Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Christmas Craft Day

It got cold last night, so I made sure that we played outside before the cold really hits. It was so nice and sunny today. We put the babies down for their morning nap and painted ornaments.
Isaac woke up of course.
I bought these on sale a long time ago, I think I had planned on doing a craft with babysitting kids, the church youth, or a Sunday School class. For once I'm not teaching the youth at church. I miss them though.
Dylan picked me lots of flowers.
They ate lunch outside.
After lunch, we went in to make cookies. They each made a batch. We had one of sugar cookies and one of gingerbread cookies. They really helped. Dylan cracked the egg into the bowl before I gave him the okay. Most of it went in the bowl and only one piece of shell landed inside. He's good at paying attention.


Then it was time for the older two to take a nap. They both went right to sleep while visions of sugar cookies danced in their heads. The cookies magically cooked and cooled before they woke up. I heard Malia singing "Jingle Bells" on the baby monitor and we went up to get her and Dylan. The babies were excited that I took the gate down from the stairs.

Unfortunately Dylan was wet when he woke up. He needed a bath. Before I knew it, Malia was in there too. So we had a pool party in the tub.
Noah is a little bully. There was no escaping him in that confined space. Dylan was complaining that he was pulling his hair. He pins Isaac all the time. He had ahold of Isaac's cheek earlier. There may be nail marks in Isaac's cheek still. He had Isaac even though I had put Noah up in the stationary jumpy chair because he kept stealing each toy that Isaac was holding. I thought I had crazy kids before, he's so full of fun and craziness.
We should have had bath time after this mess, but oh well. Only Malia's cheeks got messy I think. They did a great job decorating cookies for their daddys.

Malia was double double dipping - two spreaders at a time.
I asked him to bend down and put his face by the cookies. He did:) We were able to give a plate of cookies to our carolers. Good thing we made them!
Dylan was a helper all day. He really wanted to help with the laundry, so he loaded it all by himself.

I love my job:

My Sunday School teaching job. I don't get paid for this one, of course, but it's so fun. They're singing "Once There Was A Snowman" here. We made sticker nativities last week after the lesson. (My grandma made the table cloth, are you jealous?!)This week, we had the Christmas lesson. We played with nativities and they dressed up in character. These kids LOVE acting out the scenarios in the lessons. They're really good at it. We also cut snowflakes b/c I can always find a way to incorporate an object lesson with snow flakes because I LOVE them.
David gave me a present (two that he picked out himself at Wal-greens for $.99, he's so proud) and a card to me "and my little drummer boys." Then, Renee came caroling this evening! Steven took Dylan to visit Dita so it was just me and Isaac. Unfortunately they missed the singing. Funny story. I was putting Isaac in his PJs. I thought I heard the front door but told myself it was nothing b/c I don't want to start being scared if Steven's not here. Then I heard "Jingle Bells!!!!!!" Luckily I was dressed. I didn't have any make up on so I wondered if I should grab my mascara or the camera. You guessed it.

You can't see the chocolate chip pumpkin bread with a bow on it that Renee is handing to me.

A Warm December Morning

Yes, It's true, Isaac slept in his Bucs outfit from the day before. He was sleeping on the way home, I wasn't going to wake him up, would you? This was their breakfast. We poured juice into the trays the night before and Dylan remembered. I gave Isaac one too. I think it's cute.

Jake's Happy 12th Birthday

Jake had a fun birthday weekend. We were able to hang out with him for some of it.

We ate at the CPK then his parents surprised him by taking him to go get what he thought was going to be a video game(s). He had quite the entourage as we walked into the Apple store instead. He was like a celebrity. He was so happy!

The next day, we went to the first annual St. Petersburg Bowl to watch the USF. We won! It was Dylan and Isaac's first football game. The last college game for me was back at BYU. Everybody was so good. We had the best seats in the house. Close enough to be right there, but up enough to see over the coolers and guys on the bench. We were right on the 50 yard line too. It was hard getting Dylan to turn back to look at me for a picture although I think he still likes baseball better.

We took our own half time to go walk around. The boys LOVE Jake. Jake will soon be MY little babysitter. He let Isaac down some, but he likes holding him so much. The kids are crazy.
Isaac did get to run around. I only know b/c his knees had little scratches on them from him running and falling. The half time show was fun, so we stayed in our seats for that. We also liked watching the cheer leaders do back flips for each of our points. My brother would be jealous, not of watching the cheer leaders, but of them. He wants to do a back flip in place like that and has been practicing for a while. He'll get it. Maybe he should be a cheer leader. Too bad he doesn't read this, (JT). We left a little early since we were so far ahead in the game. I strapped Isaac to myself but Jake asked to hold him. Then he asked for the sling. It's a little big on him, but it worked. I think Jake's back must have been killing him by now. See the "Tropicana Field" in the background? The game was on the Rays' field. We felt right at home there.Happy Birthday Jake, we love you! Did you ever finnish your crossword birthday card we made you?

