Frosty the Snowman

 After our few days in the 60's the cold front hit and brought a dusting of snow.  Grandma & Grandpa's got a good 6'' or so, but we took what we could get.  Every day Heath would ask hour after hour if he could go outside again.  He could have stayed out there all day long.  After about 15 minutes outside Houston would ask for "Chokit, Hot?!" 

 Heath chucked a snowball at Matt right as he snapped the shot.

 After stripping down out of our wet clothes the boys snuggled up while we made some hot cocoa.

 I got a couple mugs I had made in high school down from the top shelf for Matt & myself.  As we were finishing our cocoa I noticed there was something at the bottom of my mug.  After further investigation it was a brown recluse!

At that point my heart may have skipped a beat or two.  It was dead.  I had shaken the mugs out after getting them down, but that little guy must have been hanging on tight.    After talking about it for a bit, we called poison control, just to be sure that you can only be poisoned by being bitten.   FYI it's just fine to drink brown recluse hot cocoa.

That night we snuggled in and watched a Christmas movie we'd checked out from the library called Mr Poppin's Penguins and had some tasty popcorn. 

I'm going there someday

 I needed to go to the distribution center next to the Temple for a few things for the Young Women.   Heath came along with me while Daddy and Houston napped.   It was such a beautiful day so we took a little walk.

 He asked about the inside of temples.  We talked about how temples are for making covenants.   He said, like when I eat the bread and water on Sunday?    I love how hes putting things together at such a young age. 




He's such a sweet happy boy who tries very hard to do what he knows is right. 

 We sure love our Heafers!

 

I belong in a zoo, with Buffalo poo.

 We had a couple days that were in the 60's.  The next several weeks were forecast to be in the 20's so the boys and I decided to take advantage while we could and went to the zoo.   We timed it perfect this trip.  The children's zoo is free if you make it in from 9-10, and the carousel from 10-11, then they feed the seals at 11:15.  I need to remember this for future trips.     The children's zoo was super cool.  They had a lot of hands on activities and animals. 

 I'd like to make one of these super cool rocking fish someday.

 The children's zoo also has an awesome playground.  The boys loved the jungle gym.  My favorite part is the slide that goes right next to the sea otter exhibit, the sea otters have a slide next to the kids so they can all slide together.

 Heath was the navigator for the day.  He took his job very seriously and did a pretty good job reading the map.

 The boys thought it was so hilarious that this goat was "booby trapped" in the fence.  I'm pretty sure they laughed for about 3 minutes strait.

 Heath asked for a zebra, and Houston asked to ride a tiger. We lucked out and found some right next to each other.

 It took the boys a while to realize what was going on at this exhibit in the reptile house. 

Heath was asking who fed him dinner, and if he missed his family...  he eventually figured it out.

 Heath's telling the zookeeper, "Crocodiles eat meat.  They have meat eaters teeth." 

 Houston LOVES the monkey house.  He never wants to leave it when its time.  I usually want to go through quickly, it smells quite a bit like people poo in there....

Houston was out about 30 seconds after I buckled him into his chair.  Poor tired little guy.

Johnny Appleseed

 After Thanksgiving it was time to get into the Christmas spirit.  Last year we didn't put up a tree of our own. I told Matt how I had missed that and wished that we had our tree here. (I thought it was at his parents house with some of our other "unnecessary" things)  Heath and I ran to the grocery store one afternoon and when we returned Daddy & Houston had set up the tree! What a pleasant surprise. We decorated it up real quick!



We have a basket of Nativity clothes next to the tree that the boys love to play in.  Heath is constantly having me tie things on his head and telling me who he is pretending to be. I love it when Houston tells me he is Jophes.

 Houston as we know is the king of falling asleep at any time anywhere.   The other day he was sitting on my lap eating an apple.  He got pretty motionless, so I asked Matt if he had fallen asleep.....

We dug the bite of apple out of his mouth and had a good laugh.

Heath swiped the uneaten portion real quick.

At School they had a no shave November fund raiser.  

 The participants had friends/ family make pledges per mm and then let it grow.  Matt was the only one that did a mustache.  It did look quite a bit better than his beard....  

They raised almost $300, and the money goes to their trips to Mexico to give eye exams and surgeries.  
Come December he let the boys shave it off for him.  They LOVED it.

 Grandma Fo sent us a Christmas package with all kinds of great Christmas crafts/goodies inside.  We've been very much enjoying it. 

The highlight for the boys were 4 little battery powered tea lights.  (if you need something to entertain a 2 & 3 year old for hours day after day after day, go buy yourself some right now!)
They have been coming up with all kinds of games.  They have fire wars,  hide in the closets from wolves, make fire lines they have to try to get around/over & love going to bed at night.  Seriously they've been so much fun!

 These boys love books.  They also love the library and story time.   We made their teacher, Miss Shelley a little bracelet for Christmas.  

A few days later Heath was asking if Miss Shelley knew about the scriptures. I told him I didn't know. He said, "We should give her my scriptures so that she can learn about Jesus too. She likes to read books."   So we wrapped them up and gave them to her along with the bracelet.   She told Heath that she has had a lot of Mormon friends but none of them have ever given her her own Book of Mormon.  She said that she'd read it.

It was pretty cute to see the smile on Heath's face. It made him very happy to share his scriptures with her.  He loves and looks up to her very very much.

Thankful

 With Matt's crazy weeks of tests approaching we decided to stay here this year for Thanksgiving.  We got together with a couple friends and had a marvelous time together.  The food was amazing and the company superb!  Heath loves his friend Evey.  He talks quite frequently about how he is going to marry her when he's a Daddy.   The two of them are great friends, they play house, and wrestle and rough house.  Evey is a very special kind of sweetheart.  We're so glad her family is here.

After stuffing ourselves silly and enjoying conversation we indulged in 14 pies. mmm....  Can't go wrong with pie.

It was a special time to reflect on all that we've been blessed with in our lives.  We enjoy so much; wonderful families, a marvelous marriage,  sweet loving little boys, spiritual comfort and security,  physical comforts, plenty of food, reliable transportation... the list goes on and on.  

For Family Home Evening the Monday prior we wrote down things we were thankful for.
 Heath's said:  My Family and Penguins. (he loves the penguins at the zoo.) 
Houston's said:  Milk, and food.  (we know where his priorities lie)