Christmas!

We had a great Christmas this year.  We did not go anywhere and nobody came to our house.  I was a little sad that we couldn't see family which I love doing but it was also very nice to not have travel days and just have our little family at home together for a week.  The kids were really excited for Christmas.  I love that they still get that way.  We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner of ham, potatoes and rolls.  For the first time ever, I cheated and bought frozen rolls, way easier but not quite as yummy.  We started it off by pulling or Christmas crackers to get our crowns and prizes.  Justin started this tradition with us from memories of his mission in England.

I tried to get everybody looking but it never fails that someone has something in their mouth and is not looking at the camera. This was the best I could get!

 

 After dinner we decorated sugar cookies.

Isaac's,

 Hannah's,

 Nathan's,

 Mom's,

Dad's

 and Santa's.  The kids let me decorate it this year.  Santa only needs one with getting them from all the other houses too.

After dinner Justin led us in reading and discussing Luke 2 and the Christmas story.  The kids were so well behaved during this.  It made me very proud and happy.  Then, everyone opened up their Christmas Eve present.  This year the boys all got Pillow pets and the girls slippers.

Nathan and Isaac had them on their Christmas lists.  Nathan really wanted a Tampa Bay Buccaneer's one, Isaac a Perry the Platapus one and Hannah really wanted to get Justin a Boise State one so it worked out.  Hannah already had a pillow pet so that was not on her list.  Instead, she had a pair of American Girl doll ones on her list and I am loving my new ones!  Warm and comfy!

 

The kids did not argue when it was bed time.  Nathan asked a couple times if they could go to bed before we sent them up.  We told them they could come down at 5 am.  They were not suppose to set an alarm but if they woke up on their own, they could wake the others.  At 4:59, they all came in wearing glow bracelets and necklaces.  I wish I had a picture of that.  Lori (Kellie Farrell's mom) had sent them the glow stuff at Halloween with my b-day present but the kids wanted to save them for Christmas morning.  It might be a new tradition because it was sure cute!  Justin and I were both sick and did not get much sleep since Santa needed help putting the kid's presents together.  We got about 4 hours of sleep.  The kids loved their gifts! 

 Isaac got a junior drumset,

Hannah got a desk, chair and garbage can for her room

and Nathan got an electric guitar.  Let's just say our house was not a quiet one that day!

 

Santa was also able to suprise Justin with an acoustic guitar he has been wanting for about 15 years.  Thank goodness for a brother who knows how and what to shop for so he could get a good one that Justin would be happy with.  Santa was also very happy to get so many great Black Friday deals on musical instruments (so he tells me)!  I got an ab glider.  Sounds funny but I saw it on TV and thought it looked fun.  Who can't benefit from working on their abs!  I like having something new and it is definitely a whole-body workout!  It should help burn off some of the holiday food I keep eating.

 

We were able to Skype my parents in El Salvador and sing Happy Birthday to my dad and let the kids show them their gifts.  What a blessing Skype is!  It was nice getting texts from siblings and friends throughout the day too. 

 

Part of Hannah's gift was that she wanted her room moved around and the queen bed taken down to the office and the twin bed taken up to her room.  Of course, she just HAD to have it done that day so she could play with her new desk!  It was more work then I wanted but we had a happy girl after.  We all lazied around the rest of the day watching Christmas movies and snacking.  It was a really nice day.



Gingerbread houses

Not only does Isaac have the best teacher ever this year, Mrs. Samuelsen, he also has his best friends in the class and that class has the best volunteer moms! One of the moms, Angie Stewart, is his friend Logan's (with the glasses) mom. She was nice enough to send me this cute picture of the boys decorating their gingerbread houses. A couple other of the awesome volunteer moms made all of the gingerbread walls and roofs for the entire class!! That is a lot of baking. The last day of school was a half day and this made up a good part of that day.  Isaac spent the next several days eating off of the roof.

Max's Milers

One of our favorite teachers at Ocotillo Ridge, Mrs. Thomas, who was Isaac's second grade teacher, started a program at the school called Max's Milers. Every Monday, Wednesay and Friday during lunch recess, the kids can run around the playground field. With every lap they do, they are given a popsicle stick. When the whistle blows, the kids line up and their popsicle sticks are tallied. For every five laps (which is approximately a mile), the kids are given a little footie to go on their shoes. I have been able to volunteer on Fridays and then I also take home the tally sheets for the week and add them into a big ongoing mile tally per class/grade. It has been so much fun watching all the kids that participate. They have walked, run, cartwheeled and skipped their way around. I love knowing so many children from church and teaching swimming or coaching vball that I can cheer them all by name as they come around. I'm learning more of their names as well.

