Christmas 2009

I know I am a month behind on my posts, but at least I am posting, ha ha ha.

We had a nice Christmas this year. My parents were here and were blessed with the opportunity to share in our holiday joy, work, stress, and craziness.

In our home we do a nice Christmas Eve dinner. I serve raspberry pork loin, sour cream potato casserole, lemon pepper green beans, strawberry pretzel squares, rolls, and a sparkling cranberry drink. For dessert we had chocolate pie and pumpkin cheese cake in a pecan gingersnap crust. Sadly, though, we never even touched the dessert that night because we were too full.

After the kids went to bed, we finished up a few things and headed to bed as well. While we were all snoozing away, Santa paid a visit to our home and was very generous this year.

The kids waiting at the top of the stairs Christmas morning. They are really excited to see if Santa brought them anything. At this point, they had already established that Santa did not bring a dog because there was not a fence in the back yard (we told the kids Santa would not bring a dog to our house because we did not have a fenced back yard, so they determined that if Christmas morning there was a fence, then they would know they were getting a dog, ha ha ha).

The kids checking out their Santa Loot!

Here's Trent reading the first clue that Santa left. Santa sends the kids on a scavenger hunt every year and puts little clues in my little gingerbread houses (I have 5 of them) and hides them in different places in the house.

This year, Santa brought a guinea pig. We named him Diego!

Trent was so excited to get a jar of pickles from Santa.

Daddy helping Brooklyne open her Santa present.

Star Wars lazer dart gun = ready for action any time!
Brooklyne loves baby dolls and was thrilled she got one for Christmas.

After we opened all our presents, we chowed down on some oven baked french toast and chilled the rest of the day. We watched 2 basketball games and enjoyed left overs for dinner. Ahhhh, what a great Christmas day!

Christmas cuties

Yup, I am THAT mom who dressed her children in matching Christmas attire. We have only had matching Christmas clothes one other time (mother in law sent outfits for the 3 boys a few years ago) but this year I found these cute outfits for the boys - at WAL MART of all places - and then a matching girly girl dress for Brook at another store and was in love. So here ya go, my cute kiddo's in their Christmas outfits the Sunday before Christmas. Oh, and a picture with me in it too - my parents kinda insisted, lol.

In the Spot Light

Kobly has really started to come alive and love the spot light! He is a natural performer and very attentive to detail and style on the stage. This December Kolby was front and center in his First Grade Christmas Program and loved every second of it. He didn't miss a beat and never missed a move. he was spot on AWESOME! It was kinda "funny", if I dare say that, but after the program we took the kids to Ci-Ci's Pizza and on the way Trent was kinda bummed out. I was asking him why he was down and his reply was that he was kinda sad because he thinks Kolby is better on stage than he is. Trent wasn't sure how to feel about these emotions so we talked about different talents, skills, abilities, and struggles. After our conversation Trent was able to be happy and excited for his brother and that success.

Kolby also loved having his mom come to his class Christmas party. When Trent was in 1st grade I came in made taught the kids how to make marshmallow snowmen and they absolutely loved it, so this year, it was Kolby's turn to have his mom teach HIS class. Kolby was lit up like a Christmas tree the entire time, totally relishing in the knowledge that HIS MOM was there and HE was the hot stuff in class for that hour. All in all, his class loved making the snowmen, and if I dare say so, Kolby's class did better at listening and following directions than Trent's class had down a couple years prior.

Ginger Bread House

Can you believe it, this is the first ginger bread house we have ever made in this family. My inlaws sent us a family Christmas gift and it was ginger bread house making kit, so for FHE a few weeks ago, we put it together with the help of my parents. The kids had a lot of fun doing it and really loved putting all the candy on it. Brooklyne however, just wanted to eat all the candy and lick the frosting.

Sunday mishaps

While I was teaching my fabulous youth Sunday School class, Tanner and a friend decided to toss hymn books out the classroom window. We are not sure what their goal was - do they not like to sing? do they not like the color green? were they trying to form a "mound" outside the window to aid in their escape route? We will forever have to wonder what their TRUE PURPOSE was because even though both boys were caught red handed, they deny it all. So once Tanner's Primary mischief was brought back into control, it was discovered that in Trent's class a girl punched another girl while the teacher (who is 6 months pregnant and the mother of the child who got punched) was in the bathroom. I guess Frustrated girl #1, was kicking Trent's chair and girl #2's chair. girl #2 kept telling girl #1 to stop, so girl #1 got mad and punched girl #2 in the face. It didn't help the girl #1 is the bishop's daughter and he had to get called into the classroom, oops. Thankfully Kolby and Brooklyne had mishap free classes!

Just crazy OR maybe brilliant?

