January

Recently I have been trying to get a babysitting job to help us out a bit until our farm sells.  The day we were coming home from our Christmas trip I got a call and started the next day.  It worked out so well. 

 It has been going pretty well. I was a bit nervous about everything, but the two girls fit right in with the rest of us, and I feel like I'm spending more time just playing with the kids since I don't have many expectations of getting things done during the day.  We've had them 3 days a week for this last month.  The older girl is 14 months old. She and Hannah play really well together.  Hannah really just kinda follows her around all day, and she kinda follows the boys around all day. 

 She is so super sweet! Heath especially has really taken to her and is always showing her new things He's come up with.


(permission to photograph and use photos was given by their Mom)

 "Did you ever seen a bigger mustache Mom?"

 Houston only "goes" to preschool once a month when I teach here at home, but he has been catching on to so many things.  We did a review last week and he was able to match the words to their letter without hardly any prompting.  I guess they soak up more than I realize.

 This is out little sweetheart! She was just 5 weeks old when I got to start watching her. She is such a sweet baby and sleeps most of the day.  I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty fun to have a newborn around the house when I'm not sore and tired and exhausted! Totally different experience. 

 Hannah is finally really eating every day almost everything I feed her.  She took so much longer than the boys to get into eating solids.  Some of her favorite things are: Cheese, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta, green beans, and corn.

Don't mind Heath in the background with his celery whip.

 I just love this poorly out of focus picture of them doing the stare down.

 This month I got to teach such a fun preshool lesson.  We did a review of everything we learned last semester. One of the activities I found was to roll the letter dice (lowercase) and then throw a "snowball" at the corresponding capital letter on the wall.  It was SO much fun and the kids all did super well.  When it was time for free time they didn't want to go play, so we just threw our snowballs until the Mommas came.  We ended up making other variations, like  make the sound of the letter after you hit it and hit the letter that ways rrrr.

 Houston is SO good at snitching food out of the kitchen. 

 Happy Day! My hair finally fits into a ponytail again! It isn't the most flattering of ponytails, but it sure stays out of my face now!

 Hannah & Heath

 These boys love to dump out their shoe buckets and run hurdles. They certainly have the genes for it.  We shall see.

 Heath made this adorable little self elf at preschool last month.  His awesome Primary teacher finished school last semester and was moving back to Utah (and taking his wife, my friend and counselor, with him) it was a super sad day for all of us!  Heath told me that he wanted to give Bro Sudbury something to remember him. I asked what he had in mind, and he said this.

 : ) I think it was perfect. 

 Hannah has figured out how to take off pants.  If she is left alone with nothing else to think about (like when it's nap time and she wakes up quietly) she strips them right off.  It happens almost every day now, and she couldn't be prouder.

 Grandma sent the boys these cards along with stickers to decorate the snowmen.















Here is Houston's.

 and here is Heath's.  

about a week later, Heath asked if we could please throw Houston's away. (they were hanging up in the kitchen) I asked why, and he said, "Houston's is just too creepy and weird.  Mine is nice and happy and normal, but Houston's is just creepy."

I hadn't noticed how different they were, but yeah, you do have a point Heafers.

 Heath as a soldier.

Houston's bread dough mustache.

Christmas with the Chocolate Grandma

 The bow shooting continued!

We got to their house Christmas Evening and opened all our wonderful gifts!   Aunt Kayla was there and we were SO excited to see her!

Grandma got Ambellina & Hannah matching Cinderella dresses.  Even though they are miles apart they still got to play in them together. : )

We sure missed Nile&Brit, but so glad they came home in Oct and we got to see them then.

 I love those little fat legs!  Hannah's head is getting so much better. Her ears are almost completely aligned.  It's amazing how much of a difference that helmet has made. She has an appointment in a couple weeks and they said it may be her last!

Trying to look and sing like Cinderella.

 The boys both got a tube of cars. They were a huge hit!

 Dad has this creepy Santa man that stands by the front door and sings Christmas songs if you walk past his motion censor.  Both of our boys have been pretty terrified of him until this year.  Houston really liked him.  Hannah has never been scared of him at all.  She is one brave little girl.

 Aunt Kayla is the best!

  I never really noticed before but Kayla, your eyes are lighter than mine.  It's like our eyes and hair are switched.

 "Sterling Santa"  hand delivered our Christmas gifts! (If my kids are ever scared of Santa I will know why.  : )

We sure love you Sterling! You're hilariously awesome!

 Uncle Nile&Aunt Brit sent us Hungry Hippos! It has been so much fun! Nile & I used to love playing this when we were kids.

We (when I say we, I really mean Matt) made Dallin & Sterl bows from PVC pipe.  It was pretty fun to see the process and they shot great! 

 Heath got a big bike from Grandpa! He is so excited about this! His other bike is way too small. Can't wait for the weather to warm up to take it to the park!

 So good to see that face behind the door.  : )

 Houston had to try it out too!

 Hannah has become an expert climber.  Any chance she could get she was up those stairs in a flash!

Thanks Kayla for the Helmet Hat!

 One of Kayla's last days we all went to the Nature Center.

We saw so many animals while we were there.  Too bad we weren't hunting with the boys bows.  Meat would have been on the menu!

 Grandma & Houston.

 Houston & Daddy

 Kayla led us on a hike.  We probably went a couple miles. It was super nice weather and a lot of fun.

 It's hard being the littlest brother, I'm sure.                      Dallin & Kayla

 Have you ever seen a tree like this? It was covered with huge toad stools.  Pretty neat.

 Give a boy a bank of rocks and a body of water and he will be happy for hours!

 Houston & Dal

Heath did not like that I let Hannah sit "too close to the edge!"

and just like that it was time to say goodbye  : (