Thanksgiving Fun

Brooklyn's Class had a Thanksgiving Feast. They had made their own drums and learned a few songs. I was one of the lucky moms that were able to go see it.

These two girls are her good friends!

Her class and teacher Mrs. Peterson

Getting in to playing the drums.

Yes, she marches or plays to her own beat!

Brooklyn's Christmas Program

Brooklyn had her Christmas Program at school Monday Dec. 14. It was just her Kindergarten class. They were so cute. They made some props for most of the songs. Here are a few.

Must Be Santa

Jingle Bells

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Preparations

Every year we say that we are going to simplify, and every year it seems like at the last minute I am feeling guilty for not giving as much. This year however, I am determined to keep it simple and focused on the Savior. I love this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXXwtFWpAI8&feature=player_embedded#
We can learn so much from our children. I hope we use this season to teach others about the gift we all received from the Lord. May we look to serve others and feel the true spirit of Christmas.

If any of you are wanting a FREE Christmas DVD about the birth of Jesus, click on the link and fill out the information. Or lmk and I can get one for you.

http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/learning-center-offer?offerId=dd9b8ca949be1110VgnVCM100000176f620a____

Halloween

Yet again I am trying to make up for lost time. But here are some pics of the girls. Whatever happened to dressing up one night, actually on Halloween? Too many activities to keep up with and too many times to dress up. Once Halloween comes around it isn't even fun anymore. My little ninja and pirate...what the heck. thought they were girls. The matching colors weren't even planned. But still turned out very cute!
Me as the mean Biker Chick.

Kalahari

In Ohio the school district gives us 2 days off so the teachers can get report cards together. So our long weekend was back in the middle of October.

Greg not on call +no school 4 girls = recipe for boredom

But not this time. We planned a trip to Kalahari. This is a great big indoor waterpark. They had so much to do it was unreal. We tired them out even stayed at the park til midnight Friday night.
I love this pic of Sydney. She couldn't stop playing with this particular water fountain...at least not until the bully came and pushed her away...Boys suck!

Brooklyn in the giant play area.

Brooklyn racing Greg and London and obviously she won! (Maybe because Greg had to push her down)

Brooklyn sliding down one of her first waterslides. The first one was actually enclosed so it was pitch black and you had to lay on your back-- even I was a little scared. She was a trooper but didn't want to do that again. She definitely preferred the ones where she could sit and see what turns were coming. She also loved the wave pool.

London in the giant play area! This was about the only picture I could get of her because she was all over the place. We couldn't keep up. She wanted to go go go. She had it all planned out. Imagine that! She wouldn't stop talking.

She'd say:

"mom stays with Sydney and Brooklyn in the kiddie area, me and dad go on __________."

"dad stays with Brooklyn and Sydney, me and mom go on ___________."

"I go down ________ with Brooklyn and dad.

Sydney hung out in the swing for a long time. They have an entire area for toddlers. All the slides and equipment are made of this soft foam so when you fall and bump your head it's not so bad.

We got a great deal on a room for the weekend. We got "bumped up" to a suite which was perfect. Greg and I had a king size bed in one room, the girls slept in the living room in a pull out, we had a full kitchen and dining area and a patio. We got breakfast both mornings we were there, dinner the first night, lunch, passes for the waterpark, free mini golf passes, free zoo passes(had a small area with some zebras, an ostrich, a bunch of goats, camels, horses, kangaroos and other weird birds), and an in room movie.

This is where Sydney learned to slide (see video). A safe place and very soft place to have little ones climb and move around.

We had such a great time and hopefully can go back. My pictures don't do it justice. You should go to their website just to look at all the stuff they have to offer.

New Car

Once again I am behind and trying to catch up. We had get rid of Greg's Grand Prix, afraid the transmission was on the fritz. Our good friends and neighbors helped us get this awesome car. Greg loves it and has already tinted the windows, got the Nike sticker for the back window...or as Brooklyn says the check mark which is how she can tell it is our car, and ordered some winter mats for it. There wasn't a whole lot to do to this car. It is a brand new Altima with all the works. I told him it was a pretty car but I don't think he wants to be driving a "pretty" car, so our friends rephrased calling it a "sharp" car. We were really hoping to avoid doing this til we had to move, but glad we have a reliable car.

