Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve at Grandpa and Gramma’s.  We ate and ate and then opened lots of presents.  We always have such a great time with everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

“Dear Santa, We have been sort of good this year.  Please bring Megan Legos, Erik-Lego Star Wars and art supplies, and Ryan the same as Erik.  We love you!  Megan, Erik, and Ryan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Giants books came out this year!  The one Ryan has is about a little pitcher named Ryan.  I love when I find the perfect book.

 

Well…Megan got jammies for Christmas Eve.  I had this cute jammie-giving tradition on Christmas Eve until the boys ruined it because they hate wearing pajamas to bed.  That’s where the books came in this year.  I washed Megan’s jammies and she was going through the laundry on the couch helping me fold and I had to hastily grab and hide the bottoms.  Well…I didn’t find them until after Christmas so she got to look at the shirt and wear old ones.

Everyone went to bed rather easily.  We found out just before our party at Gramma’s that another friend was coming for Christmas morning, so Ryan and I headed to Target at 8:30 to get his stocking done.  It was great to have a helper this year.

iPhones For Everyone!

So the kids all got iPhones for Christmas.  I hate for them to feel left out.

 

 

 

 Of course ours are made out of cardboard and duct tape and will be set at 1:38 am forever…but they have been quite a hit and may have to be updated soon.

This is where I found the idea:

http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/

For the Artists in My Life…

I have so many projects I haven’t gotten to.  Today I got a great start on one.  I have to put the kids’ art in a couple of the frames and need a couple more to finish off, but I love it so far...

 

 

Thanks Gramma, Ryan, Erik, and Megan (coming soon.)  Auntie Gay I have a spot for you in the top right corner… : )

Getting Back?

 It’s been so long since I posted that it’s hard to get back at it.  Here is a shot at it:

Sorting colors

I tried to show her how to sort the shapes and she would have none of that.  By color and color ONLY.

 

 

 I saw this idea a few years ago and finally did it.  Right after Christmas I wrapped all of the Christmas stories that we had.  We received several more from a friend who was giving us some of her kids’ old things and wrapped them too.  So on Dec. 1 I already had 25 books wrapped and ready for our countdown to Christmas.  Every day one kid picks a book and another unwraps it.  They have really loved it.  There is a big variety of old and new, and easy and harder reads.

 

 

To the Market

Preschool

 Look who started preschool today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so easy doing preschool with Ryan and then with Erik.  I just assumed that while I taught Ryan and Erik, Megan would do all the ‘engaging’ activities I could think of.  It wasn’t working.  We were all frustrated.  So today we walked down the street to a home preschool taught by a lady at our church.  It takes about 5 min. for us to take a casual walk there.  Megan loved it.  Mommy, Ryan, and Erik loved it.  It was only one day, but I think we are onto something!  Thanks Anne for pushing me!

Look Who Turned 5!

 I know…like over a month ago!  But here are the pictures nonetheless.  Erik wanted a golf party.  They don’t sell kid golf party stuff, so here was my best effort:

 

 

 

 

 Seeing this picture reminded me of him in the same spot on his first birthday…

 

 he picked a ball!

 

 In his baseball uniform of course!

 

 

 

 

Erik, you are such a treasure to us.  We all love you so much!

The Leaves are Falling Down

  Leaf collecting

 

Stick collecting

 

 

 

 

Catching falling leaves

(particularly challenging with little wind, but fun nonetheless)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apples, Apples

We finished up our apple unit.  Erik really wanted to learn about apples so we could go back to the apple farm. 

     

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

there were even a few raspberries left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have moved on to ‘spiders.’  I know!