February 2012

Ah, February, the month of LOVE! Here are some of the things we loved about February.

CARS!

We have quite the extensive collection of Disney's Cars. A whole basket full. The kids had dumped them out and were lining them up when someone (moi?) suggested that they line them up like a rainbow. This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but they had fun doing it.

Their was mass destruction afterward. (I was trying to figure out who took this picture. I'm on the couch and Kannon is walking. I think we didn't want to take this picture, but Ben was adamant. He used the timer!)

A Snow Day in the Mountains with Extended Family

My sister and her family came over from Sacramento and we came up from Fallon to meet at my other sisters' in Incline Village. We had some lunch and visited and then went over to Mt. Rose and did some sledding. We were there for an hour and a half. Enough time for most of us, not quite enough for Ben.

Joshua loved it, too! He was pulling Sarah in the sled.

His poor mittened hands! I wasn't able to find good mittens for him until after this trip. The ones he was wearing got so wet! He ended up wearing two pairs of mittens at once and still had frozen fingers.

Kannon and Sarah

Baking Brownies

I made 8 boxes of brownies for our Cub Scout Pinewood Derby. (I didn't love this about February, but everyone else did!) I cut out each brownie and put powdered sugar on them to look like checkered flags. It was SO time-consuming! And I hate how brownies don't come out of the pan. So I was eating the extra stuff that stuck to the knife or the pan or my fingers. Definitely NOT on the diet! And I didn't even get a picture of the finished product!

Marshmallows!

I had a bag of heart-shaped marshmallows for the month. I also had some mini marshmallows and a bag of regular marshmallows. A couple of times I gave Joshua a marshmallow or two for going potty. I was trying to get him excited about potty-training. That didn't happen. But, he did get excited about marshmallows. And even found his own way into the cupboard!

The Pinewood Derby!

This was Ben's first Pinewood Derby and Kannon was very careful to help him without taking over. It was a fun design and Ben did the painting himself. Kannon tried to figure out the best ways to make it go fast. They really enjoyed working on it together.

Ready to Race!

Ben got 3rd place in his age group. There were about 12-15 boys in that age group, so we felt like it went pretty well.

Ben - 3, Jack C. - 1, Sam R. - 2

DATES!

For my date with Ben, this month, we made slime. We used a Pinterest recipe, putting together, Elmer's glue, water and borax, with a little food coloring. It was "ew!" and "cool"!!

They liked how you could hold it by an end and it would slowly stretch out, longer and longer without breaking.

Dad took Sarah out to dinner. I told him it had to be special. I want him to start now, to teach her how she should be treated on a date. She was so excited to wear a special dress, get her hair fixed up pretty. They picked a restaurant and she made sure Daddy wore his fancy shoes.

Valentine's Day!

I got strep throat on the 13th. Ugh. So, I wasn't doing to good on this day. I did my best, though. I'm sure I made heart pancakes. I tried this heart thing in Sarah's hair; it looked pretty bad by the end of the day.

I also cut out some felt hearts to wear on her uniform buttons. You can kind of see them in this picture we took as we ran out of the house.

I did a few other fun things for the kids throughout the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day. Not as many as last year, but I blame that on being sick. We had a few visits to the Valentine's mailbox. I hope they felt loved anyway. They got to have a heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's since I didn't feel like cooking! or eating. =(

Sorting.
I tried to engage Joshua a little more this month. We'd gotten into a rut. We'd take the kids to school, go straight to the gym and then he'd eat snacks and watch shows while I showered and browsed the computer or worked. Then, we did lunch, nap and then the kids would come home. So, I got busy and tried to do a few more things with him to help him have a more fulfilling day.

We did sorting! This was fun for him. I didn't know he'd take to it so quickly. Although, I didn't let it go on as long as I had hoped because he soon turned to scattering. We have a bag full of dice and marbles. I liked the idea of using the muffin tin to sort.

The Great Outdoors

Joshua loves to be outside and has struggled with our colder winter weather. He goes out anyway and Any Way. At the beginning of the day when he's still in jammies. With, and without, shoes and/or socks. At the end of the day, when I want him to stay clean after his bath! With a coat or jacket or without. This one was just too adorable to pass up!

FHE

We had a fun Family Home Evening one night. Kannon was in charge. He had me pick up some white powdered donuts when I went to the store. Then he locked us up in a room while he prepared. We got to follow the iron rod ( a rope) around the house. There were obstacles, temptations and even the sound of water close by. The rod led us to the Tree of Life. And the "fruit" was truly delicious. (I was a good girl and didn't eat any - only spiritually this time.)

