The big concert...

Tonight was the boy's big preschool Christmas concert. We had a great time. They all looked pretty cute in their "fancy" clothes and they were very proud of their performance.

The triple trouble. Emerson, Max and Rugby cheesing it up before the show. (the funny thing is they are in age order but it sure doesn't look like it) (hint-- Rugs is the oldest)
The beautiful greeters and program passer outers. They took their job very seriously. If someone didn't get a program they sought them out to get one to them. Very persistent little things, aren't' they?
Rugby's Christmas present (him as an angel)
Emerson's present-- the cheesiest angel I've ever seen!

Good job boys! You rocked!

Just a few funny pictures...

The last few weeks we have been experimenting with the kids sleeping arrangements so that there will be no more talking and goofing around. Well, apparently we've tried one two many combinations because Brecky got up to go potty in the night and couldn't remember where she should go. She ended up crashing in Zoey's bed and we had to take her back to her own room. :)
Santa and his little helper...
I love when they play dress up!
Yes, the hat was a little too tight. You can tell because it's smooshing his eyebrows all crazy.
Em ate dinner with his new winter hat on-- I think he likes it...

Not Tim's Best Day...

This has not been the best few days for Timmy. Last week I was gone and he manned the house all by himself (really well, I might add). This week I had to have double knee surgery and so he couldn't put his apron away for very long. I'm doing fine and everyone is surviving here but Tim could be better. This morning he dropped the shampoo bottle directly on his little toe in the shower and split it open. Then he cut his hand open trying to do something for me.... and then to top it off, he went outside to shovel for the millionth time and came in with these pants. They happen to be his favorite corduroy pants (that he shrunk while I've been out of it... apparently he thought I said everything should be washed on HOT HOT instead of nothing should be washed on HOT HOT-- only sheets) (so close and yet so far from right). Well, between the ice and the shrinkage he ripped them from top to bottom and no, I can't fix them honey... poor poor Timmy.... I'll be back in commission soon! Hang in there buddy!

More snow...

We got a lot of weird snow again. This time we got some freezing rain to coat everything. It looks so pretty in the trees. Everything seems to glow.

This is out in the back yard. It's hard to see but the ice is glistening in the trees.
Rugby and the latest outdoor toy-- the snow fling. You stuff it into the snow and it makes the perfect snowball. You use the stick to fling it and the stick also doubles as a distress horn. The kids really love these little gadgets.
Breckyn stopping for a little snow snack...
Em and a bigger snow snack...
Zo and her snow fling...
Dad and Z outside testing out the new toy. Yes, this shirt is from the Christmas tree lot that we cut our trees at. It's pretty funny and very fitting.

My littlest friends...

I got a chance to see some of my favorite little friends last week. We jammed ourselves into the car where ever we went. Poor Cheri got the back seat because she has the smallest buns (wait, maybe that should be poor me for having the biggest buns..... naah, front seat rules!)

Here are the back seat smooshies.... I taught Cam to say, "Leca, favorite!" It drove Cheri nuts-- but I was loving it. You teach that kid anything and he'll just keep repeating and repeating and repeating. I think we are going to switch him from the turtle to the parrot. You can see just a hint of "big teaser" in his eyes.
This little guy didn't care where he was as long as there was food... He is such an amazing little man. Rex is a really good baby with a smile that melts your heart.
Our fearless driver-- aren't you suppose to be looking at the road Cass?!?
I love these big blue eyes. How handsome!
This is my little hot nugget. He let me snuggle the guts out of him. I just love to be the aunt instead of the mom because being the aunt you don't have to follow any rules-- it's just the good stuff. I had sooooo much fun seeing my littlest friends, they are pretty cool.

Let it snow...

Saturday we got about 4 inches of snow followed by a lot of sleet and freezing rain. It was nasty but we tried to take advantage of the snow part for a little Saturday afternoon fun with the kids. It was really wet and really really cold-- they loved it!

B and Z in the snow (If this was California that might have been a surf board and they would be in swim suits but since we live in the tundra it's a sled and those are parkas) (and parkas aren't that flattering truthfully speaking)
The reward after the cold-- hot chocolate!
I just couldn't resist his cheeks in this hat-- too cute!


Here is the gang enjoying some fun in the snow...

This is the "oopsie" of the day...

The girlies trying to double up on a sled-- those were the days. I remember trying to do this on a much smaller sled with Cheri and getting the giggles so bad we almost peed our pants.

The big party...

Today we had a Christmas party for the girlies and a few of their friends. They had a great time and so did we. I made stations for the kids to go to and it went pretty smoothly.

