Grandma and Grandpa's New Rocks

Grandma and Grandpa got new rocks for their front yard. Like 20 tons of new rocks (or some huge number). They asked Nathan if he would be available to help them spread the rocks around and he agreed. He took the kids so that I could have the day off. The kids loved helping out (though I'm not sure exactly how much help they really were) and they loved playing on the mountains of rocks.

Merry Christmas 2012

 

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On Christmas Eve the kids were up pretty early. I had a lot of baking to get done for later that night and the next day (lasagna rolls, Lion House rolls, cinnamon rolls, and caramel apple cheesecake bars w/streussel topping) so Nathan took the kids to the park. We were hoping to tire them out (as well as keep them out of my hair). Later in the day we made some cookie/butterscotch bars plates to take to the local fire station.

Finally, it was time to start our evening. We ate dinner and then some of Santa's elves brought our pajamas. The kids took baths/showers and got in their new pajamas. We read Luke 2 and sent the kids to bed with the threat that they would lose all their presents if they came downstairs before mom and dad said it was okay. At about 11:30pm Hailey woke up and wanted to open presents. Nathan said no. Then she was up at 12:30am. Nathan sent her back to bed. Kade woke up at 2:30am and ended up in tears when I wouldn't let him come downstairs. I was afraid he would wake Matthew up, but eventually he calmed down. At 5:30am I woke up to take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and start getting ready for church. At about 6:30am Rachel started stirring so I figured it was time to start waking everyone else up. I think Matthew was the only one I had to actually wake up (well, him and Nathan).

The kids were very excited when Nathan told them they could come downstairs. The first things they saw were the scooters for Hailey and Kade and bike for Matt (Rachel got a bike from Santa earlier). Of course, Rachel noticed that there wasn't a "big" present there for her! She quickly got over it, though, when she saw all the presents by the tree. The kids had so much fun opening presents and then playing with those presents.

We ate our cinnamon rolls and then got ready for church. We only had sacrament meeting and I had a very hard time convincing Matt that there were no other classes (He was positive his friend Ammon was going to class and he wanted to play with him). The kids and I got home and waited for Nathan to finish up at church. Then it was off to my parents' house for a quick visit before going to Nathan's parents' house for Christmas dinner.

Rachel Turns 3!

Rachel's big day finally came! She has been so excited for her birthday. Nathan and I decided that we would get her a "big girl" bed for her birthday. We tried our hardest to keep it a surprise. We hid the mattress set in Hailey's room and Nathan put it all together while Rachel was downstairs playing with me. We wouldn't let her go upstairs at all because we didn't want her to see it. Our plan was to give her a pillow to open once Hailey and Kade got home from school. Then we'd tell her to go upstairs and put the pillow on her bed. Somehow she got upstairs. Nathan and I were downstairs and we heard her say, "Matt! There's a bed!" So, our plan was foiled, but she was happy.  

Nathan's parents came over for dinner (hamburgers and hot dogs, per Rachel's request) and cake/ice cream. Their present to her was a Dora sheet set. Rachel also received a magnetic "paper doll" set from her Aunt Gwenn. We also got her a Dora book. Grandma and Grandpa Wilkins gave her a princess birthday card with a super crisp $2 bill in it (a tradition dating back to my grandparents).

I made Rachel a Dora cake (I thought I took a picture of it from the front, but I can't seem to find it. It is just as well, it looked kinda funny anyway).  She took at least one breath per candle, but eventually got all three blown out. At one point, I thought she might catch her hair on fire she was so close to the flame.

Here she is in her new big girl bed.

After-the-fact note: She has fallen out of her bed at least 3 times and usually won't even sleep in her bed. I tend to find her on the floor in the middle of her room.

Wilkins Family Christmas Party

This year it was at Heidi and Rob's house. We ate chalupa and all sorts of desserts. The kids loved jumping on the trampoline and throwing the lemons around. The backyard smelled lemony-fresh after that. The cousins also exchanged gifts with each other.

Temple Lights

One of the few things we actually did this year for Christmas was go see the temple lights out in Mesa. We like to go early in the month because there aren't many people there and the weather isn't as cold (although this particular night was pretty darn cold). The kids liked looking for the star that led us to the stable/Nativity. We walked around outside for a while and then made our way inside the Visitor's Center where we saw the Nativity display and the Christus.

Kids Christmas Party

We kicked off our December with the annual Kids Christmas Party at Nathan's work. The kids love it for a couple of reasons: a) they get to eat donuts; and b) Santa brings them a present (the kids would probably switch the order of those two reasons). I love it for a couple of reasons, too: a) I get quality pictures {I was going to say "good pictures," but do you see Matty up there?) of the kids with Santa without waiting in line at the mall; and b) I get to eat donuts. :)

So, after his little magic show, Santa calls the kids up, one by one, and asks them what they want for Christmas and gives them the present he has brought for them. This year, he did pretty well. Matthew was the first child called up and I thought we might actually get out of the party a little early (usually we are some of the last ones called). He didn't want to go up and kinda had to be carried by his dad. He got his present, though. He opened his present and it was a green Power Ranger action figure. The next kid called wasn't one of ours so my hopes of an early exit were dashed.

Finally, we got to Hailey. She went up and posed for her picture and talked to Santa. She got her gift and went to the back to open it. It was a Barbie. She loved it and started playing with it right away.

Kade was next and we could kind of see inside his present. It was awkwardly wrapped and the paper was coming off in some parts. A lot of the older boys kept saying they hoped it was their present. Kade talked to Santa and got his present. It was a skateboard. He was thrilled and couldn't wait to ride it.

Last was Rachel (at least from our family). She went up and shyly sat on Santa's lap. She wouldn't look at him at all. She got her present--it was bigger than she was--and went to the back to open it. It was a Barbie bike! A little plastic three wheel bike. She wanted to ride it right then, but it needed some assembly. 

The kids had a great time and really enjoyed the presents they received.

Thanksgiving morning

Our family on Thanksgiving morning.

Halloween 2011

Rachel as Dora

Matthew as a pirate (word!).

Kade as Harry Potter (it was too hot to put him in his pants/long sleeved shirt).

Hailey as Alex Russo (aka Selena Gomez on Wizards of Waverly Place).

Hailey's Baptism

Today was Hailey's big day. She made the decision to be baptized. We are so proud of her!

Card Party

Last year I started attending a card party with some of the women in my ward. Around the beginning of this year it fizzled out. We decided to start it back up again and last week was our party. I had been searching for an idea and finally found one I thought would be quick and easy. I started making it and quickly realized that glue sticks and pens don't mix. I was sitting at the table and I sat back and said, "They are all ruined!" I was frustrated. Hailey, who was sitting at the table with me, got up and left the table. About an hour later she came into my room and said, "Mom, I know you really wanted to be able to participate in your party tonight so I made you these." Then she handed me a stack of 20 cards that she had spent the last hour making! A little while later Kade came over to me and handed me 20 cards that he had made for me to take!

Sometimes, my kids amaze me with their thoughtfulness.