March Madness

Okay so this isn't a bracket post of anything - that's Eric's department even though I do love to watch college basketball if the chance comes around. This is just a post to make sure I get a post in March.
I love to have a project to work on and while I'm very excited to go out and get in the dirt today is a little chilly so I've been looking up quick projects I can finish while Marcus finishes his nap and the girls watch a movie. I'm introducing them to "old school" Disney (The Three Lives of Thomasina to be specific) because even some of the new Disney movies use language I'd rather the girls don't pick up on yet. Anyway I'm also justifying myself because they have to finish their chores and the last time I let them watch a movie was a week and a half ago. Got that off my chest. :)
I'll have to let you know how they go but I'm going to try and make some felt food and a crayon roll up or 2. We'll see just how productive my sewing machine can be in the next hour or two. Can I just say I love tutorials! Wish me luck even though I never did catch a leprechaun on Tuesday.

Daddy's are really just little boys!

Eric is still 5! I've heard Eric's mom joke that she had her first child when she got married and the same is true with Eric. There is something about having kids and playtime though that really bring out the 5 year old in Eric.

Tonights lastest...

...he taught Cora the "pull my finger trick" The Stinker! (literally)

Now I can just see Cora during Nursery class.."Here Tori pull my finger"...I will definitely pass the blame if that ever actually happens.

God Bless the USA!!!

Our house has been politically charged for the last I'm not sure how many months and with all the JUNK the government is trying to push on the American people I'm getting that much more fed up. I really don't like being lied to by someone I didn't vote for and didn't want as my President and rather than starting a bitter monologue I'd like to turn your attention to a past President. This president created "change you can believe in" and not just any kind of change. Change for the better and good for the American people and this wonderful country. Ronald Reagan. Watch this youtube video and it will give you a warm "tingley" feeling but not of the drive-by media variety.

I love this country. Eric and I both have Grandfathers who fought in WWII. I have a brother in the Air Force as well as other family members involved with the military. I am going to teach my children patriotism which means freedom to speak freely in my home, independence from government, the euphoric feeling of working hard for something and achieving goals. It means this and so much more to me and I want them to know just how much I love the ideal that can be America. Lets start today to make tomorrow's America the kind of place we can still be proud of! God Bless the USA!

Age of Discovery

This is an Age of Discovery around here. As my kids are growing I thought I'd stop to think about what they are discovering in the wonderful world of ours. I should always be seeking to learn as well so I need to brush up on my observation prowess.

MARCUS is discovering that...

-toys bounce very well down the stairs

-he gets quite a reaction when he pushes buttons of the computer keyboard

-the table is a whole new playing surface

-he loves Curious George (thanks Nana and Bapa!)

-how to torment the cat, boy oh boy is he good!

CORA is discovering...

-what happens when we decide not to use the bathroom

-how much Marcus loves to pick on her

- how good she is at sharing with her big sister (after some coaxing from said sibling!)

-that sweet potatoes are "yucky"

JODI is discovering...

-how to use daddy's iPod

-just what classifies as "cool" music like Axel F's Crazy Frog which has been played 54 times within the past month

- that she really likes Strawberry Shortcake

-the use of the dramatic ultimatum "I'm never going to play with anyone again!" for instance

LESLEY is discovering...

-how little housework I get done when I'm trying to read a book

-the joys of the seed catalog, c'mon spring I wanna play in the dirt!

-using coupons requires quite a bit more organization that I've got

-how little she likes being a landlord!!!!!! but also that the Lord always provides a way!!!!!!

ERIC is discovering...

-what types of muffins he likes for breakfast

-that he REALLY wants a career change

-his polar bear skills (he went on the Boy Scout Klondike and kidded me that it wasn't that much different than being in our house!)

