Very Merry Christmas

Maybe it was the fact that I had low expectations for Christmas that I ended the day on a high. Mike had to work and Lucas was sick with the stomach flu and Ariel had two ear infections. Mike was able to sneak home a little after 5 pm and we opened gifts. It was starting to get dark outside and created the same ambiance as the traditional early morning gift opening. Santa's a smart guy sometimes and filled the stockings with a few things to entertain us most of the day. We received wonderful gifts and enjoyed watching each other open the gifts we had given. Our kids are the prime age for Christmas. We spent hours Christmas and Christmas Eve talking about baby Jesus and Santa. My kids are fascinated about both subjects. (What kids aren't?) Christmas day, Mike even threw in a few surprises for me and the kids and I always LOVE being surprised. We did miss out on a good Christmas meal however. We drove up and down Central Ave and nothing was open. I didn't plan that part too well because Mike wasn't going to be around and with two sick kids, what is the point?

Oh, What Fun It Is To Sled

White Christmas

Will it be a white Christmas in Wisconsin?

Amazing snow drifts over the last few days.

This picture (below) shows the path I made when Lisa
had me go the neighbors to borrow 1 (one) egg.
It had already filled back in mostly by the time I took the picture.
Can't stop a girl from getting her cookies made.

Chin Man

L is for Wucas

This morning while eating our mid morning snack Lucas said, "Mom, I is for Isaac, A is for A-yo (Ariel), and L is for Wucas." He is fascinated with Isaac's spelling homework and continually talks about spelling. Another favorite, "Mom, what does 2 + 2 spell?" Later this morning we were playing hide and go seek. After I was finished counting, Lucas calls from my room, "Come look on your bed!" He made it extra tricky by hiding under my sheets. I love three year olds!

Polka Dot Tights

I bought these tights before Ariel was born and finally found something for her to wear them with. Polka dots scream happiness to me and watching her wear bright red ones on her toddling legs brought a smile to my face all day.

Ariel's First Birthday

A year ago already. Wow. We had a very little family farm themed party with a little lamb and cow cake. Ariel was able to dig into the lamb cake and loved eating off the cocoa puffs and mini marshmallows. She got a little oinking pig, little people farm, cabbage patch doll, and a snowsuit. Ariel had a wonderful day and spent most of it working on her new skill- walking while carrying things in both hands.

Wisconsin Winter

Lucas' pink gloves are the same ones I wore skiing almost 25 years ago. These are the warmest gloves I have ever owned. I therefore have no shame in having my three year old boy wear them. It is almost becoming a right of passage to wear these gloves as you learn to snowboard. I do not think the thought has occured to either of my boys that it is taboo to wear hot pink gloves

Thanksgiving In Utah

We left the bitter midwest weather to enjoy a warm 70 degree day in Utah. We spent a few days jumping, swinging, running and playing outside.

Ariel

We used this snowman to get Ariel to take steps. She forgot her fear in her excitement to touch his nose. She seems to respond well to bribery. We are now testing our bribery techniques with sugar. Ice cream has proven very successful. What better time is there to introduce ice cream then when outside temperatures are in the negative degrees?

Catch Me If You Can

At Target yesterday, I saw that the DVD for the movie Catch Me If You Can was on sale for $4.75. It reminded me of the time Uncle John W visited me in NYC and handed me his passenger manifest from the flight he had just landed at JFK. He asked me if any names on the manifest looked familiar. I saw the name Frank Abagnale. Uncle John told me that he recognized Frank as he boarded the flight and asked him if he wanted to fly in the jump seat. Frank said, "I'm too old for that. Those days are over."

Guess who is walking, no . . . running now!

And she is the boss!

What a question!

Lucas: "Mom, do you want to die on a cross?"
Me: "No."
Lucas: "Well, you will get alive in heaven."

I guess they talk a lot about the cross in his Lutheran preschool. Last week Lucas brought home a small silver cross.

What a party! Celebrating 37 years of marriage with all 16 of their grandkids!

Lisa's parents celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary with every one of their grandchildren. It was a blast. Grandchild number 17 is due in three weeks.

Turkey Trot

Returned home last night from Utah. Kinda sounds crazy but one of the high points of our trip was trotting around at 8 am Thanksgiving morning in 24 degree weather for 4 miles. Loved it! Reminded me of cross country days . So great to see Mandy.

One good reason

One good reason not to have your road bike in your family room is bike chain grease is very hard to get off you baby's hands and face.

Thankful for our blessings

Months ago, I bought 3 airlines tickets for the kids and me to fly out to be with our families for Thanksgiving. The idea was that we would buy a ticket for Mike when he knew exactly what days he had off. When the time came, Mike had to get his ticket on a different airline on a flight that arrived 2 hours ahead of us. Since the baby was flying free as a lap child, we made a last minute decision to send her on ahead with Mike. I can't believe how much easier the flight was for me -- I only had to care for two high energy boys. But I did worry about my 10 month old nursing baby being away from me for seven hours with a layover in Denver. Can you imagine the stares Mike got -- a man flying alone with an infant in a sling? Fortunately, Ariel got along very well and Mike earned great admiration and appreciation.

Laundry Basket

I was on the phone and sorting clothes. When I got off the phone I saw Lucas pushing Ariel around the house giving her a ride. Sometimes she was standing and I think she was flipped over a few times. I think these laundry baskets are the best investment we have made. My kids never tire of them. They have literally been used for almost everything. Laura Ann, do you remember basket foot?

Apple Turkey

Tonight's FHE was a big success. We had Rock soup for dinner. It was really butternut squash soup and I discreetly added a good size rock to everyone's bowl. During dinner I read the story Rock Soup out of this months Friend. Isaac especially loved finding a rock in his soup. For our activity we made Turkey apples. It became quite the serious project. Isaac prides himself on being different and tries very hard to be innovative and not have his look like anyone else. Lucas gets distressed when he sees his apple turkey is looking too different than the rest of ours. Everyone was so involved in their own turkey that Ariel was left to her own, roaming the table eating up all the spare candy.

the weekend

After Katie's cute post of the pictures us as a kids in the tub it made me realize I have yet to put my three kids in the tub together. I did yesterday right before church and it was not a Kodak moment, but I did manage a few pictures. Lucas was upset that he was not sitting next to Ariel. He has to ALWAYS be the one sitting next her. Ariel was in the tub first, then Isaac got in, and Lucas was last. Isaac tried to move Ariel closer to Lucas, but Ariel wasn't having it. Tired of all the commotion she decided to try and climb out.

Yesterday during church Ariel's ear drum perforated. She has been pretty good and I had no idea she had an infection. We threw a party last night at our house that turned out to be quite a dud. Here the kids wait patiently for guests to show up to party.