Merry Christmas!

Random

Jayna and Rylan helping to make cookies

These 2 being silly, they're always dressing up. I'm amazed at how Jayna can get Kepler to go along with pretty much any scheme she comes up with.

Jayna pretending to talk on the phone. She was having a pretty realistic conversation, whatever she's talking about looks interesting! She looks so grown up here.

Party time!

One of the fun (and exhausting) things about December is all the Christmas parties.

Our Ward Christmas Party at the beginning of the month had lots of games for the kids
Pin the nose on Rudolph
Hanging Christmas Wreath (aka eat a donut off a string), this was so funny to watch

Gathering Snowballs (this game kept the 2 year olds entertained for most of the night)

Jayna had a pajama party at school, she was so excited she wouldn't even pose for a picture until she finished dancing and jumping around

We tried to make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers this year and they just kept collapsing. At least the kids still had fun.

Eating Rudolph for our preschool snack

Jayna's preschool Christmas party

And this has nothing to do with December or parties, but it was so cute. Kepler is still so snuggly, even when he's getting a shoulder ride. He's been sick this week and so he's even more snuggly than usual. I love the extra love, but carrying around 29 extra pounds all day is tiring.

We leave for Ontario for Christmas on Tuesday, we can't wait! We'll be the ones with a million suitcases for the 4 of us since we're bringing all our presents with us.

Fancy

Tonight our advent calendar activity was to
"Dress fancy for a fancy Christmas dinner."
It was definitely the most fun activity so far. We had fancy chicken, fancy rice, fancy salad and even fancy water. It's amazing how much better fancy water tastes than normal water!
We used our fancy Christmas tablecloth and fancy Christmas dishes (thanks Aunt Mona!) and fancy napkin rings and fancy candles and had fancy Christmas music playing in the background.


Jayna thinks we should dress like this every day

Pinkies up!

Kepler trying to do pinkies up, but giving a thumbs up instead

We called each other darling and had impeccable manners
(except when Kepler spilled his water and egg nog)

These 2 pictures sum up how exciting the night was

And of course you can't have a fancy dinner without having a fancy dance after

Jayna getting dipped

We ended off the night with a fancy drink (egg nog) and fancy dessert (cookies). And then we had to read Fancy Nancy's Splendiferous Christmas before bed.
Night night darlings! Can't wait to do this again next Christmas.

Santa

Santa Photo 2010
Sometimes our kids are so predictable.

Jayna just decided this year that she wasn't scared of Santa anymore because he's nice, and that she was going to sit on his lap and tell him what she wanted. And once she makes up her mind to do something, she just does it.

Kepler was scared of Santa but was trying to be brave, because he wanted to be like Jayna. Before we went he would say "I like Santa, Santa nice... .No, I don't want to sit on Santa's lap!" We didn't force him, but as soon as he saw Jayna get excited and go up he had to be like his big sister. I love his face, his expression shows perfectly how he was really nervous, but trying to be brave.

Jayna asked for Woody and Kepler asked for Buzz, how convenient! ;)

Letters to Santa

24 days and counting

Is it Christmas yet??
It feels like it is just around the corner for me, but for my 4 and 2 year old it cannot come soon enough!

Setting up and decorating the tree

Our friends the McCoy's gave us an Elf on the Shelf this year. We're all really excited about this new tradition. Jayna and Kepler named him Star. He's only been here for 2 days, but he's already very loved by everyone!

And the advent calendar (idea from here)! For the kids enjoyment and my sanity.

November

I just realized that I haven't blogged in a month, it doesn't feel like it's been that long. But luckily I didn't take that many pictures this month, so I can just do one post for the whole month.

They love rocking on the rocking chair. Usually they sit beside each other, but I guess they just felt like snuggling (I'm guessing this was Kepler's idea).

Kepler cut his cheek and insisted on wearing a bandaid on it for 3 days.
Sidenote: that garbage truck he's playing with is the BEST toy for kids. Kepler consistently plays with it on his own, it doesn't take batteries or make annoying sounds, and he got it for his birthday in June and he's still not sick of it! If you need an idea for a Christmas present for younger kids, check these toys out.

Birthday date a couple days early


Happy 32nd Birthday to Gibb!!
 

 
 

Huge birthday hugs and kisses for Daddy!

 Cohen, Kepler and Jayna went down this slide piled on top of each other so many times...until someone got hurt.

They wanted to wear my clothes

and sit in the toy bins...I mean their boats.

Jenny and Milo came to visit in Edmonton. It was so good to see them again!
This was the best picture I could get of these 3, haha I love it!

Jayna had a doctor's appointment and insisted on bringing her scriptures. She actually "read" them for quite a while. And speaking of reading this little girl has starting doing just that. She can sound out most 3 letter words, and then Gibb or I help her recognize what the word is. She was trying so hard and actually read the word PIG all by herself a couple weeks ago. So proud of my big-little girl!

Getting sled rides from Daddy

Snuggling Santa and playing in the fort

The 3 Musketeers at preschool

It feels like November has been over for a long time, since we are in full on Christmas mode now! Decorations are up, shopping is done, and cards are being mailed this week. I know I'm totally bragging, but it's just so nice to not have to worry about all that in December so I can enjoy the season more!