Merry Christmas!

Christmas trees lovingly decorated by Isabel (left), David (center) and Sam (right). Most ornaments handcrafted by them.

Merry Christmas to you from us!

....day 347, and there is no sign of life.

...well, it feels like we've been home forever, but a huge storm came in Saturday afternoon, and we've been stuck here ever since, so this will be our fourth day indoors, but it feels longer since we stayed in Thursday & Friday after last week's storm. The news report the main streets should be somewhat clear of snow, but slick with ice. Our street is still packed with snow & ice, and I've heard of people having a difficult time getting up the hill to get to our street. My father-in law has snow tires, and has been picking up Mike to get him to the Ferry so he can make it to work - what a life saver he has been! Luckily we didn't lose power, but there is another storm coming in tonight. I'm glad we finished our Christmas shopping, so the kids will have something to open come Thursday...in the mean time, we are just playing around (made our own sled - once again of things I had around the house), drinking hot cocoa, and hoping we get some sun soon...or at least get above freezing!

David overlooking the playhouse...

then playing with the "sled"

the beginning stages of Sam's snow fort!

Isabel dancing in the snow and trying to catch a snow flake!

Sofia was not sure what to do until she saw the "sled"

"somebody, I'm ready...pull me!"

"thanks daddy!"

We took these pictures on Sunday - we got a lot more snow since then. The trash was supposed to be picked up last Friday morning...at this rate, I don't know when they will be able to get in here to get the trash...

School's Canceled!

Well, we had another snow storm early this morning and school was canceled. Because we live in a "rural" area with hills & tons of side roads, school gets canceled if it's too slick for buses to get out to pick up the kids...so we stayed in and made sleds out of candy bars, candy canes, and chocolate Santas. The kids had a good time putting them together, and they loved eating them after! Here are their final works of art!

Isabel's, Sofia's (done with my help), David's, and Sam's (his has a bag behind Santa)

Sam later attached 9 reindeer (pieces of foil) at the front of his sleigh

David attached one...

Isabel wanted her candy canes to lay flat - she used tons of tape, but it did not matter what it looked like, because she ate it in 60 seconds flat...yes, she has a sweet tooth!

SAM-1000

Today Sam was a toy robot in the first grade play called "The Littlest Reindeer." From the very beginning of the play planning stages he wanted to have a speaking part. We practiced and he tried out, and got one. There are 2.5 first grade classes so they tried to make as many speaking parts for elves, reindeer, etc...but there were only two parts for toys...and he got one! He wanted to be a Clone Trooper, but since he would have to wear a mask and all that, we decided to have him be a Toy Soldier...and he did great!

"All the toys are like brand new, and standing in a row.
To the home of a lucky child, we are set and ready to go!"

I am also proud of myself because I made his costume out of things that I had around the house (that also means I have a lot of junk). I spent about $10 on spray paint, and duct tape...a lot of duct tape! It was fun making his costume...for the first time ever I didn't lose any sleep over a project, and was satisfied with the final product!

Here is Sam with his first grade teacher...Mrs. Foss!

Why does it only snow on Sundays?

We got our first snow of the season...which is a little late, but it always seems to come Saturday nights. The snow wasn't strong enough to cancel Church, but it was enough to go out and play after we got back...

Sam - ready to attack!


David - gathering snow to make a snow man...


Isabel - "look ma, I have snow!"


Sofia - walking around in the snow...


Samuel - attempting to make a snow angel


David - upset at Isabel because she stepped on his snowman...


Isabel - crying because she got hit on the face with a snow ball, after stepping on David's snow man...


the snow "power" rangers...


the snow "power" rangers - the whole crew

me & the kids - ready for some hot cocoa!

David's snow man ;)

Crazy Hair Day

Yes - it was crazy hair day at school! After Halloween the hair paint was on sale, but they only had white & pink spray left. I grabbed one of each, but of course the boys wanted nothing to do with the pink, so they used the white - at school they called Sam "Frost Man" and David, just wanted to be a skunk! The other little boy is their friend Duncan, and he came over to play after school....

Sam also lost another tooth...this time he lost it at school - he was the first kid in his this school year to lose a tooth in school. The teacher put it in a cute envelope ready for the tooth fairy...but the the tooth fairy came a day late because she had to go to the ATM...

Sassa's birthday...another recap

So my baby turned 2, and here are some pics from her birthday dinner at my in-laws house - she looks so grown up!

She got some "Yo Gabba Gabba" figures, and yes, a "Dancing Brobee"!!! By the end of the night she was dancing and singing with Brobee, and went to bed hugging him and holding her little figures...we love Yo Gabba Gabba!

Here's Sassa opening up her Dancing Brobbee....

Here she's talking on the "phone" - hello...is my cake coming soon?

Earlier we received a package from my mom. She liked what grandma sent (a dress & a coat) but she really loved the wrestling masks she sent the boys...what can I say...she even took them up on a wrestling match, and yes, she won...my two year old beat my 5 & 7 year old boys...

Happy Birthday to me ;) a recap...

My little sister and her family came up to visit their in-laws in Gig Harbor for Thanksgiving, but since they came up a little early, I was lucky to have them stay with me for a couple of days, and even better they were here for my birthday! Here is an attempt to take a picture with all the kids...

After all the chaos, I was able to find a babysitter at the last minute and my sis, my bro-in-law John, Mike & myself went to Ghandi's (yummy Indian food) to eat a nice & peaceful, grown-up dinner...

Happy Birthday our sweet Sassa!!!

Our little baby is turning two today - I never thought I would cry, but last night as I held her in my arms putting her to sleep, it hit me that I didn't have a baby anymore...so I cried. I guess I will miss the peaceful moments (oh yes - the peaceful moments!). But now that she is talking and becoming so independent, it's fun to see her little self coming through. She is so adorable (of course) and I just want to eat her up! Happy Birthday my baby girl...