A little Christmas cheer

Ah...the fun of Christmas. Presents, grandparents, cousins, new stuff and more new stuff! There was much fun and laughter this year. I loved having both sides of my family joined together, minus my brothers family in Okinawa Christmas eve day was spent watching Caiden and Ady rearrange the gifts to "their advantage" getting more and more excited as more people arrived. Aunt Kem was the final guest to wait for so she got a great greeting from the little ones! Between presents, the kids helped Big papa with his lift chair and walker and played grandmas organ. Christmas day brought cousins who endulge the little ones by building lego cars and painting and glueing, thank you Amber and Kyle! We also got to play lots of Wii. I loved it! The best rookie bowler was Caiden who got a 146 his first time. Very hysterical, he loved all the attention it brought him! I especially liked the golf game. Unfortunately when I did the Wii fitness where it tested me in three activities and makes an age prediction...I was 76! I'll have to work on that! ugh. A lovely holiday and now we are home to resort and reorganize and undecorate, and a blessed life continues!

A Christmas book by Caiden

Christmas Art

I like the Art projects that the kids bring home. They both brought a pile of Christmassy art before the holiday. The teachers probably have bare walls now. I love it!

Show me your Guns!!!

In honor of Big Papa this evening, the kids "showed us their guns."

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dancing

Ady's first dance show was this week. The girls were adorable. I'd like to post a picture of the darling line up, but I don't like posting other people's children. So imagine 6 girls from 3-8 lined up in these darling costumes, holding hands, with cheesy smiles. SOOOO darling. The girls did a ballet routine, then a tap routine. Ady enjoyed doing her steps and smiled the whole time.

excited Caiden

First, let me tell you that Caiden is not terribly inspired by music or any other auditory "messages" These are pictures of him in his first concert last week. Notice, he's not singing. I don't think he sang one word out of three songs. He did watch his classmates sing, and thought that was pretty funny.

He also had his first dentist visit and teeth cleaning that afternoon. Most of the concert was spent with his tongue exploring his teeth.

handsome

Caiden and Ady are playing with two stuffed animals, sink full of water, and two brushes. As I am surveying the near drowned animals and my soon to be soaked bathrug, I ask, "What are you doing?"
Caiden, "I'm making him handsome."
I quietly mop the counter and go on my way. What mother could interfere with that?

Family Fun

Yesterday we had some winter family fun.
First, we made pinecone birdfeeders. The kids spread a peanut butter and bacon grease mixture on the cones. tied a string and rolled in birdseed.

Then a hayride from daddy up to a special spot with trees and a bonfire. We roasted marshmallows, drank hot cocoa and ate christmas cookies.

Caiden especially liked the fire, he kept finding sticks to put in and held them up. He kept saying he had a candle. very cute.

Ady was having fun until Kevin suggested that we camp there. Caiden was all for it, but Ady was ready to go home then, and kind of stopped having so much fun. A hay ride home in the almost dark and in the house to strip out of snowsuits and gloves and wash the sticky cups.
All was fun.
It is now 7:30 in the morning and they are suiting up again to go play in the new snow from last night.

just a few activities

A little bit of everything today. We checked out the fire pit that I'm hoping to use on Sunday with some friends, depending on how much snow we actually get this weekend and how cold it is in the afternoon. A little work on the home site. The septic tank and leach field passed inspection. Kevin did some more scraping today to get the last three inches smoothed out. This is me, posing with my transit marker; we are becoming quite good friends. Kids and I made gingerbread cookies, then Kevin helped with the last batch..what a good man! I also got another batch of fudge made today, since the one from Monday is gone already. (I can't imagine how THAT happens!) Tomorrow, I think I'll make a batch of Shawn's Pebber nodders, yum!

