This is Us

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Stomp Rockets

(K trying it out)

(H jumping from the playground equipment onto the air pumping thing--dad's idea)

(M's turn. Actually, he would stomp on it anytime someone stepped away from it. So, if K stepped away to get a good jump M would stomp on it.)

(N giving it a whirl)

(R watching the other kids have fun)

For Christmas, my parents got K a stomp rocket. The kids have been sending various toys over the backyard fences lately so I was a little leery of letting them do the rockets in the backyard. Today, since N was off work this morning we went to the park and tried it out. I didn't have anything to worry about. It goes high, but not wide.

H loves the video of M and likes it when I put it on a loop so it just keeps playing over and over again.

H on the Monkey Bars

Christmas Cookies

So, I've been baking. I though it would be nice if N could take some cookies to work for the people he supervises. I made gingersnaps, spritz and sugar cookies. I was going to make chocolate chip also, but N said he thought we had enough cookies already.

Last night N, H, K and I stayed up and frosted 77 sugar cookies. Then we packed up half of the cookies to go to work.

(These are some of the beauties that didn't make the cut for work. That green mass of sugar in the bottom left corner is the snowflake that H decorated just for me. I can't wait to sink my teeth into it.)

(These are the cookies that we packaged up all ready for N to take to work that are still sitting on the counter...yep, he forgot to take them!)

R Turns One!

R turned one today. She has been such a good little girl (hopefully that doesn't change). We are so happy to have her in our family.

Grandma and Grandpa E came out today to bring R her birthday presents.

Then we had lunch and cupcakes.

Hey R, whaddya think of those cupcakes?

Family Christmas Party

(K with Bumblebee)

(H with Littlest Pet Shop)

(M with Blocks)

(R with clothes and a book)

We had such a good time with everyone. The kids loved their presents.

Ward Christmas Party

We had our ward Christmas party on Saturday. We had dinner and then a little program and then Santa came. The kids had a great time.

(Side note: check out Santa's black bustier)

H and her Christmas Present from Grandma and Grandpa

Anyone who has known H for any amount of time knows that she LOVES horses. She has loved them forever.

When she was two we were at a family reunion in Pinedale at my Aunt and Uncle's ranch. There was a horse in a corral and H was completely enamored with it. One day, N and I were in the house playing cards with my family and someone came running in yelling, "H is in the corral with the horse!" We all jumped up and ran out. I guess she climbed over the bars of the corral to get in. I don't think she was in any real danger. I'm fairly certain the horse was a nice old horse. But still. After that we had to make sure someone knew where she was at all times.

She has received something horse related for every birthday and every Christmas ever since that reunion.

This year was no different. My mom and dad got her a toy horse. Not just any toy horse, though. This thing is pretty big and she loves it. She named it Rain (after the girl horse in her favorite movie: Spirit). She loves it so much she had to bring it to the table when she ate breakfast and when I reminded her that we don't bring toys to the table she said, "That's okay. I'm not really hungry" and left the table.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Kids Christmas Party

N's work holds an annual Kids Christmas Party for the kids of their employees. Santa comes and gives the kids presents and they usually have some type of craft/project for the kids to do. They always have a great time. This year was the first year none of our kids cried while sitting on Santa's lap.