A New Years Eve Celebration

We had friends over for New Years Eve. And since not as many came as were invited, the girls just stayed in Hannah's room rather than going to Gramma's. We'll save that for another night. :)

The girls were excited when I suggested that Daddy set up the portable DVD players. Once Rachel went to bed, Hannah got to stay up and she watched a few more movies and had sparkling apple cider in her new tea set she got for Christmas. She had a fun time!

Happy New Year!

The New Year is upon us. And as we say goodbye to 2006, we're looking forward to the new things and adventures 2007 will hold for our family.

Writing Thank You Notes

I am really big on thank you notes and getting them out within a couple of days of having received a gift. For the past year, since her writing skills have improved, I've been trying to teach Hannah the importance of writing Thank You Notes. That was the job designated for today.

I write out on scratch paper what she should say in reguards to thanking the person and then she writes it out in the card. I wrote my "Thank You's" on side of the note, and she wrote hers and Rachel's "Thank Yous" on the other half of the note. She had about twelve notes to write. About five notes into it, she asked why she was writing Rachel's "thank yous" as well. LOL.

To Gramie's House We Go...

This afternoon we went to Gramie's house. The girls were especially excited because going to Gramie's is considered a long drive and they knew they'd get to try out the new portable DVD players. LOL. Hannah was excited to get her very own little ceramic tea set, something we'll have to find a place up high to store so that Rachel won't get a hold of it. She also got a new game, a movie, and a purple Princess plaque to hang in her room. After opening presents we grabbed a quick bite to eat and went to the movies to see Charlotte's Web. Hannah managed to stay awake through the movie, despite her antihistamine quicking in. She said she liked it and would like to see it again, which is good, because Gramma wanted to see it too!

Christmas Day

Steven and I were hoping to sleep in just a little bit this morning as it was close to midnight before we got into bed. We thought that perhaps the girls would sleep just a bit longer seeing how they didn't go to bed til after eleven. Nope. Hannah was up at 6:20 raring to go and full of energy. This is the same girl who had to be dragged out of bed everyday last week for school. Hannah crawled into bed with us and we waited for Rachel to wake up...just after seven. Hannah finally was allowed to make her way to the family room where she discovered she'd gotten a new bike.
After discovering the most obvious present, her bike, we did our stockings and then opened the rest of the gifts under the Christmas tree from us, from Grandpa Steve, and from out of state aunts, uncles, and cousins. Shortly thereafter, our house became full of family and excitement when Haylee and McKenzie, Auntie and Uncle Robbie, Gramma and Papa, and Uncle Bart and Peggy came. More gifts were opened and then it was time to play. All the girls disappeared into Hannah's room to play with toys...not the new ones they had just gotten, but all the old toys. LOL. What a mess!

Hannah having discovered this was a real camera
from Gramma and Papa.

On her new scooter from Great Grandma. The day continued with a nice Christmas dinner and in the afternoon family friends came for dessert. The day came to an end and we started finding homes for all our stuff and picking up and cleaning up after a great day.

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was spent at my Grandmother's house. The entire side of my Dad's side of the family gathers for a sit down dinner and gift exchange. As always the girls are happy to see their cousins. After dinner and clean up, the chairs are moved to make room for the massive gift exchange. Once again, our girls were blessed with so many great gifts. Hannah got a Razor scooter, a Tinkerbell doll, some new games, a gift card to Target, and some combined gifts with Rachel. One of the combined gifts being a great big box of books from my Aunt's classroom. That is a treasured gift as both the girls LOVE books!

About ten years ago, my uncle suprised the family when he had an activity for the family following the gift exchange, that year he had rented a Kareoke machine. That was fun, especially remembering back to my Grandfather singing. For the years to follow, Uncle John always just had an activity for after the gift exchange. It's been a year or two since he's done it and perhaps this years activity made up for it. LOL. He set up a 5 hold miniature golf course throughout my Grandmother's house. We divided up into teams and kept score and the team with the lowest overall score ended up winning gift certificates to go to the local minature golf course. Although it was getting late, and the kids were tired, we had a great time.

Christmas Eve Day

Our Christmas Eve Day included going to Sunday morning church and then coming home and doing more prepartions for Christmas Day dinner.

With her friend, Emma. Helping make the pies for Christmas Day.
Hannah has been such a wonderful helper.

SNOW!!!

Who knew you could have sooo much fun with a box of Kleenex???

Hannah's Christmas Present to Us

Hannah couldn't wait for Christmas to give us our Christmas present. So we opened it this afternoon. It's the most adorable snowman! The kids did all the painting and the little dots on the snowman's face are their finger prints. I love it and will treasure it for Christmases to come!

Class Christmas Party

Believe it or not, Hannah still had school this week. Today was her final day and she'll have the next two weeks off for Christmas break, she goes back on January the 8th.To celebrate Christmas, we had a party at the end of their school day. As Room Mom I thought it would be fun for the kids to decorate their own cupcakes. A while back I purchased these new Fun Shapes made by Reynolds. I bought the star shaped ones and with the help of other mothers donating frosting and sprinkles and such, the kids all had a fun time decorating their little cakes.

Our Class Won!!

Hannah's class got the news today that we won the ice cream party
for collecting 520 Box Tops!!!
The contest was broken down into two categories...

Kindergarten through 3rd grade
4th grade through 6th grade
There was such a great participation this time around that they decided to award a pizza party to the class collecting the most in each category...we missed it by 10 Box Tops!! However we did rank #3 in the entire school!!! I'm not sure when the kids get thier ice cream, but they're pretty excited to have won!

Thanks to everyone who saved Box Tops for Hannah. Keep them coming if you will. We start another contest now and it goes through Februray!

