Baby its cold outside!!!

So this morning we woke up and heard from Chris that it was suppose to snow today. I got excited and looked on weather bug. It says there is a 50% chance of rain/snow the next 3 days!!!! The west side of town has had snow today. Chris called today at noon to brag that he was driving through a snow storm on the west side of town!!! Yeah he will pay later. So since it was going to be cold I "bundled" up the kids as we left for the gym this morning and planned to go to play group at 10:30. Needless to say when I got out of the gym it was colder than when I went in (this was not the deterrent) and it was now raining. It has been raining ever since, and the temp has kept dropping. I love this weather. It makes me want to curl up in a blanket and drink hot chocolate and watch a sappy chick flick. Since that will not be happening I will settle for curling up with a blanket (and at least 1 kid) on the couch and watching kids shows. Here are some photos of what the kids looked like at 7:30 ready to brave the "cold." Yes I realize the 40 is relative but come on those who live here are not used to this.

Ganster Will

Annmarie loves the colors

Jeffrey's head is large but not as large as an adults. . . yet

Thanks to Monica for Jed's Hat.

Cute photos

Here are some photos of Sat and Sunday. It was a busy weekend we had Madi and Gideon over sat and Sunday nights (not sleeping but just for a few hrs). The kids love having others to play with.

This is Jeffrey on Sunday. I had to wake him to go to church so his hair was not combed and he was eating as we were leaving but he looked sooo cute I had to get a photo

A Christmas FHE Tradition

Last year the Kids and I joined the Freeman's and Graham's on a trip to the Belliago to see there Flower area decorated for Christmas. We went again this year and invited others but the only one who took us up on the offer was the Murdock's. They were fixing lights so the middle section was blocked off. It was still really pretty. Will had the camera most of the time so . . . yeah just look at the photos. The new photo on the top of the blog is from our trip there. I love visiting here during the spring because everything is made out of flowers, and smells soooo wonderful.

This is when all were still happy.

Here is a photo of Mya and Sophia

The huge Christmas tree

In case any of you wanted to see the intricate flooring there. Will is happy to oblige

The cherry picker basket. Will thought this was very important to take



See how much they love each other

Here is a pretty good shot by Will of the Grahams

last shot then off to get Ice Cream (that is a whole other story just ask Chris)

We really had a good time. Best off all it was FREE!!! hopefully this new tradition will continue next year.

Random thought

OK so I have really enjoyed listening to Christmas songs this year. But there is the Band Aid song that has me a little puzzled (Do they know its Christmas time). I think that is who sang it. The line goes "there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time" OK, If I am not mistaken Some of Africa is located in the southern Hemisphere. And this means there winter (when snow would come) is our summer. Plus what is not located in the Southern Hemisphere is located close to the equator but no further north than Florida. (this is a guess from looking at a map.) Yes there is a little bit of Geography in this post. Sadly I do enjoy the song but after actually listening to it is year this line has me just a little bugged.

The next post will have photos and an update from our fun family home evening Monday night

Singing Children

Chris is Posting this

On the way to the gym the children often ask to listen to music, they ask for "prophet," meaning the song 'We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet.' (Karen has a Church CD in the CD player) They sing along with the words pretty well. If they don't know the right word they usually improvise and use a word that sounds close. In one of the phrases that is supposed to sung is "the wicked who fight against Zion will surely be smitten at last" Will loudly and very clearly sings, "the wicked who fart against Zion will surely be smitten at last."

I did not know passing gas could doom you to hell. It is from the mouths of children.