Just Dance

We had a code for a free game rental from Redbox and I used it to check out Just Dance 3 for the Wii. Kannon says it's not as fun as the one for the Xbox Kinect, but the kids and I had fun trying it out anyway. Ben got really good at some of the songs!

January 2012

New Year's Eve - Kannon made our dinner of nachos and we all enjoyed "clinking" our bottles of sparkling cider. My sweet visiting teacher gave us those little bottles and we stashed them away all month so that we could celebrate on New Years Eve together.

I hate the way I look in this picture, but I'm pretty sure it had been a long day for me. I know I was putting away Christmas stuff most of the day. On my way out to the garage (for probably the 10th time) I saw the fireworks that were going off at the County Fairgrounds. We could see them pretty good from our backyard and the kids grabbed blankets and watched for awhile from the trampoline.

We got the baths done while the ice cream maker went to work. We had a package of ice cream mix and we used up some expiring evaporated milk. This was super-yummy cherry ice cream. We ate it while watching something fun on Netflix.
We try to get out to my mom and dad's once a week. That usually is on Sunday evenings. It's a bit harder to do when we are on the afternoon church schedule. But, every time we are there, Joshua heads for the pirate costumes. He makes a great "argh" and is an expert at dueling!

I like to do something during the school breaks to beat the monotony of having nothing to do. And since we weren't traveling anywhere we decided to have a Winter Brunch Party. We made invites on a puzzle card so that the kids we invited would have something fun to do to (besides just coming to the party!)
I spent a lot of time trying to figure out fun food. Sometimes I think that time is so wasted. The kids never appreciate it that much. Most of them had already eaten! The powdered sugar on these donuts was so hard to work on. Can you spot the one-eyed snowman? I used frosting for the eyes, but it wouldn't stick! I cut up jellied orange slices for the nose and poked mini chocolate chips in for the mouth.

These bagels were cream cheese, olive halves and baby carrots, halved. We also had a pot of hot chocolate!

My festive mother came over and helped me out, too. Here she models our snowman pancakes - complete with chocolate chip face and buttons, bacon scarf and whip cream snow! They were fun and yummy!

We went outside (definitely not a snow-day!) and played a game of snowballs! I took our white socks and rolled them together to make snowballs. (We counted how many there were so that I would not end up with a lost sock or two!) Half the kids were on the trampoline, the other half on the ground. The kids on the ground threw the snowballs at the ones on the trampoline. If they got hit with a "snowball" they had to get off and join the throwers. When they were all out, we'd switch teams and start over.

I thought this game was fun and could have been played in a lot of ways.

Everyone had a piece of paper and pen. They took turns rolling the dice (the first player was the one who's birthday came next). Each number gave them a different part of the snowman to draw. So, one person might end up with a hat, but no head! Yet. They all got to play until they'd rolled their whole snowman. Some of them were so cute. Joshua even played!

They got to take these marshmallow snowmen home. I put three marshmallows on a stick and dipped them in melted white chocolate. I used a Hershey kiss for a hat and mini recess pieces (baking aisle) for the face and buttons.

We decided to have monthly dates with our kids, this year. I'll do Sarah one month, while Kannon does Ben. We'll switch the next month. So, for January, Sarah and I made a cake together. She picked it out and helped me get some ingredients at the store. Then we put it together. It was a lemon meringue cake. It was super rich, but really good, too. We shared it with my parents and then gave them the leftovers!

Ben and Kannon worked on Ben's Pinewood Derby car. I'll post about that in February.

Ben also did try-outs for the local Swing Kidz team. There were so many interested kids, this year, that they made another kids team. Ben made the team as an alternate. He has practices every week and seems to enjoy it. He is a bit tired on those days, though. He goes from school straight to his 2-hour practice. It makes for a long day.

I found Ben and Sarah playing chess one evening. What? Don't your 8- and 5-year-old's play chess? For some reason it's their game of choice around here. Except when Joshua wants to play, too. Then there is some extra excitement. Anyway, I guess a few pieces were missing, so they substituted! Ben had some Lego guys and Sarah had a few dolls and animals from her stash of toys.

I also had a super nice visit to Utah this month. My mom wanted to make the trip back to see her brother, my Uncle Tom, who wasn't doing too great. We were able to work things out so that I could go, too. My parents drove their van and took me and the kids on a Friday (before the Monday holiday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day). We dropped the kids off in Winnemucca with Kannon's sister. We went the rest of the way to my sister's house in Salt Lake City. Kannon went to Winnemucca after work and stayed the night. They went up to Elko for the rest of the weekend. Kannon had to be back at work on Monday, so he left the kids in Elko where we picked them up on our way back through on Monday. They had a lot of fun with their cousins, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa. I had a GREAT weekend with my parents, Janet and Levi. We visited my Aunt Nancy and her kids and saw Uncle Tom. We played some great games and ate good food and I felt renewed.

