Christmas Festivities

The Christmas festivities continued as we celebrated with my Dad and Sandy, Sateen and John, and Greg and Carilly.

We had everyone over to our house and had a great dinner and a wonderful time.




Anna had a Christmas program at school. She had a short speaking part with her kindergarten crush!




And we tried to get a picture of everyone in their Christmas outfits before church but Adam was not interested. This is the best we got!

Disney Magic

A few weeks ago we went to Disneyland on a slow day and decided to meet lots of characters. We waited in line for the Princesses for the first time since the wait wasn't as long as it usually is - and I think the kids all agreed it was worth the wait.

So here are lots of pictures of the kids with their favorite Disney characters. Next time I need to get in a few of the pictures.

'Tis the Season

Last weekend the holiday fun officially began, and the festivities included our Ward Christmas Party. The primary put on a great Christmas play, and Anna was an angel. As the song ended she sang one more line all by herself. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be part of the song, but according to the words found here, it was. However, according to our church's version of the song, it was not. So she had a solo - it was pretty cute.


We've seen Santa quite a few times already this year, and they saw him again at the party. It is nice to have all three kids liking Santa. No crying this year!


I don't have any pictures but a few weeks ago we went to a Drive-Thru Nativity in Huntington Beach. I highly recommend it, or anything like it. It was a great way to start off the Christmas season remembering the true reason for the season. The kids are excited to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

Reminiscing

Reminiscing about this time of year in Utah. Glad we do not have to deal with real weather.












My current desktop background. I want to go back to NY and take pictures of them sleeping in various locations throughout the city.










Izzy is hardcore!

Halloween Fun

Halloween was so fun this year - every year the kids get more and more into it. We have lots of festivities with a preschool parade, the church trunk or treat, and some regular trick or treating in the neighborhood. They were all adorable!

Water Rats

Still catching up on posts - these pictures are from a trip to California Adventure where I finally let the kids play in the water. Isabel won the best tan award in our family this summer.

Need a Nap?

Looking for a good place to take a little snooze?



These pictures were taken from the boat WHILE the kids were riding around the lake. She was THAT tired.

I guess that is what happens when you spend the night before "sleeping" in a tent with your cousin at Grandma and Grandpa's house.



Last month we visited my Dad, Sandy, Salina and cousins in Bullhead City, AZ. Here are a few pictures from our short trip, which included a train ride, a buffet, swimming in the hotel pool, and a day at the lake with some boat rides.

Bouncing Bunnies

Adam and Isabel are growing up. It feels so weird not to have any babies in the house - they are big kids! Although Ben still corrects me now and then when I call them "the babies." Hard habit to break...

A few weeks ago they started preschool two days a week. They LOVE it. In fact, I had to drag Adam home kicking and screaming on the first day. Their class is called the Bouncing Bunnies, and here they are on the first day.

Flashback Friday

A few weeks ago I came across some adorable pictures of Anna's 2nd birthday on my in-laws computer.

I talk about it every year, so of course you all know by now that Anna's birthday is the day after Adam and Isabel's birthday. So, the year she turned 2 I was still in the hospital. My sister-in-law Stephanie planned a little party in my room - and check out the last minute cake she made! Anna looks so happy, love these old pictures.




The other reason I was thinking about this today, is because I saw this story about a lady who had two sets of twins in 10 months. Good luck lady!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2009/10/09/2.sets.twins.10.months.kabb

Kindergarten

Anna was so excited to start kindergarten today. Adam and Isabel were a little sad - they don't start preschool for 3 weeks. Note to self: let the preschool know just how hard it is for the little ones to wait that long for their turn.

Yesterday we celebrated the new school year with a special dinner and dessert, followed by a quick fashion show so Anna (and of course Isabel and Adam) could show off their new school clothes. Grammie and Grandpa Butch joined us and Grammie made Anna some adorable new bows for school. After the twins went to bed, Ben gave Anna a father's blessing for a great school year.

This morning it was hard to get out of the house, and the school was a crazy zoo of cars and kids. We need to get there earlier to avoid the extreme traffic. But we are excited for this new phase!



And, my shining Mom moment came when I went to a short PTA welcome meeting and discovered that kindergartners eat lunch at school. Good thing I stayed for that, I had to go home and make a lunch! Poor Anna would have been the only one without anything to eat.

Yay for kindergarten!

We love NYC

Goofballs

This is an old picture but I just downloaded it and it made me laugh.

Countdown to Kindergarten

Preschool ended a few weeks ago, but I still wanted to share some photos from Anna's last week. She loved preschool and looked forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays for the past year and a half. Last year she was in the Pooh Bears class, and this year she was a Cute Kitten. On the last day of school we took a picture with all of her teachers. She also celebrated her birthday at school on clown day - hence the pictures with her face painted.







Top 10 things Anna loved about preschool:

1. The monkey bars
2. Field trips! To the dentist, the grocery store, the nature preserve, the pizzeria, etc.
3. The share can
4. Taking home the class mascot, Pepper the cat
5. Painting. Lots of finger painting.
6. The Halloween, Christmas, and Easter parades.
7. Special teachers who love their students.
8. Being special helper.
9. Lunch bunch (staying after school for lunch once a week - which Anna begged for every day)
10. Time away from the twins to make new friends


Adam and Isabel are signed up for the Fall, and the teachers already know who they are since they were always there for Anna's drop off and pick up. The first thing Isabel asked on her birthday this week was, "Are we going to school today?" Now that they are three, they can't wait.

California Girl

Anna danced in her first recital today! We weren't allowed to video tape or take pictures inside but I have some of the rehearsals so I'll try to upload a clip soon. She did great and remembered most of the dance, which was to the Beach Boys, "California Girls."