Happy Holidays!

We are in the midst of the Holiday season and loving it.  We've been pretty busy around here, as I am sure you all have been too.

Cal practicing some flips...he's excited for the holidays!


It snowed last week much to our kids' delight!  As the snow started we actually headed out to a church in Crocker that does a "Journey to Bethlehem".  We went last year and loved it.  Sorry...no pictures this year.  You start in the church and see the King Herod scene.  Then you get a type of passport for the census and head off to find baby Jesus.  We stopped and saw "family" along the way, ran into Roman soldiers and even had one of our family members taken by soldiers because of insufficient papers.  We then stopped at different inns and finally ended up by the manger where the baby lay. I hope that we can find some sort of live nativity to go to next year!

On Monday the girls wanted to venture out into the snow.  I have been surprised at how much they want to go outside.  It's cold!




A week ago we also went to the Nutcracker.  If I would have known what it really was, I would have enjoyed the performance more (or not gone).  During the scene where the Sugar Plum Queen is entertaining Clara, there was a dance recital.  In place of Tchaikovsky songs, the students danced to songs with words like candy and sweets and sugar in them (I guess keeping with the Sugar Plum Fairy theme).  Anyway, after the "recital" the Nutcracker resumed. It was fun though seeing my little neighbor friend perform!

On Wednesday Elden had another follow-up appointment in Columbia.  The girls and I went with Lee and Elden.  Lee took Elden to the appointment while I went shopping with the girls.  My friend Kathryn picked up the boys from school and watched them till we got back. Thanks Kathryn!!! Overall Elden is doing pretty well! He should be caught up by his next visit this coming June. That night we went to the ward Christmas party.  The theme was a pioneer Christmas.  We missed the first part--some activities--and got there in time for dinner and then the program.  We all sat on blankets for dinner and the program. 


Elden was being quite calm around Tanner.




Elden loved having Haley's scarf on!










Last night we went to Rolla and saw the light display at the Loin's Park.  I surprised everyone with the little outing, and we stopped at Little Caesar's and got pizzas for dinner.  It was very fun.  We stopped at a couple of stores too. While we were waiting in line to go into the park I had quite the time waking up Cal, Shanna and Haley.  They were sound asleep. I dumped water on Cal's head and was patting the kids on the cheeks and moving them around...they eventually woke up. It was a fun outing.

We've been up to other things too.  The boys are done with school for two weeks (YAY!).  They enjoyed their school parties, which included book exchanges--which I think is a great idea! Both have been playing with friends after school and on the weekends.

On the 18th our friend came over around 10pm to drop off their kids.  His wife was in labor and they needed to get to the hospital.  It was cute because when their little girl Ana laid down for bed, Shanna went up and stroked her hair and spoke comforting words to her.  It was very sweet.

About a week and a half ago I went and volunteered at the school. I have never done this before and I should go more while it's still fun to see mom at school.  I helped out during lunch hour with opening milk, wiping up spills, mediating tattling, etc.  I was slightly shocked to see everyone dressed up in their coats--immediately after they eat they go outside.  Now I know why Clark gets his jacket dirty sometimes!  So anyway, while I was walking around helping kindergartners, some of the kids were wondering who I was. I told them I was Cal's mom.  They were wondering who Cal was (they are in the other kindergarten class). One kid said, "He's that black kid."  Too funny!  Nope, not my kid!

And since I am on the lines of randomness I finished making our yearly matching pajama pants yesterday.  I messed up on cutting mine, so I had to do some tricky resewing.  At least I thought it through enough to do the weird sewing stuff on the back pant leg. To back up a little more we had our friends the Stockhoffs and the Tribes over to play games--which was really fun!--and this past Thursday went to a little bit of the band concert on base.  It would have been great to stay longer but taking a 21 month old to a concert isn't the best idea, so we didn't stay long.

On Friday Lee and I got to go on LONG date!  THANKS KRISTI!!!  We went to Lee's work party first.  They do a gift swap every year.  At first Lee picked out a big box which ended up to be a crock-pot.  It was funny because I just bought a 2nd one on Black Friday and although a 3rd crock-pot would be nice, it would be slightly un-necessary.  Someone took our crock-pot so we got to pick out something else.  Lee got a Scentsy plug-in thing (for me)!  I am enjoying it!  After the party we stopped at Wal-mart really quick, and then did our big holiday grocery shopping at the commissary.  It was so fun buying lots food!  We spent well over a month's worth of money on groceries for just this one holiday week. IT WAS SO FUN! I did buy some extra things, like cereal, because it was a pretty good deal.

Happy Holidays everyone!  We are excited for Daniel's family to arrive and for the Christmas festivities.  Hopefully my older kids haven't spoiled anybody's Christmas.  I am a grinch and am quite frank with my kids that Santa is not real (or emphasize that Santa is their Dad).  But now we are faced with the problem of teaching our kids to not tell other kids about it--it's not going so well. So if you are wondering why your kid suddenly doesn't believe in Santa, my kids probably told them at the playground at school.

