Kids New Years Eve

I really wanted to do something fun with the kids for new years even though there was no hope of them staying up (nor did I want to deal with the results of them staying up) I decided to do fondue which the boys loved (especially Jordan) Skyler loved the chocolate fondue because he could do the dipping all by himself!
And Ethan just enjoys mangling cream puffs and licking chocolate off of the fruit.Right after dinner we dressed the kids up really warm and went to Zoo Years Eve at the Calgary Zoo - the event was sold out, and I was excited to take the kids. Was it worth it? - No, I could have taken them to Zoo Lights on a warmer night. There were fireworks, but Ethan was exhausted after getting up really early this morning, so we missed them by like 10 minutes. There was supposed to be entertainment, and there was a person dressed up as a polar bear, and a few angels, but hardly worth it.

What do you do with your kids to help them enjoy New Years? Ideas Please!!!

Swim Time!

gotta love the muffin all over his face - it goes great with the goggles and life jacket! Skyler asked us to go to Grandmas and swim yesterday - which we jumped on. I am not sure how, but we ended up with a child who DOES NOT like to swim. he loves to play in the water, but if HIS feet are not on the ground, then he is freaking out. We were at a hotel a few months ago, and he was asking to go swimming. We got everyone ready and went to go to the pool, and as soon as we opened the door to the pool he bolted and decided that the pool was too big to swim in. huh?? He threw me for a loop with that one. Anyways yesterday we went swimming at grandma and grandpa's and he swam, and did great. he paddled and kicked, didn't scream and seemed to enjoy himself. Progress was made. YAY!!!

Big Boy Bed for Ethan

We moved Ethan into a toddler bed this week in preparation for him moving into Skylers Bunk bed with him. It was seriously the easiest transition ever. I am not sure how we lucked out but there has been no change in sleeping patterns, and my kids go to bed easy! Isn't he soo cute!

Giving at Christmas time

We had our ward Christmas Party last night (I forgot the Camera again - I do hope that is not becoming a habit) There were some Santa Gifts left at the end of the evening that my mom ended up dragging home after the party. This morning we went and spent some time with Grandma and decided to take all of the extra toys to Mountain of Toys which is a toy Drive in Calgary put on by Lite 96 radio station. This was great until we started packing up the toys to give away and Skyler realized that the toys were not all for him. We had a tantrum sad as it is (I think it is something to do with being 3) while we struggled to pack up the kids and toys.

Skyler and I took the toys to a drop location, and he places every single one of them into the Tree tent that was set up for collection. On the way home he was so happy, and proud of himself that he made other little boys and girls happy at Christmas time.

A small lesson that will need to be retaught time and again, but as of right now he know that we celebrate Christmas because it is Jesus' birthday and that we give gifts like the wise men. He knows that he is blessed with more than a lot of other children and was happy to help.

oh, Hi Mom

Can you believe it!

We got to go to a work Christmas party for my mom's work (ok sort of it is a customer of her works that invited us) The invite said that Santa was coming, and they could ride the polar bear express so bring your camera's We all forgot. All of us. My mom forgot hers, I forgot mine, I didn't have my phone, and Jordan's phone was charging at home, so no pictures :(

Skyler loved it, he chased Santa around to make sure that he knew that he wanted Gator golf for christmas. I sure hope someone is getting him it because I didn't buy it. He also got to hug frosty the snow man, a penguin gave him kisses, he rode the train, and then there was a table set up for decorating cookies - neither one of my boys wanted cookies. Seriously they wouldn't take the bait. I am ok with that though.

Skyler fell sound asleep on the way home but my little monkey Ethan was wired and he talked and pointed at things all of the way home, and then once freed from his snow suit started running laps around the Island in the kitchen.

They did both go to sleep like good little angels and I hope that they sleep in a little to compensate being late.

In other news - Jordan has decided to run a half ironman triathlon in Hawaii in 2010. I am soo not even close to being in shape for something like that and the time to train doesn't seem like a very likely possibility either, but I am soo proud of him, and can't wait to see this through. A trip to Hawaii doesn't really hurt either.

The kids are happy

We went tobogganing yesterday. Skyler loved it! Ethan preferred not to be sent down a hill on a foreign object, but who's really paying attention. Overall a fabulous event. I guess I will have to add sleds to out wish list. When we were done we all came back to our place for sugar cookies and hot chocolate. The kids loved it,The downside... This is what my back entry way looked like!

from the mouth of Skyler

Nathan lets go play kings, you can be the king, and I am a pretty princess...

is there something wrong with this?

Christmas Baking

so I have been thinking a lot about Christmas baking - am I supposed to do it? I bake with my kids and when we go to dinners always do my part, but in my family I am the only one who is married, and with my in-laws we all still tend to go to their home (it is big enough for all of our families to sit and talk, or enjoy a meal together) so am I supposed to do Christmas baking?? If so, then what for. I participated in a cookie exchange, and we ate all of the cookies that didn't go stale first. I made homemade chocolates mmmm but they are mosty for gifts - oh and for my husband to pick a bag a night and devour - he loves it! Today I made sugar cookies for family home evening snack, and to have after we go tobogganing this afternoon - is that my Christmas baking??

and the Christmas crafts begin...

Life is way too busy for me to do something every day, especially cooking for the mission home for 2 weeks in December, but since we have the time this week we are making the most of it.
Yesterday we made gingerbread houses (out of graham crackers - because I had all of the babysitting kids to do it with as well)
Ethan had more fun eating the candy then putting it on his house, but Skyler LOVED it!Today we made Cinnamon Tree decorations that make the house smell oh so good, and it is super easy!
Skyler hung all of his on the tree - he has improved since decorating the tree a few days ago - they were all on the same level, but not all on the same branch :)

Christmas has arrived

Yay! Christmas is now here in our house - although it was hard to wait until December this year because Christmas has been everywhere for weeks already! Tonight for Family Home Evening we went out and cut down a Christmas tree, and I love it!
We drove 45 minutes out of the city and walked through the woods (with flashlights because we did it at night - next year it will be the Saturday before we want to decorate) until we found the perfect tree.
then Skyler and Jordan worked at cutting it down for us so that we could secure it to the top of the van to bring in home.
I LOVE our tree this year, it is totally a Charlie Brown tree, and not a genetically engineered full tree, or a full fake pre-lit tree (all of which do look beautiful) but it is our tree that we found in the woods and brought to our home. The boys loved it and I would totally do it again. This tree really makes me smile every time that I look at it.