Merry Christmas

Well, it's hard to believe that Christmas is here again. I love this time of year. There is so much excitement in the air at an Elementary School, and with my own kids, it is so much fun. I love that we finally got some good snow, and that the world seems a little magical out there. We did survive the Nutcracker, and the girls did great! They were so cute!




We had a great time on our annual chop down the Christmas tree trek. The tree is perfect for our space.


You gotta love when the kids decorate the Christmas tree, and there are clumps of ornaments where they can reach... they actually did a pretty good job this year.




Spencer turned 3 last week, and had a great time at his 2 parties. He had a Spiderman Party with his friends, and Cameron prepared a huge "Thanksgivingish" feast to celebrate with family. Spence had a great time, and we appreciate everyone who came or wished Spence well.

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family, we feel so blessed to know you! We are so excited to spend time with family over the break, and get caught up with cleaning.

Updates and promised pictures!

Well, here they are, the long-awaited Halloween pictures and a few from Anne and Brandon's Wedding...

All the kiddos ready to go trick-or treating

My cute little Loo Hoo bunny!

The Pirate Princess, Elizabeth

Red Power Ranger
Daphne... from Scooby Doo

Spencer's cool pumpkin... yeah, Spence found the girls make-up kit and put some on.

Kate and her pumpkin

Spence can't get enough of Emmy. This is what I find in her crib after I put her down for a nap. He crawls right in and wakes her up to play.

Spencer loves being with all the boy cousins.

Updates... and ANNIE BANNANIE spotlight

Halloween was... well very exhausting as usual. It does seem to get crazier and crazier every year, and what's up with the college kids trick-or-treating (pathetic... just go buy your own dang candy!) I'll post pictures as soon as I get around to down-loading. The kids wore their costumes out with all the parties and things we did for Halloween. We're all candied out, and I think I finally have a kid who WILL eat all the candy... yep, Spencer boy. I keep finding wrappers and partially eaten candy all over the place. The girls don't really care too much for their Halloween candy so in the past either Cameron has eaten it or we've eventually thrown it away, but I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this kiddo...

In other business, my spotlight of the day is my sister Anne. She just had a birthday AND is getting hitched this week, so it is the perfect time to recognize all the great things I love about my little, taller sister who I spent almost all of my childhood days with. Though we didn't always get along as kids (probably because we were forced to be together ALL OF THE TIME and we had to share EVERYTHING and I had to wear pink so Anne could wear blue, and because I always had to quit doing things because Anne had a short attention span...)we were always good friends and have grown even closer through the years. I'm so excited to watch Anne jump into this new chapter in her life. Anne is the coolest! Brandon, you're one lucky dude! Be good to her or you'll have lots of little nieces and nephews after you!

My Annie top ten:

10) I love that Anne lives in the clouds... she doesn't always have the best grasp on reality, but her world is a much better place to be anyway, I'm glad I got to tag along.

9) I love that Anne didn't care what was expected of us LeBras kids, and did what she wanted to do (like ride horses, and take art classes instead of icky science classes like I did just because Ang and Mike did, and I hated them (not Ang and Mike the science classes...glad I got that off my chest).

8) I love that when we were little everyone thought we were twins, so we came up with the features that distinguished us from one another... Anne's freckles and curly hair, my ears pierced and pudgy nose.

7) I love that Anne has enough imagination to spread around.

6) I love that Anne loves the make and eat great food and that she is always willing to share it.

5) I love that Anne loves my kids almost as much as they love her. Cheers of "Annie, Annie" echo through the house whenever Annie walks through the doors.

4) I love that Anne turns into "Tour Guide Anne" at least a few times a year.

3) I love that Anne can quote all the classic LeBras movies.

2) I love that Anne gets along with my husband almost better than I do.

1) I love that Anne will always be my sister, but now she gets to be a wife and someday a mother... I'm so excited! Brandon, you've got your hands full, she's a hard one to keep up with. :)

Last the best of all the gang... Camille.