Isaac and his buddies really took to the program. They continuously run every single time. They have cheered eachother on and helped eachother when one of them is tired. They are also pretty competative and always know who has the most laps. It is funny to watch them see who can get to the field first from lunch and eye eachother as they go around. Some days they run together and other days they are spread out watching eachother. Overall though, they have been great supporters and when recess is over they all congratulate eachother on how many laps they did. Isaac was so sad when his friend Isaac had to miss school because he knew he would be behind on his laps.

For every 10 miles the kids accomplish, they are given a certificate and then when they reach 26 miles, they have finished their marathon and are given a medallion. There was an assembly scheduled for health and fitness week. Originally, Mrs. Thomas didn't know if anybody would get the medallions at that or not. Isaac and his friends worked so hard and all got their marathons that week! They were very excited.

This is Isaac's shoes with all 26 footies on it (he now has 30)

Since I have helped Mrs. Thomas so much, she asked if I would come and talk during the assembly. The PE teacher started things off and then Mrs. Thomas talked to the kids and told them some of the achievements. I was then able to congratulation all the kids on how many miles the school has been able to do and then announce the individual names of those reaching 10, 20 and 26 miles. I am so proud of all the kids. Those who are getting their very first footies and those who have run 26 miles. It was fun to be able to put the medallions around Isaac and his friends necks and cheer for them. I know they will continue to go for their next 26! Volunteering is going to be a little harder now that it is cold!

1565....that is a lot of miles!



This is Mrs. Thomas. Isaac did eventually give her five and not leave her hanging:)

This is Isaac's "Really mom, you are making me take another picture" face. 

His buddies, Logan Stewart, Brayden Hancock and Isaac Park.  Great kids.  Isaac has known Isaac Park since we moved to Tucson.  They were in the same preschool class and went by Isaac Red and Isaac Brown for their hair.  Once they hit kindergarten, they went my Isaac L and Isaac J.  It wasn't until 3rd grade when they didn't have the same teacher that Isaac learned his name was spelled Isaac and not IsaacL.  So cute.

He has known Brayden just as long although they haven't always been in the same class and unfortunately aren't this year either.  Logan moved here several years ago and he was a great addition to the group!



Christmas piano recital

Andrea Wazenegger, our beloved piano teacher of many years, decided it was time in her life to not teach so much piano. It was a hard decision for her which I understood very well after having to not teach so much swimming last year. Hannah was sad about it. She had been doing really well after a year of not so well. I don't know why but she was just really loving piano and learning some classical pieces that Justin wanted her to learn. Of course, having dad compliment her on her playing did help! She decided she still wanted to play so we found a new teacher. Hannah took from Emily Dutson for a couple months. With flute, guitar, vball, activity day girls and just school and homework, she was getting burnt out. I was paying for lessons and she was not practicing so we decided to give piano a little break. She did play through until the Christmas recital. She played Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer, her choice. She did very well. The recital was really nice.

Our girl is sure growing up.  Such a beautiful girl.  I am NOT ready for her to be a teenager though!!

Dynomite's Volleball Fall season 10/13/12 to 12/0812

Anna Marks and I decided to coach volleyball again. We had a great season and really had a lot of fun. The girls learned so much! By the end, they were actually learning how to play with a setter and putting together three hits instead of just sending the ball back every time. They were terrified at first but did what was asked and did very well. We also had several girls learn how to overhand serve and were able to do so in some of the games. The girls all worked really hard and it was a pleasure to coach them. After the last game, Justin picked up Little Ceasar's pizzas and Anna brought pop and we had a little awards party in the school's courtyard. I wish I had taken some picture of that as well. Most of the games were at OVMS and we were lucky enough to be able to split the gym rental fee with another team and practice there as well.  Having a gym to practice in is definitely a plus!  We had 14 girls!  We practiced together and then split into two teams randomly for the games each week.  This gave the girls lots of playing time.  Hannah had lots of friends on the team and is really getting more aggressive and loves playing. Makes this mom happy!

Front row left to right:  Hannah Bendall, Baylie Lomax, Brooke Henderson, Hannah Parker, Annalynn Palmer, Sydney West, Aleigha Weaver.  Back row left to right:  Abby Goforth, Rebecca Burton, Jessie Boydell, Kiersten Hancock, Avery Park and Autumn Weaver

Above is about how they usually acted:)

Love how it takes Hannah all her might to get the ball over on her serve. She is learning overhand but needs a little more oomph for that!

 Justin helped her pick out her name for the back of the shirt.  I love it.  Definitely pint size!

 Hannah getting ready to pass.  Her good friend Kiersten is backing her up.  Coach Anna and I watch on.  We can get pretty crazy on the sidelines.  Good to see we act normal too!

Hannah getting ready to play setter for the rotation.  Not her favorite but she did a good job.

