Playhouse Project

So last week Jason spent most of his free time on the play house project. Jason's parents had gotten the adorable little playhouse from Sam's for the little kids for Christmas. Of course, we couldn't do something simple like just put the thing together and stick it in the back yard. Noooo, we had to make sure the finished product would be both level and cute (can you guess which one of us had which requirement?) Any way, Jason went to both Home Depot and Lowe's countless times last week to get everything he needed and return everything he didn't. I am going to put in a little landscaping but not this week. This week we are going to just play and have fun and enjoy all the work that daddy did last week. Someday we may learn to just do things small and simple but for this project I think the whole thing just turned out cute and wonderful (oh, and level too).

The Beginning.

Jason's patio that he worked so hard to build. Truth be told Ethan was so excited just to have this new little square in his backyard to run around on :)

The Process. Jason is so good and patient when it comes to projects like this--I am NOT. After permanently placing pieces in the wrong place on several big Christmas/birthday gifts I think I have been unofficially banned from helping.

The finished product--I personally think it is adorable :)

Ethan and Olivia enjoying all of daddy's hard work! I cannot wait for the ground to be a little drier, and for her steps to be a little sturdier, so that Abby can play too. They are going to enjoy this for years to come!

Funny Things My Kids Have Said

Emily--"Gee mom, I didn't know your hands were so soft."
Tam--"Thanks Emily :)"
Emily--"I just thought they were old and wrinkled."


Andrew--"I always think about things before I do them."


Olivia--"You have a bed mommy?" (Asked with total shock and disbelief in her voice)
Tam--"Yes, it's over there in my room."
Olivia--"Why? You don't sleep."


Andrew--"I think getting a girlfriend is the hardest thing ever. I mean it could take two or three months and you have to be really sneaky."


Emily--"You guys (refering to Jason and me) are soooo not normal."


I know I had one from Ethan and another from Emily but I forgot them. Hopefully I will remember in the middle of that night. Have a great evening :)

Traditions

So two of Jason's favorite traditions involve food--I am sure that comes as a shock to everyone :) They always made sugar cookies and frosted them and left some out for Santa. I don't know why but I think sugar cookies may be one of my least favorite things in the world. But I do love making them with my family and watching them be creative with the cutter and the frosting. I forgot to take a picture of their beautiful creations but let me tell you they can sure decorate a star, Christmas tree and a gingerbread man! The other thing that Jason likes to do is on Christmas morning we make cinnamon rolls in the shape of a tree and frost it with green frosting. I cannot tell you how many times the kids asked me what "green" tastes like before they would eat the rolls! This was even more funny to me because just 14 hours before I could not keep them out of the cookies which were frosted green, blue, red and yellow.

Three Days of Baking

So my baking this year just didn't go how I had planned. (Actually, reflecting on my past few weeks and months many things have not been going as planned--I wonder why that is....) I am not sure I can really even say that I finished baking, I just kind of gave up. My baking usually goes like this

• pre-baking day--I make a list of everyone I will be bringing a plate or basket to and everything I will be putting on their plate/basket. Then I make a very specific list of how much of everything I will need to make everything so that I only have to go to the store ONCE


• Baking Day 1-I make around 25 loaves each of Banana Bread and Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread


• Baking Day 2-I make around 200 cookies each of Snicker doodles and The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (and maybe some peanut butter ones if I have time)


• Baking Day 3-I make three large cookies sheets each of Drizzles (seven layer cookies) and my mom's super yummy Lemon Bars

I know that may sound like a lot but I (usually) really enjoy myself. I love to bake but my family does really eat it so I save all my baking energy from the whole year and pour it into those three days. I don't know what exactly went wrong this year--was it making three (extra) trips to the store by half way through day two? Or was it having my twins get up (repeatedly) from their afternoon naps and want to "help" mommy with her work? Or was it that Abby is still fascinated with the toilet, loves dumping out the toys, enjoys destroying anything anyone is working on, or is it that she is just now tall enough to hit her head on the table as she walks under it and so is repeatedly hitting her head? Jason has suggested I maybe take a break from the whole baking thing next year--I don't know, maybe I can just scale back what I let myself do. But knowing me I will not be able to resist the thought of fresh bread, warm cookies and delicious lemon bars :)

Basketball

So the kids have been begging me to sign them up for basketball since last winter. I was so happy to find that because Emily is 9 right now and Andrew is 8 they can be on the same team--so only one practice and one game a week! The problem is that

1. The kids have NEVER played before--Emily actually checked a basketball book out of the library before the first game because I didn't know what the rules were so I couldn't help her--Smart girl!