Who in their right mind, suggests to 4 little kids that for FHE we should go to ToysRus to make Christmas lists?

Back in the first week of November we asked the boys to make up their Christmas Wish List. After a few days of them tossing ideas around in their heads and with each other, Trent and Kolby made their Christmas Wish Lists. I was eager to see what they wrote down because Don and I really had no idea what to get them for Christmas this year. Their lists were almost identical and had listed: dog, dog house, dog food, Guinea pig, guinea pig house, food, and bedding, turtle, turtle house, turtle food, DS, and a happy family. The only difference between Trent's list and Kolby's list is that Trent also wanted a personal computer and Kolby wanted a ghost costume. Now would someone please tell me what on those lists I can buy at Walmart, Target, or ToysRus for under $40??? We don't DO DS's or personal computers! We don't have a fence for a dog! and we have been considering the guinea pig, but come on, surely that can't be the only gift under the tree.

So with my lack of enthusiasm for their Wish Lists, I suggested to Don and the kids that for FHE we head down to the local ToysRus, equip each child with a notebook and pencil, and let them devise a list of TOYS they would like. HA . . . I must seriously have lost my mind! Who in the world lets 4 kids loose in a toy store? Ya, that would be me, the brainiac, lol. The stipulations were that they could write down 6 things and they had to be $50 or less, and we had 1 hour and 15 minutes in the store and then we must go. It was interesting how each child responded to this task.

Brooklyne was hilarious to watch. She was busting from the seams in pure heaven in the girly departments. Anything that was Princess, pink, baby doll, purse and make up, or musical (but pink) she was over the moon in love with. She was particularly entertaining in the doll area. She could not decide WHICH doll(s) she wanted most. She would pick one up, then put it down and grab a different one but then go back to the ones she picked up to begin with, ha ha ha ha. We could not keep that child contained, she was a total hoot!

Tanner was more particular than I had anticipated. Although he was interested in a hundred different things, he was very specific as to what he actually wanted to be ON HIS list. His current infatuation is centered around Disney's CARS as well as GO DIEGO GO. If we even HINTED at something aside from those 2 areas of interest he was simply disgusted that we could consider anything other that CARS and DIEGO.

Kolby was much more of what I "expected". He took allot if pride in the freedom he had with having his own notebook and pencil to write down almost anything he wanted. We weren't in the store for more than 90 seconds and he was already writing stuff down. Within 20 minutes he had 5 of his 6 lines filled with this that and the other. He would have had all 6 lines filled on his Wish List if I had not insisted I needed to use his pencil for a while, ha ha ha ha ha.

Trent was the one I found the most interesting of all. As we went through the store looking at all sorts of things, he never wrote anything down. Whenever I would offer suggestions he would kinda shrug his shoulders and say he didn't want to put that on his list. He finally came alive when we got over to the GUN and STAR WARS area. Yup, he was holding out for the "good stuff". He scanned and evaluated the Nerf Gun section, reading the packaging and comparing what each gun had to offer. After about 5 minutes he narrowed it down to a specific gun because it had more power, more bullets, and more BANG for the buck. He also decided he wanted the 100 Nerf bullets with container because he needed new bullets and the container would allow him a specific place to store them. In the Star Wars area he evaluated things the same way, comparing product, cost, functionality, etc. He finally decided on the Clone Wars Trooper Blaster gun thing, with foam bullets. Imagine that, a GUN, ha ha ha ha ha. He also picked out a new light saber he wanted. After that he really didn't care about anything else and just picked a couple random items to complete his list.

Over all, the experience was pleasant, amusing, only a little stressful, and rather enlightening. We moved through the store rather quickly and efficiently especially with the 4 kids in tow. What was even greater, was NOW we actually had an idea of what or kids were interested in - that of course made it worth it completely! I do declare a spark of brilliants in our crazy Christmas Wish List excursion and will most likely do the same thing next year.

GOOD MORNING GORILLAS

It's Reading Fair time for our school and Trent chose the Magic Tree House book, Good Morning Gorillas. This is his 3rd project and is required for the 3rd graders as a test score. In first grade Trent won 3rd place in our school, and then went on to get 3rd place again at the City Reading Fair. This year, he got 2nd place. WOOT WOOT! He worked really hard on his board and had specific ideas of what he wanted and how he wanted to do it, lol. He used spider webs for the clouds, crinkled up card stock for the tree trunks, twisted brown paper bags for the vines, and indoor moss for the grass. He even gave me a blister when he was using the hot glue gun, and then told his whole class about it. Trent is so proud of his work and loves what he has accomplished. He is excited to go to the City Reading Fair in January and is expecting to take 2nd place there, ha ha ha ha. He also expressed that he thinks when he is in 5th grade he will take 1'st place at the school as well as in the City. I guess only time will tell.

