{The Office Party}

It was time for the annual OB/GYN office party. The kids love going for one reason and one reason only. SANTA makes an appearance and they each get a gift. This year they had things set up a little different and much more geared to the kids. They had a kids corner complete with Christmas movies and crafts for the kids to do and MaryPaul, one of the midwives, did face painting which the kids loved. Each kids got a chance to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas and then got a present. I have to say though that my kids are getting a little bit suspicious of all the different Santas and the fact that this one didn't have a real beard. It was fun though and it began our Christmas break from school!!!

(no face painting for Wyatt and this picture is a little blurry because it was a quick trip on Santa's lap)

{Grandma & Cookies}

The last thing the kids got to do while at Grandma Margaret's when we were down for the weekend was make sugar cookies with her. My kids love being in the kitchen, especially my little "Emeril in training" (Wyatt). What was really fun about this cooking session was that they were using the same kind of cookie cutters that Grandma had used as a kid. They had fun rolling out the dough and slapping the cookies onto the baking sheet. Meysa was really into it and stuck around a lot longer than the two little ones did. She is getting really capable in the kitchen. Just another sign that my kids are growing up. They enjoyed devouring the cookies almost as much as they enjoyed making them. Thanks Grandma for sharing a little bit of your childhood with us!!

{Tub Time}

After our Polar experience we headed south to Grandma Margaret's house to stay the night. The kids were exhausted and fell right to sleep when we got there. One of the first things we did the next morning, after eating at the local breakfast spot, was hop into the hot tub. I guess it kinda made up for the fact that we didn't stay at a hotel and play in the pool. It was Wyatt's first time and he liked it, minus the time he walked off a seat and went under. He isn't much of a fan of underwater diving!! It is always a treat to get to visit Grandma's house.

{The Polar Express}

This last Friday the kids had no school and Ryan's Mom had planned a little surprise for them. We didn't tell them where we were headed we just told them that we were going somewhere for a little over night trip. We packed up the car and headed south to Oregon and met up with Ryan's Mom and Step-dad in Hood River, Oregon. The kids were so excited to see Grandma and Papa they thought that was the whole surprise. So we went to dinner and the kids were asking where we were going to stay the night and Grandma said maybe a hotel and then we could swim. The Kids were stoked, but we told them before that we were going to check out the train depot that was just across the street. So into the train depot we go and it is all decorated for Christmas and they have the movie Polar Express playing on a tv and the music playing over the PA system. The kids wandered around for a little while and then Ayden pipes up, "when are we going to the hotel?" We told him not yet but asked if he could figure out what we were doing in a train depot, with all the Polar Express stuff going on. He thought about it for a minute and then we stated the obvious, that we were going to ride the Polar Express. Then he says, "but I want to go to a hotel and swim". I guess I am glad that my kids are so easily pleased with things. Anyways as we got ready to get on the train I wasn't sure what the kids really thought about the whole thing. Meysa was really quiet and a little apprehensive at first. Wyatt, who is into trains right now was really excited and he found a little friend who was just as excited as he was to "talk" with over trains!! Ayden is preteen it seems lately and his attitude was this was going to be boring, and Lauryn was her little happy self, just happy to be along for the ride.

(this was Wyatt and his fast friend checking out another train going by on the other track)


The train ride followed the movie pretty closely, minus the kids walking on top of the train in a snow storm and them riding on the front of the train. But we did run into some "reindeer" and we made it to the North Pole and saw all the factories and homes at the North Pole. We eve saw Santa's house which was all lit up with pretty lights. Meysa saw some people working in the factory and she makes the statement..."I thought the elves would be smaller than that." Nothing get past her I tell ya.
We enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies and we got to sing some Christmas carols.




The bum was great!!!
And then on the return trip to the depot the kids got a visit from the Big guy himself, Santa Claus. Each of the kids received a bell, which he explained to Meysa were from last years reindeer harnesses. They change them out each year and he lets children have the used ones. Ayden is on the cusp of figuring out the whole Santa thing but the younger kids bought the whole thing hook, line and sinker. It was a lovely night and the kids had a good time even though we didn't go to a hotel and swim. Thanks so much Grandma Margaret and Papa Greg, you made their night fantastic!!!

{Roller Blades Baby}

This is what Meysa got for her birthday this year. We finally had some decent weather in which she could take those babies out for a test drive. She is still a bit unsure of herself on them but she is steadily getting better. Before I know it she will be in a roller derby hip checking some other chick into the wall. I am just saying Meysa is competitive like that!!! From the looks in these pictures though I think I have some time before that happens!!

The girl is getting too old. I look at this picture and see a young woman on the very near horizon and I just want to slow the clock down a bit. She is getting so capable with things lately, a sure sign she is getting older. Boy how I love this girl!!!

