christmas day 1

Because Seattle was nailed with 15 or 16 inches of snow some of our Christmas guests were delayed by a few days. Try telling that to a six and four year old though. So we decided to have two Christmas'. Of course Anne was our Mary...a part that she will fight for each year.

Here is our Joseph...he said he just wanted to watch.

We were lucky enough to have a piano player in our house for Christmas. Thanks to Hava we sang every Christmas song we could think of.

I love the look of happiness when a child finally gets through the paper and sees their gift...priceless.


Andrew asked me to take this picture. He was so excited for this gift he didn't want to open anything else.

We were so lucky to have Grammy Wilson (Zac's Grandma) with us this Christmas. I so enjoyed getting to know her better.

Go Fish, a popular game on Christmas Day.

christmas sunday

Our annual in front of the tree picture...this year the kids were so happy to do it. Andrew really loved the red bow tie I made for him.

disneyland 2008

We had a wonderful trip to Disneyland earlier this month. Everyday we walked all over the park taking turns picking which ride to go on. Lucky for us Andrew finally reached the 42" mark and was able to go on all the rides. We discovered that both our kids feel the need for speed. The faster the better for both of them. The favorite rides were The Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain and the Pirates of the Caribbean with the Buzz Lightyear ride coming in a close 2nd. I think I can say the quote of the week was "Can we do it again?" after every single ride. The weather was perfect all three days and the kids incredibly happy...another wonderful visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.

popcorn and cranberries

Growing up, stringing the popcorn and cranberries was one of my most favorite Christmas traditions. All six of us would gather around the table and talk and string. I even remember one year when we used my dad's microwave butter popcorn. I think that year we ate more than we strung onto the string. I have been wanting to start this tradition with Anne and Andrew but for whatever reason just never did. This year it finally happened. The popcorn was popped the cranberries fresh and beautiful and the kids were thrilled that I would let them hold a needle...I know scary. But to my surprise I found that both kids were patient and skilled with the needle. Even my crazy Andrew slowly strung his popcorn onto the string. I think we have a new tradition.

Don't you just love the concentration on his face?

Anne was loving "sewing" the popcorn and cranberries onto the string. She asked if this was how I made her skirts. Thanks goodness no!

We rushed out the door to go pick up Zac from work...the table still looks like this three days later...the kids sew a little when they run through the room.

need to remember 2

I don't know if it's the age but Andrew just says so many funny things these days. We had been reading in Luke 2 about the birth of Christ....here is tonight's conversation after reading the scriptures:

Dad: What did we read about tonight?

Anne: Baby Jesus.

Mom: Andrew, where was baby Jesus born?

Silence.

Mom: Andrew was Baby Jesus born in a hospital?

Andrew: Mom why do you keep saying that? Baby Jesus was born on a stage!

trimming the tree

Like always we put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving (thanks for your help Hava and Brigg). Unfortunatly some of my $2 lights from Walmart decided this was the year to give out. So after a run to Target on black Friday I finally got the lights up. The kids got around to decorating the tree after church on Sunday. You can tell it is after church fromthe shirt tails sticking out of Andrew's sweater.

my own super saturday

Sorry no pictures to show. I just wanted to tell you all of a new Turner tradition started last month and continued last Saturday. I am the Enrichment Leader in our ward so last month I was in charge of our Super Saturday (a day where all the ladies in our church get together and go crazy crafting). While I was at the church Zac took the kids to the Natural History Museum. They had a blast and ever since Andrew has been asking when my next Super Saturday was. I tried to tell him that I can only do one of those a year but he insisted that we do another one. So this past Saturday Zac asked what we should do. I told him I just had too many things to do here at home and could not go anywhere. Andrew and Anne said "Let's have another Super Saturday!" So they did. I stayed at home and Zac took the kids to the Science Center. I think they left at 10:30 am and didn't come home again until 5:30pm!!! Can you believe it?! Zac said they were just having so much fun they didn't want to leave.

Meanwhile I got ALL the laundry done, took a shower without any interruptions, finished one skirt for Anne, made another skirt for a Christmas present, made a bag for myself, finished putting the lights on the Christmas tree, hung more lights around the house, and managed to watch a "chick flick". Now that is what I call a SUPER SATURDAY! When Zac got home he asked if I would like to do this more often. YES!!! So every once in a while we will have Super Saturday. Thank you my love for making such a wonderful day possible for me and the kids. I LOVE YOU!!

happy thanksgiving

Here in the Turner house we had a interesting Thanksgiving. As you can see I had lots of help making the meal. Unfortunately Zac was on call - but fortunately Brigg and Hava were able to come and join us for the feast.

