At least we all got a good laugh out of it. 

Who's older?

 I know that I have posted about this before, but I absolutely adore Kate's dance classes.  Her teacher, Miss Phyllis, is a gem.  She runs the classes from a studio in her home and at the end of 6 or 8 weeks they perform at a local assisted living facility.  It is fun to watch the kids perform and even more fun to watch the joy that they bring to the residents there.

As a side note...Kate asked me recently who was older me or Miss Phyllis?  Really?  Hey if I am half as agile as her when I am 70+, I will be thrilled.  You should see her do the splits!  Definitely impressive.