So it Begins!

I knew the days of laying a blanket down with a couple of toys were over, but I didn't know we were so close to the ones where I just can not humanly possible keep up with a BUSY toddler. And she is only 10 months old.

She is gets EVERYWHERE!!!! She thinks she is so much bigger than she is. Okay, maybe that is a little denial setting in, but still. Oh, Ry what are we going to do with you?

I Made BREAD!

Yeah! I made bread from scratch. I ground the wheat from my food storage and everything. I feel so domestically successful.

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Bless my mom's heart, who by the way I think is the most amazing, generous, genuinely caring person I know, she came over one day last week and sent the whole day teaching me bread making skills and canning chicken skills. We got 5 loaves of bread made and 14 jars of chicken canned. What a productive day!

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Too bad that feeling left as fast as the day did. Hmmm... what do you do?

Look at my wheat bread just rising away!

I love you mom! Thanks!

Fun in the Snow!

Couple of weeks ago we bundled up and headed to the snow. The kids had a blast and will not let me put the snow boots away in hopes that we will be able to go again before is starts getting warm for good.

Emma just ate and ate and ate that snow. She was just shivering inside and out by the time it was time to go.

Ryann didn't know what to make of the snow at first but quickly got the hang of it. Until nap time came that is.

Ashtyn and Cassidy had a ball going down the hills as well as everyone else




Jackson

Cassidy

Yes, Emma is still eating the snow.

For some reason it was a struggle actually getting away(which may be a slight understatement), but once we got there we all had a GRRREAT time.

"Punkie Bruster" Quinci

This was just the cutest moment...

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The kids were outside playing and out comes our neighbor, Quinci. She was just skipping as hard as she could with lopsided ponytails just flopping as she skipped. I could tell that she had just gotten up from a nap and the outfit was to satisfy her mother's request of long sleeves and something warm on her legs. I love the color combination.

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If I wasn't outside I would have been rolling on the floor. You are too dang cute Quinc.

I just love this child's spirit. Thanks for sharing it with us Quinci!

Sweet Cassidy

Now don't fall over of amazement... 2 posts in one week!

Cassidy had a crazy hair day at school the last few days before winter break and I just couldn't go without sharing this...

She was So cute and was in the best mood that day, so the hair just bounced as she walked.

Would this just not be the life! In a soft cushy chair just for you, someone bringing you food, cleaning it up when your done... oh, I really think I could do that for a day or so.

We call this Ryann's pink "Where's Waldo" pj's.

I Feel like a Human Again!

Oh, sweet sigh! The holidays are over (as much as enjoy them when they are here), our spat with RSV is over, and a trip to the ER (I'll explain later) is over. Whew! What a season!

I finally feel like I have a grip on my life again and am ready to get back to reality, and catch up on an enormous amount of blogging.

Soo... almost a month late... We had a awesome Christmas!

This going to be a long post and I will not be offended if you skip parts... I know it is long but wanted to include all of it for journal purposes.


Getting Ready for Christmas

everyone participated in setting up the tree and decorations, it was a nice change to the usual "mom doing it by herself". I think we found a new tradition!

even Ryann had a stab at the tree branches

Turned out fairly good, huh. The best part are the homemade ornaments. I have really come to absolutely treasure those!

(note all the ornaments strategically placed about a foot off the ground)

Holiday Candy Making

in efforts to keep an old holiday tradition alive, we made Christmas chocolates. Oh, the kids thought they were in HEAVEN!!!!! lick'in and paint'in and lick'in and decorating and just a little more lick'in.

Ryan was still trying to figure all it out. I could tell she knew something was different between her pretzel in her hand and the yummy chocolate in Cassidy's.

Sorry Ry, there is always next year.

This was part of the lick'in

School Programs

Cassidy did an awesome report on Freya Stark and then got to dress up like her for Cassidy's cottage fair night, where all the kids got to show their stuff to the parents. She did such a great job.

This quarter Taylor's cottage was "Plymouth plantation" (studying about the Pilgrims, etc.) He really enjoyed it... however not as much as the "sweet shop" he studied the previous quarter.

Emma had a little program at preschool. She decided she was going to be shy that morning, even though all I heard for about a month is all the little holiday songs being belted out of the back seat of the car. Funny how they do that.

Christmas Morning
The kids were so excited! It took them forever to fall asleep, especially Cassidy. She just knew she was going to catch Santa in the act. Ahhhhhhhh... no pressure or anything. It was neat to watch how excited she was.

I just had to document Emma's "do" in the above picture. I was just rolling on the floor when I saw it. She didn't seem to care and just loved her new Hannah Montana outfit.

What an awesome brother to share with is baby sister! Too bad she didn't get any of the good stuff inside.

Christmas lunch with the Atkin's
It has always been so neat to have both mine and Jeremy's family close that we are able to go and visit everyone on the holidays.

Jeremy's parents are always so good to us at Christmas... they always put so much thought and effort into making Christmas nice for the kids. Thank you so much for all you do.

Hmmmm... yeah, I am just going to have to taste it!

Dinner with the Greene's

We finished the day up with dinner at my parents and all the Gang. Wow, how we have grown over the years. There were 41 of us, 1 on the way (that we know about), and 3 missionaries... What a crowd!

Meghan, Sweet baby Londyn, and Mom

It didn't take the kids long to start breaking in all the grandma gifts.

Sandy and her sweet family... plus a few extras

We had an amazing day! I think the best part it spending it with family! I sure feel blessed to have the family I do. Especially my husband and kids.