1st Day of Pre-school

Today was Audrey's first day of pre-school. I know it is the end of the school year but she needs to be going. She was going crazy at home and needed the time away from me. This pre-school is at our local rec. center and runs programs every 8 weeks through the school year. I thought it would be good to start her now since she is finally potty trained and get her used to it for next year. She was so excited and could not wait to go. She got up this morning and got dressed and asked where her backpack was. She really doesn't need to take one but she wants to be like her big brother and sister. She also had to put a snack and drink in her backpack. I had to laugh because she kept asking when her bus was coming. I had to break the news that she doesn't get to take the bus until she starts Kindergarten. Justin, Holden and I took her this morning and she went right in and hung up her jacket and backpack and started playing. When I asked her what they did at school today she said "we played". She also told me that she was a "big girl" because she goes to school now. Holden was not sure what to do with Audrey gone. I think he will miss her!

 

Audrey loves to help me in the kitchen and does a great job for her age. I think she will be my baker. She also loves to "test" the food. Holden has watched Audrey pull the chair over to the kitchen and help me at the counter and now he has the strength to do it. I always find him in the kitchen on a chair playing in the drawers, sometimes at the refrigerator getting ice and water without a cup or he is in the sink playing with the water and whatever dishes are in there (I need to get a picture one of these times). Oh Holden, that is all I can say!  Well, the other day I was making cookies for a church activity and Audrey was helping me make cookies. Holden decided to come help as well. They loved it and we had so much fun! The cookies ended up not as good as I normally make them because we put too much flour in them. They tasted good anyways and everyone ate them! That is all that matters.                  

Spring Break/St. Patrick's Day

Our Spring break was last week and we were planning on going camping. We were all so excited but Justin ended up having to go to New Zealand to do some reconnaissance work/help out in Christchurch, where the earthquake was several weeks ago. St. Patrick's Day also fell on our Spring break and Hawley had a day full of Irish dance performances.  It was actually good to have Justin gone during our Spring break instead of during a "normal" school week because we were able to sleep in and go to bed late.......less stressful for me! We ended up having a great week and filled it playing with friends and having sleep overs.

OUT OF THE BLUE: Holden said "Andrew" four time last week! He does not talk except for Ma Ma and Uh-oh.  I keep worrying about his not talking and know that it is typical of a 4th child and I am constantly told not worry about it, but still it worries me. So when he said Andrew four times very clear the other night it makes me wonder if he is just playing with us. When ever I try to teach him new words or repeat them over and over or have him try to say something when he wants it, he just laughs at me and gives me a look like I am crazy for tying to get him to talk. I love this kid!

Back to Spring break: A couple weeks ago Hawley danced at half time for the Columbus Cottonmouths (the local hockey team). It was so exciting. I took a bunch of pictures before of them watching the hockey players practice before the game and then I went to record them dancing and my battery went out after about 3 seconds. What are the odds of that happening?! It didn't even cross my mind to charge them because I had just charged them for my photography class earlier that week. I guess I had the camera on too long during class. Well I made up for it on St. Patrick's Day. Hawley danced at two nursing homes, two Irish Pubs and the movie theater. I got all of them......I think I went a little overboard with it. Oh-Well! I have posted a only a few of them here. I won't make you watch them all ;-) Enjoy!

 

 

Christmas 2010 with Grandma and Grandpa Crawford

We spent Christmas this year at home in Alabama! We were lucky enough to have my parents come spend almost two weeks with us (I don't think they have spent a Christmas away from their home since my siblings and I lived in Utah before we were all married). We didn't have much planned as far as going out and doing stuff, but I did plan a few things. On the list of things to do first was of course a trip to Costco because it's in Montgomery, and that is about a 40 min. drive from our house. I usually go to Sam's Club, which I don't like as much because they don't have my chocolate covered almonds and Kirkland wet wipes. Since we were in Montgomery we also went to Texas Road House for dinner (our family's favorite place to eat). We also went to the Calloway Garden's Christmas Fantasy Lights in Georgia. You take a drive in your car through a path of tree's light up and lots of other fun Christmas light stuff. We loved it, it was beautiful! Justin, Andrew, Dad and I went golfing while Mom stayed home with Hawley, Audrey and Holden. Thank you for babysitting mom! For Christmas Eve we had a progressive dinner with some friends. We had appetizers at the Brown's house, had dinner at our house and had dessert at the Morgan's house. We had a great time acting out the story of baby Jesus just before dessert. After all that fun we went home opened our pj presents, Justin read a Christmas story, left food for Santa and sent the kids to bed so we could wrap presents. Mom and Dad stayed up with us till 1:30am and were a huge help! For some reason we always wait till Christmas Eve to do any wrapping, we need to be better this year and start much earlier. Christmas day came and the kids got up about 7am opened their stockings and then I made some bubble bread. While the kids were opening their other gifts I let the bread rise too much and it spilled over onto my newly cleaned oven. It was still yummy! Christmas day was a laid back day full of new toys. The most perfect end to Christmas day was snow. The kids went out to play. Hawley made a little snowman, Audrey and Grandpa made a bigger snowman and Andrew played football in the snow with his friends. The rest of our time with my parents was spent shopping, eating, playing games, chopping wood, making a fort in the backyard and putting puzzles together (we did 10). We are so grateful for the chance we had to spend time with them this time of year and to share our loud family and traditions with them.