The kids on Christmas morning before church. Tyler 8, Halle 6, Sophie 2, Avery 3months. Christmas this year was spent in our own home. We missed our family, but had a wonderful Christmas. The kids are at the best ages ever for being excited about Christmas!





Tyler is growing up fast. Too fast. His favorite things he got for Christmas were his DS games and pillow pet nicknamed "mr. fluffers" from his grandmas. I think he is also pretty excited about getting to do a pine wood derby car with his dad in Feb.



Halle likes me to put sponge curlers in her hair so it's nice and curly in the morning. I like it too because it's fast in the morning. She has lost 3 teeth, 2 on the bottom and one on top. This year for Christmas she wanted "style boots, a real purse, and a princess celestia my little pony." We also celebrated her 6th birthday this Christmas. She thinks it is awesome to have her birthday on Christmas!





Sophie is now 2 and keeps us on our toes. She calls herself "Fophie", and has the funiest cute little run. My friend told me the other day that when she runs you should be able to hear little bells. We like to ask her to "run" to go get this or that for us for our own entertainment.



Sweet Avery Jane. 3 months old. She is a smiley baby, and loved by all of us, which is a lot of love!




We had such a great time with our friends the Russells and Smiths for Christmas Eve. Here is the crew in their nativity "costumes." We ate some delicious food, acted out the nativity, and decorated some gingerbread houses. It was so nice for us to be able to spend this holiday with good friends since we weren't close to any of our family.

Crayola doesn't make a color...

This is the kids new favorite song in the whole entire world. We are in the car a lot driving Chase to or from school, preschool carpool, and getting Tyler to and from school. I've heard it over 63 million times and still think it is a catchy little tune.
In other news, we are so excited for UNCLE TATE to visit us this coming week. He is going to be Chases' board patient. He doesn't know what fun he is in for:) Can't wait to see you Tuesday night Tate!

Bracketology

Chase has been hard at work this week (it's springbreak) studying bracketology for the ncaa tournament. He got his bracket filled out. He helped Tyler and Halle fill one out, and he printed one for me to fill out. With a little friendly reminder phone message from Uncle Jack, I got it done. The games have now begun. Chase is watching a game right now and I've heard a few whoops and hollers from the basement. May the best man, woman, or child win!




Tyler left this pile of gold for a leprachan right outside his bedroom door. It read, "Give me 900 dollars for all of this gold stuff." It cracked me up. The lephrachan left 90 cents. After school he raced up the stairs following a trail of gold hersheys nuggets into his room where the pile of coins were and exclaimed, "ah man he didn't leave 900 dollars!" I told him that the lephrachan probably left what he thought the pile of gold was actually worth. He was pretty content with his 90 cents. Chase bought the kids donuts with green frosting and sprinkles for breakfast, that was a big hit. We also hid gold hersheys nuggets for them around the house to find. Sophie was pretty happy with her chocolate. She wanted to hold it and it melted all over. She went to the Dr. today and has another ear infection. .. poor girl, I gave her 2 chocolates:)

Eternal Dalmations

I have this memory burned into my brain, but need to write it down somewhere to make sure I never forget.
A few years ago (I think Halle was about 3) I was bringing in the groceries from the car. Halle was sitting on the steps watching me come in and out with sacks of food. She started singing a primary song. She was a sunbeam at the time and I was so impressed and touched that she knew all of the words to the song, so I listened.
"I lived in heaven a long time ago it is true. Lived there and loved there with people I know so did you. Then Heavenly Father presented a beautiful plan. All about earth and eternal DALMATIONS for man."
I love being a mom for moments like these. There is nothing that could replace that sweet little voice.
ps you might have to wait for eternity to get a dalmation or any other kind of dog for that matter, sorry:)