Kids pictures

Our photographer, Ashlie Hilton, did a great job once again taking the kids pictures. I don't know how she is able to make them look so good. When she is taking them, my kids are always crazy and I am just positive they will all turn out with them making a weird face or something. Somehow, she catches them just at the right moments of crazy! I have really enjoyed swapping pictures for swim lessons for three of her boys the last couple summers. She moves to Colorado in a week and we will really miss her. Ashlie was one of the first people I ever met in Vail. From that first time I met her, I knew she was moving someday. I think one of the first things she said to me was "How is Boise, we want to move":) I love Ashlie. She is down to earth, honest and just fun to be around. She grew up on a ranch in Wyoming so I always felt a little connected to her with me growing up "on the farm" in Idaho. She has always been one of my favorite women in Vail. I have enjoyed being able to work with her in Joy School with Hannah and her Tayler and also the times playing vball in city leauge and church basketball on the few occasions I was able to go. We have been switched in and out of eachother's wards but I was glad to see her back in the Vail ward for the last couple years! I wish her and her family the best of luck in their move!

It took quite a bit to get the kids looking good.  Nathan has hit full-on teenager.  He did not need any new clothes and especially didn't need any new church clothes (according to him).  Our shopping trip was one I would like to forget!  I was not sure I would make it home with him.  He was picking out all sorts of stuff he KNEW I would not let him get.  After several hours, he finally came up with a shirt he liked that was even a dress shirt and then we went for the pants from there.  Hannah had found the dress a couple weeks before.  It was to be her "Christmas dress".  We both loved it.  It was the only one left, in her size and 60% off!  She wanted pink shoes with it but we had to hunt all over to find some that were not sparkly or baby looking.  Isaac loves wearing dress clothes.  He found his pretty quick.  He is so cute.  He likes to try things on and then look in the mirror and make sure everything is tucked in just right.  Notice the hair gel.  He likes his hair to be just right too.

Posing was tricky since Nathan decided he did not need to listen to me when I asked him to put on black socks.  He had on white ones.  He had to be careful of how much he moved or bent his leg so that wouldn't show. 

 



I love the picture below because it makes me smile. Nathan kept doing this winking thing. It was odd but very funny. Ashlie would tell him he was winking at her. He said it was the sun.  Hannah's pose cracks me up.  Isaac loves the camera!  Of course, I know that just seconds before the shot, they were all hanging all over eachother giggling.

It has always been hard to get a picture with Nathan doing a natural smile. I really like this picture. It is about as natural as you can get.

I love the coloring in this picture of Hannah....

but I love her smile in this one.

This is Isaac. Always looks like he is about to tease someone, make a joke or get away with something he did to his brother or sister and that is usually the case.

These kids can drive me crazy but I do love them very much.  I am so blessed to be their mom.  I can't believe how fast they are growing up.  Nathan is 13, Hannah 11 and Isaac 9.  The time has gone by so fast.  This picture does scare me a little.  I think this is a look Hannah may be giving some boy she thinks is cute sometime in the near future.....ahhhh!!

Hannah's band concert

Hannah had a Winter band concert. She played in the 6th grade band and then she was also asked to play with the Hawk Pride Band which is made up of 7th and 8th graders. She was pretty excited. She has been taking flute lessons from Heidi Knighton and both Hannah and Heidi's other student Jensen were the only six grade flute students asked to play up. Heidi must be doing a great job! The concert was very entertaining. Their music teacher, Mrs. Taylor, is very good and the kids all love her. Hannah is in her guitar class as well right now and Nathan will be next semester. She had all the holidays covered and there was no way she could offend anyone. It was funny. They sang winter songs, Christmas songs (including Nightmare Before Christmas and The Grinch), Hanuka songs, Quanza songs and then through in a little Star Wars and Locomotion. Their percussion group played garbage can drums that was pretty exciting. One of the numbers had two of my friend's daughters singing Little Drummer Boy with an electric bass guitar and steel drum. In the middle of the song the garbage drums played and then it finished back with the girls duet, bass drum and steel drum. Definitely the most interesting rendition of Little Brummer Boy I have heard. Justin was out of town in Sioux Falls, South Dakota so he missed it but Nathan recorded some of it on his ipod for him to watch.  Now I just have to figure how to get it off the ipod!

Kiersten and Hannah setting up before the start.  

I love Justin's lens.  The girls have no clue I am taking their picture from way out in the dark room but yet I still get Hannah looking like she is looking right at me.  Such a silly girl.

Left to right:  Jensen, Kiersten and Hannah.

I don't know why but my favorite thing to watch was Hannah's foot.  She patted it with the beat through the whole concert, never missing a beat.  I think I found it so cute because I find myself doing it all the time whenever I hear music or a beat.  I was following right with her from the audience that night.