Annmarie

The post color is also for her

I know that I usually express frustration with Annmarie when I post but this is a non frustration, she is cute post. Today as I was feeding Jed she comes in the room and gets on the bed then starts singing. What is she singing? well the one I remember the most is this "I just falled off the bed." repeat. Then there was "I found the blanket for my baby." the blanket was the washcloth. I love that she is singing what she is doing and making up her own songs. I remember making up my own songs when I was younger. Glad that I get to hear her songs. She also says some of the funniest things. The other day she was responding to a question that I asked her and she said "actually no I don't want it." What 3 year old actually says actually, especially in her cute 3 year old voice. As she has been running around in Will's shorts lately it reminds me how cute a little girl can be especially when they are a little tom boyish. I remember a niece of mine that found her brothers clothes and just wanted to wear them. I think soon she will be in that stage.

I guess that mostly today I just wanted to let Annmarie know that yes I do get frustrated with her but I love most of the things she does, and she is the cutest 3 yr old out there. No I am not biased. And I do love her. She is my favorite daughter as of today.

An early Christmas Present!!!!

My oven died late April. and we have been using a toaster over the last 6 months. which is funny because in my blog when I wrote it broke, I said it would probably be 6 months. Well almost exactly to the day I got an Oven!!!!!! I am so excited. I am ready to make snicker doodles!!!! They are my new favorite cookie. Costco's really are wonderful but cost etc, but my mom made great one's while she was here and hopefully I can repeat that feat. Here is what the new one looks like. It is nice to actually know when the oven has reached the right temp. Our old oven was probably 15 years old. Thanks to Chris for a great present!!!!

Decorating

Well last night we finally pulled out the Christmas boxes and started decorating.

This is what is going on as I am pulling out all the boxes.

Will was awesome with the garland. and the shatterproof ornaments.

Sorry it is fuzzy.

Annmarie is learning the art of hanging up the ornaments

I think this was the only one Jeffrey put on the tree. all the other ones he pulled down.

So now all things on the tree are 3 feet and up. Love toddlers :)

Here is what Jed did. I know this is a wow close up photo but I love it

This morning Will woke up and asked where the presents were. Yeah like we are gonna put them out before Christmas morning. The kids have been going though fun stages lately.

Actually Will has been doing awesome. He is being really good. I keep waiting for him to change back but hopefully he will only get better. His Pre-school teacher told Chris on Tuesday that he is one of the best behaved kids in the class and that she thinks he would do good in Kindergarten next year. We will decide on that one later but it is nice to know that he is good for others.

Annmarie has been continuing her screaming stage. I am hoping this stops soon. Other than that she is doing well. She asks to help me do things when she doesn't want to play in the room with the boys. Not that I blame her.

Jeffrey got a hair cut yesterday. Someone said he looks like Mark Harmon on NCIS. Wow could you pick my favorite TV character!!! also we (yes Chris also) noticed he has the looks where he looks just like his cousin Matt Rapier. Jeffrey also thinks he doesn't need naps anymore. Just ask anyone in a 5 mile radius of our church on Sunday. I was outside (all the way outside) for 45 min with him screaming. This is because he was so tired yet refused to go to sleep while I was holding him!!!! most days if is a huge fight to get him to even sleep during nap time. We are loving all of his stubbornness. We are still trying to figure out who he got that one. Neither will admit it is from our side. I think this might answer the question.

Jed is doing Awesome. Last night he slept from 10 - 6!!!! I feel almost human again. Isn't that a song on beauty and the Beast? Monday night we had our angle tree activity. Lots of people brought homemade treats. The sugar cookies, snicker doodles, and peanut butter chocolate things were too much to resist. (way to go Sage and Samantha). I decided this would be a good test to see if Jed really didn't like dairy or if it was all in my head. Yeah he really doesn't like dairy. At least now I'm sure sure and know it wasn't all in my head.

Exciting news with Chris. Today they bid shifts again and he got to go to the Day shift!!!!! yeah help at night!!! Can you tell I'm a little excited!!! Yeah heard today 12/4 that they took away a day position so Chris will be staying on swing shift. That's what happens when you get too excited.

Me . . . I am back at the gym and loving it!!! I am slowly returning to normalness and feeling actually like I can keep my house clean (Karen clean) again.