double the [sugar]...double the fun (double mint, double mint, double mint gum....he he)

We have been in holiday baking bliss these last few days (or should I say blisters...as in on my feet).

The kids have thoroughly enjoyed helping (a.k.a. eating) the fruits of their (a.k.a. my) labors. I have quite enjoyed eating it myself. Yum!

Today Issac and I made fudge. LOTS OF FUDGE!

He was a very good helper. He unwrapped all of the candy canes for me and, of course, had the all-so-important job of licking the spoon clean. :)

(gotta...get...every...last...drop)

While Isaac and I were busy in the kitchen, Cael was busy tormenting (ahem), I mean, playing with Kian. I heard the baby squawking from the other room.

This is what I found.....

("Mom...look where I put Kian")

"Mom....help!"

This is very typical of Cael. He is so "loving" that sometimes his littlest brother seems to feel a bit....smothered? Is that the right word? I believe so.
It's pretty obvious by the look on his face in these two pictures?
Cael means well....I know he really does.

OnceKian is left in peace he is all smiles.

He's just so cute.

Oh heck...they are all so cute...he just cant talk back yet. :)

a tragic ending for such a beautiful butterfly...

We got the chance to head up to Redmond, WA to stay with my brother Andrew, his wife Lessa, and baby Lily this last weekend. We were also really excited to visit with Rob's brother Thad and his kids too.

We headed out just as a snow storm hit and got stuck for a while just outside of Snoqualmie pass. We were stopped for about 70 minutes right before the pass while crews worked to pull cars off the road who had spun out. Once we got moving again it was still very slow going. All in all, after 90 minutes we had gone 17 miles. NO FUN!

Kian was happy when we finally let him out of his car seat (while stopped) to hang out up front with Rob and I.

The other boys were practically glued to the movie (as usual).

We did have to pause the movie for a minute or two while one of our boys (whose name will go unmentioned) urinated on the side of the road...in the snow (he he he... yellow snow). I'll say it again...there are some DEFINITE benefits to having all boys. :)

We visited the Pacific Science Center in downtown Seattle while we were there. It was pretty cool but a little over the top for the youngest two. Oh well...we still had a good time.

(butterfly house....they LOVED me)

Funny (true) story........

I was taking my time in the butterfly house and Rob and the kids were much further ahead of me. A lady walks by me in the rear of the house. She is in near hysterics. She stops, looks at me and says (gasping for breath, I might add),

"A little boy (pant pant, hand on heart, eyes bugged out), just stepped (pant pant) on a butterfly (now gasping for breath)."

"Oh, that's sad," I said while thinking in my head, "oh crap, I bet it was Isaac."

The lady proceeded to mumble somewhat to me, somewhat to herself that she "wish[ed] she could visit the butterfly house all by [her]self. That no one else would be allowed in so that [she] would not have to witness that kind of thing again."

At this point I am thinking, "Okay lady. Yes, it's sad but...IT'S A BUTTERFLY! SERIOUSLY! I'm all for watching out for the "little guy" but....COME ON! Shouldn't you be out hugging a tree or something?"

I finally make my way out of the room and find Rob and the kids. Rob informs me that yes, indeed, it was Isaac who stepped on the butterfly but he did it on accident. He wasn't paying attention (as if any other 3 year old would be) and didn't see it on the ground. He would have safely cleared it if the above mentioned lady hadn't grabbed his shirt and pulled him backwards. He lost his balance, set his foot down to regain it, and of course, set it right down on the poor unsuspecting butterfly.

In the end the butterfly was swept up and life went on as usual as can be expected after such a tragic experience. Sniff...sniff. (Tree hugging Seattle hippies....HONESTLY!)

Anyhow...

More Science Center fun...

Kian OBVIOUSLY had a grand time. :)

All in all it was a really fun trip. We were so glad we got to go.

Scripture Advent

Someone asked me the other day if I had any ideas for an advent calendar. I didn't at the time but found this one last night when I opened up our our newly received Friend Magazine and found this one.

So because I cant remember who it was that asked me (S.R.B.S. (aka super retardo brain syndrome)), I thought I would share it here in case that person actually reads my blog.

#1 I went online to print it out (because I didn't want to tear it out of the magazine). I changed the proportions so it would end up on a piece of 8 1/2" by 11" paper (for laminating purposes). I printed it at 150% on my printer. It turned out right (after shaving off a bit of the trunk...he he).

#2 I cut out the tree and glued the two pieces together. Then I glued them onto a piece of heavy card stock along with the question lists.

#3 Laminated the card stock

#4 Glued the "scripture adorned ornaments" to heavy card stock and cut them out. Then I laminated those as well and cut them out AGAIN.

#5 I put velcro circles on the blank tree ornaments and on the back of the scripture ornaments.

VIOLA!

(easier said than done...the thumb on my right hand is still numb)

We already read scripture #1 last night.

We are going to have to play a bit of catch up but this is perfect for us and our evening devotional time (scripture, songs, family prayer).

One scripture at a time...25 days to tell the story of Christ's birth.

And...because it is laminated I can keep it for next year, and the next year, and the next year......

HAPPY AD-VENTING!

"How big is turkey?.......SOOOOOO BIG!"

"How big is turkey?..........SOOOOOOOOO BIG!!!!!

Apparently I was having WAY too much fun de-boning the turkey this year. :)

I actually was trying to gross my sister out by playing with the carcass. It totally worked (although not as much as I thought since SHE is taking the picture). :)

Reminded me of my years at Boston Market.....the good ol' days.

"Special Time" snowman

Cael and I built our very first snowman of the year during "special time" yesterday. It was good to get out and do something together and the snow was perfect.

He's such a sweet boy....

and so photogenic

me, on the other hand,....not so much.

Within a few hours the rain had melted the little guy a bit and all of his teeth fell out. Poor thing. Cael and I will remedy that with a bit of dental cosmetic surgery later. Oh...and we will put his arm back on. :)