This was the snowflake and gingerbread ornament station. They were too into it to even look...
Here is the beaded wreath and candy cane station...
The card making station. (the girl on the end is Madison Z's best best friend)
The very popular cookie frosting station.
They loaded on everything I put out... very creative!

Breckyn was asking about making it an even bigger party next year. (that was before the party even started-- she's a big thinker)

I did it!!!!!

Well, I did it again. I tend to get myself over involved in quite a few things. Example... I offer to help the boy's preschool teacher with the Christmas program.... a few minutes later I'm in charge, I have dead lines, and can I provide the costumes? Yes, I completely do this to myself. I have a habit of saying yes to anything. So when I stopped in to see if the music teacher at the girls school needed any last minute help (which means they usually have everything covered and I still get the credit for offering) I said yes to perhaps the most idiotic thing I've ever volunteered for. She asked me to sew (no I don't really sew) 20 pairs (that's 40 gloves people-- 40!!!)of fingerless gloves with red stripes. I said yes-- the words actually came out of my mouth as I'm calling myself an idiot in my head!!! I tried to take the easy way out by calling manufacturers and searching on line. Who knew that no one actually makes whore gloves with red stripes! All I can say is whatever they are doing with them had better be good because this has taken me much much time to muster together. So I ended up going to Target and buying knit mittens and cutting the tops off of them, sewing on red ribbon, and then gluing down the middles (because I couldn't figure out a way to sew the middles). AHHHHHHH! I think I know who Rugby gets his "learn the lesson the hard way" from.... it's me...

Here they are and I even sewed an extra pair just in case. She needed a few girl ones with lace so I sewed that too.
Every time I tried these on to make sure they were working I was thinking, "what the heck is she going to do with these?" It better be amazing...

decorating for the big day...

We had a great weekend filled with lots of decorating and lots of excited kids. They all wanted to get a chance to help out so Tim and I put on the lights while they were napping and when they woke up we let them go nuts with the tree.

They had to take turns with the stool to reach the top section.
Tim has been diligently working on his decorating too. This took him an afternoon and several trips to Lowe's and I have a feeling he isn't done yet.
Here's the finished product. (although the arrangement changes daily because the kids just can't leave it alone)
Here are the family stockings. Yesterday I was out and found a tiny one to match ours for Scuttles. The kids were very concerned that Santa might forget him and he needed one too. They have made Scuttles the official look-out for Santa since he is up all night. The only flaw is trying to get Scuttles to tell us what he saw.... hmmmm.... yeah, we are still working the bugs out of that plan.

Christmas trees...

Today is our annual "freeze your tushy off to cut down your own Christmas tree" day. This year we had the Barlows along and it made for a fun family adventure. We walked around for quite a while in 25 degree weather to find the perfect tree.

Here is all the gang ready for our adventure...
Dad and Jodi (yes, that circa 1970s orange snowsuit goes all the way down... watch out ladies)
Chloe and Barlow (I'm pretty sure her eyes are frozen like that-- they'll thaw out later)
I love when their hats squish their faces like that.
Em was not feeling the Christmas spirit today. He kept asking everyone to carry him and begging someone to take him home. We're making memories kid-- and you're gonna like it!!!Here are the boys off loading the trees...
Mom looking quite angelic in her new all white winter gear. For a woman who hates winter, she sure makes it look good.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble gobble! We had quite the day filled with family and food. We had a small gathering at the Taylor house this year. We were down to the Barlows, my parents and us. (don't think that it was any less noise though) Here we are celebrating and stuffing our faces full...

Breckyn wanted us to be in the "true" Thanksgiving garb... Em was glad to be an Indian.Breckyn is a Pilgrim...
Pretty pretty Chloe...
Max gettin' into his egg nog...
Em lovin' Aunt Jodi for bringing Root beer for the kids... thanks Jo!
Dad enjoying having sons to watch some football with... GO PACKERS!
The kids out in their pjs early this morning to play in the new snow. (Em is still not too sure about it)
Em getting a closer look to check for safety...
Pretty sure Rugs was not checking for safety (tip #1-never eat yellow snow). Actually a little while after this picture was taken he came in spitting out dirt and mulch because he tried to lick snow off of the mulch pile. I think he actually prefers to learn things the hard way.
The crowning moment of the day was when Tim came downstairs to greet our guests looking like this. I can tell you that I was not pleased. After several hours of dirty looks from me he is now back to being clean shaven-- that was a close one! He gets a truck and all the sudden he thinks he's Hulk Hogan-- geesh! It could have been worse-- at least he didn't try to rip off his shirt and wrestle someone.