Chores

After enduring a long Monday home with all the kids (and Brian back at work), I felt like singing "and mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again!" So, I decided to make a new plan for the rest of the week. Chores - one of my new favorite things! I made lists for both Kaylee and Kyler. Each day they wake up to a new list. If we get all the items checked off for all 4 days (Tuesday through Friday) then I will take them to the dollar store on Saturday(they love that place!) The lists have kept them busier which means less time to be bored or fighting. I've also learned that unloading the dishwasher is now the favorite and easy chore! Kaylee did is yesterday while I was outside and I was amazed that she put everything away perfectly! It's kind of nice to have the kids getting a little older.

P.S. Yeah for new renters!

Christmas Week

We had a GREAT Christmas week. We enjoyed staying home a lot, having easy dinners, and being together. Here are the kids showing off their new jammies they opened on Christmas Eve. The kids were nice enough to not wake us up until 7:30 am on Christmas morning! I was a little surprised, but happy that it wasn't earlier. We had a lot of fun presents including my new camera that I have been enjoying for a month now. Other favorites were a Walle for dad, hats for Tyson, scooter for Kyler, and a desk for Kaylee. Kaylee and Kyler were really happy when Santa was able to come through on their last minute request of a checkers game (they came up with that idea on the 23rd!) This is the first Christmas that we have stayed home all day, not having to go anywhere, and I loved it! I recommend it to everyone! We made a quick trip to Logan the day after Christmas to see both sets of Grandparents. What a fun time of year.

Snow fun

It's days like today that I was so happy that I didn't have to go anywhere. I could enjoy the snow from the inside where it was warm. After a yummy breakfast, we did get out and play for a while. We started with shoveling, each of the kids having their own shovel (they loved that!). Then, we built snowmen, a fort, snowballs, sledding, and then more shoveling. I think my favorite part was when Brian was so excited to use his truck and tow rope to pull the neighbor's car out of the snow. I enjoyed watching the kids have fun and taking lots of pictures. Here are just a few. I think the falling snow messed up my focus a little, but I thought these were still cute.

Family Party

This last weekend we enjoyed time with my whole family! Everyone was able to make it up to Emily's house. We had fun playing games, having a cousin sleepover, visiting, watching a movie projected onto the wall, eating tons of yummy food, visiting with Santa, exchanging Christmas gifts, and much more. Thanks for hosting Emily and Micah. I thought it turned out great!

Christmas Fun

Christmas time always keeps us busy. We went to:

Kaylee's class program,

Kaylee's piano recital,

and the sing a long at the school where Kaylee and Kyler both performed with their grades.

The Painting Crew

So, we've been painting the boys room. I've tried to be creative and step out of my box a little. We came up with a fun idea to try. It has been some work, but I've also enjoyed the project. It is coming right along. Yesterday, I decided to be a nice mom and let the kids in on the fun (after all, it is in their room). They were quite the helpers. They all enjoyed themselves and by the time we were done we had paint in and on hair, ears, hands, tummies, lips, etc... (I was too lazy to find a paint shirt for Tyson, so we just went without.) We now have the blue done, but have more colors to go. Enjoy the sneak peak, that's all you're getting for a while. :-) Oh, and we also had a fun clean up party in the bathroom sink!

Shorty

I've always been short. I've kind of just gotten used to my 5-foot-nothing. I don't think it's that wierd to be short, but yesterday, a little boy was kind enough to remind me how short I am. We (me, Kyler, and Tyson) were in Target. I was carrying Tyson, since I was only getting one thing. As we passed a mom with 2 kids, the 4 year old just stared at me. You would think that I had something on my face or some crazy hair -- nope. Just as we got past them I heard him say to his mom, "Wow, that was a small mom!" I guess it could be worse.

Gingerbread House

We have to make a gingerbread house each year, it's just a must on my list. A messy, but fun project for the kids. I had the hardest job of all - keeping Tyson out of the candy. We did let him have a gingerbread tree to eat to keep him entertained, which helped. It's fun to see the kids get better at this project each year.

Success!

We have done it! We took down the crib and have Tyson sleeping in a bed (well, it's just a mattress on the floor right now.) After only 2 nights, I feel successful. The first night I only had to put him back in bed twice. Last night he cried, but never got out! It is so fun to have a big boy. I think that he will do great when we get the rooms moved around and we put him in the bunk beds with Kyler.
The room makeovers have begun. The boys room is first and Kaylee's will be next. I'm excited to see how they both turn out. Luckily I have some great neighbors (and visiting teachers) that have assisted me in picking my paint colors and giving me ideas how to paint. I couldn't do it without some help, so a big THANK YOU goes out to them. I'll be sure to show you the finished product when we're done. (The bedding is coming for Christmas, so it will be after that.)

A new hat

Tyson loves wearing hats. If his hat isn't lost, he is usually wearing it. Well, when we got out the Christmas stuff we found a new hat for Tyson. So cute! I can't believe he is almost two! He is growing up way too fast.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Here are a few highlights of our weekend:

Thanksgiving Dinner. We had family pictures before we ate, that is why our clothes are all coordinating.

Emily, Natalie, and I got in some good sewing time. We made 3 tablerunners, bags, and headbands.

We celebrated Dad's 54th birthday. We got him a new day planner and mom got him some new reins for the horses.

We rode the horses. Tyson didn't want to get off!

Christy (Brian's sister) got engaged to Shane!

We rode on the horse and wagon. Tyann and Tyson both fell asleep. My little neice, Lacey, loved it!

We had a fun visit with Grandma and Grandpa Ladle and their dog, Tinkerbell. Tyson had fun playing with Tinkerbell until she kept taking her toy away from him. Kaylee and Kyler watched more than played.