Merry Christmas!

Christmas Fun

We have our Christmas stuff up and I have been trying to do some Christmas activities with the kids to keep them busy and get them in the holiday spirit. We have 3 advent calendars that we have been trying to remember to do. The first is a chocolate calendar. My mom gave the kids one and they have been fighting over who gets the chocolate. Then my wonderful visiting teacher came over and brought one for each of the kids. Now we have no more fighting but we seem to be having a hard time remembering to open one each day. So the kids often get to eat more then one chocolate in a day. But they don't seem to mind. 

Our second calendar is a tin calendar I made last year. Each tin has a message in it with something for us to do that day. We've REALLY been slacking at doing these. I've still be trying to do the activities, we just don't always do them on the right day. So far we have.... gone to the Mission Inn to see Christmas lights, got Hot Chocolate, saw Santa, made candy ornaments, made Christmas cookies, decorated gingerbread houses, watched several Christmas specials, learned more about Jesus, and watched the LDS dvd "Joy to the World" about the birth of our Savior.  It has been a great start to our Christmas season.Our 3rd calendar is 25 tiny books that you read each day that talks about the Nativity and each persons role in Jesus' birth. We've been REALLY really bad at doing this one. Maybe next year we can be better about our Christmas traditions.

(These are our ornaments we made out of lifesavers.)

 

 

 We had John's family come over and do the gingerbread (graham cracker) houses with us. 

The kids had a great time. I glued the houses together to avoid the frustration of the walls not staying together. I thought it was a GREAT idea. Some of the kids did not think so, they wanted to eat their crackers. Maybe next year I will let them decide.

Today Madison turned 4 years old. She is so excited that this day has finally arrived.

Charles has been getting two vitamins for a few years now and she keeps asking when she gets two. A while ago we told her when she turns 4 she gets 2 vitamins. So for months now when we talk about her birthday or ask her when her birthday is she would say she gets 2 vitamins on her birthday. So you could imagine her excitement today. 

 

Today was a pretty ordinary day for us. Last night just before I went to bed I realized I only had 4 balloons to put in her room. While John was blowing them up one popped and by morning a 2nd one deflated also. Since I failed at filling her room with balloons I wrote a message on her mirror doors. Which she didn't even see since at 2 AM she woke up screaming and came into our room. Charles was the first to see the remaining 2 balloons and the message in her room. 

I think I need to plan better next year.

We decided to take her out to dinner for her birthday. We went to our favorite place, Red Robin! She was so happy that they gave her ice cream. 

We had her birthday party on Sunday so nothing really exciting happened today. 

But the party was lots of fun.

Madison always asks for a princess party but for some reason I just can't bring myself to give her a princess party. So I always try to find a new theme that she likes. This year was tricky. I kept giving her all kinds of idea, none if which she liked. Then I stumbled upon a blog and the author had a Pajama and Pancake party for her daughter. I threw the idea and Madison and surprisingly she LOVED it. So we sent out the invites and had all our family wear their pajamas.

It was lots of fun and most people, even adults wore their pajamas. As the kids arrived we had them decorate door hangers. Madison LOVES stickers and was so excited to share this activity with her favorite people.

 

   

We did a pancake toss and a pancake relay. 

 

 

 

 

The kids LOVED it. Charles is still talking about it weeks later. For dinner we served breakfast! Pancakes, sausage, eggs, and juice. It was wonderful and super easy. And the best part was, ALL the kids LOVED dinner. That doesn't happen very often with our extended family. 

And of course we had cupcakes!

 

It was a great day!

Independence

Claudia has become very independent recently when it comes to eating. She wants to do it all by herself. Which is pretty normal for her age. So I accept the mess and let her learn. She really does LOVE this freedom!

 Look at that adorable face! 

Some times she even rubs it in her hair. So gross!

8 years

Wow! I can't believe it's been 8 years. It doesn't even seem like it. 

