No School

How do YOU entertain 5 kids on a day with no school??

Make "Bug-a-pillar Banana Dudes"...

Let them push the baby around in the stroller...

Finger Painting!!!

Take a Bow, Isaak...

Thank you, Thank You Very Much!

Date Night

Last Saturday we went to the Cheesecake Factory with Ethan & Emily. Good food, fun, and conversation was had by all! HELLOOOOO Avocado Egg Rolls... I am in LOVE.

This is my new haircut. You like? I've got the post-pregnancy-all-my-hair-is-falling-out syndrome, so this is how I fixed it. :)

Macy's Birthday

Macy got back from Minnesota the night before her birthday. We're glad we got to celebrate it with her here. We took her to the music store to get a bigger violin as the one she had was two years old and a size too small. 

We had raspberry boston creme cake, courtesy of Macy's Aunt Norma, with ice cream. Her dad was able to be here while she opened presents. We kept things simple this year. Some clothes and a princess laptop to help her learn math and language skills. Luckily after she opened her new jammies she was convinced to put those on instead of the shorts seen here that are too small for her! 

Elise's Baptism

Elise was baptized on Saturday January 3rd, by her father Robert. We are so grateful that she has chosen to follow in the Savior's footsteps and keep the commandments. 

She was so happy and knew she was making the right choice. 

She is a special girl with a strong testimony and we're glad she's part of our family! 

Our Snowman is Better than Yours!

Because we got a cute snowman accessory kit from Emily & Ethan for Christmas! Stay tuned for more 2-sided creations throughout the winter! And yes, it was different on each side.

Christmas & Such

We had a Nativity play at my mom's house a few days before Christmas. Starring: Kaleb as Joseph, Elise as Mary, Isaak as the Wise Man, Macy as the Angel, and Tessa as Baby Jesus. Everyone but Tessa & Nick (who was sick) and I also went caroling to some widowed ladies around town. I'm grateful to my mother for her example of service to me & my children.

This was the pic with the least glowy eyes on both of these girls! 

I guess it's their spirits' shining through.

We always knew Isaak was wise!

This really cute ornament came from two of my students, Mary & William. Each snowman has one of our names on it!





The girls got to see Santa after my concert with the new Herriman Community Orchestra. It was our first performance and we played parts of the Messiah, as well as a great arrangement of Away in a Manger by a local composer. Then we accompanied the audience as they sang-a-long to carols. "Twas the Night Before Christmas" was read, and Santa appeared. It was fun. The boys were having a rough night, so they didn't see Santa.

Elise got an Easy Bake Oven from us for her birthday. I had one when I was her age and I loved it! This is her first creation. I hear it was divine...

Gigi & Papa gave the kids sleeping bags and pillows for Christmas. Here is Macy modeling hers.

She got to open her Christmas presents from us before she left for Minnesota. I guess she was pretty happy. I made all the kids a mini scrapbook, and those were a big hit. 

Isaak got lots of tractors and trucks for his birthday and Christmas. 

Talk about a little boys' heaven! 

He especially loved the remote control tractor from Uncle Nick & Aunt Jen.

Presents from Santa! I covered them with a blanket when I woke up so the kids wouldn't see them right away. We invited Michelle to come over after breakfast to watch the kids open presents, so we had to wait for her to arrive. Good thing she made it through the huge snowstorm we had that morning! We went to my parents house around lunchtime, stayed 2 hours, and had to have the driveway shoveled again before we could leave. I think we got 6-8 inches that day!

Kaleb got an xbox game... Sonic the Hedghog.

Elise got a color explosion art board. It lights up your drawing when you're done - really cool!

Isaak got a blurry dumptruck! Just kidding - it's only the picture that's blurry. Doh!

Excited, happy children! Hope you all had a great Christmas!

Toodle Bug

Just some cute recent pics of our little Tessawie...

All pretty in her new Sunday dress and "old Grandma shoes"... 

(according to Rob- I think they're cute!)

Pardon me, might you happen to have any Gray Poupon? 

(To go with my first dish of Rice Cereal?)

Nom nom nom.... mittens... mmm... where's my thumbs?

Oh Der Dey Are!!!

I rolled over once, and now I'm tired of this game!

We're glad to have our little Tessa with us. She's been really sick this weekend and we were worried about her. I took her to InstaCare yesterday morning, and they ran chest x-rays, gave her a breathing treatment and some oral medicine, and determined she has a form of bronchitis. It's not fun having a sick baby! But she already seems to be doing better, so we're grateful.