Fun December ... almost upon us

I love December.  I love our traditions.  I can't wait for our elf, Ollie, to arrive.  I can't wait to begin our daily Christmas Advent Activities.  I can't wait for the excitement that fills the air that radiates from our children (especially Kendall and Kerst!)

Here's a question for you ... what traditions do you do in your family?  Please share as I'd love to change things up a bit and add some new ones!

Interrupting Prayers

Kendall usually monopolizes the saying of prayers in our home.  Last night Kerst had the rare opportunity to say the family dinner prayer. 

Kerst begins and then starts to include a safe journey back home for our Thanksgiving guests, "Please bless Uncle Mike, Aunt Kelly, Grandma and Grandpa that ...."

Kendall pipes in, "they can come back right now."

AMEN

Thanksgiving Daily

May we all catch it and pass it on! An Attitude of Gratitude.

School Morning Goodbyes ...

I get up early to see John and the girls off ... early being 5:30.

I make them breakfast and pack lunches.

They head out the door.

I get my hug and kiss from John.

Jenna heads out and yells, "Love you Mom."   "Love you too, Jenna."

Julia's last out the door ... "You're ok." 

I laughed the first time she did it as it was unexpected.  Now out of habit I reply, "You're fine."

Two for the price of One

Over 30 years ago I begged my parents for another sibling.  At least to tie up the score.  I had 3 brothers and 1 sister.  Cara and I always lost when it came to voting.

I was thrilled to find out that we were adding to the family.  After a family camping trip, my Mom went to a prenatal appointment only to be sent for an ultrasound.  That is when we found out that we were getting two for the price of one!

I was thrilled.  Even more thrilled when my Dad told us that when the babies were born, they were both girls!  FINALLY.  My brother Reed was not as thrilled.  He didn't talk to my Mom for several days (from what I remember as a 9 year old) ... it was probably more like a couple of minutes after she returned home.

Finally the girls could out vote the boys.  Finally.

They had and still have the most amazing relationship.  Both are UBER talented.  You should see the photos they take (and the haircuts!), the art they create, their organization skills, people skills, the humor they have and how much love they have to share with everyone.  I'm lucky.

Happy Birthday Dualies!

Kelly.  Baby "A"

Shannon.  Baby "B" 



Blowing Kisses

Kendall always blows Genevieve (his best friend) a kiss whenever they part ways.

Today he blew her a kiss as he left her home after a fun playdate.

Jaley and Julia buckled Kendall into the car and were about ready to go when Genevieve's Mom motioned to the girls.  They slid the window open and Genevieve's Mom had a request.

"Can Kendall blow Genevieve another kiss?  ....    She dropped her first one."

I am still chuckling after hearing Jaley relay this story during dinner.

All State Results

Julia was able to see her score from her All State Audition.

She knew exactly what she "messed up on" during her audition.  She scored 91 points out of 100.  The next closest score of a girl from Julia's HS who also made All State was 73 out of 100.

Julia also had a PERFECT score on her audition solo!  The statistics of perfect score for a solo for the audition in the past is 1% ... WOW.

Stuck

I feel like I am living a child's repetitive verse book.  You know, one similar to "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly."  Or my childhood favorite of the little old lady who couldn't get her pig to jump over the pigsty/fence so she could get home that night.  I had that memorized.  My parents recorded me repeating that story with my cute little speech impediments.

There once was a little old lady who had a pig.  She tried to get the pig to jump over the pigsty so she could get home that night.  The pig would not jump the fence.  She went to find help.  She found a dog. 

"Dog, dog, bite the pig.  The pig won't jump the sty and I can't get home tonight."

The dog would not bite the pig.  So she continued on.  She found a stick.

"Stick, stick, beat the dog.  The dog won't bite the pig, the pig won't jump the sty and I can't get home tonight."

The stick would not beat the dog.

So she continued on.  She found some fire.

"Fire, fire, burn the stick.  The stick won't beat the dog, the dog won't bite the pig and the pig won't jump the sty and I can't get home tonight."

The fire would not burn the stick. 

So she continued on.  She found some water.

