Christmas Sunday

Since we were headed to White Bird for Christmas, the kids got to wear their Christmas clothes a week early.  Claire was thrilled with her new dress, and the boys loved their ties.  This is the best picture I could get before church, Ava just wouldn't hold still.  Grant wanted to wear his new cowboy hat (no it didn't got to church).  I think this should be our Christmas card next year!  This is how our house is normally.

A better picture of Miss Ava in her Christmas dress.

Festival of Trees Preformance

This year Claire started clogging, and she loves it.  She is doing a great job, and learning so much.  It has been fun for me because I used to clog so I can help her with some of her steps.  This year they performed at The Festival of Trees, and she was very excited.  It is always fun to watch her dance.  The last few years she seemed to watch the teacher most of the time but this time she knew most of the steps and had the other girls in her class watching her.  I am so proud of her!

 Not the best picture, but Owen took it so we will take it.

Grant's Ornaments

Grant has been going to speech with Mrs. Patty for almost a year.  He loves going, and is doing great!  He still has a long way to go, but he is getting much better.  On this day he made an ornament at speech.  He was so proud of it!  We had to come home and take a picture of it before he put it on the tree.  Of course the other kids had to join in on a picture.

Just Because

This is where I find Ava often, only this time she managed to find herself a snack.

Oh Christmas Tree!

We put up the Christmas tree right after Thanksgiving.  We took advantage of Chad's few days off to spend some time as a family.  The kids are always so excited when we bring the tree in the house.  It is always fun to watch them decorate the tree.  I'm sorry about the quality of these pictures, not sure what happened.  

Halloween 2011

I have to say that Halloween was very low key at our house.  Usually I get very excited and work for a month making costumes, but this year it just wasn't going to happen.  So, we had hand me down, or made up costumes, and it was just as much fun.  The kids were excited no matter what because of the . . . candy!  We went Trunk or Treating at the church, then we went to a few houses with our friends Anjie and McKinlee.  I wasn't to sad to go home when we were done.  I think the kids would have gone out longer, but a 4 to 1 ratio with a 1 year old is not the funnest trick or treating experience.

 Ava my little butterfly

 Claire wanted to be a flairey.  It is a fairy from a Barbie movie.

 Owen was Optimus Prime.  Thankfully Santa brought this to him for Christmas last year, and he decided since then that is what he would be for Halloween.

 Grant was lest than thrilled with his Thomas costume, but he was a good sport.  It was a little long for him, so you might be seeing it next year.

Pumpkin Patch

Every year my preschool kids and I go on a field trip to the pumpkin patch.  This year I decided I could take Ava and Grant, and it would be just fine.  I was wrong.  Right out of the car, I had Grant crying because he didn't want to wear his coat.  Ava's new coat was waaaay to big, so she didn't even have one, and yes it was cold that day.  Of course.  We started out in the corn maze, and made it about 1/4 of the way with Ava and Grant crying the whole time (yes it was lovely).  Thankfully the corn maze is made for little kids and they have emergency exits throughout it.  By the end of the trip they were actually happy which is when I snapped these few pictures.  I think next time I will wait and take them with the family, which means their dad will be there.