We're home!

We got home at midnight and I'm exhausted! I have a lot to do today, so I will write all about our trip and put up pictures tomorrow after we open presents!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Here are before and after pictures of my dad on the NBC website:
http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/photos/rick/6687/#item=150912

black friday

Today the boys were playing in the living room with Winston, all of them in armor and fighting with swords, and Katherine was in the middle of them in her dancing clothes dancing to the Nutcracker.

Last night at midnight Todd went to Wal Mart to get some black friday deals. He called me on the phone and said, "I now know what hell is." He said it was madness. When he came home he was empty handed. I said to him, "You let the chaos overcome you! The whirlpool of madness defeated you!" (or something like that) and he said, "That was the day I married you." When he was going to sleep he said that he had PTSD. "There were bodies everywhere!"

We didn't get any Walmart deals, but todd and I went out tonight and left the kids with a babysitter and got most of the kids' Christmas shopping done. It was fun spending money with Todd:)

what i do

I've been wanting to write about what I do during the day, you know, the boring day to day stuff that I'll forget about but want to remember about this time in my life. I'm going to keep track of what I do for about a week.

Today, I woke up to the sound of Todd doing math with the boys. Katherine is sleeping in her big girl bed now, so she'll wake up and "do math with Daddy" too. Then I hear her screaming (the Carlson banshee scream) throwing a tantrum (this is every morning) and I'm too tired to go get her, so I yell, "Katherine, come here!" and try and say something like "Come give me hugs!" or "Look at Abbie! Come play with her!" Then she comes in and we play and then she says, "I'm hung'ee". So I go downstairs, change the girls' diapers, get Abbie a bottle and get Katherine breakfast. By this time, the boys are usually ready for breakfast too, because they're done with math.

For breakfast, we lately have been eating Todd's homemade granola for breakfast,  lunch and dinner, but it was gone so Alex and I made scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms (but no mushrooms for Nathan). Alex likes to cook. He cut the mushrooms and cooked some of the eggs.

Then we did scriptures. We're on chapter 60 of Alma. I read scriptures, and had to tell Nathan about 5 times to put down his sword, or come back to the rug. That child! Then we always say the scripture mastery we are working on 3 times each. They are on Alma 41:10.

Then we did spelling. We kind of did a lot of spelling, because we were finishing up last week's list, and starting this week's. They said, "too many letters!!" They were saying too much spelling. Nathan at the end of the day said, "the most fearful part of the day were all those words!" We're trying to work on spelling a lot.
After that we had lunch- pastrami and swiss on rye with leftover butternut squash. Yum! Todd is an amazing cook. He went in to work today. He goes to work on Mondays and Fridays.

Then we had to hurry really fast to go to the boys' art class. It is a lot of work getting everyone ready and in the car. Bottles, diapers, stuff, stuff, stuff, getting me dressed, the girls  dressed, telling the boys what they need to do, etc. We were only one minute late, surprisingly. Right now the boys have a reading thing for their school they go to every Friday where they have to read 300 minutes in the next two weeks, but if they read 600 minutes (Nathan's age) and 1,000 minutes (Alex's age) they are "star readers" and get an award. So the boys read all the way to the art class in Highland, and most of the way back. We stopped at Target in Orem to get Alex new glasses. Katherine broke them the first few days he had them. Then we looked around at toys, girl clothes and lamps. I ended up buying a cute black pea coat, sweater and shirt for Katherine, and a "baby's first Christmas" footie jammies for Abbie. The boys each got a sword with their allowance. Then we got home and I read the boys their science (about sharks) while they played Titan Quest on the computer (Nathan) and Sonic on the Wii (Alex). I ask them about what I read to make sure they are still listening, and they actually listen BETTER while on their games. Katherine kept standing on the book, so it was cut short, so we could give her attention.

Then we did writing. I had the boys write about going to the football game with Daddy for their newspapers. They have a newspaper paper (each) and we've been adding stories to their newspapers. That was for the "sports" section.

Then the boys played their video games for a little while, and then Todd got home and we had dinner-- pastrami and soup again. Since we ate pastrami for lunch, Todd had to go to the store and get more stuff for it. Then I put Abbie to bed (7pm). After we ate, I took the boys to the Covey Center in Provo to watch the Utah Valley Youth Symphony. The last piece they played was the Carmen Suite and the boys LOVED it (that's their favorite song; they love to play it on the computer and run around to it). We found out that they have an elementary aged orchestra! The older kids get to travel- this year to London. The younger kids get to go on a smaller trip-- this year San Francisco. Right now the boys want to practice to get in that orchestra. The conductor said they have to be in at least the Suzuki book 2 first.

