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:)

Gifts of Ordinary Moments

Rereading old Christmas letters has gotten me thinking about those ordinary moments that are truly priceless... a little one in snugly pjs, siblings having good times together, dancing with dad, little girls in curlers, little ones who love to "read" even on their own, kids who want to be close to all the action so even sit in the middle of the walkway to do homework...

Laugh or cry...

Just a few weeks ago I thought the girls were outside doing their job of picking tomatoes but when I looked, all I saw were smashed tomatoes. When asked where these smashed tomatoes came from, the girls innocently answered that they wanted to see what would happen when the tomatoes were stepped on. I was glad Kevin was on his way home from work and could follow through with them on the situation so that I could just sit back and laugh and take photos.









In February Alyssa literally pulverized every piece of playdough she was playing with. My heart softened as I saw her stretched out on the floor picking up each piece.





In May right before leaving for church I find Alyssa has been busy... I am sure I totally confused her as she is crying and I am laughing and taking photos.


Too often I don't handle the situation right and get upset but I love when I am able to just laugh because after it is over, they are such fun memories. It brings tears to my eyes thinking of these moments of innocence and the joy of these not so ordinary moments.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Eeyore, Darth Vader, little pumpkin, and the friendly witch







Trunk or treating at our church parking lot




As we were getting ready to leave, Alyssa laid down in the parking lot and did a street angel - it was pretty funny and totally random!

If you look closely Bryson has gloves on - the only way he would even attempt to clean out his own pumpkin.






Tinkerbell by Alyssa and Ariel by Kaitlyn


Bryson (with a lot of amazing work by Kevin) did the werewolf - Kevin did the tigger which looked great but didn't show up so well on the camera