8 Years ago yesterday I married the Love of my Life and we became Eternal companions. I am so lucky to have John as my husband. He is AMAZING and means the world to me. 

I can't wait to see where the future takes us.

Adult Supervision Required

I decided that other day to give the kids something to do other than watch T.V. and fight. So I gave them each a bowl of rice and put several small items in each so they could find them. I thought they would love it. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take a little nap on the couch since Claudia was sleeping. 

I guess I was WRONG!

 

Madison  decided that she wanted it to SNOW in our house. So she walked around the kitchen sprinkling her rice ALL OVER THE PLACE. I was half asleep and remember Charles asking me if he could use the vacuum to clean up the mess and I kept telling him to get the small broom. He was pretty persistent that the broom would NOT work. So I got up and found this huge mess. I guess it was not the best time to take a nap! Note to self, do NOT give the kids rice without supervision.

Tommy Boy

"Is there a mark on my face? 

It doesn't hurt here or here, but right her in this region." 

 "Nope no mark."

"Man it really hurts."

 (this is the best picture I could get that showed the mark well.She looks more like a Pirate.)

The other night Madison was running around the house and slammed right into the corner of the wall. When I saw the bruise and red line appearing I immediately thought of Tommy Boy. Poor girl had this nice red mark on her face. I asked her if it hurt and she said only when I do this (as she squeezed on her cheek with her fingers. It was too funny!) I was very grateful there was NO blood. I CAN NOT do blood.

Halloween

 Master YODA

 

Pirate Girl 

(can you tell she wasn't feeling well.)

Zebra

 

 

Claudia LOVED her costume and giggled every time we put it on.

Halloween for us is ALWAYS very eventful. On Thursday we had Mom Garthe's annual work Halloween party filled with lots of food, games, and fun!

 

 

Friday we had our ward Trunk or Treat. 

Madison woke up in the middle of the night on Thursday night with a fever and a lovely CROUP cough. Then she threw up all over me. So after giving her Tylenol and resting on Friday she was finally feeling a little better. We took her to the trunk or treat anyway. On the way there she kept telling me her stomach hurt, I kept telling her she was probably hungry and just needed to eat. When we got there she asked to go to the bathroom so as I was walking her to the bathroom she PUKED ALL OVER ME and all over the hallway and bathroom of the church. Yeah! Not so fun!!! But she did feel much better after that. John and I cleaned everything up and then her and I hung out in the back of the car until Charles was done trunk or treating. 

Saturday morning John and I went with our friends the Woolfs to the Newport Temple for a session. (Oh how I miss going to that Beautiful temple. There will always be a special place in my heart for that temple.) Then we went to Cafe Rio for some YUMMY lunch. It was our first time and we really really enjoyed it!

After lunch we picked up the kids from my parents house and headed to John's parent's house for a birthday party for my nephew Nathan. After the party we headed back to my parent's house to attend their ward Trunk or Treat party. Madison fell asleep on the way back to my parents and stayed asleep on the couch. So John stayed there with her while I took Charles and Claudia to the party. Charles loved it! They had a Star Wars room. It was really neat. They gave each person a light saber then the walked in and were taught how to fight and then they had to fight Darth Vader. It was pretty cool. Charles wasn't too into trick or treating and Claudia just sat in the stroller and enjoyed her sucker. It was a nice mellow night, which included NO VOMITING so that was good!

On Sunday we had our friend the Johnson's over for dinner and pumpkin carving. We had a BLAST catching with them and letting the kids play. 

 

Can you tell the kids were NOT happy about having their picture taken! Haha!

Then Monday was another eventful day. I babysat my friends little boy Parker, we had a Halloween party at the park with some friends from church and preschool. Then we went to Charles' school to see him participate in their Halloween Parade. Then we did some Trick-o-Treating around our neighborhood when John got home from work. The kids really enjoyed it and were not shy about knocking on doors. 

 

Definitely a VERY busy couple of days. But a LOT of FUN!