Discovery Center - Winter Campout

The January 2nd, Andrew was going with some of the Young Men in our Ward to do a Winter Campout where they would dig snow caves for them to sleep in.  So I decided to take the kids to the Discovery Center for one last big outing before he boys go back to school.

At the Discovery Center, there is a chair you sit on and pull yourself up and then it slowly lowers down again.  The boys all love it and this time Deker was kind enough to take Zora on it, which she loved.  She did not want to get out of it.

Andrew had a great time on his snow camp.  He was the only person who has built snow caves for sleeping so he had fun showing the boys the basics for snow caving. 

Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. 

On Tuesday night, we drove out to a guys house that decorates the inside and outside of his house.  He dresses up as Santa and he has an old Fire Truck as well as a 4 wheeler and trailer he decorates like reindeer and a sleigh.  He alternates days of which on he has out to give rides on through his neighborhood.  The night we went, he had the fire truck.

We started a Christmas Eve tradition a few years ago of having candy cane and Christmas tree pizza. Afterwards we drove around looking at Christmas Lights.

We also all get to open one present which is pajamas.  This year we personalized the pajama's.  The boys have a snow shovel that says "Snow Patrol" and mine and Zora's said "Snow Angel".

Christmas Morning...Santa brought Keagan a Knex Roller Coaster, Deker got Planes Fire & Rescue stuff, Bauer got a transformer called Optimus Prime that converts into a car hauler trailer which other rescue Bots transformers can go on and Zora received her own chair.

 Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of Santa Pancakes.

The kids were all thrilled with the gifts they received.

Keagan.

 Deker.

 Bauer.

 Zora.

 The kids received some gifts that are for them to share.  The biggest one is this wonderful Backhoe from my sister, their Aunt Vera. 

 

Jump Time!

On the first day of Christmas break, we took the kids to Jump Time.  Bauer was excited to go again and Keagan and Deker were thrilled to be trying this place for the first time!  They all loved it and are asking when we can go back again.

 Keagan is a blur but he is doing a little trick he made up.

Christmas Activities

I finally have my blog updated.  We have had fun doing different Christmas activities so far this month.  Here is what we have been up to.

Decorating the house (inside and out)

Over the past several years, Andrew has been going to stores on the day(s) after Christmas to see what kind of good deals he can get on Christmas decorations for the outside of our house.  He was gotten quite a bit and out house sure is festive.  It was raining the night I took this picture so sorry for those rain streaks.

One of our favorite things to do each Christmas season is go to the Idaho Botanical Gardens for their Winter Garden Aglow.  It is so pretty with all the Christmas lights on it.  They even have a little area with mini trains which is always a highlight.

 On the weekend they have raindeer there that the kids can pet.

 We have found a great Santa that is down at the Village at Meridian.  He is a great Santa.  You even go inside a little house and can take off coats and everything.  Of course, Zora hated it. 

 Another favorite place of ours is to go out to downtown Caldwell.  They have an amazing light display each year.  This year we met up with my cousin Tyler & Marianne and their kids. 

Christmas church outfits...

On Zora's blessing day, I had an idea for a picture I thought it would be fun to have a picture of Zora laying in the boys arms.  It really turned out great.  Andrew and I hope that will become a picture that the kids want to create on special occasions, so with the kids in their nice Christmas clothes, we had them take that picture again. 

Also when Zora was a month old, we took a picture of them laying on top of each other on our bed with Zora on top.  That picture has been the background picture on our computer since then and when we were taking pictures, Keagan asked if we could do that picture again.  I love how it turned out!

Piano Recital

Piano had a Piano Recital on December 6.  He did a great job!  After he sat down after playing his two songs, he sadly said "Mom I messed up in a spot".  I told him it was OK and then told him that everyone messes up when the play.  I then told him every time I play the Organ or the piano for something I almost always mess up.  He seemed surprised, but I think it made him feel a little better. 

 This picture below is of course not at the recital, but a cute picture.  Whenever I am giving piano lessons or when the boys are practicing their piano, Zora loves to play.  Keagan will sometimes let her sit on the bench beside him while he plays.  During the recital, she managed to get away from me when Keagan was playing and walked up to the piano and tried to play with him.  I thought it was funny that she only did that when Keagan was playing, but not for anyone else. 

Jump Time

Our good friends, Dan & Angela came into town for a few different things.  Angela called and invited me to come to Jump Time with her while Dan was at a conference.  I have never been there but I am definitely going back! What a fun place.  Zora and Bauer loved all the fun trampolines, bounce houses, foam pit, etc. 

Here is a video of Bauer doing a little flip.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year my parents and two of my brothers and their families came to us for Thanksgiving.  We had so much fun having some of our family come visit.  The kids had a lot off fun having so many kids to play with. 

I decided to make the kids Thanksgiving shirts this year and I even made a tutu for Zora to wear with the matching fabric.  We couldn't get a picture with Zora standing with the boys, so here was what we got. 



Here is Zora picture of Zora with the tutu in it.