School Picture Day

We finally got back all of the kids school pictures! 

For the Year 2013-2014 I give you the Toads:

Superkid: 4th Grade

Abizella: 3rd grade

Tadpole: 1st Grade

Little Chief: Pre-School

As Pops prepared Little Chief for his first school picture, he was tentative. You never know if this kid is going to like something or hate it. The only thing you can be sure of is that there is no neutral ground. After combing LC's hair, Pops held his breath and grabbed the hair spray. He gave a few quick squirts hoping he wouldn't notice.  LC rather cheerfully inquired, "Does that make me handsome?" Pops heaved a sigh of relief at LC's supposed approval and said, "Yes! You look very handsome!" LC quickly changed his mind, grimaced and snarled, "I hate it!" He grabbed a towel and rubbed it over his still sticky head leaving his tresses in a tangled rat's nest. Imagine our amazement at the resulting picture! 

The Toad Family Nativity

Every year we pull out our holiday decorations, and every year I am conflicted. What do I do about my most prized Christmas decoration, the hand-made nativity that Lisa Gillespie made for us when Sam was a little baby? Lisa's intent was to have little Toad hands handle this little nativity and love the Christmas story. Honestly, I freak out at the thought of losing a piece of this set. But I always put it out and miraculously it has always made it back into the storage box when all of the decorations are tucked away... even if the last camel isn't found until the couch is pushed out to vacuum up the last of the pine needles. While we have been house sitting for the Andrus' family in their palatial estate, I fear I will loose a piece never to be found again, so I've instituted the Sunday only rule. The kids love the set to pieces, as we have gone through the month of December and the kids have taken turns giving family home evening lessons, they have all chosen to tell the story of Christ's birth reenacting the story with the nativity. The nativity set only becomes more and more precious to me over the years as these young grubby, chubby fingers handle the pieces. Keep your fingers crossed that it makes it through another season, I just can't deny the kiddos the pleasure of pushing these figures around... and I can't deny myself the pleasure of eavesdropping on their imaginative play.

We're Doing This

We went out and got a Christmas tree and everything!

It just hasn't made the headlines because we've been buried in laundry and kids!

But now that we are all officially on Christmas break for the next two weeks we are ready to report on some Christmas fun. 

The festivities were kicked off with the annual choosing of the tree at our favorite local garden shop. Last year they added popcorn and a fire pit, this year they added s'mores. They know our number!

Then home to decorate the tree and watch, "A Christmas Story".

Let the Holidays begin!

Gorging

We may have a situation on our hands...

After feeding Little Chief 3 hot dogs and and 2 glasses of chocolate milk, LC patted his belly and said  to Pops, "Dad, I have a rock in my belly." Pops nodded in agreement, "Well, ya Little Chief, you ate a lot!" Little Chief looked terrible uncomfortable, that's when Pops noticed that only 2 of the 3 pebbles that LC was playing with were left on the counter. Pops said, "Oh! You really do have a rock in your belly!"

This, after the text I got from Pop's earlier today:

"Daddy, I got upstairs and ate all of your chocolate. 

Did you know that happened? 

Are you going to be mad?"

Klondike Derby

Saturday morning we woke up to a chill in the air. We stoked the fire and the kids pulled out the sleeping bags and snuggled in.

Later that afternoon Superkid and Abz took it to the back yard. They loaded up their sleeping bags and found a quiet place on the back lawn to set up camp. Abizella came in a about an hour later. I asked about Superkid and she said he didn't want to come in. Just as the sun was setting Pops asked where Superkid was, we hollered around the house, no one answered. I remembered he was outside, Pops went out to find him. Pops hollered out there, no one answered. I insisted he was there, so Pops put on his shoes and went to investigate. He saw a lump in the back corner. He trudged out to the heap, and called out again as he approached. The heap lurched and a dazed and surprised Superkid emerged from his little nest. We have a regular lumberjack on our hands!

Battery Friday

It comes each year the day after Thanksgiving. 

All of the toys are resurrected with new batteries. Just about as good as Christmas. This year it came a week early. Tad and LC went down to the basement and hauled up a big tub of tracks and trains that needed a little umph. 

The kids have been huddled around the tracks ever since.

Strange Dreams

Tadpole stumbled down the stairs this morning in a daze and said, "Tonight was a weird night, my nightmares teached me something." Interested, I pressed, "Oh ya, what did you learn?" Tadpole looked up with a crooked smile, "What eats crocodiles." I had to know this! "So what eats crocodiles?!" Tadpole shook his head trying to remember and said, "I forgot." and then charged for the potty.