First Day of School

We started our way back to Ohio by leaving the cabin and heading to Twin for Jessica's wedding. Then Sunday we were going to go to Boise since our flight left on Monday. However, plans don't always work out. Brooklyn got sick and was throwing up all day Sunday so we stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Starley's. Monday morning she felt better thank goodness. Could you imagine having to deal with throw up on the airplane? Guess our prayers were answered for that one. We got back from Idaho late Monday night at 1:30am and poor Greg had to wake up early and be at the hospital by 6am so he could head to Columbus for RPAC (Resident education lectures of some sort). By noon he was texting me telling me he didn't feel good. Neither did I . He came home early and we spent the rest of the day and the following day in bed or near the toilet. We weren't as lucky as Brooklyn. Ours lasted a few days. But we didn't have a few days to spare. School was starting on Thursday for London and Friday for Brooklyn and we hadn't even gone shopping for anything. Resourceful me made up a scavenger hunt for their school supplies and told them to go for it. They found everything they needed except for some glue and a set of markers. Yes we had plenty of black markers or markers with their lids off but not a whole set. So instead of making a Walmart/Target run we did a grocery store run mainly because we needed milk but I also grabbed the markers paid grocery store prices...yes my sister would be disappointed. But I wasn't going to go all around town just to say a dollar or two. Not worth my time and wasn't sure I could even function long enough to go anywhere else. I felt kind of bad for the girls because it was Brooklyn's first day of Kindergarten and there wasnt' a whole lot of pomp and circumstance. I did manage to get a few pics. However, London got sick Thursday night and had to miss her second day and wasn't able to be with Brooklyn on her first day of riding the bus. It was a crazy week but we managed and we were all fine to start fresh Monday morning.

Idaho

London and Brooklyn both knee boarding for the first time. They did fantastic! Didn't fall once.

Tubing and jet skiing.

Floating in the river.

Chilling, I mean sweating in the hot pool.

Greg showing off his wake boarding skills...or lack of.
Brooklyn and I taking lots of four wheeler rides.
We had a fantastic time at the cabin with all the family.

Catching up!

The summer went by in a hurry. I am not sure where it went. We had a couple vacations and lots of playing time with the neighborhood kids. Only one day out of the whole summer did we get the slip n slide out. The neighbor kids all joined in and they had races. It was fun! Sydney even got into it.

Updates!!

Syndey turns ONE!

So it has been a month since I posted, actually more than that so I am going to try and get caught up one event at a time. We will see what happens. Back in June, Sydney had her 1st Bday. Can hardly believe my baby is one...well now 14 months. She is still a very happy baby and smiles and laughs a lot. She rarely cries. She cut her 2 bottom teeth the first week of July. She has yet to start walking however, she is content on the way she gets around. I will try and post a video later so ya'll can see it. She scoots around on her back moving backwards. She can go anywhere she wants. Her hair constantly smells like burnt carpet and it is so course and twisted. It sometimes looks like she has dread locks...well with what little hair she has left back there. She hasn't completely rubbed it bald, but there aren't any luscious long locks either.

Florida Trip

Man did June just fly by. The girls got out of school on the 9th. We headed to St.Pete Beach on the 10th. It was fantastic. We rented a house with my siblings that was across the street from Sunset Beach. My mom had a hotel down the road on St. Pete beach. We hung out there quite a bit too because it had a pool. Everyday we would get up put our swimsuits on and go to the beach. We would come in grab some snacks or lunch and be back out to the pool or beach soon after. This was a beautiful place. The beaches are clean and white and the water was like taking a bath. I can't wait to go back.

London getting in the ocean for the first time. She was a little afraid that the sharks would get her. Once she got out there a ways and realized she could stand and could avoid the waves she had a great time.

Sydney loving the water.

Building the sea monster London and Brooklyn learning how to chicken fight courtesy of Uncle Jake.

Crazy Family

Sunset on St. Pete Beach

My sister Stephanie and brother Josh