Jolly Belly

Dylan wanted to stop and say hi to Santa again. I had to pull the car over to feed or change Isaac and Dylan spotted him. Santa comes each year in the evenings and his helpers wave mini-vans (mom cars) in. They're in a beautiful median at the entrance to the Szasz neighborhood.

Here's the candy cane that Santa's elf gave to Dylan. I like his faces.
He's looking back at where Santa was.He said "Mom, you take a pic-too of me and the moo-maid?" Of course I'll take pictures of him with the "mermaid." We inched up close to Santa. Dylan didn't even give him a high five this time. I finally consented to getting in the picture since we had gotten out of the car and were the only family out there at the time. Isaac was NOT happy that Santa stood up for the picture.

I'm fat. I'll post this picture so that none of you will ever give me sweets, and that you will volunteer to watch my kids so I can go for a long run, or you'll get me a gym membership for Christmas (they have day care). Maybe you'll put me on the verbal abuse diet. (Steven's friends put him on it, like most diets, it's not that effective.) I know, I'm not owning up to this. Maybe I shouldn't have made sugar cookies with the kids today. We should have watched a work out show or something. Does anybody know of a good work out video? I'm in the market. I have a bigger belly than Santa.

Friday, December 19, 2008

'Tis the Season . . .

. . . to go to the mall. Luckily the boys don't hate shopping yet. Isaac LOVED the play area. He was climbing, sliding, walking, and tripping. He went up to lots of people and reached for their drinks. (He knows what a straw is and thinks everybody should share!) Dylan is more shy. He clung to my leg and wanted me to go with him to the house in the middle. There were a lot of crazy kids there. When we went later at night, when most kids are in bed, he played without me being right by him.

1st Christmas Program

Dylan, Malia, and the other two year olds in their class sang four Christmas songs then recited "Glory to God in the highest..., Luke 2:14." We sat in the sanctuary then waited for our cuteies to come in with their class. Malia and Dylan got ready in their room without us. The dress code for them was "Sunday Best or Christmas attire." Dylan and Malia went with Sunday Best. Everybody else seemed to be in red.Dylan and Malia's class went first. I snuck up next to the front row for some pictures.


Dylan wishes you a Verry Miss-mas and [a happy] New Year

Maybe he learned this from school???

The ugly sweater is from an ugly Christmas sweater party that Steven went to.

Oh, and I just finnished the Book of Mormon (again)! It took me over a year. I did it the old fasioned way. I tried with the http://www.readthescriptures.com/, so my daily readings could be sent to me, but I got behind then felt guilty and quit. I should have just done the chapter/day instead of customizing it so I'd read it by the end of the year. (Last year.) I'm just not consistant.

I have Isaac to thank. I set up his pack 'n play in the office and set up the rocking chair there. My scriptures are right there, so when I rock him to sleep, I read to him 'til I get sick of hearing myself talk (or if I'm reading wierd names,) I hum and read to myself. I should have been doing this all along. Seriously, that's what normal people do.

I love it too. Like always, it's hard to put him down, but he's still sleeping through the night!!! From 8 or 9pm 'til 6 or 7 something!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Snowfest in Florida

We went to the City of St. Pete's Snowfest. It was a nice warm day.
We got there in time to see some of the parade. Here's a live nativity scene. And here's the St. Pete Pride. They did the same dance/twirling in a parade in Key West. There's one pretty funny memorable guy in the front.
Dylan got a string of beads. Then we met up with 2Dylan. He brought these lolly pops. How festive!Funny facesThey ran around the Christmas tree.
My favorite pic of the day:Running to the mailbox to send his letter to Santa. (Prev post)Steven's showing Dylan how much fun the other kids are having sledding on the (quickly melting) snow. He's promising him it won't be like Stanley Falls at Busch Gardens. Maybe this guy's name was Dylan too. He looked right at the camera. Weeee!He loved the toddler one so . . . We took him to the big ride. I waited in line with him planning on having him sit on my lap. But then I asked if he wanted to go by himself and he did!
Here's a close up of my face. I was so worried about sending him down alone.
He and Dylan also went on another slide. He had a cute excited face when his head popped up over the slide when he was at the top.
He and 2Dylan did it again because there was hardly any line.

It's always fun to try to get a stranger to take a group picture with antsy kids and hungry husbands. Daniel's mom went with us, so she put up with our wiggles.
We love St. Pete.