More Christmas Fun

Some more Christmas fun thanks to family!  Above are all the children modeling their new penguin shirts they got from Grandma Flamm.  We then had fun with the Gel Clings the family received from Aunt Jenifer.  Thanks to both of you!!  The kids were very creative in their arrangement of the Gel Clings, but eventually everything was arranged in a manner that you could tell what it was suppose to be.

It's cold out there!!

We are going to miss this weather.  I looked up the forecast for the first part of our Christmas vacation in Idaho, the high for those few days was 34 degrees.   Just to illustrate how different this is from what we are experiencing right now, 10:16pm it is 66 degrees here and 27 degrees in Idaho Falls, Brrrrrr!  Yesterday, we played outside, the kids love the swings and Zachary and I practiced soccer; he is going to be on a team in the spring.  Here are some pictures of the fun we had.  Next week we will be having fun indoors :)

Just a little update:  now 12:15am it is still 66 degrees here, but now 19 degrees in Idaho!  My kids and I are in for a cold awakening.

Eric's Christmas Program

 Here we are patiently waiting for Eric's program to begin.  Wendy and Hyrum were excited to be there and very good audience members once the program began.

Eric was a great little angel.  His halo had a few issues, it kept falling into his eyes and I think it looks like male pattern balding.  In the middle of the program it fell off, he did not know what to do with it, but finally the music teacher got his attention and had him put it down.  It was actually quite entertaining to watch him and his facial expressions.  After the program they had a party in their classroom that we were invited to.  Below is a video at that portion of the day. 

Eric's Gingerbread House

Eric made a gingerbread house at preschool.  He was quite the architect and designer.  One side had his initial "E", another a garage with two cars, another the front entry, and the last a diagonal line of gumdrops ( he was very adamant that it had to be diagonal) with green bushes.  It was fun to go and help and see him interact with the other students.  He is such a friendly boy!

Santa

HO HO HO!!!

We had our first encounter with Santa for the 2011 holiday season.  He came and visited the Realtor who helped us find our home.  All the kids had fun seeing him and eating the cookies and milk that were provided.  It was a fun outing.

One less tooth

The tooth fairy made her first, or rather his first visit to our home Saturday, November 26th.

Zachary had a lose tooth for a little bit, but he pulled it out himself on Saturday.  At first he was a bit distraught because he said it felt weird, but now he is a happy to have one less tooth in his mouth.  He left it under his pillow that evening and the tooth fairy delivered 4 quarters.  I do not know what he intends to do with all that money, but he was excited.  

That afternoon I had tweaked my back and was in pain.  I knew he had lost it, and that we had told him to put it under his pillow, but then I fell asleep.  When I awoke the next morning I panicked that the tooth fairy had forgotten to come.  Thank goodness the tooth fairy can be a man! 

He wanted to have a picture with the tooth next to where it was in his mouth.

He is growing up!

Happy Thanksgiving and Hello Christmas!

Our Thanksgiving festivities began last Friday with a Thanksgiving Feast in both Eric and Zachary's class.  (As a side note, everyone here says "Thanksgiving Feast" rather than just "Thanksgiving")  As you can see Eric was a pilgrim and Zachary an indian.  Eric's preschool had a very short program.  The pilgrims did their part behind a cutout boat labeled "Mayflower"  Below is one of the rhymes they did.  I wish I had gotten Eric's commentary before it started.  He yelled, "Mom you've got to get this one.  It is funny!"  and then motioned for me to begin recording.  Zachary was Black Fox, his class worked on all sorts of Thanksgiving things throughout the week that he could show us.  It was great to see and interact with both of our boys at school.

Animals at the zoo!

The next week all the kids were home for the whole week.  We had fun going to the zoo Monday, Tuesday rained and rained so we stayed inside and played the computer and read.  Wednesday we went to the library, and did some shopping for our Thanksgiving Feast.  Thursday the kids played in the yard with Kyle while I prepared food and then we ate.  Our menu consisted of ham, carrots, stuffing, fruit salad, homemade rolls, and 2 pies (strawberry and peanut butter).  It was all delicious.

Today, the day after Thanksgiving we decorated for Christmas.  This included buying and decorating our tree.   We have not usually gotten one this early, but since we are leaving in the middle of December to visit folks in Idaho and Utah, I figured we better put it up now.  We had a good time listening to Christmas music and decorating the tree.  

 It seems a little odd to be preparing for Christmas, when Thanksgiving was such a low key event, the kids still play outside regularly, and we have a lot of yard work that needs to be done.  However, it now feels a bit more like the holidays are coming we have a tree, and I put nativities all across the mantel.  

