Manners Day

December 17th

Ice Cream had "Manners day" at school to prepare everyone for a wonderful Christmas meal. We practiced and went over the long list of reminders of what table manners look like. We all had favorite ones, and everyone was caught this week doing something wrong. What a great reminder for all of us.

As part of their manners day, they had to wear their best outfits. Since Ice Cream was dressing up for school and Candy has many different holiday looking dresses, she wanted to join in. Milk Dud just happen to get put in a red outfit. Since they all looked so good, I thought I would snap a few pictures before school. (Again, here I am trying to find a wonderful picture for a Christmas Card. I am sure you are all trying to guess why it is still not done.)

Church Program

December 14

Our church put on a wonderful program with the children again this year. Ice Cream was one of 4 readers in his grade. He did a great job, and we are very proud of him for speaking in front of the whole church. He was also able to sing a few songs. Ice Cream's class was the nativity scene, so if you did not have a speaking part you were part of the nativity. Someone must have told them to go up there and play their part. So when the 2nd graders were suppose to sing, the 4 readers joined the nativity scene to sing. Well, the nativity actors forgot they were also to sing so Ice Cream and his 3 other friends had to sing all by themselves. It was quite cute.

Candy had a few singing parts. She did not belt it out like last year, but her family could tell she was singing. She just loves singing and most days can be heard off by herself singing something. As I type this, I can hear her playing in her "fort" singing something she is making up.

Santa - check your list

December 13

Ok - seeing Santa was a, all day process. We arrived at the mall around 10:00 and waited in line for 45 minutes to find out that our "time" to come back would be at 2:00 which conflicted with a birthday party Candy was going to. So, we asked if we could come back sometime after 5:00, and they said we could. Now, dressing three kids and getting them back again was a little tricky and Daddy had to go to work. We made it, and everyone asked for what they wanted. Milk Dud cried for the two pictures they let me take but stopped when the hired people took it.

Milk Dud asked for new shoes.

Candy wanted a boogy board that is straight. (a sled that is long and straight not a saucer)

Ice Cream asked for Bokugan.

(There was more on their list but this is what they asked for in person.)

This is us just waiting for our turn. Since they were all dressed up, I thought I would take some photos. I really do try to get the Christmas cards done early.

Cookie Week

In our house, we usually do a cookie day. That is we try and get everything done in one day and by the end we are VERY tired and have really sore feet. This year, we had Papa Popcorn here for a whole week so we spread things out and did a little everyday.

I LOVED it and so did the kids.

Here is a list of what we made this year:

Cut Out Cookies (frosted )

Gingerbread Men and Women (frosted)

Star Cookies

Chocolate Covered Peanuts

Bugles with Almond Bark and M&M's

Mound Balls

Popcorn Balls

Turtles

Peanut Brittle

Butter Horns

Things we missed this year:

Caramels, Chocolate Krinkle Cookies, truffles....

(I think some will have to be done for Valentine's day.)

Papa got these new bands for his rolling pin and help us roll the dough the same everytime.

It makes a GREAT cookie.

The kids love sprinkles and we taught Milk Dud to help also.

Here are some of the cutout cookies we made.

These are the Bugles "Ice Cream Cones" we made.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is still going great.

Candy moved up a level and has a great instructor.

She smiles the whole class and cannot wait to go back.

Milk Dud enjoys that mom brings extra snacks to watch Candy. He also likes it when I turn my back as he "runs" to get on the gymnastics floor. I keep asking if they will take 1 year olds but he is going to have to wait a year or so.

Lemon

December 8



Why eat a lemon.... because Candy wanted to try them and we had extra. But a 14 month old eating a lemon is pretty cute. Milk Dud did not stop, and it lasted for about 5 minutes. The faces were so cute, and I got a lot of it on video. Milk Dud will not open his mouth if he thinks it is something he does not want to eat. So for him to eat a lemon for 5 minutes is CRAZY. He does a great yes shake with his whole body and just shuts his mouth if it is a NO.