My little elves

Earlier this week, I was progressing slowly through the Christmas decoration transformation. I got the tree done after exchanging the new lights for other new lights. The kids helped decorate after nap one afternoon. This actually went very well. I even have left the majority of the ornaments where they hung them, so our tree is a bit bottom heavy, which pleases Mouser very much, and Anslow seems to be enjoying the candy canes...happy elves all around!

Wednesday evening all I still needed to do was trade my everyday dishes for the winter dishes. I took down the regular ones and stacked them on the table and then went to bed. Hoping to be up early enough to make the trade. When I got up Thursday morning, the kids had most of the dishes out of the cabinet, ready for me to put in the regular cabinet! Hurray! I wouldn't have to do all that bending and squatting!!! Later, another blessing, while I worked in Caiden's class all morning dear hubby put the regular dishes away for me! So, we all did our part and it is extra fun to use the snow man dishes this year!

Family Fun

We had a very nice weekend. Friday night the kids got to play with their good friends. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad went to town to catch up on grocery shopping and a bit of Christmas shopping.

Saturday, we slept in, which doesn't happen much around here. Then we went for a hike to the upper pond. We have not taken the kids up there for a long time. Now that they can go several hours without needing potty breaks, bottles, or falling down constantly, we decided to enjoy the beautiful December morning. When we got to the the upper pond it was frozen on top. We skipped rocks across the ice. I think this was the highlight. The sounds of the rocks sliding on the ice was very cool and different from anything they have heard before. Immediately they wanted to bring others and show them!

Sunday morning the kids asked when Mouser's birthday is. Since we adopted him this summer and I don't know his birthday, we decided we would celebrate it today. So, after church we went to the dollar store. Ady picked out a dress for Mouser and Caiden picked out a shakey snake. What do you think Mouser thinks about the new duds? Perhaps it is a bit small? I forget how big the big guy is. So far, no reaction to the snake, maybe he didn't have anything to wear.

Been Trenching Long?

