Gabriel's School Program

Gabe also had a school program. Nothing funnier than watching 14 two and three year olds perform songs. They were super cute! They sang Away in a Manger, Jesus Loves Me, and Happy Birthday. They also did a story about wishing stars.





I have included this picture because it looks like a mug shot. Rob and I are convinced that Gabe is our child that will need his college fund to bail him out of jail.

Anthony's School Program

Anthony had a great Christmas Program. He sang a bunch of songs. It was quite the production with hand movements, sign language, and even props. Even better, my parents were able to see it making it super special for him.

Christmas with Grandma Kerry and Grandpa Keith

My parents came to visit in mid December partly to help Rob and I during our finals and partly to celebrate Christmas with the kids. Anthony is totally into dinosaurs right now, so we have been reading the dinosaur encyclopedia non-stop.

First Real Snow

Anthony woke up the morning to find a gift from the angels. We have about 4-5 inches of snow on the ground. He was so excited he just put his snow clothes on over his pajamas to go play for a few minutes while Rob shoveled the walk and driveway. Anthony looked like a little Alaskan Husky sitting in the snow just happy as could be. Gabe was not the least bit interested in playing in the snow.





For breakfast we had gingerbread pancakes...very very yummy treat.

Today I also had a second sonogram that my mom got to go to. This one was more in depth, and we got a 3D picture of the baby. He looks just like Gabe with his bone structure. No, we still don't have a name although Anthony thinks we should name him Thomas.

After Rob got done with work, he and Anthony built a snowman. I tried to build one with Anthony, but it fell over because I am not the snowman building parent. I am the hot chocolate making parent :-) Gabe definitely has my genes with that in mind.


Tonight was filled with stories, hot chocolate, snow ice cream, and special Christmas movies. Now I must work on my paper.

Mommy what is...

Thanksgiving?
"It is when you are grateful for things in your life." Me
"I'm thankful for Turkey." Gabe
"No Gabe, we were already thankful for Turkey, now it is time to have a birthday party for Jesus. Mommy can we have cake?" Anthony

I love preschoolers.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving came early for the boys this year. They got to have an old babysitter who is now in college come visit for a whole week. They could not have been happier. Every time they woke up from nap or bed and saw her there, they just beamed. It was also nice for Rob and I to have someone else who loves the kids around.

For her visit, we hit Chick-Fil-A, the Dinosaur Restaurant, and cooked a ton of food.

Gabe on the way to the Dinosaur Restaurant...ready to slay the T-Rex

Watching the Fish

Slaying T-Rex

Making Turkey Cookies

Gabe and Stephanie

They boys with Stephanie

Pillow Fight

Christmas for the Boys

So, I have been shopping for Christmas. It is hard to get them anything because, well, they have SOOOO MUCH!!! This year they are getting the Geotrax CARS set. The cars are remote controlled on a track and Gabe should be able to work it too. Gabe is getting an RC car for the street (so he will stop trying to take his brothers) and some cool sound making drum sticks. Anthony is getting a digital camera (yes, a real one, not the little kid ones that take crummy pictures). He shows a real interest in taking photos, so I want them to come out ok when he tries. Other than that, it will just be what comes from Grandparents, which hopefully won't be too much.

I'll try to get Thanksgiving pics posted tomorrow.

Snow

Now I remember part of what I love and hate about the middle of the country. Last week it was sunny and 70 and beautiful. We were in shorts! Yesterday and today it snowed. Yep, enough to actually dust the lawns. The boys were ecstatic; I was not quite as thrilled. Anthony has decided that he wants to go skiing...we'll see. He is totally my little Alaska baby. He loves the cold and snow...he played for hours outside in WA when it snowed. Gabe is more like his mommy, snow is pretty to watch from inside the house with hot chocolate and a fire.

Great Wolf Lodge

Was a great deal of fun! The boys had a blast...all of them. I thought it was great too. Anthony was super impressive. He swam with the life jacket and did not want me anywhere near him. He went down the big slides...and loved it. He was so confident. He has never been this way in the pool...ever. I couldn't have been prouder of the way he was.

Gabe is about to become a fish...If he doesn't drown in the process. Unlike Anthony he had only a mild interest in the slides. I think he is still just a little small for them anyways. However, he is putting his head under water and opening his eyes. I am going to look for kids goggles for him...maybe even a snorkel.

Rob and I both really like water slides and parks, so I am glad the kids had a great time.

We went because it was a friend of Anthony's Birthday. Anthony and Zachary were in the same preschool class when we lived in Washington. Now we are all here together and it couldn't have worked out better. They have 3 boys: 5, 3.5, and 1. It just works really well. For Zachary's B-Day we went to eat at Styx restaurant, a Japanese steak house where they cook the food in front of you. Gabe was in awe, Anthony thinks we need a stove like that. Anthony even tried to catch the shrimp in his mouth.

The boys all watching cartoons together

We sprung for the kid's camp room, but I was unimpressed and probably won't next time

Anthony trying to catch a shrimp

Gabe Watching Fire

Gabe on the giant snake in the "big" pool...yes, he wore his sunglasses the whole time and called them his underwater glasses

Gabe on the small slide

The boys together

Gabe and Dad in the warm pool (hot tub)

The glasses just crack me up

Zachary and Anthony on the slides together

Me and Anthony

Me and my boys

Rob and Anthony in the hot tub

Lazing in the lazy river

It's a...

BOY!


Yep, we will be having another bouncing, baby boy. We took the kids with us to the ultrasound. They thought it was neat, but still had trouble understanding that just because it has arms and legs and a heart it wasn't ready to come out. They liked hearing the heartbeat the best.

Foot print

You can see the feet, knees, and head

Baby's legs and feet crossed

Top of head with hands folded in front

Friend's Birthday

We had a yummy breakfast today for a friend's birthday party. It is funny because here we only know little girls. I got to make a tutu for her and a little apron, which her older sister promptly asked me to make for her birthday too. It was nice to sit and chat with friends over coffee (and yes, the guys were drinking beer) while the kids ran around.

It was also a simply amazing day, near 75. The boys helped me finish up trimming for winter and Rob mowed the grass for what we hope is the last time till spring. Now we all have homework and the kids desperately need to head to bed.