This girl deserves a post

All of the pink girls ready for the pink party! Having a birthday party at grandmas is The. Best. Ever. There were pink balloons, pink gumballs, pink jelly beans, pink sixlets, pink trident, pink hello kitty lip gloss, notebooks/pens, pink jumpropes, pink cake, you name it and it was pink! We had such a fun time doing nails, playing "purple, purple, pink!" (instead of duck duck goose) hot potatoe with a pink bean bag. We ate cake and pink peppermint icecream and let the cousins all play. I love this little girl. She thinks that having a Christmas birthday is awesome. Some things about Halle at 5
She loves being in Ballet. She often puts her ballet leotards on and prances around the house. She likes to give concerts, especially when her friend Mckinlay from across the street comes over.
Her eyes tell the whole story. When you talk to her you can tell exactly how she is feeling just by looking into her blue eyes.
She is very helpful around the house. She is always willing to empty a trash can or get me a diaper for Sophie. She gets dressed by herself and makes her bed before coming downstairs (most of the time)
She loves oatmeal, pickles, and anything sweet
She loves to color and paint. Our fridge is covered in her artwork. Today I asked if I could throw one away to make room for a new picture, she about had a heart attack. I threw it away when she went to bed. I know. Mean. But she does so many that tomorrow she will not remember:)
She is tough. She has to be with an older brother.
She is very sweet and kind to others. She tries her best to play with everyone and include everyone at preschool. She is a very good friend.
I love you Halle. You were the best Christmas present ever in December 05. Dad and I both cried when you were born, you were so beautiful and we couldn't believe we got a little girl!



Halle's cousins Annie, Macee and Carter got to come to her birthday party this year. Halle loves her cousins, especially Annie and Macee. Whenever we visit them she will disappear to their basement and then come up a little while later with a new hairdo that looks just like theirs. I am glad that she has such great girls to look up to! They gave her a makeup bag with all sorts of lip glosses, chapsticks, and nailpolishes...right up this little girls alley!


The only thing Halle talked about getting for her birthday was a molly monkey like the one Sophie got for her birthday. Sophie could have really cared less about her little monkey, but Halle really loved it. I had so much fun making her one. Tyler has also requested the boy version for his birthday, I'm glad they like them.



Blowing out the candles. She got all 5. No boyfriends, phew.

Aunt Chloe and Aunt Camille helped paint fingernails, they are the best!

angel babes

Tonight at dinner Halle said, "Grandma calls us all angel cakes!" I told her, "I think she calls you guys angel babe or angel darlin." Tyer said, "or just darlin!" I find myself calling Sophie little angel babe a lot and think of Grandma Pearson. We miss our grandparents and think of you often.


Three angel babes. Chase had the day off of school so we went sledding. It was so much fun! We went to a pretty fast hill. I was kind of scared to go down until I saw Halle fly down the slope backwards with NO fear. I totally couldn't let my five year old show me up. Tyler showed us all that it was best to go down on the round sled on your knees. Sophie had a smile on her face the whole time. Chase and I took turns sledding down a little hill with her, she was in heaven.




Sophie desperately wants to go outside when the big kids are out. She will stand on the couch and watch them out the window pointing and grunting. You'd think after 3 kids that we'd have something lying around that would fit her a little better than these lengthy snowpants, but they did the job.





Soph put mom's boots on with help from her big sis. She thought she was hot stuff. This picture was taken about a month ago. She went through a phase of cheesing it majorly for the camera.



Sophie likes to put this little red toy in her mouth. It is a bomb that goes to one of Tylers battleships. She licks is like a lollipop.

Somebody turned 1 today!

Happy Birthday Sophie! We can't believe you are already 1!
Here she is all ready for her birthday dinner.
Spaghetti and mini meatballs, corn, and french bread. This girl loves her some spaghetti!




I was so excited to sew this monkey for her (many thanks to the amazing Meghan for helping me with this project!) and what did she do with it might you ask???...




She chucked it around the side of the couch, and thought that even the shirts were cooler...hopefully she'll appreciate my labors when she's older:)




Thanks to all of the grandparents for the nice presents! We missed you today:)




This toy earned the cheesy grin, she thinks she is pretty hot stuff with these wheels:)




She was hesitant at first with her cake, putting her hand on the frosting and then looking at us, but it didn't take long for her to dig right in! She loved it, smooshed it all over her face, and licked her hands clean:)


Happy birthday Soph, we love you sweet girl. I hope to always remember that little grin!