Hoop It Up

This is Zach's first basketball game! He is really enjoying playing with a team and especially since Dad is the coach. I couldn't get a good shot of their coach! (I think he was trying to avoid the camera!) Our big guy is in the grey shorts and black shoes. He loves having basketball shoes, too! Now, we just need to make a shot and life will be complete for the age of 7!

FHMA (Future Homemakers of America)

This is Nat's new hobby. She will take dishes out of the washer and set the table! (Good insentive for mom to make sure the dishes in there are always clean) As she puts the dishes on she will say the name of who sits there. It is the cutest thing! The picture of the table is all her. She did that all by herself. And as you can see she can barely see above the table! Let's hope this excitement to help stays for awhile.

Our Christmas

We had a great Christmas, we stayed in our pjs all day and didn't clean anything! What a wonderful day! We enjoyed watching and teaching Natalie the joys of ripping paper to find a hidden treasure. Dad and Mom put together a trampoline, which we have used everyday since. And then we had a Christmas tree pizza for dinner. It was a great day. I can't believe that it is all packed and tucked away in the attic awaiting another 365 days. It comes so fast and leaves even faster. I love watching the kids faces that magical morning and never seem to quite catch what I want on camera. Maybe I need a faster camera!!! I love the feelings and memories we shared this holiday season. We hope you had a wonderful time as well.

......................................................................................................................................................Christmas Eve we had a party with some friends and the kids did the nativity. Evan was Joseph along with his favorite friend as Mary. It was really cute. "Mary" just loved playing the part, but Joseph was shy as ever. Can you see these two playing Ninja Turtles together and duking it out? Well, trust me they are hilarious.

December shorts and bare feet

................It was more like spring here the other day. We had shorts and no shoes on. The weather is up and down here. This was 2 days ago and today it is in the 30's. We never know if it is winter or spring.

And then we went to see Santa, which Natalie absolutely loved(J/K). I have been showing her Santa everywhere in hopes to prepare her for the visit, but it didn't work out as I had planned.

We quickly took the picture and got out of there, I am sure Santa was glad that visit was over.

He asked the boys what they wanted for Christmas. As I listned in, I was thrilled to know that I had 2 of the 3 items he listed. Then Evan, who always surprises us, asked for a tool box! That was the first I had heard that one. And of course a dinosaur, I had that one in the bag weeks ago, but a tool box. I have no idea where he got that and I have no idea where he is going to get that. Let's hope he can turn one of his other items into that. And I am sure I did the same thing to my mother. One of the many joys of Christmas.

Christmas visitors

After we recouped we had family come visit us to start the holiday season. Gabriel's parents came shortly after Thanksgiving from Virginia. We had a nice visit with them and did some fun things with them. The kids wished they could have stayed longer. But thanks to Daddy we can see them fairly often.

Then Grandma Lowder came from Idaho

This is a favorite picture of mine. I was surprised at her reaction to seeing Grandma after 6 months of not seeing her. I am sure it made Grandma feel good too!

Grandma Lowder helped us make many a gingerbread houses. I wanted to get one more in this year, I was going to do a plane for Gabe's work, but I think I am all gingered out! Natalie helped taste the candy and made sure it was okay for babies! She also was constipated for the first time in her life as a result of her tasting job!!

House for Zach's teacher

........Evan's house he gave to his teacher

We had fun with all of our grandparents and can't wait to see them again.

Can I call in sick?

Thanksgiving was great at our house. We went to a friends house and enjoyed being with another family. Gabriel and I were reflecting the other day. We realized this is the first year in awhile that we have spent Thanksgiving with someone and the first year that he will not have to work Christmas day!! Santa usually visits our house the day after or day before, because daddy works in the morning. But this year Santa will be coming on the 25th!!! What simple pleasures I have!!

Anyway, just before Thanksgiving came our three little family members started to come down with something. Then after Thanksgiving we got nailed with it. (Hence, the lack of posting) Then the other night I was begging to call in sick and do you think they took my call?! I put all the kids to bed, Gabe was at work, and then finished picking up the house. Then as I was laying in bed, Natalie woke up screaming! I went in to see to her and she was all plugged up and couldn't breathe. I tried everything, but nothing seemed to work. So, after 1 1/2 hours of trying to get her to sleep I caved and brought her into bed with me. Hoping that if she layed on one of our pillows she could breathe. Just after we had settled into bed, Zach came in coughing up a storm. So, Nat and I put him back in bed, opened a window, got him a drink and propped up his bed. Then she and I went back to bed and got all ready to snooze and dad comes home! She was so excited to see him, it's 11:00pm mind you (she has never been up past 9:00, she's having a ball!!) He went to check on Zach, who is on the other end of the house and you can hear him hacking away. (I couldn't believe Evan was sleeping through all this, I wish they all were)

We couldn't get Zach to stop coughing and it was so constant and hard, it scared me at times. So, after about 30 min of none of us sleeping, except Evan, I took Zach into a steaming bathroom. Oh, how I hoped this would work. (All I wanted to do was sleep, even though with Nat in our bed I knew that probably wasn't very likely) It worked, Zach stopped coughing after about 10 min of being in the bathroom. A few minutes after that I took him back to bed, thinking how nice it would be to climb into bed and go to sleep. As I left his room relieved to be going to bed, what happens? No, no he didn't start coughing or Evan didn't wake up. Our blessed fire alarm goes off!!! Of all things to happen! So, of course everyone in the house is awake now and it is only midnight. All I could do was laugh! I just stood in the hallway and laughed. The boys were scared, Gabe was frustrated and Natalie was just happy to be awake in the middle of night.

Well, we finally all got to sleep. Yes, Nat stayed in our bed. So, no I didn't get a ton of sleep. But, hey, I got some. Needless to say Mom demanded that everyone go to the doctor bright and early the next day! They all got medicine and are now on the mend. My nights since then have been even more cherished. I hope the next time they let me call in sick though!

Sick little faces are just so sad looking, you feel so bad for them. And don't you love it when the kids are sick they sleep wherever. Hope you all weather the sick season better than we are!

American soldiers

I got this website from a friend and it was very moving.
It sure made me stop and think about how blessed we are, because of those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. And what an appropriate time to thank them and our Father in Heaven for what we have. Listen to this song all the way through and enjoy!
http://www.flashdemo.net/gallery/wake/index.htm