"Water, water, put out the fire.  The fire won't burn the stick, the stick won't beat the dog, the dog won't bite the pig and the pig won't jump the sty and I can't get home tonight."

You get the picture.  She finds a cow (to drink the water) then a butcher (to kill the cow) and a rope (to hang the butcher).  Needless to say, the pig did jump over the sty that night ...

Here is my repetitive verse.
Stuck.

Today we have a thin sheet of ice on one edge of the driveway.  I can't get out.  I am stuck.

I can't get out.  I tried to get out to take Kerst to the bus stop.  Kerst can't go to school.  I am stuck.

The delivery truck came to drop off wood for our basement finishing project.  The truck is stuck. 

The truck is stuck.  I can't get out.  Kerst can't get to school.  I am stuck.

My friend Emily is coming over to do a project with me.

I sent her a text warning her not to come down the driveway ... or

Emily would be stuck.  The truck is stuck.  I can't get out.  Kerst can't get to school.  I am stuck.

Fun.

This is going to be an exciting place to live during the winter!  Oh boy.

Kendall's Thankful Feather

Kendall has homework in preschool.  He LOVES to do homework.


This time he was given a "Turkey Feather" cut out of construction paper. He was asked to write what he is thankful for on the turkey feather.

I told him about his homework.

"I know what I'm thankful for."

"What?"

Kendall pus his hands on his on hips and very seriously said,

 "You know, Mom. My best friend.
Jenna-weave (Genevieve)."
 
 

On Kendall's "feather":
(top left going down, then moving to the middle and then the end):
Jaley, Kerst, Dad, Mom, Kendall, Genevieve
GmaGpa, Jenna, Preschool, Daeia (Julia)
Picture of the sun, our ouse a tree and our Christmas tree
Jesus
 
He wanted to add more, but ran out of room.

Shout it from the roof tops!

We just found out that Julia was selected to sing in the All State Choir ... AGAIN!  Last year she was the only student from our High School to make it into All State.  This year she is singing in the Women's Choir at All State ... with 3 other girls from our school.  She is excited to have some company this year!

Several thousand music students across the state auditioned for this choir.  Only a couple of hundred make it in.

Congratulations Jules!

A Girl Worth Fighting For

I love the movie Mulan

I feel it is fitting today ...

My sister sent her husband off to Afghanistan on Friday. 

She is definitely a girl worth fighting for!

They are in our continued thoughts and prayers for comfort strength and safety.

Boyfriend

While tucking Kendall in bed tonight, he tells me that Gannon (a girl from preschool) thinks he is her boyfriend.

"Oh, really."

"But I'm not.  I'm Genevieve's Knight in Shining Armour."

New blog photo for header

Thanks Kelly!  Works perfect for the top of the blog!

Kelly will be in CO for Thanksgiving ... let us know if you are interested in a photoshoot!

I'll post more pictures later.

Can't wait!

One of my ever-so-talented sisters (Kelly) took our family pictures last month.

Here is one of them ... and I love how she catches the candid moments too.

I can't wait to see the rest of them.  She has been busy editing photos of my friend's daughter's funeral, other family photos, senior pictures, baby pictures ...

So if any of you live in UT - or will be heading there, set up a photoshoot.  She even comes out here to CO to visit us - we just might find some time to share her talent with you. 

HE (High Efficiency) tip for front loading washing machines

I have had the Whirlpool Duet front loading washing machine (and dryer) for over 9 years.  This was back before the detergent companies decided to make HE (High Efficiency) laundry detergent.  Since there wasn't any "special" detergent for the front loading washing machines, I was instructed to use half the amount of detergent.  You don't need as much detergent since you are using less water - hence, High Efficiency.

I still do.  I don't buy the HE detergent.  For more "bang for your buck" with those of you who have front loading washing machines, purchase the detergent for the top loading machines and mix it with 1/2 water 1/2 detergent.  When you purchase the HE detergent it is already 1/2 strength for the same amount you would use in a regular load.  So you get twice the soap by making it HE in your own kitchen.

You can keep your whites brighter by putting Biz Bleach directly in your front loader on your laundry.