Merry Christmas

white christmas

We have been hit with snow storm after snow storm lately, but it is great to have a white Christmas. These pictures are from the first storm last weekend.

Everybody working together to dig us out.Ian marched after his daddy shoveling the sidewalk. Ian discovers a new ball, a SNOWball. This made it so that he was frozen solid by the time we could get him to come inside.

OH, you better watch out . . .

I was surprised when I pulled this trio out of Cali's backpack. I don't know if it was the menacing eyebrows and fiery belly on the one on the left, the razor toothed ballerina in the middle, or the three eyes on the belly of the one on the right that I found to be the most festive. Merry Christmas, OR ELSE.

must be santa

We just had our ward party with the visit from Santa that I am always thankful for because it saves me from the line at the mall. Ian was running around like a wild man so he didn't get a photo. Next year, buddy.

christmas pageantry

Kimi decided that for family home evening last night we should start practicing our Christmas pageant that we do with the kids at Christmas. If you heard Pres. Eyering on Sunday he talked about this tradition with his family. I imagine his children looking and acting cherubic and holy through theirs (aside from pegging Samuel the Lamanite with tinfoil rocks). This is how our family's goes: Kimi and Cali fighting over who gets the part of Mary, up until now Kimi has been Joseph but refuses to do it this year, Ian the unwilling shepherd who throws the sheep and runs away, no one saying what they are asked or being willing to sing any songs, Cali the angel deciding to fly (jump) to the manger from the couch and getting in trouble as she crashes into the scene. It wasn't exactly a holy night for us, but I managed to snap one picture of a semi-cherubic pose. After that we went on a drive to see Christmas lights and the best part of that was hearing Ian yell, "Wow!"

Four!

Kimi had a great birthday! She only wanted a Mariposa Barbie, and has wanted it for months. I have never seen anyone be so confident that they were getting what they wanted either. She told everyone that is what she was getting, and recognized the wrapped box when she saw it, so we made her open that last. Kimi requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I thought it was a little funny because she usually doesn't eat any chocolate. Sure enough, she didn't want her cake. She told me "I didn't want it for me, I wanted it for all of you guys!" We also found a new way to entertain Ian: hang some streamers from the doorways.

four years ago

This is the day we met our "little" Kimi.

Who knew what a character she would turn out to be.

mooshed offerings

Ian has entered the phase in life where he has to give me some of whatever he is eating. He seems to really enjoy feeding me. So far today it has been slobbery cheerios, and a handful of oatmeal. He acts really upset if I don't take it. (I admit I pretended with the cheerio and refused the oatmeal.) I am glad he is learning to share, but I think I could live without these culinary delights.

another incident

Note to self: do not leave make-up where Ian can reach it. Does anyone know how to wash foundation out of clothes?

walking in a winter wonderland

We had our first snow that didn't melt by lunchtime yesterday. This was Ian's first time to play in the snow, and he LOVED it, until, that is, he realized the cold made his hands start hurting. (Note the little green glove in the snow that he had just ripped off.) Then we had to go in and get warmed up pronto. At first he wouldn't go out in it and just stared.He got over that pretty quick.

It was a great storm. Just perfect for curling up with some hot chocolate.

she's inherited my neatness

This is how Cali's papers look when she pulls them out of her backpack after school. It is fun to sift through it all looking for something that might be important.

feeling blue

Note to self: make sure no markers are within Ian's reach. Luckily it all came off the kitchen floor. (and Ian after a good scrubbing)

my little monsters

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I am putting up a lot of pictures, but this is both about Cali's parade at school and trick-or-treating at night.

Cali went to school as a cheerleader (Halloween outfit #2) This is the sight that greeted Ian, Kimi, and I as we were finding our seats at the elementary school. He was up on stilts and I thinked I was more freaked out by him than the kids.

Waiting for the parade to begin. Aren't they sweet?
It didn't last. Here's Ian trying to escape.

Another monster, as we are waiting some more.
FINALLY, Here comes the parade! Cali was the second kid in line, so then we had to sit through the rest of the school filing past. It was all worth it to see how happy Cali was to see us, because I had told her we might not come.
Here is Cali in outfit #3 for this Halloween, along with Kimi the Tiger. Kimi was going to be the pumpkin until the day before Halloween, or I might have gotten some stripes on her outfit. (at least I tell myself I might have.)Here is Ian the little crab. I couldn't believe he left the hood on because he could barely see around it, but he left it on all night. He was so funny running around in this suit.
Here he is kicking the bucket. hahahaha. He wanted it to be a ball. And the badminton raquet really isn't part of the costume if you were wondering, he just carries it aroud to swing at things, in this case his candy bucket.
Off they go trick-or-treating. Scott was trying to convince Ian to trade him.

The weather was so great. It was actually a year you didn't have to plan your outfit around a winter coat.
What a fun Halloween!

trunk-or-treat

Last night was our ward's trunk-or-treat. Kimi had been dressed up for it since she got up in the morning. In the rush to get out the door we forgot her witch's hat. :( Ian had woken up from his nap with a fever and was acting miserable so he stayed home with Daddy (this morning he is perfectly fine.) It was a fun time with just us girls.
Here's Cali sending a zebra pinata into orbit.

Whack it, Kimi.
I put their candy buckets on top of the fridge when I went to bed so they wouldn't be into them when they got up in the morning. When I got up they had their buckets and the loot was spread all over the family room floor. I guess Kimi held a bar stool steady while Cali scaled up and got the goods. At least they are learning team work.

fall fun at Gardner Village

Our Relief Society has started up their "adventure group" again. This group takes field trips to places fun for little kids. I am very excited about it because most of the time I hear about these things way after the fact, and it is a lot more fun when you have other people to go with.

So, our first outing was last Friday to Gardner Village, a boutique shopping place that is made up of lots of cute little cottages. It was super-decked out for Halloween. Cali was in school so she won't be in any of the pictures.

This is Kimi and a different Ian hamming it up. The witch was really hula-hooping.

Everybody laughed at how Kimi would strike her poses and she was given the name "Miss Darling Dimples." Here is Kimi with my Ian and a few of the other kids.

There's that pose.
I really wanted to get a good picture in this old buggy, but there was a stream with ducks nearby, and Ian was just a little excited about it as you can see. That spout of green stuff was really running into the steaming cauldron. Kimi was fascinated.

I had to leave after only being there for about 45 minutes because it was a short day for Cali. I will definitely be going back next year though!