The weeks are flying by and we had another great one.  I'll give you some highlights, not in order:

-I hosted preschool at my house
-Had friends over to play
-Boys went to friends' houses to play
-Went to a birthday party
-Enjoyed Stake Conference meetings
-Did some sewing
-Visited my brother in Sullivan MO (thanks for the treats Sam!)
-Did more holiday shopping
-Worked on Visiting Teaching
-Decorated for Christmas

We enjoyed the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.  Every year the Prophet, (currently President Thomas S. Monson) and his counselors (now Henry B. Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf) hold a Christmas devotional.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang, accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square and the Presidency gave great talks on the wonderful season of celebrating our Savior's birth, keeping the true meaning of Christmas in our homes, and spending time to help uplift those around us.  Watch it here: First Presidency Christmas Devotional. The Christmas season seems to officially begins with this devotional.

This morning we took a few pictures...or attempted to.
 















Hope you are all enjoying the season!  I love getting cards in the mail, listening to Christmas music, shopping and planning, reading Christmas stories, watching Christmas movies, going to a live nativity, acting at the nativity, caroling, reading from Luke 2 and etc....I just love it!  Every year Lee and I listen to the book A Christmas Carol on CD and watch the movie (Patrick Stewart plays Scrooge in my favorite version).  We better get the CD soon and get cracking. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since school got out in May we've traveled somewhere out of state each month (except for August--we did go to St. Louis, but that is a monthly trip anyway).  It's been great. Lee and I love road trips and our kids don't seem to mind them either. Well, we kept it going and in November we headed up to good ol' Iowa to visit my sister Deb and her family and meet up with my brother Daniel and his family.  I love getting together with family for the holidays! The town where my sister lives is one of my favorite towns.  It's large enough to have everything you need and want, but small enough to feel very homely and neighborly. 

We arrived the night before Thanksgiving--of course I had to stop at Target that night to get Cambell's cream soups for $0.50 each! I helped a little bit that morning/afternoon with keeping the dishes clean and even made some pies. Deb made the dough for the crust, but I did do one batch of pumpkin pie "batter". 


The FEAST!  It was oh so good.  Thanks Deb and Amy!  Before we eat we have a prayer, then we go around the table and each person says three things they are thankful for.  Three kernals of popcorn are placed at each place setting--to represent three things we are thankful for.  I love that part of the Thanksgiving dinner.






See that yummy, yummy pan full of twice-baked potatoes?  One of my favorite things at Thanksgiving!








The aftermath. Elden was napping during the dinner and woke up pretty much when we were all done eating. 


The king of the table, and a little cutie!




I tried out a criss/cross/braiding thing for this apple pie.




The Talent Show!








Of course, the annual Thanksgiving Day Race! IT WAS SO COLD!


And they're off!  And I headed back inside...Paul won the race.


That night we watched Race to Witch Mountain--very fun.  After the movie Lee and I headed to Walmart for the first shopping of Black Friday.  We were gone only an hour.  I updated my budget and went to sleep around 1:30am.  Paul and I got up at 3:40am and took off to Target.  Deb met up with us about 20 minutes later.  Black Friday we went to 15 stores and didn't get home till 4:30pm.  It was so FUN!  I got some great deals, of course, and a little start on Christmas shopping.  I admit, the main reason I wanted to go to Deb's for Thanksgiving was to go shopping with her.  A few years ago when I was pregnant with the twins (and didn't know it quite yet--the twin part that is--I definitely knew I was pregnant and my belly showed it!) Lois and I were at Deb's for Thanksgiving and we went out shopping.  It was a blast.  I knew it would be just the same this year. Shopping with sisters is the best.  The best store that day: Target.  I was at the cash register and had grabbed the wrong toy.  They held my stuff and let me go back and get the right one--I didn't have to wait in line again!  Best buy of the day: My new $2 fleece hat and glove set from Target.  It was C-O-L-D in Iowa and they kept me nice and warm!

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we hung out and took a short trip to the park.  They have a great park just a few blocks away from Deb's house.








I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We are ever grateful for our many blessings and our wonderful family and friends!

More Fall Happenings

A couple of weeks ago Lee attended two conferences in San Fransisco for continuing education.  Thanks to all you tax payers (and the Army) for footing the bill.  He learned some great things and received over 30 credit hours!   





Am I the only one that has no idea about this building in the background?






My week while Lee was gone wasn't great and one that I wish not to repeat.  There were some highlights: the kids were pretty good at church for me (thanks to Bro. Bogle and Nadine for taking Elden!!!), a fun visit with my parents, talking/chatting with my sisters and Lee, and great visiting teaching appointments with my wonderful companion, Kathryn.  Some lowlights: getting strep throat again within about a month, and going to the doctor three separate times (with kids in tow). 

I have been working on some Christmas things and here are the results of one big project:








Today I will make skirts for the girls' Christmas outfits.  I have some leftover fabric (just BARELY enough) that I am using. I've cut everything out, just need to start sewing.

Elden is doing great with walking.  It's so fun seeing him walk around.  He likes spaghetti too.



Yep, four of the kids are on one chair helping me bake something. It's fun cooking/baking with the kids.