PRIVATE

Hey people. Not that a bunch of people read this thing, but we will be making this a private blog within a few days for the security of the childrens. It seems this site gets some traffic in germany, russia, mexico, etc., etc. If you would like to be on the list of authorized readers for the blog, let us know.

Thanks!

Swimming

The kids needed a bath, but didn't want one.  I wanted them clean, but didn't want a battle.  We went swimming instead, and everyone was happy.

They swam for over an hour!

I have made the water this deep a few times before but Olivia refused to sit down.  I think she was nervous.

Somehow putting a swimsuit on made all the difference.  She sat right down and started to play!

I think there will be more swimming to come, this winter!

Ginger Bread Houses and Traditions

Last night our original plan was to go ice skating for Family Night but none of us wanted to brave the cold.  Besides Olivia didn't take a nap so she was sent to bed promptly at 6:30!  We did what I never thought I would do, buy ginger bread kits!   Ahhh! Oh the shame of it all.  While we could have bought way more supplies for our money I do have to say I was a fan of the kits.  Zero planning ahead of time (this is usually my downfall to most things), easy clean up (ie no dishes) and no left over candy (I hate it when there is candy in the house, it turns the kids into begging monsters!)

Ryan and Jack were a "team".

Kaitlynn and I were a team.  Since I was documenting, she went kind of solo for most of the event.

Working on their ginger bread man.

 I saw him stick his fingers in his mouth often.

House put together, time to decorate.

Jack spent most of his time sampling rather than working.

Oh Christmas Tree, oh Christmas Tree.

Ryan was going for an icicle look but it looked more haunted and halloweeny to me.  The sliding roof and half eaten ginger bread man didn't help.

I think he was trading out a piece of candy, he wanted to eat the one on the house.

Kaitlynns master piece!  The ginger bread girl has a pony tail.

Left over frosting.  This may be why at nine that night she came out of her room saying she had a tummy ache.

The pretty girls with the pretty house.

The crazy boys with the crazy house.  The roof slid completely off of theirs.

Jack wanted to lay down for the pictures.

Then the tornado hit.

The house was flattened.  I guess thats what happens when you live out here!  Really it was quite funny they were sitting there posing for pictures when it just fell apart.

We started a new family tradition.  I saw some other people do this and then saw it on one of the blogs I love to look at thedillspiel.blogspot.com and loved the idea.  For our advent count down to Christmas we open a new book every day.  

Then predictably Christmas Eve we will open the scriptures and read the Christmas story.  We are pretty excited about this tradition and hope it is one the kids will love too.  Some just get books from the library so it wouldn't have to be another expense for the season.  We personally liked the idea of investing in the books because we love the idea of a home full of books.  Not all of the books are Christmasy either. 

Last night was a Christmas I Spy book.  We could only do two pages as a family before it was time for bed.  Jack has been working hard on the book all day waiting for his sister to get home from school to show her all the things he has found.  

   

Yes we are still alive

I remember thinking I just have to make it through October and then I can breath again and get back to the normal life and whatnot.  Well November surprised me I don't know exactly what happened but it came and went before I could blink.  Oh well being busy is a good thing.  Here is our month in pictures.  

Preschool field trip with Jacks class.  Olivia was done a little before the rest of us.

Minor surgery in our kitchen.  Ryan had a wart on his foot. So he had the missionaries help numb it so he could hold the freezing stuff on extra long.  This set of missionaries is really fun, they had no issues about sticking a needle in Ryans foot.

I find this boy like this often.  Hidden somewhere in a corner reading a book.

Our temple it almost done!

Typical Sunday evening activity.  Ryan's family started this tradition of playing games together Sunday evening after dinner.  We have tried to keep that tradition with our family.  Stratego and Sequence (a kid friendly version) have been are favorites for a few months now.  I am ready to hide these games and pull out new ones, we have plenty to choose from.  But we are doing it for the kids not us, so it only seem fair to let them play the games they want to play.  Please ignore Kaitlynns undies.  She got ready for bed a little early.  Yes we are super cheap and just have the kiddos sleep in old t-shirts.

We all love story time.

I especially love this face.

That's right folks this is my twenty month old riding a bike!  Are you impressed?  You should be.  She has gotten good enough she has started to pick up her feet a little bit.  Stupid cold weather has kept us from going out as much as we wish.  Good thing our basement is super scary and unfinished so I don't care if she plays with it down there.

Last picknick of the year.

The biggest event was a visit from uncle Michael and aunt Jessie. They were able to spend Thanksgiving with us and some neighbors.  We were really lucky to have them.  I am desperately missing Jessie right now.  I have never met a better example of service than that girl!  She was constantly and quietly helping out, cleaning, cooking, or just keeping the kids happy.

The kids quickly put them to work.  It was nice to have some people who weren't burned out on all the same books.

Classic Michael.

A trip to the mall.  The boys really had a blast!

Kaitlynn challenged Michael to a game of Stratego.

Super lame picture of Thanksgiving.  I totally forgot to take a picture of all of us and the food or even when we pulled out the games.  We had 19 people in our tiny home for the holiday!  It was a bit tight but fun.

Enjoying the deserts.

I am pretty sure the kids only ate junk food.  All the adults were in the living room and children had to eat in the kitchen.  No one was monitoring them.  When we went in there to clean up it looked like the dinner plates  hadn't been touch.  They did happily eat pie and cookies though.

We made snow flakes the next day.  I have yet to hang them up.  I keep forgeting to buy string.

These two could do this all day.

Time to set up the tree.

Kaitlynn had to show Jessie  everyones stocking.

Last time this boy played with these nutcrackers he broke off all their arms.  I had to hot glue them back on before we could put them up.

Classic Ryan.

Awe... what a cute couple.  Kaitlynn took this picture while they were posing in front of the temple.

Here is our little family.  It was a really cold day.

It took us three day after setting up the tree to decorate it.  Stupid lights!  We tested all of the lights before we strung them up but once they were on the top strand didn't work.

That was November, hopefully December doesn't sneak by me without me noticing.