Back in the Saddle!

We are finally starting to get back into the swing of things now that school has started back up. Alan and Ashley both have student teachers in their classrooms this semester. That should be a lot of fun for the teachers!

The kids are really adjusting well to being back in the routine and our finding ways to amuse themselves now that the holiday excitement has worn off. David brought home some water bottles that were left over from a training class he took last week. You would think that he brought home the coolest toys ever. They lined them up and played peek-a-boo from behind them and then carted them all upstairs to go in the playroom.

Ashley and Alan got their report cars on Friday. Ashley made the honor roll so we celebrated with popcorn and watching Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It was a really a cute movie and of course the popcorn was great. David definitely know how to make good popcorn! Kodi loved catching all the popcorn the kids "dropped".

Alan loves to cook. Lately he has been sitting on the counter while I cook dinner and mixing spices in a little blue bowl. He goes through the spice rack and picks out what he thinks will taste good. He always picks garlic! That my boy!!!

Ashley is getting ready for Girl Scout Cookie time. She has picked out 2 camps that she wants to go to and has set a goal for the number of cookies she has to sell to get to go to them. If she sells 540 boxes, she will earn 150 towards camp. That will help cover the cost of one week. To get to go to 2 camps, she will need to be closer to 1000. Wish her (and me) luck!

Christmas Break 2009

The kids had a great break and I surprised myself by enjoying having them home. I was actually sad when they left to go back to school today. We started off the break with some playdates with friends, rainy weather and last minute shopping. David was off starting on the 23rd and had made himself a long to do list, but we distracted him quite a bit and he only got part of it done.

We spent Christmas Eve hanging around the house, grilling steaks in the freezing cold and prepping for Santa's arrival. We opted not to have a fireplace when we built our house and this is really the only time of year that I question that decision. There is a large shelf hanging over a bookcase in our living room that we hang our stockings from every year. As we were getting Santa's cookies ready, Alan asked where our fireplace was going to be. We had watched The Santa Clause several times and he knew that Santa would magically create a fireplace to enter our house. When I told him that it would be where our bookcase is, he got very upset and started taking the baskets of toys off the shelves. He told us that they had to be moved so that they wouldn't burn up when Santa made it a fire! So cute!

So we cleared the bookcase and left the openings for Santa to use for our filled stockings.

Christmas morning, the kids were very excited to check out their Santa loot. Ashley got Rabbids Go Home- a Wii game she has been wanting. Alan and Rowan got bikes and we are still working on getting them to peddle. After breakfast we went upstairs and opened presents. The kids made out like bandits as usual and were really excited. Later Christmas Day we went to Spring to have Christmas with David's family. They had a great time playing with cousins and testing out their new toys.

The next week we just hung around and played. David worked on puppy proofing our yard. Kodi has gotten to be quite the little digger. David lined our entire fence with chicken wire so Kodi can't dig his way out. So far it seems to be working! Now if we could only teach him to wipe his feet before he comes inside!

We spent New Years Eve having a potluck at a friends house. They had sparklers and some fireworks that the kids really loved. The next day David found a fireworks stand and got some more sparklers for the kids to try out at home. Kodi was really freaked out by the smell. All in all it was a great break!

More fun school excitement!

Ashley and Alan's classes had holiday celebrations on the last day before the break. Ashley's class made gingerbread houses. Ok well they were only sort of gingerbread houses. They were actually made out of graham crackers and hot glue, but the kids had a great time decorating them. Rowan loved getting to go to the school and join in the fun. I am sure she thinks school is just a bunch of singing and parties!

Breakfast of Champions!

Alan's pre-k class was full of snacks too!

Celebrations begin - Scooter Time!

My parents came in for an early Christmas celebrations. The kids each received a scooter and helmet from Nana and Papa. It was hilarious to watch them get all suited up to go out and play. We have had a string of rainy days, so they were excited just to get outside.

Rowan looked like a little mushroom with the big hardshell helmet on. It was really cute!

Kodi enjoyed getting out for a bit as well.

Ashley was a pro! She had been on scooters at friend's houses before, so she knew what she was doing.

Alan figured it out in a matter of minutes. He was so excited when he saw the box to his McQueen scooter. The helmet was not as exciting though. Once he finally let us put it on him he had a great time.

Rowan took longer to get used to the scooter. She would just straddle the scooter and run with it. It was really funny. We kept explaining to her how to ride and Ashley would show her. She would try for a minute and then explain to us why it was impossible. She is so little that she could not get her foot around the back wheels. She has the hang of it now, but it made for a funny afternoon.

Christmas in the Park

Ashley sang with the schools show choir at Christmas in the Park. After they were done performing, we got in line to see Santa. It was touch and go on whether or not Rowan was going to be able to muster the courage to talk to him. We kept telling her that if she wants a Dora bike then she has to tell Santa that she wants it. Alan was a bit tentative, but handled the fear well. There was no getting a smile out of him though!

After their Christmas requests were given to Santa and we were heading to the car, Rowan looked up and said " Hey, where's my Dora bike?" I guess she thought that if she asked she would immediately receive the bike. Waiting is not her strong suit. So, the next day she made a Christmas countdown chain with Nana. Every night she tears off a link and it gets one night closer to Christmas. I am just waiting for the day when she rips all the links off and announces that it is present time.

Gingerbread House and Tree Decorating

Thanksgiving Fun and Excitement

Thanksgiving was full of fun and excitement around here. Alan's class had a Thanksgiving Feast and program for the parents on the same day as the school's family lunch day. The kids sang a few songs for us and gave their parents the crafts that they had been working on. It was really cute. Afterwards, we all met Ashley and had lunch with her. It was a lot of turkey on one day, but we all enjoyed it.