Teddy Ruxpin

My parents got Chezney and Cohen a Teddy Ruxpin for Christmas. Tonight, we found Ethan being read to by Teddy R....the funny thing was...instead of looking at the book himself, he held it up as if Teddy R. needed to be able to see it to read it. So...I snuck a picture...it was just too cute!

Sledding

We finally made it out sledding tonight. It was so fun to hear the babies giggle the first time down. Then after that, we started sending them down with Danissa. What a joy it is to watch the older siblings helping out the younger ones and putting them under their wing...

Roller-coaster Ethan

Ethan has the most roller-coaster-classified attitude I have ever seen. He is super happy one minute and irately throwing tantrums the next. The day after Christmas he was having an especially B-A-D day and I just couldn't get him to snap out of it or cheer up...everyone in his path was in danger *LOL*....so I spotted some silly string and decided to attack...that otta cheer him up, right? RIGHT!...at Cohens expense....the other two kids grabbed silly string and the poor kid got caught in the middle. He just couldn't handle the feeling of the string and jumped and cried anytime it touched him.
(The kids were in jammies all day....it was great!)
Poor Cohen...(he's wearing Chezney's jammies because he didn't have any tight ones that could fit under his snow clothes....) ;)

The Sleigh Ride

And...our winter wonderland sleigh ride...

The group picture on the sleigh...

Warming up with Cocoa, Cider, and cookies.

Cold and Runny...she was ready to be done!

Ethan was slowly turning his cookie in the steam of his cocoa, pretending to cook it....hmmmm.

The babies...all tuckered out from a VERY long day.

Christmas at Mom's

The kids digging into their stockings at grandpa and grandmas house.
It's never Christmas without my brother sitting on my brother-in-law...er...I mean, Santas lap?!?! (He's not retarded...just funny...LOL)

Chezney contemplating giving me back the chocolate I told her she couldn't have...

Dad reading us all the Christmas Story...you know...the one in the bible?! =)

Awww! A Christmas-y moment...

All my kids in one place...wow...now that's a Christmas Miracle!

Christmas Morning

The kids starting to open their gifts....

Danissa reading the second clue from Santa.

The kids reactions!!!

Our Mini-Christmas Album

Our Christmas Eve and Day were filled with excitement so I'd like to make this as picture-full and brief as possible. We started out with a Christmas Eve breakfast out, then came home and finished final preparations (wrapping!!!) and then the kids made gingersnaps for Santa. We then headed to my moms for dinner and a white elephant gift exchange.
Christmas Morning, we enjoyed our family Christmas, went to my moms for breakfast and opened gifts there, and then headed to Leavenworth for a sleigh ride. Finally we went to Mikes moms house for snacks and a movie and then came home.
Currently, Mike is opening and preparing all the new toys for tomorrow so we are rid of all the garbage and have no boxes or assembling to do tomorrow.
I just have to note that the kids had asked Santa for TWO power wheels so when Ethan walked into the living room today and they weren't there...he was devastated. Then, when all the gifts were opened, they were finally able to open the velvet box left by Santa. In it was a message leading to another velvet box which then lead to TWO power wheels downstairs. You'll have to scroll for the pictures! SOOO cute! Since we did so much, I'm going to have to break the pictures down into different "themes"....so here is Christmas Eve...
Plate of cookies and milk ready for Santa, with some celery for the reindeer...

Our tree, ready for tomorrow....
Mike reading the kids a Christmas story...too bad the babies were already tuckered out!

Santa...picture is self-explanatory

Drums continued

It was so cute this morning...Ethan woke up and went straight for his drums...course...some of the people in the house were still asleep so THAT part WASN'T cute, but HE was.
He started drumming out a beat...the same one over and over, using all four pieces, and then he started to sing "I'll never know, how much does it cost, to see my sin, upon that cross..." over and over. SOOOO sweet. Just had to share.

Ethan got...drums....

We had our Christmas with the Farr side of the family last night and we walked away with a lot of great and thoughtful gifts. We had a lot of fun hanging out with the family and I really appreciate our time we get to have together...but...my sister-in-law gave Ethan drums......
*long dramatic pause*
However, it's actually not as bad as I would have anticipated. Other than him not allowing ANYONE to touch his drums, he's been "practicing" (his word...not mine!) all morning. He LOVES them. And surprisingly, it's not that annoying. He's actually fairly good at them...it's not just a chaotic mess of noise...he has a beat and only hits one or two at a time. Go Ethan!

1st grade Christmas

After we were done with Ethans celebration (in the blog below) he and I headed to Danissa's class for a surprise baby shower for her teacher, Mrs.Rose, since she will not be coming back this school year. Her baby is due just a few weeks after school starts up again from Christmas Break. So we held a mini-roast her her honor. The kids, weeks before, had decorated quilt squares and they were sewn together to make a baby blanket for her new arrival. The kids stood up and read bible verses to her honoring her and her baby and the kids made a book, each decorating their own page, with a "gift" that they would like to have given the baby...Danissa drew a teddy bear. It's just a free simple way that the kids all celebrate everyones' birthday in the class.
After the mini-baby shower, the kids had early dismissal and Danissa, Ethan, Breanna and I all headed to the all school ice skating party at the new Town Toyota Events Center. It was so much fun. The kids skated independently, which saved me from being bogged down by dragging kids!!! We had a blast, but I didn't take my camera in so I wouldn't have to worry about it.... (on more reason that I am wishing for just a small flat pocket camera for just candid family moments... instead of my moms nice, big camera)!
Surprise Mrs. Rose!!!!...

