Ginerbread cookies

The kitchen continues to be very busy. Ryan and the kids love it! I myself love it but and getting very tired of cleaning flour off the floor. No really it has been so much fun and I cant wait until next year when Brooke can get her hands it it as well. We decided to make gingerbread cookies this year. I have never done that before. So much fun! The kids did there own decorating and the good thing with gingerbread cookies is the order they are getting the better they are to eat. We are freezing a few of each of our creation so we can decorate a plate for santa.

Our Christmas gift

Ryan and I had a realization and a eye opener the other day that we are truly very lucky and fortunate to have three healthy beautiful children. We were out to eat the other night and there was a family with three kids and the oldest had some mental disorders and although we would love our children the same it is such a relief to have healthy kids. Now to deal with Kaitlyn sinus and ear infection. If there is one thing I have learned is that there is always one kid that is sick or needs special attention when you have three and that there is hardly ever time for peace on your mind. While driving to the ski resort the other day all three kids fell asleep in the truck and it was a wonderful sound of nothing-we have now titled that the trifecta of silence!

sugar cube houses

Yesdterday kailtyn was telling me that kids in england make houses around the holidays with sugar cubes. they have been talking about maps at school and her teacher created a suitcase of santa clause and they visited and talked about different countries and their traditions. So we decided to make sugar cube houses! They are fun and cheap- you should try them-
i will upload a house if we ever get one done!

Massanutten

Our neighbors Rob and Kathy won a trip to Massanutten that had to be used by the end of the year and they were unable to use it so they gave it us! Wow! We stayed 3 days 2 nights at the ski resort. We had a lot of fun because it actually snowed the day we went inter tubing. Traditionally the ski resorts in Va and man made snow. We watched how they make it- kind of neat. There is also an indoor water park and we went to that for a few hours. What a great three days- thanks Rob and Kathy! We also went to a great BBQ restraunt and we had our first fried green pickle. It was delicious! The kids enjoyed some homemade ice cream with there kids meals and it was probably the best ice cream I have had in a long time. Also notice Brooke has a black eye- she is now a danger to herself- she pulls herself on stuff and cant hold herself up and hits her poor little face and head. She is very close to walking at 7 months old.

Me and My kids

We went to see Santa the other night and we went to California Pizza kitchen and had dinner. We had so much fun and my kids love pizza.

Baby Brooke 7 months old video

A Baby Brooke update-
She loves rice cereal- I have never seen a kid eat so much cereal! She likes it really thick- She loves banannas and is starting to pick foods up with her fingers and putting them into her mouth. She pulled herself up on a box yesterday to a standing position. She also is going to get a lot more bumps and bruses than the other two kids simple because she is on the move sooner. She got a black eye yesterday and she loves the cat and Merlin puts up with her but this morning she attacked him and he attacked her back. Really not his fault. She is so fast she cornered him. She sleeps about 12 hours at night and takes three naps durring the day. Still only the two teeth on the bottom.

Santa 2010

We went and saw Santa tonight. It was a lot of fun- Brooke tried to grab his beard several times. Kaitlyn and Caleb got to talk with him for about 5 min. Kaitlyn wants a Rudolph reindeer stuffed animal and Caleb wants a zhu zhu pet. They are just simply excited for Christmas. They told Santa Brooke needs clothes. Funny.

Our sweet little girl

Daddies little girl.

Scallop eating machine

Calebs new favorite food is scallops. He had them over at stacey and petes the other night and loved them. ryan and I bought a few scallops at costco and made scallops for him because kaitlyn got to stay at a friends house. He ate 5 huge scallops wrapped in bacon.

FUN HAT

Brooke will leave stuff on her head all day- she wore this hat for 2 hours on tuesday. she is such a fun little girl!

Gingerbread houses

Caleb and Kaitlyn made there own houses this year- They turned out great. Caleb was able to put on all of his own candy and frosting this year. They are so creative!