 

Primary Program

The boys participated in the primary program today.  They both did a wonderful job.  It is hard to understand what they are saying so here is a transcription.  Eric's part was, "Heavenly Father has a plan for me."  When he was learning it he would often say, "Heavenly Father has a great plan for me!!!  Zachary's part was, "Reading , watching, and listening to wholesome things keeps my mind clean.  When I fill my mind with good things I feel the spirit."  Every time he said it the wording was a little different, but the meaning always came across.  Both boys are wonderful singers.  The bishop even mentioned Zachary and how he sings with conviction.  I am very proud of my boys.  They helped bring the spirit into our sacrament meeting today.

1st Week of November

  Here the kids are at the Children's Museum.  Zachary had a field trip there so the rest of us just conveniently went the same day :)  We had a great time!  Zachary was able to come home with us so we stayed even longer.

The videos are pretty self explanatory, but I'll write some words anyway.  First, Zachary and Kyle enjoying a Sunday afternoon in the hammock.  Kyle actually fell asleep for over and hour.  Next, Wendy dancing, singing, and being herself.  Last, Hyrum crawling.  He will often choose to scoot on the hard wood because he slides so nicely, but he crawls on the carpet.

Here are a few more pictures.  First, a cute picture of Hyrum in his new Sunday shirt.  Second, a lizard the kids found and just had to have a picture of.  There are a lot of these around, they can change colors according to where we find them.  And finally a picture of Eric and Wendy reading on the front step.  It suddenly became quiet in the house so I went to find the kids and this is what they were doing, a pleasant surprise for me.

Doctor Foster

For those of you who did not know it, here is the nursery rhyme that Eric dressed up as.  However, please don't feel bad, I didn't remember it either.  Eric told me he wanted to dress up as a doctor so I looked up Doctor Nursery Rhymes online. Oh the power of the internet.

Doctor Foster 

Went to Glouscester

In a shower of rain.

He stepped in a puddle 

Right up to his middle

And never went there again!

Halloween

 

Here are all my trick-or-treater's.  Zachary was a wizard, he wanted to wear a pointy hat.  Eric was of course Spiderman.  For preschool he dressed up like a nursery ryhme, can you guess which one?  (the answer is below)  Wendy used the lion costume, which was purchased when Zachary was 1.  It has been used every year since.  Hyrum was a cute penguin.  The zipper broke on the costume so I made a pin for his costume.  He won a prize at the ward Halloween carnival for his age group :)  Tirck-or-treating went wonderfully, I went around with the kids in short sleeves and was quite comfortable.  They all got LOTS of candy and were very pleased with themselves.  

Halloween afternoon we decorated our pumkins.  I am just not into the mess carving makes so we made a different kind of mess with paint :).  The kids enjoyed themselves and we ended up with 3 very colorful pumpkins to welcome people to our home.

Nursery Rhyme answer:  (Eric was Dr. Foster, the Dr. who stepped in a puddle up to his middle.) 

Kyle's Birthday

 Kyle had his 31st birthday on the 28th of October.  He received a hammock which you can see we have already enjoyed.  He also got his wish, to be done with this years rollout at work.  He finished that the week of his birthday, so now things are a lot more calm at work, and we see more of him at home :)  Of course his responsibility (Conversion) went well.  He is a very intelligent man, and a great provider.  Now that he is into his 3rd decade of life I'm sure he will continue to gain wisdom.  Zachary said that is what happens as you get old.

Happy Birthday, KYLE!

Hyrum ahead of the game spiritually

At only 6 months of age Hyrum is already "feasting" on the word of God.  He literally ate the first page of 1 Nephi.  Thank goodness that is one page that I have read and reread many times :)

Fun times in October

 Hyrum is climbing and having a great time.  He gets himself stuck once in a while, but that doesn't stop him from trying again seconds later.  He also pulls himself to a standing position whenever he can.  This little boy is growing up too fast!!  Below is a picture of Hyrum after Wendy finished feeding him peas.  He was quite clean when I left the table, I heard giggling from him and Wendy.  When I returned I could see why, Wendy was playing the part of mom.

 Here the kids were playing at the park.  They all played together, which is unusual.  I was glad to get a few pictures.  Above is Zachary stuck in a play dome.  I told him I wanted to get his picture before I helped him out, he grudgingly obliged.

Playing in the rain!!  There were some mighty big puddles.  Wendy, didn't like making big splashes, so she daintily walked along the edge.  The boys splashed away.  They were soaked and dirty when they were done, so I had Zachary and Eric get into our shower to clean off and warm up.  I went to get towels and when I came back Wendy was in as well, she had her clothes off, but her diaper still on.  It was a cute scene.  Here they are drawing smiley faces on the door.  Below is Eric sitting in the biggest puddle.

Finally, a picture of Wendy playing with the blocks.  Lately building tracks, towers, and secret hideouts for toys has been a favorite playtime activity for all the kids.