When we got home we had to practice violins. Nathan was getting frustrated because he wasn't doing it perfect. I did some dishes, then told the boys to go to bed so I could have some alone time on the computer (checking email and writing this!). It's 11:18pm. During the day Katherine runs around wreaking havoc on the house while I do school with the boys. When I'm not teaching the boys, Katherine and I play, or she helps me do whatever I'm doing. She's a great helper. She always wants to help! She likes to bring me books now for me to read to her, and she likes to pretend she's doing what the boys are doing. So when we were doing spelling, she got a pencil and paper and sat at the table and said, "do spelling" and scribbled on her paper.

Abbie just learned how to sit up on her own. She still takes 3 good naps during the day and goes to sleep about 7, so she's pretty easy. She's a happy baby. Today the boys and Katherine were all running around in a circle around Abbie sitting on the rug. It was cute.

boys' art

Alex and Nathan are going to an art class once a week for four weeks. Today was the second week. They did watercolor Christmas cards. They put salt on them to make the "snowflakes". Here are Alex's two cards:

 Here are Nathan's 3 cards:

boys' surveys

The boys filled out surveys:
Alex:
Name your favorite...
hobby: building legos
sport: swimming
car/vehicle: motorcycle
color: blue, gold
movie: Toy Story 3 (because we just watched it)
TV show: Spongebob
animal: horse
food: anything my dad makes
dessert: daddy's eclairs
music: primary songs
school subject: math
book: Fablehaven
Do you collect anything? seashells
What do you do for fun? Play with my friends
What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't know
What are your special talents (filled in by mommy): music, running, helping mom and dad, art, being kind, karate
What is your dream vacation? going to Hawaii and snorkeling
What is something about yourself that you would like to change or improve? self confidence! just joking, I don't even know what that means. Maybe doing stuff when my mom asks.
How would your mom or dad describe you? cute
How would you describe your personality? loveable
What else would you like to say about you? I like to play with friends.

Nathan:
Name your favorite...
hobby: riding my bike
sport/activity: jumping on the tramp
car/vehicle: hot wheels
color: gold
Movie: toy story 3
tv show: spongebob
animal: dog
food: pizza
dessert: cake
music: Carmen (the Carmen Suite No. 1 Les Toreadors, or as my boys call it, the "run for your lives" song)
school subject: art
Book: Timothy of the Cay
Do you collect anything:? seashells
What do you do for fun? boys club
What do you want to be when you grow up? an astronaut
What are your special talents? art, legos
What is your dream vacation? go to get a gold brick at Fort Knox
What is something about yourself that you would like to change or improve? be better at legos
How would your mom or dad describe you? cute
How would you describe your personality? cute
What else would you like to say about yourself? I have a crazy mom

Proud of my boys!!!

This cold, cold morning all 3 boys ran their first official 5K! (But not Todd's first official 5K). I was signed up, and was going to push Katherine in the stroller and have Abbie in the front pack. I got started but the girls were freezing cold and Alex said he lost my cell phone, so I went to look for that, then took the girls back to the car and turned on the heater. Next time, I'll get a babysitter for the girls. (The phone was found, by the way!) Todd finished in 27 minutes, then went back to finish with Nathan, then went back again to finish with Alex. In this picture Todd is running with Nathan:

 Nathan coming up to the finish line!

 A sprint to the finish! His other hand is holding up his pants. Poor kid, the whole race he was holding his pants up (literally):

 While Nathan and I were waiting for Alex to finish, Katherine and Abbie were in the warm car. I turned around to see Katherine getting into my makeup. I went to open the door, and she had locked the doors!! So in this picture, she and Abbie are locked in the car and she is getting into my makeup. Crazy girl! She's at a very CRAZY stage. She finally unlocked the door for me. I love this picture- you can see me and Nathan in the relection, and Katherine in the car with my makeup open, trying to hide from me:

 Here's her makeup job:

 And she also dumped out her cracker snack all over the car:

 All while cute Abbie slept. Yes, those are gloves on her feet. She had socks on but it was really cold, so I put my gloves on her feet too.

 Here's Alex and his friend he made. He walked most of the way with this friend, but here they are running to the finish line. I love the look on this other kid's face:) (click to enlarge)

 Nathan resting after his first official 5K!

I'm so proud of my boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

abbie got earrings!

For girl day Katherine got new earrings:

 And Abbie got her ears pierced but Blogger is being really dumb and will only upload Abbie's picture sideways even though it wasn't even taken sideways.

