Winter??

I cannot BELIEVE it's January 8 and we still haven't gotten ANY snow yet this season!  Just a couple dustings and that's it, nothing that's stuck. Yet.  Here the kids are playing outside, sometime in the last two weeks, I think.  No hats even!  I'm not a lover of snow, or even winter, but this is just feeling weird now!

The kids first theater movie!

I've been waiting quite awhile to take the kids to their first theater movie! But they scare pretty easily at most movies that are out there, so I was waiting for something I knew they'd like.  Tangled, the movie about Rapunzel and her long hair, came to our little theater in town, and I'd heard nothing but good about it, so I thought we'd give it a try!  We met Kevin in town straight off of work, had a quick dinner at Quiznos.  Then we dropped off Carter with friends who live a block away from the theater, and he pretty much went straight to bed while we were in the movie.  We dropped him off, drove to the theater, and I went to his seat to get him out and I was actually scared for a second because he wasn't there! LOL Not very often I don't have my little guy!  But we enjoyed...

 

The kids liked the movie pretty well (though they were scared of the mom), loved the theater experience, and are excited for the second Cars movie that is coming out next summer!

Cousins

Paul and Holly and Claire stopped by this afternoon on the way back from their Christmas in Kansas.  Kevin was at work, but the kids finally got a chance to see their new baby cousin!  Carter was getting tired and pretty much just wanted me to hold him, but once he was down for nap I got a couple pictures with Eli and Hannah.  They were so sweet, and Claire is just a snuggle bug!  Thanks for the visit, Paul and Holly!

Christmas 2010

I don't have a lot to share here, but here's a glimpse of our day.We woke up and got dressed and did stockings first.  Then breakfast though a certain 4-yr old was {probably} too excited for the day he didn't even want the yummy sweet rolls I'd made!  His loss!  After breakfast we did presents and played and chilled out the rest of the day....

unloading stockings

the kids got gum, their own personal chapstick, a small book, a sack of chocolate coins.  And Hannah got glittery Dora finger polish, a mini Dora book.  And Eli got a bunch of cars and a new train figure.

Eli had specifically asked for a pair of overalls.  So I found some and that was the first thing he asked for in the morning.  LOL  So we got dressed first and went on with the stockings.  =)

Eli's big present was this cashier set.  Thought it would be fun for practicing money ideas and counting and simple math.  I had to take the coins out (too small for being around Carter) but both kids otherwise love it.

drawing on her new white erase board ($1 from Target)

hangin' with Dad.  I'm surprised he actually sat in Daddy's lap the whole time!

an old toy we wrapped to give again (poor third-child syndrome again!)

Dora panties!  We really didn't just give her all Dora stuff, just happens to be what things were pictured.  We don't even watch much Dora, she just loves the character!

Eli loves music, so I got the kids several musical instruments this year. (anything BUT a drum) xylophone, tambourine, rain stick, this caged bell (that Carter loved all morning!), plus the maracas and jingle bells we already had.

oh yes, the aftermath

playing with one of Daddy's gifts, a small air hockey table.

Preschool 2010

FINALLY getting Eli's school picture posted here!  It's just a picture of a picture, so not great quality but at least it gives you a peek.  Eli looks so handsome--it turned out really good!  Hard to believe this is his first-ever school picture!  Such a big boy!

The teacher told me the class picture wouldn't come until after Christmas.  I'm getting anxious to see it so Eli can tell me who everyone is in his class!  I feel like I just see everyone in passing every day and don't know who anyone is!  It'll be nice to put a face to the names Eli talks about all the time!  =)

Pictures of Claire

I really wanted to post a slideshow of the newborn pictures I took of Claire, but it just wasn't working out for me and I don't have the time to do it all over again.  Paul has posted all of them over in his photo gallery so go check them out there if you haven't seen them already!

Pictures for daddy.

When Kevin's working, especially when he's working nights, he likes me to email him pictures of the kids.  Usually the goofy, messy-haired, terrible pictures that just make you laugh.  But after bath tonight I sent the kids back downstairs for a couple pictures before bedtime, looking so nice and clean and combed. And they actually turned out pretty cute!

a keeper