2. There is nowhere for me and my three babies to sit and watch during either the game or practice--now I guess I am over exaggerating, there is a narrow little strip of floor about 18 inches wide between the wall and the line for the court. I am not even going to explain why that makes my life harder.



3. All the kids games are at 1:30 or 2:30 in the afternoon. So not only does it make Saturday difficult to manage but it is also during nap time (which only adds to the difficulty of dealing with problem #2).
   

All in all, I am very excited for the kids. They have already shown a lot of improvement. I, of course, have missed the picture every time the kids have had the ball. Emily even got a basket one time. But luckily I have like 6 or 7 more games during which I am sure to get some of their talents on film :)

Andrew is great to watch play basketball, especially when he is on defense. He is so intense and focus when he is guarding someone, there was one boy who was quite visibly annoyed by the fact he could not get away from Andrew. The only problem is that everyone is a good 6-12 inches taller then him. But he is fantastic at sticking to his man.

Ethan and Olivia were trying to make the best of their time they had to squiggle on the floor. Abby was not nearly as amused as they were. I think what she really wanted was to get and play with them but I can only imagine how that would have ended!

Merry Christmas To All

For us this year every thing about Christmas was perfect. I know that Jason, when he reads this will tell me to stop exaggerating or whatever else he'll call it--But it's the truth. We've had a perfect Christmas this year. And truly it's not about the gifts or treats but it has been about the wonderful time we have been given to enjoy each other. Some how, miraculously we have been taking advantage of that time instead of wasting it. I love the beautiful, sweet spirit in our home as we have gotten ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior. I really do hope we are able to keep this spirit of peace, love and Christmas in our home all through this coming year. The kids were delighted with every little tradition and every moment of fun family time. We have been having a fantastic week off just enjoying each other and making memories together. Christmas morning was full of magic and surprises for everyone. I especially enjoyed seeing the wonder and awe in Ethan and Olivia's faces because this was the first year they really "got it". They went to bed knowing something amazing was going to happen while they slept! We took our time opening gifts, putting things together and playing. Abby could not have been more happy with the mess, noise and chaos that was going on around her :) She was even too busy to think about climbing the stairs or making a break for the bathroom (two of her favorite mom-is-distracted-and-too-busy-to-notice-me past times). Andrew was fun to watch also because he still believes in all the magic of Christmas and really enjoyed sharing it with his little brother and sister. Emily was thrilled with all happy, snuggly, family time and she (like her mom) loves the traditions and magical feelings that fill the air at Christmas time. I felt like even the weather was celebrating along with us because we had wonderful 70+ degrees today so that the kids could really enjoy a few of their new out door playthings . I know I say it every year but this really was the best Christmas ever. I don't think I can get enough of fun family time like this!! So the challenge I am making to myself and to any one who will accept it is find a way to fill your homes with this spirit of giving, loving and caring all throughout the year. Make memories with your children every day. And most especially teach of our Savior, His life and His love every moment you can through your example, kind words and good deeds. Merry Christmas to all!!

Happy kids!

This was one of Abby's few gifts she got (I love stacking toys and I always need a new one for each child because some piece gets lost somewhere along the line). She had so much fun putting the little ball on top of the stack.

I thought this shot was one of the best I took all day :) Emily was handing out the gifts and doing a good job of making sure to only hand out a couple so we could watch and see everyone. Well, Olivia thought, by this point that she should always have something to open in her hands. I just thought this was funny!!

Checking out what Santa left behind!

Santa often leaves behind fruit and other fun treats. Abby was loving going around and taking every one's apples and taking a couple of bites out of them!!

I always save all the wrapping in the middle of the room so that when we are done the kids can "swim" and play in it :)

Grandma and Grandpa were too kind to us this year. Our old ride-on the big kids had used is done for so while they were visiting at Thanksgiving they picked this up for the three little ones!

