Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

The older two kids know this song by heart.  I don't think they have taken it to heart,but hopefully we are on our way.  ;) Yesterday Hayden was sneaking ANOTHER (by another I mean 10th, or 20th, I lost count) treat while I was making goodie plates to give away, and I asked him not to and told him that he was being watched.  He replied, "It's ok Mom, if I do something naughty I can get back on the nice list later by doing something nice."  Hmmm.

For FHE a couple of weeks ago we went to the light show at the church.  They coordinate Christmas songs to the flashing Christmas lights much like Transiberian Orchestra ones you see on YouTube.  The kids' favorite part was getting ice cream cones at Dairy Queen afterward.  The small cones are nearly $2 nowadays!  They didn't skimp on the ice cream though, and both Hayden and Kyra needed a little help to finish.  Nice treat, but next time I decided to buy a gallon of ice cream and some cones at the store.  Part of it for the kids is just the excitement of being in a restaurant. 

We got snow!  It melted pretty quickly, but Hayden and Dax had time to make an afro snowman first.  I didn't get his picture, but they put a huge sage brush on his head, it was hilarious.  Hayden and Kyra went out to play right when it started snowing, and the flakes were huge!  I caught a picture of a sweet moment in their bittersweet relationship:  Hayden pushing Kyra on the swing.  I am so grateful their relationship is getting sweeter all the time.  They still tease each other to no end.

Hayden got a much needed haircut, it was a good inch over his ears.  I didn't think to get a picture until right before I cut it and the lighting was bad.

 

The cold has made us more creative indoors.  We took to shaving cream pictures again, and it was as big a hit as last year.  

I braved story time at the library for the first time post baby.  I decided to take the kids' cousin Kyree as well.  The kids had a good time.  Kyra wouldn't keep off of the story time lady, she kept creeping right up to the book and kept touching the lady.  Funny considering Kyra is usually the shy one.  We read Plant A Kiss and the kids got to plant a kiss for their activity afterward!  

 

 My beautiful girls

 Found about 20 of these pictures on my camera.  Hayden was the photographer I think.

 Kyra is ever our little mother. I found her buckling her dog into her car seat the other day and often find stuffed animals tucked in the bouncer or swing.

Daddy usually has to wrestle the kids in the evening because no matter what we do, inside time is never as tiring as outside time.  

This little miss makes me smile every. single. day.

Lotsa Life

I feel like my life is a snowball just picking up steam as it rolls downhill.  (Sigh)  We keep thinking 'after this next thing' life will slow down.  Then it doesn't.  Here's the latest and newest (since we have had a lot of new lately):

Dax and I got out for an evening to see the Forgotten Carols.  It was good, albeit a little over priced.  Now I can say I have seen it though!  The best part was just getting away alone for a few hours.

We got a new laptop, after 7 years!  The old computer battery died 5 days after we got the new one.  It was missing the bottom row of keys, couldn't project sound, and had to be plugged in all the time or it would die...yes it was begging for retirement. 

Dax got a sweet leaf blower for his birthday.  Nothing but STIHL.  Even I think it is fun to use.  We had lots of leaves from the neighbors trees so it came in handy.  Oh yes, Dax had a birthday!  The big 3-0.  We actually kept it simple; razzleberry pie, and Haley and family joined us.  Oh, and I surprised him with his birthday and Christmas present(for like the next 3 years):  LASIK.  Consult tomorrow, surgery in December.  

Slash marks in the pie, compliments of Kyra.

My Christmas present came early as well.  The thing I have been wanting every Christmas and birthday since we were married:  my Bosch mixer!  If you hear a chorus of angels in my kitchen it is because it is now equipped with that beautiful baby.  I couldn't wait until Christmas to use it... :)

We are getting the house appraised soon, so it has kicked me into gear to get all of the indoor projects done that I have been putting off because of the backyard.  And a new baby.  And 2 other kids.  I fixed(aka filled, sanded, and textured) and painted all of the holes and dings in our bathroom.  Luckily we had the right color.  I didn't get so lucky in our bedroom, so the spots are not painted.  I did the same to the kids' bathroom and repainted the whole thing today.  Hopefully Saturday I will get the laundry room painted.  We're going yellow!  This winter I want to paint the trim and all of the door frames in the house.  And a few other things.  I will let you know if I have any hair (or brain cells) left when all is said and done.

Hayden continues to be our little building man.  Give him screws, scissors, cardboard, and a screwdriver and you get this:

 Kyra continues to be into everything.  Luckily her interests have evolved into bandaids and water versus apple juice and poop. :)

 She is always up for a photo op.

 Kyra with cousin Kyree, 5 months her senior.

 Taylee girl is still as sweet and chubby as ever.