Christmas Prep

As you all know by now we really get into Christmas around here. 

Yesterday the kids made alot of ornaments.. they were busy bees. 

 Then some perler bead snowmen

 then letters to Santa

 I free handed this from a picture I found on the internet. I used some wood we salvaged from all the building they are doing in our neighborhood. Free art for Jeff to add to his ever growing Christmas decoration collection. 

 While I painted, Fieldin wanted to make more art so I gave him the project (below) to do. 

 He had fun with these.. And the cat had to get into all the decorations, of course. 

 We set up the tree and I put way too many lights on it. I keep going until the kids say their eyes hurt from it being so bright.. then I know I'm done:) 

 The kids decorated their bedroom trees and shared decorations. 

 Cold temps mean Jeff starts baking and cooking more.. This morning it was pumpkin bacon pancakes.. Greta was in love.. 

Santa Letters

 "Dear St. Nicholas, I would like a lego star wars set, lego police set too. then a dyno chase and a chapter book!"

Lots on their lists this year like usual. They got their letters done early so they can get letters back from Santa.. they look forward to his letters... 

Thanksgiving

 Fieldin had a Thanksgiving feast on last Tuesday at his Pre-K class. He had alot of fun. 

 We visited my dad and the kids were so excited to see this little mound of snow in his front yard. 

The littlest was most excited. 

 but he spent almost all his time building legos(as usual) He was given new legos from his grandpa and Aunt Barb. 

 Thanksgiving morning.. Jeff, Greta, my aunt and I all went on a walk and stopped for warm drinks. The lines were crazy so Jeff jumped into line and pretended he was a car.. 

 His turkey art.. 

 Gret's favorite part, making deviled eggs with Aunt Barb. 

driving home..  

Thanksgiving Party

Friday was Fieldin's Thanksgiving party. 

It was fun seeing the kids decorate their vests, hats and make necklaces. 

Jeff came to help out at the party too which was fun. 

 In his creations before they went on parade. 

 I helped make the vests when Gret was in kindergarten and made them again this year. 

It's always a relief to see that they fit ;) 

 Eating his "feast" below. 

It was very cute and he enjoyed it very much. 

Around Here

We have been busy with life as usual. 

I just finished a Christmas village out of lego's that took me 4 evenings. Yes, me doing Lego's. The kids/husband have worn off on me. It was very fun, hard and rewarding and it is nice to know I can build as well as my 6 year old for a short time longer. Gotta keep up with these kids.. I will share a photo later. 

I am also putting together Christmas projects for the kids. The kids have been busy with homework, school and their own little projects. 

Here are a few pics from the camera. Again I need to take more pictures, I know. 

 Fieldin hung this up on the art door. I will break it down. It's title is "what mommy likes".. hot chocolate, books, green tea, pumpkin pie, cats, almond milk....did you notice it's almost all food? 

 these two.. :)

 Greta's second 4-h project she made. 

 Fieldin's indian and pilgrim pictures he taped to the art door. Oh, how I will miss art from this age when they get older. Some of it I want to embroider on a holiday pillow or something. I love it. 

Ball Kids

After 2 years of watching his sister be a ball kid and watching many games from the sidelines, the little man was given ball kid status this year... and he was excited! 

They were ball kids at yesterday's game and big sister showed him the ropes. He was very excited to get his Pac-12 shirt but nervous about the sweeping of the floor part. He did great and loved it. After all this time he was finally allowed to shoot balls on the court before the game and during half-time. Like his sister, it didn't make him nervous being in front of hundreds of people watching him. 

Very happy for both of them and instead of playing video games on the sidelines, now Fieldin is all into the game and very glad the team won. 

Getting out the sweep brooms above and shooting before the game. They get there an hour before the game starts. 

Holding up big heads of a couple players. 

 working hard during a time out.. 

 and half-time

 good job both of you :) 

Found Pic

These days I try my best to keep up on the blog but I always have pictures I forget to post. 

This one I had to post because it still makes me laugh. 

The day after Halloween the kids sold the majority of their candy to a dentist. As you can imagine this was Greta's idea, not Fieldin's. His usual response to the idea was "No Way". Well, she broke him and with big dreams of getting enough money to buy Lego's, he gave in. The kids picked out the candy they wanted to keep which was way more than enough and that candy is currently taking up space in our pantry untouched. 

The dentist paid them $2 a pound and they made $12 in crisp fresh bills. 

So what did Fieldin say then? " I like the smell of new money". 

Don't we all. 

Any guesses on where they will be on November 1st next year? 

Around Here

 The weeks are flying by. I can't believe it is Thanksgiving time already. I had the kids work on their yearly thankful books. It was fun reading their past books. 

 Here are a couple pages of Fieldin's. We have been busy with school and taking alot of Fall walks. The weather has been very cold but we are getting used to it and not letting it cut back our outdoor time. 

 Tonight, we all went on a 4 1/2 mile walk and came home and made hot cocoa. The kids made a gingerbread cake that smells just way too good. We are all kind of in Christmas mode this year. Not sure why but we are ready to get out the Christmas decorations. We put out Thanksgiving decorations and made a Lego turkey but we are excited to get decorating again. 

 We took the kids and a friend of Greta's roller skating on our day out of school. I can't believe I haven't had the kids in roller skates until now. Greta hadn't been on roller skates since she was 4... It was a rough first hour with some major falls but they picked it up quickly. I was excited I still could skate well after so long. It was fun after all the tumbles and then they didn't want to leave. 

 going down on the practice rink.. and skating right along on the rink(below) 

My favorite memory was playing air hockey with Fieldin. We were both in our skates and playing when I looked away for 1SECOND and when I turned back he was gone....he had fallen and was on the floor laughing.. it was funny. 

Very thankful for time with friends and my family lately. Thankful for a job I enjoy and being able to spend time volunteering at the kids school. I am also thankful for this bit of time lately to reorganize closets, knit a quick Christmas gift, take a walk and cuddle with the cat.. I've said it before but it is the little things and I am so very thankful for it all. 

Around Here

Around here we are relaxing. 

We took two months off of sports and it is such a nice break. It is a bit sad really how much time those activities can take away from the little things of life which are so important. So, lately the kids have been reading, not having to rush on homework, playing, building and making crafts. I've been catching up around the house and dusting off old projects and happy to be working on hobbies once again. It took a couple weeks for us all to decompress but we are in the lazy swing of things now. I think being busy is just part of life now but this break reminds me that for our little family it is even more important to find time not to be busy. So the burnt out light in the foyer is now shining bright.The grass is mowed. There is a project on my knitting needles and the kids are always up for watching a movie with the cat (who is actually happy to have us around more). I can get used to this. 

Lego Love

 He is already writing a list for Santa. He wants more Lego's and ALOT of other stuff. 

He is still building Lego's daily. He just bought a box online and waited with excitement for the box to be delivered. It came two days later and the house got quiet. When he wasn't at school he was working on his Lego project. It took him just two days in his free time and as usual he built it without help. The box came with 9 bags of Legos and two big manuals. 

 Above, on day 1 just getting started and below on Day 2 with the finished ship. 

 It is so intricate with so many movable doors and pieces. He showed me all it does and I have to say I was really impressed. Not sure I could build it now let alone at age 6. Now the house is loud once again as he reenacts Star Wars scenes with his new ship. The force is with you young Jedi. 

A Pillow

 I just finished an embroidery of Luna Lovegood (from Harry Potter) for Greta. That was her Halloween costume this year. I helped her set it up to be sewn into a pillow. She sewed and stuffed it. It didn't show up as well in the picture but it turned out very cute. Hopefully the cat leaves it alone.