Andrew working on mastering his new rip stick that Santa brought him. I think he just needs a few more days of good weather and he'll have it down!

I just loved this because she was skipping so happily down the street, enjoying a beautiful day with her family :)

Emily and her "My Twinn" doll. She named her Emmy Lou. I think it is so cool because she has her same little freckles and they really do look a lot alike.

My Tree and My Kids

I have no idea what Jason was doing that struck the kids as so funny but it sure did work to get some smiles :)

I think that decorating my tree is one of my favorite things I get to do all year long. I am a (very) sentimental person and I especially love Christmas time of all the special moments in my year. So I just love that as I decorate with my family I am getting ready for some of my favorite times, traditions and I also am able to reflect on all my wonderful memories of the past 30 something Christmases. I feel so blessed to be so surrounded by friends and my family this time of year. I am especially grateful to have this especially time to focus on teaching my children about our Savior and His birth and life and His great love for each one of us. I do have to agree that this is "The most wonderful time of the year"!

Preschool Christmas Program

I have been to many a preschool program in the last nine years and I should know what to expect but somehow I always forget how they really go.

Here's what I was expecting-- We (Jason and I) arrive early and grab the perfect seats. Our twins, perfectly matching and hair still in place, walk quietly in with the rest of their class and sit next to each other. Ethan, so excited to see daddy their gives a little wave. Then they sing the festive songs they have been practicing for the last month at school and singing constantly at the top of their lungs all day every day at home. And then we enjoy some cookies and cider with the kids after.

Here is what really happened--We arrived and the seats I had saved us in the front were on the wrong side of the worship hall from where the kids were sitting. Our kids, for some reason, were seated at opposite ends of the line from each other. This meant that I could get photos of Olivia and Jason (who had gotten up and moved) could get video of Ethan--who was screaming his head off!!--but neither of us could see the other child. Why, oh, why couldn't they (at the school) understand why this was not helpful to me. I actually had no idea that Ethan was even crying until later. Olivia sang, a bit. Ethan screamed a lot! Then instead of the parents picking up their kids from the front of the room the kids were supposed to walk back to the classroom and then get picked up and go back to the cultural hall for cookies. Well, as I already mentions Ethan was already screaming so we tried to just get him right there but they still wanted him and the other kids to walk back to the class room. Once they left and Ethan could no longer see us he completely lost it! In Olivia's words, "He was so sad. He cried a lot and really screamed and then I got scared and I turn to him and he throwed up everywhere. He just throwed up mommy." So in the 30 seconds he was out of my sight he got himself so worked up that he threw up and yet they still made me walk back to the class and sign him out. He was clinging to me covered in throw up and his sister was now crying because she had been thrown up on! The only thing that did cheer him up was the thought of a cookies, which at this point was the last thing on my mind but we went back to the cultural hall anyway. And in the end Ethan, if asked about his preschool program, would tell you he had so much fun singing for his daddy with all his friends!

Tip Of The Day

When you are carrying in way too many groceries at one time and the box of butter falls out of the bag and you pick it up DO NOT place it on the first surface you see--ESPECIALLY if that surface happens to be the top of the dryer (and it's running). I am just saying, "Slow down and think it through." Or you may have a mess to clean up later. Any way, gotta go clean off the dryer :)

Caught!

So the day after the party we made the mistake of having the chocolate fountain still out and running :) I don't think Olivia had ever seen anything so wonderful! She just kept coming back for more. Well, I just thought it was sooooo funny when I walked in and caught her with a cup that was half full of chocolate from the fountain and she was filling the rest with chocolate powder. When I asked her what she was doing she replied, "THIRSTY!" Needless to say she had made a huge mess and we did need to shut down the fountain shortly after that but she had a great time while it lasted!

Fondue FUN!!!!!

We had another wonderful fondue eating/"gingerbread" house making party this year. I just love getting together with good food and great friends. It is such a nice time to chat and catch up--this maybe one of the only times all year we get to enjoy each others' company with out kids and "refereeing" interruptions. I also love seeing the creative things that people come up with for their houses. I know I didn't get a photo of eveyones, but here are the ons that I got!