{Terrible Twos}

Wyatt is exhausted. It is so taxing to have to fight, whine, throw fits, wail, gnash teeth, get into everything, do EVERYTHING by himself (even if it isn't something he isn't even remotely capable of doing), insist it is his turn all the time and demand what he wants all the time. Oh and lets not forget about his favorite word....NO. If I had a nickle for everytime I heard that word a day. I really don't know how he does it. He must have super human strength to endure such a "hard" life. If you couldn't tell we are in the throws of the oh so wonderful terrible twos. My other kids were fine through the twos it was the three's they almost didn't make it through. Wy-man might get to see his third birthday if his "pleasant" behavior continues!!! We love him we just don't love the stage he happens to be residing in right now. Except when he passes out, then things are wonderfully quiet around here!!

{Snow}

Monday was a snowy one for us. The kids still had school, which is a shocker since around here any sign of snow the town seems to shut down. The little ones enjoyed a little bit of time just the two of them in the back yard. Lauryn was excited to move up into a new winter coat! Simple things bring a smile to her face!!
They had fun rolling around in the snow and Lauryn loved pretending to fall and insist that Wyatt help her up, which was a hard thing to ask since he could barely stay upright by himself.

See I told ya, she had to help him up this time.
Wyatt is at the lovely age of "I can do it all by myself, thank you very much." He wouldn't keep his mittens on but wouldn't let me help him put them back on. Little stinker!!!
He got tired of standing and headed to the fence to sit down for a spell. He doesn't look too happy here but he is.....

He was a happy camper in the snow, even if it was only for 10 mintues before he came in, hands freezing (never did get those mittens back on) and demanded a mug of hot chocolate. We love snowy days!!!

{Spa Party}

Friday night we had a girl party for Meysa's birthday. She wanted to do manicures and pedicures so that is what we did. I was a one woman sweat shop. Massaging and painting, and painting. It was worth it when one little chicka said happily, "This is like a real pedicure, it's kinda like a girls night out!!" So cute, and I'm glad she felt that way. They got to pick whatever color they wanted or mix and match and we had stickers and they got to take home their own polish and chap stick!! After the spa we had pizza and root beer floats and opened presents. Meysa got some roller blades from Mom and Dad and some other fun stuff. After that they watched Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy rescue. I think it was a huge success and as long as Meysa had a good time I'll be happy!!!
All the little darlings waiting on me to get busy!!!!

{Pizza Time}

This last Monday I got to hang out with Lauyrn at Costco for a field trip with her preschool class. They were headed to the Food Court to learn how they make pizza. We are frequent partrons to the food court and their pizza, so even I was excited to go and see the behind the scenes. You can see Lauryn was too in her fancy dancy hair net. I was lucky enough to get one too but darn it there are no pictures to show for it!!
The gal that gave the tour was so awesome. She let the kids really help with toppings and made them feel like they were really doing something. As for the adults we had to stay behind a partial wall for saftey numbers something a ruther and being the "tall" person that I am these are the shots I got on my tippee toes!!

Lauryn couldn't wait to see the pizza make it's way out of the oven and neither could the rest of us because that meant we got to EAT the pizza. While we were waiting we got to go and check out the bakery and the kids got to see the giant mixing bowls that they use to mix up cake batter!! They thought it was pretty cool. Then time to eat. It was a fun and yummy field trip for all!! Thank you Costco!!

I wish I could say that the hair net did this to her hair but sadly her hair is just this crazy!! She looks cute anyways!!!

{Going Fishing}

What do four boys do when they are bored stiff one day after school and can't find anything better to do? They go "fishing" in a little puddle of a pond and harvest these little beasts. Behind our house we have an area that is deemed the run off area. When it rains here in the area, which it does often, to keep our yards and homes from flooding our drains are all connected by some duct and it flows to the run off. So when it rains a lot the area behind our house fills up with water. I have yet to figure out how these little fish got there in the first place but they were there in great numbers. The boys got a plastic cup and filled it up with about 60+ fish. They counted. Oh boy did they stink, the boys and the fish!!!
But it was an adventure that kept them occupied and out of my hair for an afternoon. Too bad some poor little fish had to sacrifice their lives for such a cause!!!

{Birthday Girl}

This young whipper snapper is having a birthday today. Seven is the magic number this year and she could hardly wait for this day to come. She knows that her birthday is 9 days after mine so when my birthday came she started counting down to hers. This morning at breakfast she gladly proclaimed that those nine days were finally over. We are having a fun party for her tonight complete with friends and manicures and pedicures!! I can't believe and I don't like to admit that another year is gone and she is one year older yet again. The years seem to be numbered with each of my children and while I am excited for what each new year brings I can't help but think that it means one less year they are small and tucked safely in my arms. We are going to enjoy Meysa's day to the fullest today!! We love you Meysa Lynn!!! Happy Birthday!!!

{For Marla}

Here you go Marla, I hope you enjoy them!!!