Karate Belt Test

Tonight, Hannah had a Belt Test for Karate. She passed!
And will be presented her Orange Belt on January 8th!

Fun with Photo Booth

My computer has a built in camera, one of the applications on the computer called Photo Booth allows you to do some pretty weird things with the pictures you take. I can't tell you how many times during the week that I find Hannah back here on my computer taking pictures of herself. Some of them really cracked me up so I thought I'd share them!

Disneyland with Gramie

We hadn't seen the holiday fireworks at Disneyland as of yet, so that's where we went tonight! Gramie expressed wanting to see them the last time we saw her so we invited her join us for the evening. The fireworks were great! We had a great spot...course waiting over 2 hours for your spot always helps. We walked around and did a few rides and took advantage of the holiday decorations and took some pictures.

December 2006 December 2005

Field Trip to the Christmas Tree Farm

Hannah went on a Field Trip today to a Christmas Tree Farm. Last Year, in kindergarten they went to a Christmas Tree Farm as well, but this year we went to a different one, so that made it fun. As a stay-at-home mom, I'm so blessed to be able to be a part of Hannah's field trips. Rachel was suppose to go as well, but she woke up very early this morning with tummy troubles. Daddy said he'd watch her so that I could still go on the field trip...Ahhhh, the perks of having a husband that works from home. I am so grateful. The kids all piled onto their bus and me and four other moms piled into my mini van and we met the school bus at the tree farm. That was fun in and of itself. LOL.

The class had a great time. There was lots to do...a Honey Bee House, where they learned about bees and how they make honey, they even got to taste some honey. There was a petting zoo, which for some reason is such a huge hit for kids. A giant maze with lots of dead ends and such to get lost in (which I enjoyed!) They learned how to take care of a seedling tree, which they all went home with. And finally there was a tractor ride that included lots of hills and turns, the kids all screamed with laughter on those downhills. LOL.

Petting a miniature horse.
The tractor ride. Getting ready to feed some goats. In the midst of the pretty trees.It was a very beautiful day to be on a field trip outdoors. We have rain forcasted for the weekend, so it was nice to be outside enjoying the day.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Our church has a ministry that goes to an assisted living center in our community twice a month. Remembering back to when my Gramma was alive, and in a home in her final weeks, and how my Gramma's face and the faces of the other residents lit up when they saw me come to visit with Hannah (who was not even 2 years old) has made me think about the joy I could bring to others simply by bringing my children to visit once in a while.

Today, the ministry had a little Christmas reception, that included some of the cast of our church's Christmas program singing and performing, a simple Christmas devotion, cookies and punch, and Christmas caroling. We made it a family thing and the four of us went to help bring some holiday cheer to these wonderful old people. We bought candy canes and took them with us to pass to the residents. Hannah was hesitant at first, but she did it! She went person to person, wheelchair to wheelchair, passing out candy canes, me following behind and wishing them a Merry Christmas. The women had such smiles on their faces, and they got a few good chuckles from watching Rachel. LOL. All in all, it was a good outing. Made me glad that we went and we were able to spread some Holiday cheer and show them Jesus' love.

Mouthiness = Extra Chores

I have a dear friend who told me recently that when her kids get mouthy or have extra bad attitudes, she socks it to them with chores.

The last couple of weeks, Hannah has developed this habit of calling Mommy 'mean, rude, and selfish'. So this week I decided I was done with hearing it, and that this needed to be nipped in the bud.

On Sunday afternoon, Hannah had the neighbor friend over playing. For some reason she told me I was mean. I wasted no time in sending Emily home, had Hannah put on her shoes and sweatshirt and I sent her outside to pick up all the leaves that had accumulated in the bark. She wasn't very happy about it, but I have to say, she was much more respectful towards me when she came in.

I have a list started of other things I wish to have done,
should the occassion arise. :)

Tea Party

Gramie came to babysit the girls this evening while Mommy and Daddy went to see an orchestra perform. Hannah was very excited that Gramie brought all the fixins for a Tea Party!!! Mommy was excited that Gramie left the left over scones and chocolate dipped shortbread! LOL.

Christmas Ornaments

A couple of years ago, I started a 'tradtion' for my girls. I took two shoeboxes and wrapped them in pretty Christmas paper, wrapping the lid separate so that you could take the lid on and off. I lined the box with tissue paper and I put each of the girls' name on the outside of the box. Every year I plan to put an ornament that either I've made or like last year Hannah made, into each of the boxes, that way down the road when each of my girls leave home and have a Christmas tree of their own, I can present to them a box of homemade ornaments for their tree.

This year I picked up simple little wooden ornaments at Micheal's for the girls to color with markers and decorate with glitter glue. They each got three ornaments. I put their name and date on the back of the ornaments and put one of each into their special box, and the others onto the tree. They both had so much fun coloring the ornaments, especially cause I let them use markers, something I don't usually let them use because of the mess factor. LOL.

Candlelight Processional and California Adventure

This weekend is the Candlelight Processional and Ceremony at Disneyland. It's always a great way to start off the Christmas Season. The girls didn't quite enjoy it, but maybe someday. Because of Candlelight, Disneyland was pretty busy, so we headed over to California Adventure in hopes of it being less crowded, and it was!! We took advantage of the emptiness and let the girls play inside the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Hannah got to do some things she's never tried before and loved it!!!

Trying out the swing glider.
She liked this so much she did it several times.
Rock Climbing The girls also had a great time playing on other play structures that weren't bombarded with other children. An exciting event of the night, Hannah lost another tooth while we were at Disneyland! She was pretty excited about that.