Pippa at 9 months...

 

 

 

 

 

Everett's 3rd Birthday...

December 24, 2012
12-24-12

For Everett's birthday this year -- we struggled and toiled over what we could do as a family to celebrate Everett's Christmas Eve birthday - make it a special day for him without being overshadowed by the fact that Christmas was the next day!  We did a great job...but have worries for the future on his birthday -- that as he gets older it will become more difficult to make his day as special as it needs to be...if anyone has any great ideas...please share them in the notes!!

We started out the day by letting Ev...sleep in while slowly waking up to the smell of steel cut oats with cinnamon cooking in the kitchen.  We finished up his birthday sign, wrapped his presents with Lightning McQueen birthday wrap and set an easy going tone for the day...after a hearty breakfast Everett opened his first present...A very special Lightning McQueen shirt to wear for the day!

Then we all got ready and headed down to a surprise destination as a family...

"Okay, open your eyes, buddy!" 
"Where are you?"
 

"Build-a-bear!!"

Everett picked out a special hotwheels lightning flash bear.  It's ears lightup and it's 'a really fast bear'...

then it was over to the stuffing machine...he pressed the pedal to stuff the bear and then brought his bear to life by giving him a heart...







you're so yummy and cute, Ev!



all stuffed and ready to go...



time for a bath...



next -- time to pick out an outfit and give him a name...the outfit: Woody (from Toy Story)  the name: "Lightning McQueen Bear"

we can tell what your favorites are!



then we walked around the mall for a bit...
 

  

 caught a peak of Santa...then packed up and drove home...ate a packed lunch in the car... 

 

on the drive home we came upon this unusual site...



a makeshift Geo Metro Limo??

 

 for a budget concious Santa?  hmmm....

after a long nap, we watched Cars 2 as a family and then it was time for dinner...Ev's favorite homemade Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders and Green Beans...

then Happy Birthday 
 

and making a wish...
 

 

 then SURPRISE... another Ev Favorite gluten-free Cake Pops!

 

 

then presents!!  3 Lego Duplo Cars sets!!  SO FUN!

After all the fun...Ev took a shower, got all cleaned up and then open two more presents...Lightning McQueen PJ's and a new Lightning McQueen fleece tie blanket (that I had tied with Derek and Sydney's help while everyone was watching the movie downstairs!)  Ev had a smile on the whole day.  It was a great day for him...We love you Everett and are SO grateful you're here with us!  Happy Birthday, buddy!

December 2012

We had wonderful Christmas Season...  Just after Thanksgiving I asked the kid-dos to make a list of all the things that made Christmas -- well...Christmas -- to them.  Last year during Christmas time, I was SO sick with morning sickness I could barely function [SIDEBAR: I'm quite sure I had hyperemesis gravidarum however unlike Duchess Kate -- there was no way I could take time out to be hospitalized and waited on hand and foot until I felt better!  Some real world disadvantage for sure...hmmm] let alone carry out all the activities, baking and crafting that made Christmas -- Christmas.  Last year we kept Christmas simple - as long as we read the Christmas story from the scriptures, had Christmas centered Family Home Evenings, and sang Christmas carols together -- we were doing well. 

 

Fast forward to this year, I wanted to make sure we picked back up with our favorite traditions and that we keep them going for years to come...

 

I wanted to highlight the last item on the list...what makes Christmas is when Mom re-decorates the Christmas Tree because she doesn't like it...yup -- guilty as charged!  I love decorating the Christmas Tree and couldn't wait to have my own tree to decorate, when I was little -- I'm pretty meticulous about it actually -- guess we need to have two trees from now on, so I can decorate one meticulously and the kid-dos can decorate one how they want to too!  Pleased to announce, I made it thru a Christmas without taking everything off the tree and putting it all back on the way I like it -- mainly because I was just too tired...that's what six kid-dos does -- takes the detail oriented-ness outta me...sigh...

 

our DECEMBER summary...

 

 

 

Everett helped decorate the tree -- with a classic touch...

 

 

 

 and he got to put the star on top!

With Nana in town, we blessed Pippa...
December 2, 2012
12-02-2012 - cool numbers

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We had the opportunity to participate as the live Nativity Scene, during the annual Creche, at our Church...December 2, 2012

Everett was a bit too active this year so spent time walking around and looking at all the Nativity Sets with Derek and Nana...Derek didn't mind not having to participate in the Live Nativity... :-]

the goal was to keep Pippa happy 'while on display' -- so even though binks and bottles probably weren't supposed to be part of the Nativity -- they were a necessity!

 

a sweet memory for sure...

 

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Sydney in her first band concert!  That's a cute flute player...

6th grade and 7th grade band performed the same night - December 4, 2012

and Derek's first band concert as well...he's the super tall percussionist in the back!

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Went to see Kaiya perform in her Honor Choir Concert...
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this year we made gluten free maple pecan granola, fire-roasted Christmas salsa, PEPPERMINT BARK and Russell Family Caramel Corn to share...

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We watched Kaiya and Megan in their Christmas Piano Recital -- December 20...(sorry 'bout the quality -- bad iPhone light!)

Kaiya performed "Greensleeves" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

Megan performed "O' Christmas Tree" and "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day"

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Christmas Morning -- Santa was good to us!

 

The Reindeer ate all their carrots!

 

 

Gluten free Sloppy Dad's for Christmas Morning Breakfast...

 

Syd (our sweet bookworm) got a Nook!!

 

 

 

Wonder what Derek got...?

 

Electronic Drum Set...awesome!

 

 

best Christmas ever for little Ev!

Lightning McQueenhawk!

 

 

 

Megan got an Ipod...

Kaiya got McKenna...

 

Kaiya's collection of Pet Shops and her new editions...in rainbow order!

The aftermath - bird's eye view...

more aftermath...always sad to see it end with all the prep and work that goes into it...this year was special because Christmas didn't end Christmas Day...packages kept coming to us for an extended 'Nana Christmas' -- something we should make a tradition of!  It was a great way to come down slowly from the build up to Christmas.

NO Christmas Cards again this year -- it's gonna take awhile to recover after moving, having a new baby,homeschooling and being gluten free - and that's OK.  We enjoyed getting Christmas Cards and reading updates from SO many of our family and friends...it was a wonderful and meaningful December.