200th post

150 Things about me
When my 100th post came around I didn't know about the 100 things tradition, So instead of boring you with 200, I'll compromise with 150. Enjoy!
1.wife
2.mommy
3.sister
4.daughter
5.blogger
6.I like bread more than dessert
7.I like to read a book all in one day.
8.I met God as my comforter in sorrow when My first husband left. (Jer. 8:18)
9.Caiden likes when I help him
10.Ady likes when I snuggle
11.I wore fake nails in fifth grade
12.In elementary school I had 4 best friends which were two sets of sisters.
13.I like cats
14.I like dogs
15.I don't like bugs or spiders
16.I have had spider nightmares since I was a toddler
17.I have other nightmares depending on my T.V. Viewing
18.My best friend is Nora
19.I med God as my Wonderful Counselor in college (Isa. 9:6)
20.My brother is living in Okinawa
21.I have three nieces
22.I have one nephew
23.I have two living grandpa's
24.Most of my family know Jesus as their savior
25.I like going to church
26.I led singing at our little church for 5 years
27.I'm glad to not be leading anymore
28.We live 45 minutes from “town”
29.I try to buy groceries once a week
30.God became my strong Deliverer when I confessed the sin of Anger (Ps. 140:7)
31.I like baking bread
32.I like garlic butter
33.My kids nap almost everyday for 2-3 hours (sweet peace.)
34.My kids go to bed at 7. (more sweet peace)
35.I love breakfast. ( doesn't matter what time of day )
36.I have one pain after the other, just to keep me honest
37.God is my sure Foundation in life, marriage, and parenting (Isa. 28:16)
38.I love romantic movies ( chick flicks )
39.I love going on trips with my honey
40.I'm more outgoing than my husband
41.I enjoy being where the action is at
42.I love listening to great music
43.I love singing
44.God became my confidence as I forgave husband #1.
45.I love listening to my children laugh
46.I love it when my husband gets me laughing
47.I like a good story
48.My eyes are green with one being half brown
49. I'm starting to enjoy cooking and baking
50.God is faithful and true to continue to teach me even when I forget and forget and forget. (Rev. 19:11)
51. I love reorganizing the house
52. I really love Christmas and being with family and friends
53.I love Christmas music
54.I love Jesus, He's my best friend
55.I love my family
56.I wish that I didn't have to do housework
57.I love going to town
58.I would like to lose 10 more pounds
59.Can't wait to get to heaven
60.God is a consuming Fire as I grieve the brokenness around me. (Deut. 4:24)
61.My husband really digs me!
62.I like teaching
63.God is all comfort for my family when I can't make the pain stop for my children. (2 Cor. 1:3)
64.I love games
65.I dislike football ( sorry Kevin )
66.scary movies give me the willies
67.I have constant acid reflux
68.I eat Tums all day
69.I don't go anywhere without Tums
70.My husband loves Jesus
71.I have two favorite bibles. My NASB that mom and dad gave me
72.My other favorite bible is my Message/remix (I love the current language)
73.I live on a farm
74.I never thought I'd live in the country
75.I love my cat (orange tabby tom)
76.I love my dog (long haired weimeraner)
77.God is my Hiding Place when I don't know how to go on. (Ps. 32:7)
78.I like being a substitute teacher
79.While You Were Sleeping in my favorite movie
80.You've Got Mail is my second
81.Casting Crowns is my favorite music group
82.I love Blue
83.I choose pink because it thrills my daughter
84.I miss Nora everyday
85.Nora and I have been friends for 20 years
86.I like my winter dishes
87.God is my Mediator when Kevin and I disagree. (1 Tim 2:5)
88.I love decorating the Christmas tree
89.I don't like yard work
90.I like power tools
91.I got a weed eater for my birthday
92.I don't like battery operated toys
93.I like my computer
94.I like technology gadgets
95.God is My Stronghold when the media is confusing and misleading. (Ps. 18:2)
96.I love making lists
97.I usually lose my lists
98.I have great parents
99.I like Yahoo
100.I have had the same email address for at least 12 years
101. I make great fudge
102.I drive a mini-van (but don't ask me to parallel park)
103.I don't scrapbook
104.I do put pictures in albums and even usually label them
105.I started my first diary when I was 10
106.God is my Good Teacher every day. (Mark 10:17)
107.I have at least 7 diaries (most are full)
108.I don't write so much anymore(one day I hope to again)
109.I like putting lights on my Christmas tree
110.I am learning about free will
111.I am learning to control my voice/tone better (at least trying)
112.I am 5' 7 1/2”
113.My hair was curly before kids
114.my hair is mostly straight after kids
115.I rearrange often
116.I wish I was more organized
117.I tend to pile
118.I like to plan
119.my dream job would be to gather resources for someone else
120.I like that my husband almost always drives us places
121.I get lost easily
122.I like directions that contain landmarks AND street names
123.I don't like directions with north south east west and distances.
124.I love algebra
125.Not so good at geometry (unless I can touch the pieces or draw the pictures)
126.I took wood shop in junior high
127.My favorite ice cream is Mocha Almond Fudge
128.My second favorite is Tin Roof Sunday
129.I dislike rap music ( A Lot)
130.KLOVE is my favorite radio station
131.Kevin and I married after 4 months of dating
132.I play piano (once in awhile)
133.I have fabulous in laws
134.I like toast with butter and cinnamon/sugar
135. I hate the lumps in cocoa
136.chocolate pie is my favorite
137.I make great lasagna
138.I tend to be more sarcastic than is necessary
139.I like shopping with another woman
140.I don't like to argue with anyone
141.I hardly ever wear makeup
142.I like to shower in the morning
143.I like plants
144.I have several houseplants that I regularly ignore
145.I have family pictures in every room
146.I love the Magic Eraser
147.I wanted to have five boys when I grew up
148.I am very very happy with my one boy and one girl
149.I would like to foster kids later in life
150.I hope there's lots of new animals in Heaven