Mrs. Rose with the quilt the kids had put together for her.

A girl in Danissa's class, reading her a bible verse. (Danissa was too shy and didn't volunteer to do it ;)...

Kinder-prep Christmas

Friday was the kids last day of school before Christmas Break and I spent the day hanging out with them at school. I started out in Ethan's class helping out and then we headed to recess and the kids had to chase the "gingerbread man"...which was me. It was actually a lot of fun, and we all ended up covered in snow.

Next we headed in doors for cookie decorating and a story. As the story progressed, each child had a figurine to add to the manger when the time came for that character in the story. I will add pictures of Ethan and my niece Rianne adding their figurines.

Then had cupcakes that had candles on them. The kids blew out the candles and then sang happy birthday to Jesus. It was such a sweet way to enter into the Christmas season.

Here is Ethan adding his figurine to the manger...

Rianne taking her turn...

The table is set for cookie decorating....OH MY....the mess!!!!

The kids with their cupcakes before blowing them out to sing happy birthday to Jesus...

Catching Up

I've fallen behind as the days have been long and full of activity so I will do my best to catch up just the past couple days. First, Thursday night we had the River Academy Christmas Program. The kids sang about 5 songs all together and I thought I'd add some pictures...it was just such sweet songs...
This is Danissa's class...she's the second from the last up on the top row... This is the Kindergarten/Kinder-prep group. Ethan is the closest boy in the front row and my nephew Brandon is the closest on the upper row.

Snow Ice Cream

Yes...you read it right! We LOVE snow ice cream! It's an old family recipe that has been handed down (at least I think....) and my mom gave it to me, after growing up looking forward to it at each fresh snow. Tonight, my kids begged for me to make snow ice cream and since we had such a great, deep fresh snow, I went ahead and made it. If any of you are interested, my kids HIGHLY recommend it and it's so easy and fun. It actually tastes really good, too...
Snow Ice Cream (my version...since I can't stand the thought of beating raw eggs into my snow...)
-One medium bowl full of snow from a fresh, UNTOUCHED, clean area
-2 Cups milk
- 1/2 Cup sugar
-3 cap fulls of vanilla or almond flavoring
-mix well...after about a minute of stirring it will start to melt just enough to really mix well.
-serve and eat quickly....it does not refreeze well...don't even try it ;)

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!!!

We finally got around to bundling EVERYONE up today and exploring our newly whitened backyard. Danissa and Ethan had ventured out already, but the twins have never played in snow before. So...of course...another photo opportunity!

My little Danissa...growing like a weed....

Ethan was hiding from the camera and I was chasing him....this is when I had him cornered.

And Little Chez....it's just tough walking in the snow with all that fluffy gear on!

And Cohen getting a free ride from his sister. Oh how much easier things are when your little and cute!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party 2008!

We had our annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party tonight. Started out slow but was a lot of fun and I am grateful to everyone who made it. We started out with a pizza dinner, had a gingerbread house making competition (who can make a whole house and decorate in 15 minutes?...some of us....LOL) It was so funny....and then we voted on best sweater and best gingerbread house...but not before having a little fun at the expense of those NOT wearing a Christmas sweater ;) (Thanks to Scott and Brant for being good sports!) We finished up a white elephant gift exchange and two rounds of simultaneous Cranium. SOOO FUNNY! Anyway, we had a blast and a big thanks to all my buddies ;)
The whole gang showing off the sweaters ;)...couple cute babies in there, too!!!

Teri' and Danny's house fell apart so...she decided to sample...I think we all had our share of that during the decorating madness!

Ummm...Brant....try to stay off my husband next time ;)..this was during the Cranium game. Brant was the puppeteer and Mike was the puppet!

Decorating houses...deep concentration...

Potty Training

My sister-in-law loaned me her little plastic potty chair to start attempting to potty train the babies. I didn't know how it would go or if they were ready but had our first day of attempting it yesterday. May I just say I have the most brilliant 21 month old ever!? ;) (Danissa was actually potty trained at 14 months... so I can't really say that about Chezney) but she went on the potty 4 times...and once was on her very first time to sit there. I was so proud of her. They both were in panties unless we had to leave the house and Cohen ALMOST made it twice but had an accident when Chezney got on the potty before him.
Today we haven't had any successes but they were in daycare and it's a bit harder that way. We'll see how it goes but I am pleasantly surprised!

Yes...that's a book she's reading. First time on the potty and already a scholar ;)

He just thinks this is funny....no seriousness about the subject....

.....and that is potty in there folks! Sorry to show you but she was showing it off and it was cute ;)

Ring bells...go ding-a-ling-a-ling

My dad volunteered at the Salvation Army as a bell ringer in front of Macy's. He offered to have the grand kids come in two shifts to help him out, which they loved. I'm sure it was a great learning experience for them. Here's some pics...

8 Years Ago

Mike and I were married 8 years ago today....so I scanned in a few old pics- two of us dating and two at our wedding.