I put Anne in charge of the rolling out of the rolls. She took her job very seriously. Andrew helped to carry them over to the pans once they were cut out...this must be how bite marks appeared in all the rolls.

Zac made it home just before we ate and had to leave to go back to the hospital right after we finished but we were just happy to have him with us at all!

I attempted to make our turkey worthy of Martha Stewart. Unfortunately I forgot that a turkey has to cook for much longer than 2 hours. The turkey was finished cooking about the time that we finished eating everything else....bummer. Don't laugh. Zac usually does the turkey.

The first time I ever carved a turkey...

Zac and Brigg looking at the turkey heart. Yes, I know, gross.

need to remember

I have to write this down so I don't forget it.

Zac and the kids were playing "horses" tonight after family scriptures and prayers...this comment was made:

Anne: Daddy pretend we like apples.

Andrew: Daddy pretend we have to obey your commandments.

Well at least we know he is getting something out of the scriptures...

photo tag

My friend, Laura, tagged me--I don't usually do these tag things but I liked this one and it's easy.
Here are the rules:
Go to your photos and open the 4th folder.
Post the 4th picture in your folder.
Tag 4 more people.(Shouldn't there be 4 rules?)
Here is my picture:

Thank goodness my 4th picture wasn't something awful. Caught this one of the kids a few weeks ago. Anne has really taken off with her reading. I find her reading to Andrew all the time. She read me to sleep on the couch yesterday after church--isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

I tag Anjuli, Hayley, Sarah K., and Megan.

harry potter?

The kids and Zac were out running around in the newly fallen snow this evening. I was inside folding laundry. I thought I heard crying but then heard laughing so didn't go out to see what happened. Later Andrew came inside and this is the conversation:

Andrew: Mom look what happened to my face!

Me: Oh my gosh! Andrew are you alright? (This is while I try hold his face still to get a good look)

Andrew: Ya, I'm fine. Now I am like Harry Potter forever right?

Me: What?

Andrew: My scar mom....now I am like Harry Potter! I have to go look in the mirror one more time. (Andrew runs away at this point)

Later I ask Zac what happen. I guess it was getting dark and Andrew's face found an almost dead thorn bush in the back yard. Just so you know we just let the kids watch the 2nd Harry Potter movie just last night so they have "Harry" on the brain.

anne - 1st grade

I don't usually order school pictures but this year I did. Anne was very excited to bring this home today. Doesn't she look so grown up?

halloween

We had a western theme this year in our house. This was good for me because we already owned almost everything they wore. I love that. This was our first year to take the kids door to door trick-or-treating. Usually we do the church thing but this year we missed it. One of Zac's co-workers said she lived in a great neighborhood for our purpose to off we went. We found that she lived on a loop, on a hill. The kids took off sprinting from house to house running up the hill. By the time we got to the top of the hill the kids were panting and said they were tired. So turns out that doing door to door is better. The kids were tired, they didn't get too much candy and Zac and I got some exercise chasing after them.

Tough guy and gal.

Anne had a costume parade at the school. Andrew joined in the fun.

Did I mention that Sarah Pallin was at Anne's school today?

carving pumpkins

Tuesday night we carved our pumpkins. As always it was messy and fun. This year I talked the kids into some more complex designs. Both insisted on their pumpkin being scary. I tried to convince them that scary pumpkins would scare away the trick-or-treaters but they said that was the point to Halloween....to be scared that is. I think my little kids are growing up.

The man behind all the work. Zac carved both pumpkins but wouldn't do mine...this is why it is still sitting on the front porch uncarved.

Andrew said it was yucky.

Anne said hers wasn't scary enough. I told her it was sneaky. She said that was OK, but next year it had to be scary.

playing in the leaves

We Turners have missed the Fall. The other day the kids and I hit the park and found this huge pile of leaves to play in. They love it. I loved watching them love it. I always thought playing in the Fall leaves was the most fun. I now know that watching your own kids play in the Fall leaves is even more fun.