Christmas Corner

This is how the Christmas Corner came to be:

The boys in the house assembled the three tree pieces...


The girls decorated...



While this boy enjoyed time spent in this large box...


And this girl shed a few tears because it was way more entertaining to attempt to destroy the carefully hand-crafted white and blue 'snowballs' rather than place them oh-so-nicely on the tree....and mom wasn't very pleased...and the said 'snowballs' were moved out of the said adorable girl's tiny reach...


And now, to keep the Christmas Corner intact, a table chair/banana chair/rocking chair/end table gate is constructed EVERY day...


But it's worth it....because I could sit in the Christmas Corner all day and watch the pretty lights flicker on and off...

And Aydrie could also sit in the Christmas Corner all day and eat ornaments, smash 'snowballs', and unwrap presents...which might happen in the very near future....She just learned how to FLIP, head first, over the said gate to get to the tree...

Aydrie understands the Christmas Corner:

It's MAGICAL...




And now Cam is smirking and rolling his eyes...


Other activities we've participated in that have helped RING in the upcoming Season:

Ward Christmas party
...don't judge....I'm about 6 months pregnant here...


Playing in the snow
...for only 7 1/2 MINUTES....Brayden enjoyed seeing his footprints all over...and it was just long enough for me to kick a trail to our front door.


Christmas Shopping (love it!)
...this was Cam's face when we were done...


We Love LoVe LOVE this time of year!

3 in 1

Three posts in one:

#1. Aydrie's most recent to-do's:

Pushing Brayden on his bike:


Immersing her self in the downward dog position:


Climbing a-top low objects such as the laundry basket...


Lookin' B.E.A.UTIFUL:



...and Brayden, too.


And she's starting to walk.


#2. The results of Brayden's love of the camera:





#3. The joy that a rather large box can bring to kids:



Life is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD....

Current Obsessions w/ Updates

My CURRENT Obsessions include:

1. This HOTT Guy:

Still got it goin' on even though he spends late nights studying and long hours at school, the gym, and with 12 year old scouts.

2. This SMALLER-but-still-a-looker kid:

He loves preschool - But I'll admit - it is hard being his mom AND teacher.

3. This "Oh-my-goodness! She's so stinkin' cute' DOLL:


She turned one on October 12. Fun Party. Fun Presents. Fun Day.


And just for kicks.....check out Brayden w/ Cam doing the same pose (Brayden was younger than one):


4. Both of the above mentioned-ees together:


5. This season (pretty and refreshing!) and upcoming holiday.


6. Making Brayden and Aydrie's Halloween costumes - not necessarily an obsession, but should be.

7. This TV show: Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader....L-O-V-E IT!!!


8. This TV show: So You Think You Can Dance - Never have been interested until this season - I especially like the married couple from Utah.


9. Febreze - Downy Fresh....AMAZING...

10. Creating Preschool Activities - activities that maintain attention and build learning at the same time.

11. Inventing a jaw-dropping (in a good way) girl's name to give to our baby when she is born in March.


Boa Noite! ('Good Night' in Portugues)

Good

I sit here, eating a raspberry-filled donut and popcorn that we purchased from the close-by Holiday, and I am watching Cam - his body bulging with muscles that I didn't know he had ...and I wish that I was able to do as many pull-ups as he just pulled up....

The donuts and popcorn do not help me get closer to the goal of doing pull-ups...
But they TASTE SO GOOD...

That will be another day's goal....When things have changed...

Here's and update...

The past three weeks:

Cam started his second year in Pharmacy school, passed his first test, and continues to be a faithful member at Gold's Gym. His Dad is his trainer...like I said...Cam comes home with muscles that I didn't even know existed....

I started teaching Pre-school with my in-laws and a good friend. It's been fantastic so far...I get to teach Brayden. That's a joy. I spend my days coloring and cutting and laminating and cutting some more...and I enjoy it. Cam says I was meant to be a teacher.

Brayden loves pre-school but he was more excited when he finally got his backpack. All the kids at school had one. He asked for a backpack the following day and a half...cute...and once he got a backpack, it took a nap with him, traveled around the house ALL day with him, and even went to bed with him...

Aydrie is all over the place. She'll be 1 year old next month. She's crawling and standing up to things and falling down from other things. She's a very happy baby...even though she doesn't get a full night's sleep...which means Cam and I don't get sleep either...and she's still happy about it...She's a joy also.

Not too CRAZY but we seem to stay busy.

Life is GOOOOD...

Happy Day

Smiles to ALL...

Kisses!

Flour-Sock Battle

Flour-Sock Battle

Definition:

Nylons filled with old flour that are used as weapons to, not hurt the opponent, but to add a powdery white color to his/her being. The flour-sock is tossed, thrown, hurled, flung, pitched, smashed, rubbed, or heaved in hopes of covering the opponent in the said white color.

I played with the group of 4 years and younger age...I knew I had a better chance at being victorious...










My plans of rising to the top were interrupted by a few adults who were supposed to be SUPERVISING and TAKING PICTUREs...instead they joined the fun and created an even bigger mess...

Cam and my mom


My aunts, Arlee and Natalee, attacking Cam


Eventually, the older group of kids and adults went after Cameron...


He was NOT victorious...












FUN FUN FUN...



And..

A few random tidbits of info:
Brayden HATED the port-a-potties...SCARED TO DEATH....he wouldn't even go in the trailer pottie...



An empty licorice bucket strategically placed in the woods, behind cover, was the answer to the problem...

The port-a-crib was a life savor...saved the babies from eating the dirt, and the mommies from holding babies ALL DAY LONG...



Fun Camping Trip!

Family Camp...Part Uno

A couple weeks ago we attended my mom's side family reunion.

We camped.

And...

kids played parachute...



Cam completed a little more of an AWESOME book (Cam won't let me disclose the title....too embarrassing, he says)



We fished...
(With the help of the small ones, we were quite successful in catching our fair share of green moss and ugly weeds)
(My sis-in-law Jamie, her two girls Meghan and Keltsy, Brayden, and my youngest brother, Trevor)



And ate Muddy Buddies, wore sunglasses, and fished...all at the same time!



Mommies held the babies...
(Sister Kasha and her boy, Ethyn)



And Grandma held the babies...



We enjoyed a little fire time (Smores = graham cracker, roasted marshmallow, and Peanut Butter Cup...WoW!)



Brayden practiced his kissy face...



More holding of the babies...



And kids posing before the mighty flour-sock battle broke out...
(L to R: Shaylee (Kasha (sis)and Kinley's girl), KoriAnn (Aunt and Uncle Arleen & Corey's girl), Trevor (youngest brother), Keltsy, Meghan (Jason (bro) and Jamie's girls), and Brayden)


You might be wondering what a flour-sock battle is...

More to come on that...

Later.