Also, this month, Ben and I read some Chronicles of Narnia and Kannon and I attended a super-fun high school basketball game.

My birthday

So here I am....36.
I struggled a little at 35 because for some reason I had it in my head that that was middle age. That we all die at 70 or something. Anyway, that leaves me thinking that I'm over the hill now, at 36. Oh, well. What can ya do about it?!
Here's a little about the day I was born. I found this information at http://www.kakophone.com/ where you can input a date and find some crazy info.

It was a Monday (I always liked the poem "Monday's child is fair of face.....")
Number one song on this day 1976:
US - Saturday Night by Bay City Rollers
UK - Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Diane Keaton shares my birthday.
Eggs cost 84 cents/doz.

Info about the year from http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/
In 1976:
The movie Rocky won the Oscar for Best Picture.
A gallon of gas cost 59 cents.
The United States celebrates 200th birthday of independence from British Rule.
The $2.00 bill Issued
Apple Computer Company is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak
United States Presidential Election 1976 Jimmy Carter (Democratic) Defeats Gerald Ford (Republican)
Colin Farrel and Reese Witherspoon both born
Popular musicians: Queen, ABBA, Diana Ross, Barry Manilow, The Four Seasons
Popular Films: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, All the President's Men, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Rocky (that's the only one I've actually seen from their list)

So, yeah. Things have changed over the years. Funny thing, though, I still feel 21. Like that's where my brained stop maturing. That makes it hard to grasp the thought that I graduated from high school almost 18 years ago! Or that I've been married for 10 years. It really is true that time flies when you get older. The days, weeks and years just speed by and we're left with the memories. Although, the older I get the less I can remember. No wonder I get on my 8-year-old to write in his journal. It's just too easy to forget the little experiences. I started a new thing this year - one I found on my favorite go-to place, Pinterest. I have a 3x5 box with notecards in it. At the top of the notecard I write the day (January 5). On the first line I wrote 2012 - (and will add something done today). Every year I will write down the year and something done on that day, or a memory, or whatever! I think it will be a fun way to keep track of some of those little things that get lost in life. Find the original here: (would somebody PLEASE teach me how to make the link invisible so you would only see the "here" to link to!)

http://www.designsponge.com/2010/12/diy-project-vintage-postcard-calendar-journal.html

Christmas 2011

Here are a few pictures that were on my phone that should have gone

on the last post about December.

Sarah had her ballet dance for the family to watch. Kannon was off that day so we all got to see her in her dance. She is the 3rd from the left.

I had been hoping that this year would be the one in which we could sign her up for every session and grow in skills. But, now we've taken on the Total Money Makeover and I don't feel like there's room for that right now.
Here's another pic from our duck pond visit. It doesn't look as icy and cold as it was that day. Half of the water you can see here was frozen. (not like these last few days of 60-70 temps.)

Now, on to CHRISTMAS!!

The night of the 23rd we let the kids open one present from Grandma Polish. We knew they were getting quilts and pillows from her and wanted that to be enjoyed separately from the toys.

It was almost comical to watch Ben open his package. Grandma told him that there was surprise in one of the corners of his gift. She had put tags saying "made by Grandma" on one corner of each quilt. He thought he was looking for something on the package itself. He was so careful checking each corner of the wrapping paper.

"Holy red eyes, Batman!"

Ben and Sarah actually slept out in the living room that night, but it was all we could do to get Joshua to lay still for this picture. He slept in his bed. He's a funny kid. He loves the little blanket that Grandma Polish made him when he was a baby. It's red on one side with bees, and the other side is black with white polka dots. It's the only blanket he will sleep under.

So, in this picture he was basically throwing a fit that we wanted him to lay down on his pillow with the new quilt. I had also made him a new Cars fleece blanket, but he's having none of that either - which is surprising with his love of Cars. I've even had to put a different pillowcase on his special pillow because he kept throwing it on the floor.

We took Christmas Eve nice and slow. I was in charge of dinner at my parents house. So, I made potluck meatballs, yum! I had them cooked early and then just put them in the crockpot for warm keeping. I also made up fruit and vegetable trays. Then we headed out to their house.

Ben and Sarah on the computer. I don't remember what they were playing but I think it's so cute when Sarah sits behind Ben like this. He never complains and it's just nice to see them doing something together.