-how many sit-ups and push-ups he can do

Felicity

So I am NOT a fan of Barbie but I do love dolls for little girls to play with. We have one Barbie and she is one from the 1950's. Perhaps to my salvation though is Jodi's new interest in bigger dolls, specifically the American Girl dolls. I got the Felicity doll when I was 12 and have kept it as a "no play toy" until now. My youngest sisters got American girl stuff for Christmas and they've been playing with them every time we've visited lately so Jodi has really noticed the dolls. Well I've seen Toy Story 2 and I can't just leave a toy on the shelf when there is a little girl who will take it with her everywhere. Its been 2 days since I pulled it down for her and she wants to play with it all the time. (Now I'm going to need to start sewing her more clothes!) I still remember the first time I looked at the American Girl magazine when I was about 8 and I FINALLY got one at 12. Now I have a little girl who loves it just as much as I did and that is so fun to see!

Eric's Additions

Eric really wanted to add a "Sign of the Apocalypse" post somewhere (thanks to Sports Illustrated because they started it) and so I let him put a list over on the side. The world is getting a little nuts and to help us all be aware of just how topsy turvy things are Eric is posting a newsworthy tid bit that confirms this!

Dance Girly Dance!

Here is Jodi showing some of her stuff. I was laughing so hard this night. It was the Sunday night before Christmas and we just had a "jam" session. The kids were a riot and I took several videos but decided only to post this one. Enjoy. Do you think we're going to have to do the dance class routine one of these days?

Happy New Year!

I tried to be on the ball over Christmas but I fell behind at the end. We had a wonderful time having Eric home all day during Christmas break and seeing Nate and Kristin as well as Lisa. We got to say good bye to Renae who is off to Rexburg for her freshman year. We're going to miss her lots because she used to come visit us everyday for lunch. Her job was about 5 minutes away so we got to visit with "Aunt Renae" lots of days and its sad that she's so far away but she is soooo excited to be away at school. We love you Nae Nae! :)

The kids are so fun and so busy. I have to share a few funny things that happened lately. Marcus LOVES the toilet. The girls were never this interested with the toilet bowl but that is difference #1 between boys and girls. Story #1 - Eric was on kid duty and I was upstairs. I heard a commotion downstairs and decided to see what the trouble was. It turns out Marcus had gotten into the bathroom, lifted up the seat, climbed up the stool and into the toilet. Splish, splash, sploosh standing in the toilet. How fun! Story #2 - Almost the same senario only I was in charge and Marcus beat me into the bathroom before I could remember to close the door. I turned around and saw him with one arm holding up the lid, the other fishing something out of the toilet. When I got closer I saw it was a clump of toilet paper with another in his mouth that he was sucking the water out of. Yaagghhh! Gross!!! There you have it - Marcus' favorite activity when Mommy is forgetful (which is a lot!)

We wish you all a Happy New Year. May you keep all your resolutions and goals! I'll try to do the same. :) I just won't tell you what they are so you'll never know if I did or not. :)

Sing Christmas Carols

We had a party!!! We hosted a Christmas Sing and had everyone bring cookies and a songbook. We supplied yummy cranberry punch and homemade hot cocoa. It was a lot of fun. The kids ran around and played and we sang quite a few classics. A fun thing worth repeating! Whose house next year?

Build a Snowman

Well Frosty has had to wait as well - we've kept pushing him back because the lack of snow on the day it was time to make a Frosty. We had snow on the 18th but it was sooo cold that the snow was just powder. (That night we got freezing rain and things were a little slushy the next afternoon!) we could't put Frosty together. Oh well. I have a feeling that we will have ample opportunities to create a snowy friend in the coming days and weeks. We actually delivered goodies to the neighbors instead.

Stuff and Send Christmas Cards

We started this process but actually finished that up today. Sorry no pictures because I didn't have any batteries. If I did have one to post it would show Cora plastering the envelopes with as many return address labels as she could before I noticed and handed her another envelope. It would show Marcus grabbing the table cloth and about pulling everything off of the table. You would see Jodi very studiously placing the return labels on and then carrying the mail around the house. If I could record the sound for you Jodi could be heard every day at bedtime telling me how we forgot to send the mail to our family! We do love you all even though we can't get you a Christmas card before Christmas day!

Decorate a gingerbread house

On Day 16 we made our gingerbread house. The girls weren't so sure at first but once they saw all the candy out and realized what we were doing they were on my lap and in the frosting. It even wound up having fence posts and a mailbox and a Christmas tree.

p.s. I've recently discovered the use of a glue gun to put the gingerbread together - I'll never go back!

