Oh what do you do in the Winter time?

When all the world is gray, and you have 4 kids under 5 pent up inside?
1) Have a pretend birthday party for Libby of course! This girl really thought it was her Birthday. The girls couldn't decide which number candle to use so they used them all.


2) Make a tent for Truman.

3) Redecorate the front room, and refuse to let Mom take it down.

4) Paper-Bag costumes.

For those of you thinking I must be a super ingenious mother who always a fabulous activity ready for entertaining her children, think again. All of these were thought up and executed by Anne and Sara. All I did was make the cake at their request. They don't let the icky weather slow them down, that's for sure.

I really, really, really miss Summer and Autumn. Sorry Winter, but I hate you. Especially January-March, and especially when it involves nasty inversion air. When its warm, my house stays clean because my children can tear around outside instead of inside. When its warm I can escape my dirty house for a few hours and pretend I don't have a messy house. When its cold, I spend a 1/2 hour bundling up my kids to throw them outside, only for them to come back in 10 min. later complaining about the cold and throw their wet snow clothes everywhere. When its cold, I can't ignore the mess, I have to do it or look at it. It should only be Winter from Thanksgiving to New Years. Spring can't come soon enough. The End.

Christmas Day and After

Christmas Day we just spent at home. It was a bittersweet Christmas. The first where we just spent the whole day with our little family. We loved the quiet peaceful day we had to just be together, and the girls loved having the whole day to play with Dad and their new toys. However, we really missed our parents and brothers and sisters and their traditions. At some point its time to start making new traditions though, and it was definately less stress to wait until after Christmas to travel and visit family. Santa brought the girls a table and chairs along with some much anticiapted water colors.

This is what Santa brought Truman. He likes it pretty well. Hopefully it will entertain him more as he gets older.

This is Anne's reindeer dance. Its a gem! And believe me she's tonned it down a lot for the camera.

We spent the 26th and 27th with the Stevens. We had a great time at the Boulter's opening presents and eating food. We managed to get a picture of all the grandkids together. Anne is about to drop poor Truman. Back- Libby and Jackson Front- Addi, Sara, Anne and Truman

Christmas sweaters and playing "Don't eat Pete!"

We spent the 28th through the 31st with the Birds. We were sad we couldn't be there the same time the Ostermillers were, however, we see them a lot here in Logan and had a fun New Years Day opening a few more presents with them. For some reason I didn't get out the camera while we were in Cleveland. Not sure why, but we had a great time there too.

Christmas Nativity and Jammies

For FHE the Week of Christmas we acted out the Nativity. We were limited on actors, so we left out the wise men. Anne was the innkeeper and shepherd. Sara was Mary. Dad was Joseph. Libby was the Angel. Truman was baby Jesus, of course. A plethora of stuffed animals occupied the "stable" tent, including several monkeys and a dinosaur.It was really crazy trying to read all the parts and help each kid hit their cues, but really special too. Maybe it was having a little boy to play baby Jesus. It was really tender to see the girls get into their parts.


Christmas Eve Jammies- Sara is literally holding Libby in the picture.

Belated Christmas Presents from Evel

This is for you Gramma Evel.

I picked up the present my mom had gotten for the girls, and was supposed to take it down with us the week after Christmas so my mom could wrap it for them and see them open it. Well, I forgot, so they had to open it when we got home. They love, love, love it all Gramma Evel!