Merry Christmas to Our Loved Ones

Our family's 2010 Quiz:

1. We now have how many children?
a. 3 – one boy and two girls.
b. 2 – one girl and one boy.
c. 4 – one girl, one boy, and twins on the way!
d. 3 – one girl and two boys.

2. For the summer, of 2010, we had a family goal. Which was it?
a. We wanted to get completely out of debt by the end of summer.
b. We wanted to go to Bear Lake at least three times.
c. We wanted to go to 30 parks in 90 days.

3. Did we accomplish our goal?
a. Yes!
b. No, but we got close!
c. No, and we weren’t even close!

4. We had a really memorable summer, and did a lot of great stuff. What did we do?
a. We went to Park City and rode the Alpine slide for the first time.
b. We went to the Hogle zoo with cousins, aunts, 2nd cousins and more.
c. We became “movie stars” as we were filmed for a documentary about Autism.
d. All of the above.

5. My husband and I celebrated which anniversary?
a. 10 years
b. 8 years
c. 12 years

6. To celebrate the aforementioned anniversary, we:
a. took a trip to Hawaii, just the two of us!
b. Went on our first cruise!!!
c. Went to Disneyland with the kids!

7. The kids both started school. What did they start?
a. Munchkin started 2nd grade; Buddy Boy started preschool.
b. Munchkin started 3rd grade; Buddy Boy started kindergarten.
c. Munchkin started 1st grade; Buddy Boy started therapy, but we call it school.

8. I started working part-time doing what?
a. Making reservations at Jet Blue.
b. Working at Buddy Boy’s school.
c. Face painting.

9. Hubby is currently working for:
a. Same place he’s been for years: Money 4 You.
b. Verizon Wireless
c. AT&T
Merry Christmas from my home to yours!!!
Hubby, Dede, Munchkin, and Buddy Boy
Answers:
1) b 2) c 3) b 4) d 5) a 6) c 7) a c 9) b

Activity Advent Calendar

I was reading my friend's blog when I came across a very heartfelt post all about Parenting with Purpose.  Boy, did it hit home!  Lately I've been feeling so....I don't know, "disconnected" from everything.  I'm going through the motions, but there isn't a lot of meaning behind it.  I've been pondering what the problem is and while I haven't figured out the answer, I do know that I want my time with my kids to be more meaningful.  They're growing so flippin' fast, and I feel like I'm missing it.  This (below) is what I want:

(photo)

(photo)

I decided that I want to work extra hard to be more involved with my children this December...what better time than NOW?

A little while later, I came across another blog (which I cannot find now for the life of me!) that discussed doing an advent calendar for her kidlets.  And so I decided to use her idea to create a month of more purposeful parenting by creating an Activity Advent Calendar for the family.

(photo)

This will be a work in progress, but in the meantime, I really truly hope to create some amazing memories while creating a stronger bond with my two angels.

Here's the planned schedule for the month:

December:

1. Put together birthday party goody bags (with both kids' birthdays in December, this'll probably be an annual thing).
2. Address and mail out Christmas letters.
3. Movie night (this year it'll be the Walmart family movie)
4. Go to church Christmas dinner and take the "Journey through Bethlehem" while there.
5. Take a family drive to Christmas Street. (It's at the end of our neighborhood, so it's nice and close!)
6. Footprint and handprint reindeer art.
7. Make sugar cookies 
8. Candy sleighs
9. Christmas cookie ornaments (made out of paper)
10. Hot cocoa and movie night.
11. Go through closets/pantry and find stuff to donate.
12. 3D snowflakes
13. Christmas storytime (we'll read all the Christmas-y childrens books we have!)
14. Christmas tree sizing activity
15. Make neighbor gifts
16. Go to Christmas street.
17. Movie night - Polar Express maybe?
18. Gingerbread houses
19. Deliver gifts to neighbors
20. Make chocolate chip cookies
21. Christmas coloring pages
22. Christmas symbols "education"
23. ??
24. Read the real Christmas story from the bible, family time

Now, as you can see, I haven't completed my list.  Do you have any great ideas?  I'd sure be grateful to accept any you may have.  

Here's to more powerful and purposeful parenting...and to a very Merry Christmas season.

FHE

Evelyn has come up with some pretty creative FHE activities.  The kids love having FHE, and look forward to it.  I have to work Monday night so we have it on Sunday instead, and Akaila will remind us that it is coming up. 

Here we have a basket and everyday we write down something we are thankful for.  On Thanksgiving day we will read all the items that was included.

This one we made gingerbread Christmas tree ornaments.   The kids used cookie cutters and after they were baked they painted them.

Oh the difference a day can make...

My 7-year old daughter took this picture 2 days ago (she was trying to get the sunset):

I took these picture this morning:

Our tree has officially been trimmed.  And I don't mean decorated!:-)

Just Checkin' in...

I've been a slacker with this blog, and I'm sorry.  (Yeah, cause I know all of you are just DYING to hear updates from us, right?  No?  Oh, well.)

Here's a few pictures taken of some recent stuff we've been doing:

 Ward's Halloween Trunk or Treat

 The kids experimenting and taste testing the kool aid.

FHE the other day making a Blessings Basket

Trampolining and working in the yard.

What's He Singing?

 Recognize the song?




I can't tell you how much it means to me to see this.  For over a year we wondered if our boy would ever be able to verbalize and talk.  To see him not only talking, but singing, and doing it all on his own cause he's in the mood, is absolutely astounding.  And sweet.  And joyous.  And heart-tugging.  I can even understand over half of the words!  I love this little guy.