Grammy playing with the kids. She kept all of her little people and the kids love to play with them when they come over. Sarah is on the floor to the left. Natalie in the pink and Joshua.

After our yummy dinner we had a little devotional. I sang an impromptu song with my mom. Sarah sang a few songs by herself (holding my hand). Ben played a song on the piano as did Jackie. Ben also read us The Night Before Christmas. Then my dad read the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke. Sarah played with the nativity scene that my parents made when I was a little one. She was acting it out as he read.

Then we headed home. We had decided to do a homemade Christmas exchange this year. We drew names back in October and we had to make something for that person. Some of us knew what to do right away. Others (me!) took awhile to figure it out and made our gifts a few days before Christmas! We chose to open them on Christmas Eve so that they wouldn't get tossed aside as sometimes gifts do in the excitement of presents on Christmas morning.

Sarah made a Cars book for Joshua. We used a thrift store board book and glued on our own pages of pictures she designed and drew herself. (Except for this page in the picture. She wanted 10 friends but didn't feel like she could draw this one. So I did it for her.) Her ideas were great.

This was Sarah's look when she said, "that's a stupid present." Kannon had wrapped it in an old lotion container. ( I think she had thought it was going to be a slinky.) When we said, "oh look, lotion" she was less than excited.

Now check out her face as she unrolls the belt that her dad made just for her. It has her name on it and stars, flowers, hearts and it's pink and purple. She was pretty happy. He also made her her own belt buckle with pretty jewels on it.

This is what I ended up making for Ben. Marshmallow shooters and bags to carry extra marshmallows. It was just hard for me to pick what to make that he would actually like and that I could actually do by myself. And this I did do by myself. All Kannon did for me was get the tools out of the garage. I made 2 guns so he could play with his friends. I used leftover spray paint to make them red and blue. The bags are matching with red and blue ribbons. He said it was the best Christmas present ever. (After he saw what Santa brought him it became the second best present ever!)

Ben had me. His dad helped him make me a keychain and a checkbook holder out of leather. Kannon helped but from what I understand Ben really did the work himself. I love them!

Joshua had Kannon's name and so I pretty much had to do that one myself. I chose this shirt because I felt it was a gift that Joshua could keep giving. I found the idea on pinterest (yay!). On the front we put Joshua's handprint and the quote, "I'm as lucky as can be, the best daddy in the world belongs to me." And I let Joshua draw on it with a fabric marker.

Ben had been following Santa's path all afternoon/evening on Norad. He was in bed when we noticed this, and took a picture for him.

Aw! Christmas morning. Since it was Sunday and we had church at 9am (and choir at 8am!) We decided to only see what Santa brought us and save the rest of the presents for after church. (We were home by 10 so it wasn't a big deal.)

We woke up the kids at 6:30. Joshua didn't want to wake up. But these two were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!

Joshua perked up a bit when he started to see that there were gifts involved.

Ben got a Nintendo 3DS. Sarah got 5 Disney Princess Barbies. Joshua got a Cars 2 Wheelie track. They were all very happy with their gifts. Good job Santa!

Joshua always liked the singamajigs in the store. We'd let him play with it while we were shopping or looking then put it away when it was time to leave. Well, he finally got his own and it was a hit. He also got a little Lightning McQueen, a puzzle block. (This is after church).

Most of Sarah's gifts were Barbie. She got this little pocket learner, a Ken, some clothes, a little pet shop coloring book and markers.

Ben was really happy with all the legos he got.

We like to take turns opening presents to stretch it out and make the love and excitement last. But, Joshua didn't know how to stop. He opened all of his and then helped daddy open his. It was all I could do to get to open my own presents by myself!

We went out to my parents house again after a short nap. Joshua played pirate and rode stick horses with cousin Natalie. We all just hung out visiting and being happy.

Sarah read to Uncle Stephen.

We had a yummy dinner of ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes and jello salads. There were lots of goodies around for the eating, too.

We all got together again on Monday for visiting. My sister Nancy came with her family joining us, Nathan and family, and Susan and Stephen. Four out of six kids home for Christmas wasn't too bad. More visiting. Played a game of Rage. Yummy spaghetti, bread and salad for dinner.

Uncle Stephen is always a hit! (Or should I say hoot?!) He was swinging the little kids around his body. They were lined up for their turn. This is Ben. It was so hard to get a good picture because they were moving so fast.

And Sarah. Uncle Nathan even got a little turn. So frustrated that my camera batteries decided to die right then!

All in all we had a very pleasant weekend. We loved being able to take things slow and spend time with our family. I didn't feel like we went overboard on the gifts either. It was a good time. Can't wait to do it again. Which part? Why, all of it, of course!