Christmas

We had a very Merry Christmas!!!

Erin got an alarm clock/radio/ ipod player and some DS games!

Ethan got a Tri-bot, and a laser safe!

Jamie got an Easy-Bake Oven and a Littlest Pet shop!

Laura got a new bike and a cool ladybug that shines stars on your ceiling at night!

Kelcie got a new bike and some Christmas Barbies!

Talin got a Firetruck and a Basketball Hoop!

Lafe got this beautiful picture for the new house that he's wanted just forever!

And, I got a new vacuum for the new house!!!

We had a fun time! The family got a Wii Fit and Wii Outdoor Challenge and we have been having a BLAST on them!!! We've also enjoyed a couple bike rides for those of us with new bikes!

Then, I promptly got croup, aka laryngitis (sp?), and decided to take it easy for a couple days. It's very difficult to run a household with no voice! Luckily it was over the weekend and Lafe let me take it easy. Now, I think it's making it's rounds through the kids.....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Airplane!

Yesterday, my brother let us come see his little airplane that he has at an airport near out house. The kids LOVED it! It was great that it was small because it was right at Talin's level so he could touch it and he thought it was pretty neat. As we were walking back to the car to go watch him take off, another plane pulled up near us and as soon as the engine shut off Talin took off running for it saying "I wanna ride!". I thought if was so cute, and it made me wish he could go up for a ride. Someday, maybe. My brother's not checked out to take anybody with him, yet, but I have a feeling most of my kids would get sick anyways :) Then, we sat at the end of the runway and watched him take off and watched him until we absolutetly couldn't see him anymore - Talin liked that, too. It was really fun - thanks, Eric!

O Holy Night

This is one of my favorites and they did a beautiful job. Josh Groban sings the beautiful song the only way it should be sung.

My big - little boy.

I let Talin have a pillow the other night and it was just too cute to pass up last night. I try to let them have a pillow before I move them to a bed so they get used to it. I know they say not to, but he's almost two. Maybe I'm terrible. It would be nice if we could just switch him to a bed when we move so we don't have to put up the crib and then take it down a month later, but I'm not sure if that's too many changes at once? I don't know - still thinking about it. By the time we move is usually when our kids change beds anyways, because they're either climbing out or ruining the crib from jumping, etc., so I'd like to. Hopefully with the guard on he'll still think he can't get out - a few of mine have done that for the first few months and it's so nice.

Windows!

We have windows!!! Isn't that cool? We were so excited and I couldn't believe they got all the windows in in one day! Aren't they pretty? We did the grids in the front of the house and then clear in the back and sides.

This is the bay window in our room.

Band and Breather

Last night Erin had another Band Concert and it was so wonderful!!! The JH Orchestra, Band, and Choir were all so awesome!!! I love watching her play and listening to her practice at home. And, I love it when she looks over at me half way through a song and smiles. I just want to always be there for my kids - I hope I can. I don't have any pictures because it's impossible to get one of her behind the other kids and her stand - eyes and head. So, I thought I'd just tell you about it. I'd put on video, but it's not digital.

This morning Jamie didn't have orchestra which gave us all an extra 1/2 hour - it was so nice. And, after RUNNING EVERYWHERE the last few days ( those days that you think "we'll make it work - we just have to get through today - but then another one comes, and another...) it was really nice to realize we have NOTHING today. How nice. I was driving home from taking the kids to school and it actually felt like I was getting a huge breath of fresh air. So, all I've done this morning is play on the internet looking for light fixtures for the house and stuff. I finished my book that was due at the library today - not even renewed!!! That's a first! I was #22 on the waiting list to check it out, so I figured that I wouldn't be able to renew it. And, it's even cloudy outside! Here's to the rest of the day - we're going to the library - because we can!

Christmas Cards

Trying to get a Christmas Card picture:

This one won. (above)

A close second, but we wanted to show more of the house.

My favorite!

House Update!

The house is pretty much framed, now - just some little things left.

They put in a couple soft arches for us (I love them), and they're working on water and air conditioning! Tuesday, they start on electical and all the doors and windows are ordered. Cool, huh?

Lafe is now really the king of the house! He thinks it's so cool to climb out on the roof - so does Ethan (ah!).