 One night we put the girls to bed and Todd and I and the boys painted. Here the Alex is doing his sketch and Nathan is making transfer paper to transfer his sketch to watercolor paper: 

Christmas gifts that help out charities

Wouldn't it be cool to purchase Christmas gifts and help out a charity at the same time?? You could even include a note with the gift about how their gift is helping people in the world. How cool is that??

AND YOU CAN!!

Here are the links below to purchase Christmas gifts AND help out a charity!!

uganda jewelry

native american education charity store

hamlin fistula shop

give a heifer

 sponsor an ethiopian school girl

purchase a book and the money goes to ethiopia

boys' watercolor pictures

The boys did some watercolor pictures in their art class. Alex's teacher just did the outline of the wolf and he did the rest:

Nathan did the whole thing himself: 

 Nathan just drew this one day with his crayons. It's his violin. I love this picture:

Christmas poem

This poem sounds like us getting ready for church:). I like the part I highlighted best:


T'was the night before Christmas


When there rose such a fuss.

With all these packages to wrap,

It was just 'way too much'.

Family was coming,

Food was a must,

And, with so many people,

It was either be ready or bust.


"Get up from the TV,

Get off your fat butt!

If you don't get movin',

You'll sleep with the mutt!"


"Kids, get back to bed!"

"Pitch the dog outdoors!

Get goin', buddy,

And sweep up the floor!"

T'was an annual event

And everyone knew

Voices would rise

As the tension grew.


Mom wasn't happy

And Dad was mad.

And with all the noise,

It made the little ones sad.

Nope, Christmas wasn't merry.

It wasn't CHRISTmas at all,

In spite of painted faces

Once guests entered the hall.


What was the point

In all the pretense?

Could Santa and reindeer

Come to their defense?

Could packages and ribbons

Make a home of love?

Would settling for presents

Still be enough?

But, how could it be Christmas

Without the fuss;

Without all the presents,

Wrappings, and such?


Could Christmas come

Without exhaustion, just bliss?

And should we appreciate

Whose birthday it is?

And, if at our front door,

Would we let Him in?

And would He know


The party's for Him?



I must admit I had been

Sort of selfish, myself;

In attempt to mend

My own inner self ...

Creating Christmases

To fulfill all my dreams,

Only for others to live;

Or so it does seem ...

Forgetting whose birthday

It really was

And even the joy

Of His tender touch.


And so ...

T'was the night before Christmas

When I changed all my plans,

To let the Christ-Child in

And place my heart in His hands.

Poem Author: Joyce C. Lock©;2008

pics

Todd bought some size L shirts!!

Fri. "Fun Girl Day" (with a guest):

We went to library storytime for the girls' age

Then Todd met us for lunch (wehad Applebees healthy menu)

 The boys' violin class:

 Tonight Abbie ate food for the first time! Only a little actually got in her mouth:



pumpkins gave me a new perspective

In Oct., we got some pumpkins, and I let each of the boys pick out "their" pumpkin. At our first feast activity, I brought the pumpkins for decorations. After the activity, I was just going to leave them in the woods for the animals to eat for the winter:) since we didn't need them. Another mom asked if she could take them to roast the seeds and I said yes, because I was going to leave them anyway. We didn't need pumpkins after Halloween. When the boys saw the other family's kids carrying "their" pumpkins into the other family's car, they got so mad! Todd and I tried to tell them that we were just going to throw them away anyway, so we said they could have them. Todd was trying to be nice and offered to give them money for the pumpkins. The boys said that all they wanted was the pumpkins and went on whining and complaining about it for a while.

That night Todd and I were talking about how the boys have ALL these things we do for them, and instead of being grateful, they were SO upset about these pumpkins. They couldn't just move on. I asked them if they had fun at the first feast (Todd and I spent a lot of time and money on that activity, and so did the other families), and they said no, because they lost their pumpkins.

Little did they know that the pumpkins weren't really "their" pumpkins anyway. They were given to them, but I decided when it was time to throw them out. They would have rotted in the snow outside anyway. I know more than them. I know when it's best to take them.

That's when I thought, maybe that's what Heavenly Father feels like with us. I had read a blog about a mother whose little 18 month old girl had died and thought about this post she wrote: http://patrickandashley.blogspot.com/2010/09/answers.html
Maybe Heavenly Father thinks that we don't see all of our blessings when one is taken away. But it wasn't ours in the first place, it was His to take away, because He knows what is best.

That's one of the lessons I get from the pilgrims and indians thanksgiving story. Here half of them had just died, and they were having a feast of thanksgiving for the blessings they had received.
I love Thanksgiving and being able to focus on gratitude. I want to try and keep the gratitude spirit through Christmas as well. We'll write thank you letters to Santa.

