Author visit

Betty Birney came to the kids school yesterday and then we went and saw her at the library last night. We love her books!

Peep Competition

Brody got the Garners to do another competition:0
Alyssa and I made the flower (thanks to Martha Stewart)



Kaitlyn's entry: She said that the bottom one is an easter bunny hiding eggs and kids are looking for the eggs - it is boys vs. girls - whoever finds the most gets to have the three peeps at the top left corner

Alyssa's individual entry (with several in of them in her mouth:)

Valentine Cookies!

The Garner family was issued a cookie decorating challenge - great idea Brody and Shantel. We had fun trying even though we couldn't ever really compete with the amaziness of my siblings!



Brody gave the kids food coloring markers to color on cookies - so much fun!





The kids submission

My cookie submission...


Thanks to Family Fun Magazine I made candy cane hearts filled with melted white chocolate to put on the sugar cookies (or serve as suckers:).

Grandma time!!!

We made a quick trip to North Carolina for Thanksgiving.

I can make her happy

Hailey was laying on the floor this morning and Alyssa was playing with her. Hailey started to cry and Alyssa quickly said that she can make her happy. I told her that she was hungry and Alyssa kept saying over and over very matter-of-factly, "I can make her happy." She went and got the drum she made at preschool and played it for Hailey - it of course worked:)

The best thing we have found to stop Hailey from crying is Alyssa's singing. No matter where we are if Hailey starts to whimper, Alyssa will immediately start singing. Her most common song is "Hey Dude" (which is actually titled "Hey Jude" by the Beatles). She also will sing "Mary had a little lamb" or "I'll Walk with You" (from primary - even though she won't be in primary until January). Hailey will usually stop crying immediately when she hears Alyssa sing!

Santa

Santa came to our church Christmas party. Alyssa was ecstatic! She was so excited to see him come in but after waiting in line to see him she decided that he was a little bit scary and she didn't want to talk to him. She just got a candy cane from the elf and let Bryson and Kaitlyn talk to Santa.

First Swim

Kevin had a conference in Chicago so we drove up and met him after-wards and stayed a night in the hotel and went swimming. At four months this was Hailey's first time swimming (if you don't count the bath tub:)