Camille kept asking me when it was her turn to be the spotlight... Camille is growing up so fast, and we enjoy having her around (except when she is whining :) ). She is our sensitive one, who likes to be close to mommy. Camille is quite an exceptional dancer, and has class three days a week for 2-3 hours each time. She will be a party girl and a bon bon for the Nutcracker this year, and is excited that Katelyn will get to do it with her this year. She is a bid bad third grader, and just got her first locker (which she is thrilled about). Here is my Camilly top ten:
10) I love to watch Camille, she is so graceful.



9) I love that she still has to come in to hug me before she goes to bed.


8) I love that she is in a better mood by the time we get to school (definitely not a morning girl, this one).




7) I love that she likes to eat healthy snacks and food all the time.


6) I love that she sings full blast when I am in the car with her... can't say her siblings feel the same way.
5) I love that Camille is so sensitive, that if I threaten to leave one of my other kids somewhere because they aren't listening, she is the one who cries.





4) I love that people say that Camille looks like me (only I don't have a six-pack).


3) I love that Camille has notes to herself and lists of things to do and journal entries in every spare notebook and piece of paper around the house.


2) I love that Camille likes to clean (a little obsessively at times).
1) I love that I am close to Camille.

Katie Kate Kignugen

The other day, Katelyn came up to me and said, "Mom, could you please call me Katie Kate Kignugen?" I asked her why, she told me that she thought that that rhymed better with Emmy Loo Hoo than Katie Bug. Go figure? My Kate is the funniest kid... she should be on that show kids say the darndest things. I always have to be careful what I say in front of this kid. She remembers everything, and is really quite bright. She is loving every minute of Kindergarten, and insists that Camille makes her late everyday (thank you! finally someone else feels my pain!) This kid is not only beautiful, with her huge brown eyes, she is fiesty and full of it! My Katelyn top ten...
10) I love Katelyn's attitude (most of the time)... especially when she says, "Helloooo mom, I already told you that."


9) I love listening to Katelyn's stories, sometimes they go on and on and on and on (just ask anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing them).


8) I love that Katelyn teaches herself things if she really wants to do them (like riding a bike and swimming).
7) I love that Kate lets me dress her in whatever I want... finally (Camillle still doesn't).


6) I love that Kate loves to snuggle and take care of babies... we sometimes call her the baby whisperer.


5) I love that Kate offers to give me her money so we can be rich.


4) I love that Kate is a little mischevious, just like her aunt Anne.


3) I love that Kate says so many funny things that when it is night-time, Cameron always asks me for the latest Katie-ism. We really need a book of her sayings. We often quote her.


2) I love that Katie sneeks into my bed at night and sleeps with her eyes open (since she was a baby- kind of creepy sometimes).


1) I love that we have Katie to enjoy everyday!

Emilie

So I decided to spotlight the person who gives me the least amount of grief :). This little Loo Hoo girl is the nicest, smiliest, easy baby ever. She only cries when she is hungry or really tired. Other than that, all it takes is looking and her and smiling to get her to do the same back to you. She has a little tooth (which she tends to bite with) but I still love nursing her so I can talk to her and watch the animation in her eyes. It's always amazing that after getting a new addition to the family you wonder how you ever felt complete without them. She is definitely an important part of our family, and has helped me to feel the peace and love of our Heavenly Father during my moments with her. This is my top ten for Emilie (aka Emmy Loo Hoo or the Loo Loo Girl).
10) I am fascinated with her blue eyes (yep.. they are still blue, crazy!)


9) I love her smell (even when she is stinky). I can still smell her on me after I feed her at lunch, and it makes me want to get back home faster.


8) I love that all my other kids can't get enough of her, and even better, she doesn't mind getting slobbered on by the other kids.



7) I love that she puts herself to sleep (even if that means sucking on her thumb a little).


6) I love that when she sees me, she starts to kick and smile like I'm the best thing she's ever seen.
5) I love that I feel the spirit so strongly when I am with her.


4) I love that she loves to take showers.
3) I love that she is a chunky girl (really, I love those chubby thighs).

2) I love that she snuggles up to me in the morning when I nurse her in my bed before I go to work.
1) I love that she is here safe and sound with us.