This is the view (from the top of the roof) of where the new Temple will be - we are SO EXCITED!!!Gathering scrap wood for blocks for the kids - way fun!Decorating the house for Christmas - we don't even need mistletoe!!!

Winter Sing

Monday night was the Elementary Winter Sing ( I don't even know if that's what they call it at this school) and it was WONDERFUL!!! I was prepared to be a little disappointed because we just loved the other school so much, but WOW - this was great! They made the songs so fun and you could tell they were teaching them things like how to pronunciate the ends of the words, inflection in their voices, etc. And, they were so organized - Hallelujah! What a great concert!!! The kids did great, and Jamie had her first ever solo - great job, Jamie!!!

Day's Events

It's time to put up the tree!!! We have a tradition of putting up the tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We have to write on the tree-box who put the star on last year so that we remember who's turn it is. Talin loved the tradition of eating the popcorn tins while we trim the tree.

We also went bike riding - Yahoo!!! All summer long we think - "oh, we would love to go for a bike ride as a family" - but, it's WAY TOO HOT! So, now, the weather we wait all year for is here and we took advantage! It was fun. They're all at a good age. Kelcie and Talin are in the trailer and all the others can ride - yeah! Kelcie could, but she doesn't have a bike.....yet.

Thanksgiving Pictures

Trying to get a decent Thanksgiving picture:

Typical Personalities in our family: Erin is scowling, Talin is jealous because Dad is holding Kelcie, Kelcie is trying to get down, I'm talking, Lafe is asleep :), Laura is there, Jamie is posing, and Ethan is distracted.

This is probably the best one and it's not very good. Notice Erin is still scowling!

Our funny picture. Notice Laura is still standing there :)

Ethan's losin' it!

O.k., Ethan is so bored he's pulling his teeth!!! O.k, he's not really bored, ........yet, but he is pulling out all his teeth. He lost 4 teeth is the last 1/2 hour!!! The tooth fairy is going to be broke! Laura just suggested that he's pulling his teeth to get money for the DS he's saving for :) Erin says it's a good thing Thanksgiving was yesterday!
If you look really close, there's a big cavity on the molar on the right - phew!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stitches - again???

Yesterday, I promised you a non-house post, but I wasn't expecting this one. Kelcie fell during the kids' concert last night and cut her eye. Luckily, Dad's office is 5 minutes from the school and we stopped by on the way home for 2 stitches. You can see the bruise line from where she hit the bench. We were laughing, though, because 2 years ago October she got her first stitches on her forehead from tripping and hitting a rock at the cabin ( you can see the scar - right in the middle), and 1 year ago at Thanksgiving she had to get stitches in the back of her head because she got hit by a swing. I asked her what she had against this time of the year! She's really not a clutz, just freak accidents - our dainty little girl. Poor Jamie was trying to help her dad by holding Kelcie's hand and she passed out hitting her head on the wheelchair nearby. Poor kid - she has a lower threshold for fainting anyways, but we didn't realize she would faint in this situation. We weren't thinking very good. So, Lafe put about 10 knots in the first stitch because he was trying to do Kelcie, watch Jamie and help me with her, and tell Ethan where to get the smelling salts. Ethan said it right - "quite an eventful evening!" They both came home with ice and advil. And, Erin and Ethan still had homework to do! One day we'll live closer to the school, right?

Instrumental Concert

Last night was the Elementary School's Instrumental Concert. Ethan plays the Alto Saxophone in Band and Jamie plays the Viola in Orchestra - they did a GREAT job!!!

It's har to see Ethan - he's on the right behind the flute - but that was the best picture we could get and then zoom in.

This is Jamie before the concert - she was just as hard to get a picture - plus I was videoing, too!

My crazy kids! - I thought you'd enjoy this one more than the serious one.

Stairs and Roof Truses?

Here are the stairs - yeah! Really fun, but Talin thinks they're great, too, and there's not walls upstairs.

Front Stairs

Back Stairs

Now were have roof trusses ( I don't know how to spell those!).

Laura showing them off!

Upstairs view like before - changed quite a bit, huh!

If you're getting bored with house posts, I promise I'll have something different tomorrow. Oh, and I'm thinking I better go Private. I love that people I haven't seen for years stop by, but I'm a little worried because I know how naive I am. So, if you still want to come by (please!!!), leave your email - I'll moderate comments so that I don't post your emails. Thanks!!!