Make carmel popcorn and watch Miracle on 34th St

I feel like we have a lot of Christmas movies on our list but there are so many and some that have already been traditional family movies that I just try and add another activity onto that. I tried a new recipe for carmel corn and its yummy! Its a crunchy recipe and is supposed to store well in the freezer. Here it is:

12 qts popped corn
Preheat oven to 250
Combine the following in saucepan:
2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks margarine or butter
1/2 c corn syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
Bring to boil and boil 5 min.
Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Mix well and pour carmel over popcorn.
Spread on cookie sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake for 20 min - stirring once. Remove and break apart.
For a richer treat use less popcorn.
I used 10 qts and that was 3 cookie sheets worth.

Read Twas the Night Before Christmas around the fire

We built a fire in our fireplace and opened up 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. We will have to read it later too but it was fun to sit around the fire and read stories. I love story time and kids need as much as we'll give them!

Dec 13 Decorate the tree

Our tree is actually a work in progress. The ornaments move
from moment to moment and room to room. One even came with us to church today. It started out with ornaments grouped low in one spot but once Marcus woke up from his nap we realized the tree could only be 2/3 of the way decorated. Put 'em up high. His sisters are good ornament police but he pushes right back. What a loving bunch. Having a decorated tree just makes the house feel more like Christmas!

Dec 12 - Go get a Christmas tree

This was our tree adventure. Eric and I had different opinions about what our tree should be like. I wanted it to be FREE with lots of possible character and he wanted it to be the typical PERFECT tree. Some friends of ours have some pines they need to cut down and I thought By golly lets cut one down and top the tree and voila free tree! Wahoo. Eric turned up his nose from the start but I finally talked him into tromping through their woods. As is evidenced by the picture with a certain retailers reflection I had to let go of my purse strings for the sake of Eric's special tree memories. We have it up and it is beautiful but one of these years I'm going to introduce him to the joys of the character tree. We'll just wait and see.
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum wie treu sind deine Blätter!

Read Polar Express and watch the movie

I LOVE this book!!! We opened this as our Christmas book tonight and Daddy read them the story. They even got to watch the movie. I'll always love the book better but the movie is good too. The girls love the "Hot Chocolate" song and take turns singing
hot-hot-hot
hot-chocolate
Mommy got to go make a gingerbread house for Enrichment so I missed this one but it was a good activity for a night with Daddy.

I don't know if I've mentioned it but we open one book every night and read that Christmas book together at bedtime. Thanks to the library our Christmas book collection is quite expanded!

Make Christmas cookies and deliver them

We made these buckeye candies and they were easier than I thought. Death by chocolate and peanut butter would be the way to go! The girls "helped" and Marcus climbed onto the table to "help" before I could get him off with my peanut butter covered hands. I don't have a double boiler and so I used my glass Pampered Chef bowl over my small pan. I am being so creative with these advent things. (to toot my own horn!)
We didn't get a chance to deliver anything yet - Daddy was gone all day so we'll wait until he can go with us. The neighbors already wonder what he does for a living. :)

Watch The Santa Clause

I added make ornaments to this because I thought just plopping ourselves in front of the TV doesn't make the greatest of memories. I made some Bakers Clay and we used cookie cutters to get our shapes. I totally forgot we're out of straws and I was at a loss until I remembered I had ziti noodles and they worked perfect for punching the holes. Such a smart girl am I!

The kids had fun and Cora found out quickly the dough had 1 cup of salt and she didn't like it.

Santa Clause was well - just that. I did have to reinforce why we celebrate Christmas at prayer time though - we aren't celebrating Santa Claus - Who is it we celebrate at Christmas? John. Cora is quick on her feet even if she's confidently wrong. Cute girl. We are so grateful we can celebrate the birth of Jesus. Without him we would be nothing!

Drink hot cocoa and eat a candy cane

We used our candy canes as stir sticks for our homemade hot cocoa. Jodi corrected Daddy (as usual - she argues or contradicts EVERYTHING!) because its "warm cocoa." Our adorable strong willed daughter.