Kaitlyns Santa letters and artwork

She is spending more and more time creating and writing. She is becoming a wondering little artists as well. ENJOY!

Big Brother

I love this photo of Caleb with Brooke- He is doing well with her and plays with her on the floor all the time. i know they say some kids have a hard time adding another sibling- Mine have not had hard time at all- They love her.

Christmas parade

We took the kids to the parade on sunday- Caleb feel asleep while waiting for the parade- hilarious. It was cold and lasted for about 2 hours- The kids got a lot of candy and had fun seeing santa at the end of the parade.

Dusting of snow

We had a little dusting of snow on sat night and the kids were out early the next morning- they wanted us to build a snowman. They had fun for the little while why it was here.

Christmas tree 2010

We set up our christmas tree on sunday. WOW I cant wait to get ride of the tree stand. The tree almost fell over on me twice while I was putting up the lights and then almost on kaitlyn while putting some candy canes on it. Finally I suggested to ryan to drill right through the stand and put screws in the tree. AHH a tree that doesn't fall over- so nice. I thought ryan was going to toss the tree stand out the window after trying to fix it successful several times. Now it is a challenge to keep baby Brooke out of the tree. She loves the lights and colors and it right at her level. Anyone betting the tree will fall over before the end of the season...?

Packers fan

Ryan was so excited when caleb got a packers shirt- We ordered one for kaitlyn and caleb. I need to find something for Brooke now- They were these shirts every sunday. Kaitlyn isnt as excited as the boys but she is a good sport.

First lost tooth

Kaitlyn lost her first tooth on Thanksgiving. Apparently it is letter "p". The tooth was really loose and then The kids and ryan were outside playing basketball and well you know what happened next. The ball hit her face and there was blood- she freaked out and she was not wanting that tooth to come out but she pushed it with her tongue and out it came. The tooth fairy came and brought her two gold dollar coins and 2 fifty cent pieces. She was so excited!

Santa visit at Bass Pro shop

We took the kids for a trial run to visit Santa at Bass pro shop the other night- I cant believe it we will have one year with all three kids smiling!

Happy Thanksgiving From Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn made this three page book for us last night. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

pow wow

I Took kaitlyn to the Chickhomony pow wow last weekend. What a great experience!

Southern living

Stacey got me the 1001 Southern Living recipe cookbook for my birthday- which I have to say is a wonderful memory! ryan has made three things from it- Jambalya, skillet corn bread and sweet tea. I have made ham and bean soup- We plan to write a review by each recipe and try to make most of the recipes. It was a really fun and creative birthday idea! Thank you Stacey, Pete and Claire! You will hold a very special place in our hearts my southern friends. I am getting a little teary eyed typing this-

nutcracker

This is Hilarius.

Brooke and Merlin

Again we are amazed with the patients of merlin. Last night Brooke got his tail put it in her mouth and he didn't even move.

Indian hat

Caleb made this hat yesterday at school and he has been wearing it non stop- He is a funny kid- if I told him he had to wear it he would refuse.

Happy birthday to me

I had a great birthday! Thank you to my husband, kids and neighbors for celebrating with me.

Turkey hunt

Kaitlyn comes home from school the other day and out of the blue tells us that she would like to shoot a turkey for thanksgiving. I have no idea where she got that idea???? She has decided that she would like to go hunting for a turkey shoot a turkey and have Ryan pluck the feathers- she doesn't want to do that. WHAT in the WORLD. Then Ryan and I were going to go for a bike ride this weekend and she said keep my eye of for a turkey. She is really serious about this. I just bought a turkey at Kroger for $4. Apperently at the local eagles they have a shoot on friday night- looks like we might be checking that out.

sister love

Look at the two girls. They truly love each other. Brooke cant wait for kaitlyn to get home and get off the school bus. She smiles from ear to ear.

Our life

Look at our kids- I cant imagine how peaceful and quite it would be with out the three of them in our lives. We are so lucky- Or at least that is what I keep trying to tell myself!