Happy Birthday, Carlye!

Yesterday my baby girl turned 11. We had a gingerbread birthday party, and the weather was beautiful! The kids played "You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!" scavenger hunt, with clues written by Aunt Pammy and Aunt Jodi. Their 'treasure' was a bag full of silly string cans. Which, of course, ended in a huge silly string war. We had strawberry shortcakes (not gingerbread, haha!) and wassail to drink. Then everyone spent the rest of the time at the creek and hiking around. This is a picture heavy post, mostly for my Heather and my Heidi because we miss them so much! Enjoy!

Sweet Baby Dane enjoying the balloons


Pammy and Daddy


Aunt Pammy giving Carlye the book she wrote


Baby Dane and Uncle Carl (they share the same birthday!)


Dutch examining the silly string canister


Group picture after silly string fight


Nathanael helping Dutchie down the stairs during the Gingerbread game


Strawberry shortcakes - yum!


Gingerbread Decorations




Group silly string fight


Noah and Brookie


Nathanael


And Happy 39th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Fiesta Texas

Merry Christmas to you and yours! The children are officially out of school, and I survived the gauntlet of class parties on Friday. I made meat and cheese trays, red & green grape kabobs, and everything in between and it is now OVER! To celebrate we took the kids to Fiesta Texas, and they loved it! Carl won a giant Smurfette for Carlye, the kids rode every roller coaster in site, and there weren't any lines! We walked right onto everything, which is one of the best parts about going at Christmas time. We ate funnel cake and Nathanael had cotton candy. But the best part for me was watching the Christmas musical, the singing was beautiful, the sets were amazing and the kids loved the live animals and the flying angels. All in all, it was a wonderful way to begin our Christmas vacation!

Christmasisms

Noah was telling me today that Dasher is his 2nd favorite reindeer. When I asked him who is 1st favorite was he said, "Rudolph of course. But I don't like Vomit or Hasher." Indeed.

Nathanael informed us that he wants to change his Christmas list and ask for a lab (as in labrador retriever) instead of a bike. Carl told him that he doesn't really want a dog because dogs just die. Lovely.

Carlye is excited because she said Aunt Heidi is giving her a Kindle. Don't know where that idea came from, but we squashed it. You're welcome.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas parties

Tomorrow is Friday,
And I've looked forward with glee
To having my children
Stay home with me

However, in planning
One thing I forgot
Three parties at school
Like it or not

So I'll skewer the grapes
And slice up the cheese
Don't forget the meat
And crackers, please

Cups and plates for this one,
A veggie plate over here
Gluten free snacks for this one,
Oh dear!

So after lots of scrambling,
And much loss of sleep
Preparations are done
And 'till tomorrow will keep

So go to sleep children,
Still your busy minds
'cause everything for your parties
Has turned out just fine

Sibling Love

My children have been showing an inordinate amount of frustration towards each other this Holiday season. Normally when the fighting begins I have a few tools that I use.

1) The two that are fighting must hold hands and look into each other's eyes (point of contact)
2) They must count together to 100, while gazing lovingly into each other's eyes. Whenever they break eye contact they have to start over (team work)
3) They must then take turns listing three things that they like about each other, and they can't be things like they are nice, they are sweet, etc. They have to be legitimate compliments. (relationship building)

However, this past week my children added a step 4

4) Fall on the flop screaming and crying because we can't decide whether to count to 100 using Mississippi or with just the numbers.

I was thrilled with this new development.

I can't wait to see what the next three weeks have to bring!

Merry Christmas to Me!

First of all - thank you, Heather, for my Christmas background! I LOVE it!! You are the best!

Secondly, thank you, Carl for such an awesome Christmas present. The only thing missing was the big red bow from the commercials! I love you!


Carl took a picture of me last night when he brought home my brand new 2012 Honda Pilot. Still seats 8 ('cause our families are all too big for anything smaller) but can get 28 miles to the gallon on the highway (awesome!) and - let's face it - looks much nicer than my old car. I mean, when things start falling off of the exterior of your car when you haven't hit anything, and it takes 4 or 5 tries to start your car in the morning it might be time for a new one. And apparently for my husband it was! My favorite things - which apparently come standard in all new cars over the last 2 years - are the bluetooth sync for my phone and the free satellite radio for the first 3 months! It also has that little camera that turns on when you back up and an iPhone/iPod charger that will sync your iTunes library to your car. Plus if I put in a CD it will burn it to the memory card in your car. Seriously, it's like driving a computer, and a little bit intimidating - but I LOVE it!

Here's a picture that wasn't taken in the dark, just in case you really do want to see the car itself.



Thank you, baby! I love you forever! Of course, I already did - but the car is a great bonus! :-)

PS - I posted some of Nathanael's literary endeavors below, so don't forget to check those out!

Nathanael's Christmas Compilations

A Poem
by Nathanael

I love Christmas
Christmas tree's of green and red,
mint from candy canes.
Choir's singing Christmas songs
I taste minty candy canes.
I feel ornaments when I hang them up.
I think the best holiday is Christmas.

Dear Santa,
How are you? Have your elves been working hard? This is Nathanael. I have been good all year. Will you please get me a bike and my brother a game? Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,
Nathanael

Our Elf

Our Elf on the Shelf's name is Buddy (yes, just like Will Ferrell from the movie Elf - we are so original!)

And this year, our Elf has been incredibly mischievous! He has turned the milk green, toilet papered our Christmas tree, created a zip line across our living room, had a snow ball (cotton ball) fight with the other Christmas animals, played Scrabble with the Nutcracker, been taken hostage by Lego people and then taken his revenge. Here are a few pictures:








I'm not sure what's to come - all I know is that our little Buddy has definitely made this a Christmas to remember!

Christmas Shopping - not a good idea for a date

I have always done our Christmas shopping. 15 years ago I learned that this is not something that Carl finds enjoyable, so in an attempt at preserving our marriage - and Christmas - I have since been doing it all myself.

Today we went together. The plan was to finish all of our Christmas shopping. We came home with two video games and a box of candy canes.

Not my most successful shopping trip, to say the least.

Next time I'm going by myself. It's just better that way.......

We Wish You A Merry.......ummm - HELP!

Okay, so I LOVE Christmas. I do. Favorite time of year, blah, blah, blah. Mean it with all my heart.

And I really do. Really.

But this year it is kicking my hiney all over the place! Noah is super easy to shop for. But the only thing that Nathanael wants is a mountain bike, and Carlye is so hard to shop for! I have gotten Christmas presents for all of my nieces and nephews, and every other person that is on my list. In fact, I am completely done shopping for everyone else. My husband. Nope. My kids. Nada.

It's gonna be the worst Christmas ever. Seriously. My kids are gonna have socks and underwear in their stockings.

And maybe an apple.