Ringin' it in

We had a pretty low-key New Year's celebration this year. We had planned fondue, chips and salsa, and various desserts, but since I had a strong bout of what was hopefully food poisoning so no one else gets it the previous night, those plans were scratched. We instead went with balloon wishes, silly string, and sparkling cranberry juice. The kids didn't seem to miss all that other stuff.

Their resolutions:

Cole - to finish Harry Potter part 5

Annie - Bee bo (no idea what this means)

Ben - to learn to talk

We might have helped Ben with his a bit, but he's already got a leg up on his siblings because since then he has said the following new words: ow, tractor, apple, and house.

Don't worry, it's just juice, but he looks a bit tipsy, huh?

Happy New Year!

Natural History Museum

We took a short break from our laziness last week and joined 9 million other people at the Utah Natural History Museum. We were there for all of five minutes when Cole declared, "I am NEVER leaving!" Needless to say, it was just his kind of thing. He proceeded to make Floyd take a picture of all of the displays. We went primarily because it has dinosaurs and you know how he feels about dinosaurs, but I think he liked other parts even more.

It was a pretty cool place. It was a bit tricky for Floyd and I to keep track of the kids because we kept getting sidetracked reading the information displays. I guess we're all a bit nerdy. Mostly, it made me grateful to live in such a cool place and to really want to take a trip to Southern Utah (it's been awhile).

Little Critters

Grandma Rose has a friend that knits critter hats, so all the grandkids were gifted one for Christmas. In our family, we have:

An owl,

A raccoon,

And an always-dressed-appropriately-for-winter pig.

A pretty cute bunch, in my narcissistic opinion.

I sure wish I could knit.

Nativity

I always feel a bit like the Herdman's when my family decides to reenact the nativity. We aren't the most reverent bunch. While we aren't winning any reverence points, the kids do seem to know the story pretty good, so I guess we are getting something out of it.

The Cast:

Cole, as a shepherd (he did eventually move the towel a bit)

Josh, also as a shepherd - the shepherd were a rough crowd this year

Annie, as an angel - of course

Savannah, as Mary - no surprise there, she's Mary every year (just like her mother was when we were kids...)

Landon, this one will through you, as Baby Jesus - at his own insistence

There beside Mary you'll notice our reluctant Joseph, Barry

And of course every nativity needs a donkey

And it came to pass that eventually they all settled down enough for Grandpa to read the nativity. But then the babies showed up to get in on the action and since the babies are getting quite close to their terrible-two's, that was pretty much the end of it.

Christmas

I finally tore myself away from a week of lazing around enjoying the joy of...well, laziness. Seriously. This past week was awesomely lazy. Slept in until about 8:00 every single morning. I just love the week between Christmas and New Year's. Usually, I'm pretty grouchy if it's not snowy and wintery, but I did not mind the mild 50 degree weather we had this past week. Did not mind that at all. I'll be a snowbird before you know it.


So anyway, with that wordy prelude, we had a great Christmas. Spoiled by everyone we know. I think everyone got everything on their list, except for Floyd who is still waiting for his raft. It helps that everyone's lists were surprisingly short this year.

Ben ready to attack the presents

Annie with her scooter "like Cole's" except hers is pink

Cole got about 15 books for Christmas, which should last through at least next week

We had 9:00 church last year, so it was a rushed morning trying to make it on time. Maybe that's why there is a lack of pictures on my camera of Christmas morning.

Ben enjoyed driving all over the presents

We visited both families Christmas afternoon and spent the night at my parent's house. Annie snuggled in with Grandpa for a little bedtime story.


The next morning, Grandpa got out the remote control John Deere Gator and enthralled the whole bunch of kids with its antics. I cracked up the entire time because of two things: 1) Kaden grabbing his cheeks in some combination of surprise/excitement/fear and 2) Claire stripping down to her diaper and then demanding that the other babies get their clothes off also. Ben is still clothed in these pictures, but you'll notice Kaden is missing a shirt. Ben's was off shortly thereafter.


What a great week it was. We just sat around enjoying our new stuff and trying to keep mom sane in a messy house. We loved it all.

Timber!

The following pictures represent a part of life I'd actually rather forget about, but Floyd insisted it be documented, so here goes. Some of you may remember that it was a bit windy around here a few weeks ago. And by "a bit windy" I actually mean hurricane-strength windy. I really like the wind, but apparently it was too strong for one of the ginormous trees we have. So the tree cracked and split and leaned into its neighbor tree.

Last Friday, Floyd and some of the men in our families spent the day cutting and cutting and cutting. Meanwhile Ben spent much of the day crying and crying and crying because outside the house was his own personal heaven (lots of men and lots of power tools) and he was stuck inside where it was safe.

The good news is that the tree is down. All 70 feet of it. The bad news is also that the tree is down. All 70 feet of it. In my backyard. It looks like some backwoods Ozarks camp back there. Especially when the pigs came wandering through.


Looks like it will be a busy winter...

Here's a little sideways video of one of the limbs and the trunk coming down. Kind of. I wasn't too good at capturing it.

Oink Oink!

Hey Dad-

Remember that year I sat on Santa's lap and asked if he could please bring me a pig? And remember how you rolled your eyes? Well, he's only about 20 years slow, but Saturday afternoon, look what showed up at my house...
And yes, Dad, my kids totally loved the pigs too. Ben squealed with delight, Cole laughed for an hour, and Annie just giggled. And super lucky Floyd got to chase the pigs back to the neighbor's house!

Now we will just start waiting for that horse I asked for to appear.

FYI for those who weren't there when I asked Santa for a pig, I totally loved pigs as a little girl. My room was decorated almost entirely with pigs (plus a few Ty Detmer posters). Don't worry though, peach was totally a cool color back then so the pig theme was right in style. Sort of. Most of my pig collection has been sent to the D.I. through the years, but I still have a few pigs Floyd sent me from Germany while he was on his mission. I just don't use them as home decor anymore though.