Blake's New Bed and Brrrrrr!

Blake was able to move into the bunk bed with Katie.  We put away the crib (held the last 4 of my babies) and the changing table (diapered and dressed all 5 babies).  We moved Katie to the top bunk, put up some shelves in place of the crib and put the rocking chair (where I rocked and nursed all 5 babies) in the room.   Blake was nervous about changing beds and  kept saying that the bottom bunk was "Katie's bed".  We decided to print him some pictures just for him so he'd feel ownership of the space.  He picked Darth Vader, a Storm Trooper, an AT AT, and a robot.  Someone is quite obsessed with Star Wars.

We have had an epic winter.  We have had snow every couple of days.  We have gone through lots of ice melt and Jeff has burned plentiful calories shoveling the driveway.  Blake has loved tromping through the snow every chance he gets. 

Kyle and Blake went outside to build a snowman.  When the snow wasn't packing well, they made forts. 

We have also had a few weeks of super cold temperatures.  Many a morning, we have woken up to layers of frost and ice inside our windows.  

Christmas 2017

 Last year we decided to change how we do sibling gifts.  Money adds up very quickly when you help each child buy a small gift for each sibling.  Dollar store gifts are cheapest but are pretty lame.  We had them draw a name and then hand make a gift.  

Blake made some foam animal puppets for Caleb. Caleb made a birthstone necklace for Katie.  Katie made painted a ceramic white bowl with Kyle's favorite things and he has his own cereal bowl.  Kyle made Josh a Pokemon figurine snow globe.  Josh made Blake a Star Wars pillow case.  I only got one picture of these special gifts being made.  I resolve to much better at documenting their efforts next year.

 We were so busy playing in our new Christmas Eve PJs that we forgot to take a formal picture of them.  Here is a picture of Blake walking across the back of his siblings in their new PJs on Christmas Eve.

Big boys showing a little boy how cool their Star Wars ships are.  

 Enjoying the wonderful presents from people we love so dear!

Did they like the gifts from their siblings?  Just ask Blake.

Happy 18th Anniversary to us.  We went to SLC for two nights.  We went to a movie, had a couple's massage, and ate some mighty delicious food.  

Blake is Santa Claus

Christmas Parties and Concerts

We had Santa visit our ward Christmas party.  The kids were quite prepared to recite their lists.  

Santa wouldn't let Katie get away without her turn.  "You're never too old for Santa", he said.

 This picture is about some of my favorite memories as a mother.  I have spent many, many hours in this library finding books for my kids.

 I got to help out in Caleb's class Christmas party.  They played pie face again.  It took Caleb a while to feel comfortable but he ended up getting a face full of cream (quickly cleanup up, of course).  We made candy canes out of beads and pipe cleaners and watched part of Polar Express.

Christmas Prep

These three boys sat and watched a show in peace until Blake realized he could make Caleb laugh by putting his foot in his face.  

2 full bottles of Elmer's Glue!  

Poured onto the carpet and then rubbed in with a tissue.  Just look at that face.  It took me over an hour of work with my hoover carpet cleaner to pull out all the glue.  It just kept pulling white water into the basin.

This is the only picture I have of Christmas decorating.  Blake is decorating the felt tree.

I lucked out this year and got tickets to two nights of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert.  We went on Thursday night with our friends and on Friday, I got to take my 3 older kids.  We got great seats and even though they griped and complained all week about it, they really enjoyed it.  We ate dinner at the City Creek Mall and then walked through Temple Square.  

We stopped for a selfie at our family's favorite tree on Temple Square.  It's a big tree covered in red and yellow lights that appears orange. 

Kyle and Katie had their Christmas piano recital.  We have video of their performances on Jeff's phone.  Maybe, I'll remember to pull them off the phone and post them here.

Here's a crappy picture from far away at Kyle's Jr High band concert.  He has really enjoyed playing the trombone.

Thanksgiving

We spent a few nights in Payson for Thanksgiving.  We did crafts with Grandma Clark, made pies, played with the cats, and watched movies.  

I love this picture.  I have many great memories in this kitchen and many with these three people that I love so dearly.

 It's always a treat to eat on Grandma's china.

 Caleb was so excited to eat turkey and requested the leg.  

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Did he eat the turkey leg, NOPE!  However, being excited about a new food is progress.  

3 guesses for who's fingers made this mess.

Scroll down to see the correct answer.

I bet you all guessed it the first try.  What a Turkey Buzzard!

November Days

Blake's "stuff" found a new location.  It was super dangerous to try to go down or up the stairs.  We only let him keep it there for a few hours.

 Sundays are rough when it's cold outside.  Video games can be a great solution and some can be a great bonding activity.  Here, they are playing Minecraft.  They build houses, yards, catch and train animals, build a safe community, and share materials to make their world better.  

Halloween 2016

We have beautiful fall weather for 4 years in a row.  We are tempting the nature Gods.  Meanwhile, it sure is nice that the kids get to wear their costume without a winter coat covering it up.  

Our ward held a trunk or treat for our party.  We decorated our trunk in an ocean theme and had the kids "fish" over the water sheet to get their candy.  I was dressed as a Ghoul and Blake wouldn't stand anywhere near me.  He kept saying, "I don't like you.  Go Away!"

I am the room mom of Caleb's class.  It is the funnest group of kids.  In the Halloween party, they made vampire donuts, wrapped each other with toilet paper to look like Mummy's, and had a small cake walk.  

Here is our Trick-or-Treating crew.  We had wonderful weather and Blake figured out the process very quickly.

Kyle and his friends dressed up as a group and went Trick-or-Treating.  (This might be his last year.  Poor guy.)