First Feast

This year we had a "First Feast" with our homeschool group. First Feast is where we have a feast like the pilgrims and indians did for the first thanksgiving. We have authentic food and activities. It was a ton of fun, and the weather was perfect!!

You should have seen the food! Tons of food, with lots of variety!!

 Playing stool ball (with a bale of hay instead of stools). Katherine is sitting on our "base":

Playing stool ball:

Alex got cut on his finger and wailed:

archery:

corn husk dolls:

Nathan writing with a quill and ink:

Nathan's man corn husk doll; and Katherine eating the raw corn cob:

Lots of fun!!!

the fierce dragon

The boys just got on their knight armor, helmet and swords and were "defeating" a bee that got in our house. They smooshed it and said they defeated the fierce dragon! Silly boys.

Our first concert!!!

Our Halloween concert for you. We are dressed up as a nudist colony for Halloween:). Happy Halloween!

Maybe we'll be a musical family!! OOOO that would be fun!!

Sunday journals

Sundays are journal writing days. The boys have to write as many sentences as their age. Here is Nathan and Katherine writing in journals.

fun girl days!

One of the books I got at the library for Katherine was "Dance Tanya" about a little girl doing ballet. After we read the book, we watched ballerinas on youtube. Katherine was mesmerized by the ballerinas! On Fridays the boys have school at Liberty Academy, so Fridays are fun girl days!So for our first fun girl day, we went to get Katherine some "dancing clothes", ballet shoes and a ballerina backpack. She picked it all out. The lady there told us about some places that do "mommy and Me" dance classes for her age, so we signed up for a dance class. Last Tues. was her first day and she really loved it! I thought she might be shy, but she wasn't at all. All week she's been asking to go dancing again.

 Our first fun girl day, after we got her dancing clothes, we went to out to lunch and shared a fresh basil pizza. Then we went window shopping at Michaels and I got a wood dollhouse to make for her for Christmas.

 This past girl day we went to Barnes and Nobles. I brought our little Halloween teacups, and had them put our hot chocolate and whip cream in our teacups and we had cute little autumn treats and read Halloween books:

Then we went window shopping at a toy store and we played with the toys they had out to try.

I can't wait until the next fun girl day!

Our Oct. activities- backwards

Halloween:

Every year we go trick or treating at Todd's grandparents' house:

 It was raining and I told the boys they could go trick or treating if they wanted, but I was waiting until it stopped raining. They went outside, then went right back in. It stopped raining not too long after that, and they went trick or treating for a long time and got 2 1/2 pounds of candy each! I stayed in the car and drove with them. The girls stayed at the grandparents' with Todd.

 From 3-5pm we went to the homeschool Halloween party and did a healthy trick or treating- only trinkets, raisins, pretzels, etc. We had a soup dinner there and games for the kids:

 Mummy dogs in coffins (turkey dogs):

 The "Award Winning Halloween Cake" that was healthy-ized this year.

 One day I decided to make homemade pesto. Todd was gone. I felt so domestic! Nice garden tomatoes (thanks Secelie!):

 Our homegrown basil, olive oil from Napa, and pinenuts....see a problem?

The result! I was so proud! Todd came home and asked, Did you shell the pinenuts?......oops. Reason 587 why Todd is the cook in our family.

Our Oct. uniforms. In Oct. we all wear our Halloween clothes pretty much every day.

 Painting pumpkins:

 Our tradition of our Halloween service project. We stuff treat bags to give to the United Way to take to hospitals, shelters, etc. for kids who can't go trick or treating. It's easy for kids to do, so we've done it every year. We did it with boys club at the park, so the kids could play after we made the treat bags. We made about 60 bags, so each kid got to take one home. We also had apple cider for the boys (and moms).

 Katherine was holding up the assembly line a little, and Nathan thought that was so funny:) :

P.S. Guess what my mom did for Halloween? She needed master gardener hours to keep her master gardener title, so she called the office and asked what she could do, since it was the last weekend of the month. The lady said she could do something for "office hours." So last night, my mom was part of a haunted hayride. She held a butcher knife and pretended to chop a guy's leg off, and then she threw a fake leg at the people on the hayride. That's what she did for "master gardener" hours! I laughed and laughed and laughed! Then I told the kids, "Guess what your Nana's doing for Halloween??"

P.S.S. This year we started a new tradition. The kids can eat a few Halloween candies, then they put out their trick or treat bag with candy in it for the "witches". During the night the witches take the candy and leave money in their bags.

P.S.S.S. Today we are making "happy potion" (rootbeer). This picture is after we drunk most of it.

Todd made this for dinner- bloody brains (meatloaf), ghost mashed potatoes and goblin toes (edamame)