Trent's favorite touch that he was completely insistent about was having little Bo-Bo in the tree holding onto a vine. I think it is the perfect little "extra" for his board. Well done Trent!

The New Do!

So I have been planning for about a year now, to get my hair cut short. Yesterday was finally the day. I took in a picture of exactly what I wanted, color and cut. Everything was going great . . . . until I finally saw myself in the mirror at the end. OY, it was NOT what I was expecting, it was shorter, not an A line cut, and well, frankly, I did not like it. I will admit, I was rather disappointed and wanted to cry. The front was rounded rather than cut down into an edgy A line and about 2 inches SHORTER than what was in the picture I brought in. The back was really short - the shortest I have ever had it. He even had to bring out the electric clippers to do the very bottom of my hair line.

Today I swallowed hair and braced society with a cut that I felt made me look like a little girl or an old lady. It has started to grow on me - HECK, I can either embrace it or hate it right, lol?

The kids aren't too thrilled with it. Kolby kept asking me why I cut all my hair off and how long it will take to grow back. Trent Asked me if it will be grown out enough by Thursday (he has a field trip I am going on with his Explorer group). He also told me I should try wearing a hat to hide my hair - loving and kind, don't cha think, lol. Brooklyne just stared at me a bit, like I was a stranger. Tanner, Tanner has been my rock star. He told me I was pretty and he liked my hair. I told him he was my favorite kid ever! Donald says he thinks it is sexy - and he doesn't even like short hair, lol.

BEFORE

AFTER (and over 6 inches shorter)

Halloween 2009

This year was hands down an awesome Halloween, dare I even say - the best ever?

We started the day off slow because we were able to sleep in - THANK GOODNESS!

Don and I put together a fun Halloween breakfast and we all jammed to some spooky tunes. We all chowed down on pumpkin bread with pumpkin spice icing, goblin teeth, bloody eggs, scarecrow meat, candy, and washed it all down with some rotten orange juice.

Originally the weather was suppose to be pretty crappy all day long, but thankfully the weather men were WRONG and the day was PERFECT! Trent had a soccer game at 1:30p.m. and knowing how full our day was, we went ahead and got a sitter for the 3 younger kids so they could all take naps. Is it bad of me to day that was one of the most enjoyable soccer game watching days ever, lol. Trent's team lost (the boys seriously were a "mess" not working as a team at all) but man oh man, I didn't have to entertain 3 other little children and try and watch the game - so it was rather blissful. lol. These are the only pictures I managed to get from this half of the season. Trent is number 11 and he usually plays one of the forward wings.

After the peaceful game we headed home and I got started making mummy dogs for our neighborhood chili bash. Once 4 p.m. rolled around it was time to get everyone dressing in their costumes. This year we did a Peter Pan theme. Trent was Pan, Kolby and Tanner were Lost Boys, Brooklyne was Tinkerbell, Donald was Hook, and I was sweet little Wendy. What made our weekend even greater was our good friends came down from Memphis just to trick or treat and party with our clan - LOVE THE OGDEN CLAN! :) Once everyone was ready we headed over to my neighbors house with caramel corn and mummy dogs. After we were all filled with yummy food we set off to trick or treat with the Ogden family and Lucas family. We ended up just hanging in our "hood" because honestly, do the kids need THAT much candy? After trick or treating, we headed back over to my neighbors house while all the neighborhood kids played ghosts in the graveyard and the grown ups sat around the fire. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

Trent posing in front of your carved pumpkins.

Our Peter Pan family in front of our house. Check out the

shadow of your skeleton.

Hook and Pan are at it again!

My little Tinkerbell at the neighborhood chili bash.

Sarah and I. I totally miss her!

Isn't she just sooo cute?!?

Trent and Will. Can you believe they are only a year apart?

Mummy dog time!

The neighborhood crew at the chili bash.

I've been "hooked"!

So Sexy!

Double take Tinker time. Brooklyne and our neighbor's little girl Madalyn.

Will, Casey, and Trent on our way to trick or treat.

Trick or treating!

Tanner is 4!

So I know I am over a month late on this, but I figure better late then never, right?!?!? Nonetheless, Tanner had a great birthday extravaganza. On his actual birthday we kept it simple, just the family, cake, and presents.

Saturday was his party. He wanted a CARS birthday party and insisted on having a bounce house. The party was lots of fun and the rain held out until the very end so we were very thankful for that.

It is so hard to believe that my baby boy is already 4 years old. Part of me is happy and wanting him to get older (mostly so I can understand him and so he can go to school) but it makes me sad because time is slipping by way too fast.