{We're having a GIRL!!!}

We are so excited around here for a new baby.  Even better that the kids got what they were praying for - a girl baby!  We went to "Baby's First Images" to see what we were having.  We all like to know what we are having just as soon as we are able to!  So at 16 weeks ( or 15 weeks 4 days, hehe) we went in.  We had waited on telling almost everyone our news until we found out what we were having, including the kids.  They have been begging for a girl baby for awhile now.   The kids are so excited, and really want to help in picking out her name.  Landons top suggestion is "Landa"..  Don't know if that will happen, but I do know that her middle name will be "Carlton" after my Mom.  That was her maiden name given to her at birth (before adoption). 

And the awaited pictures......

{A/R & Challenges}

If you ever wonder what I am doing after school with my kids, this is it.  It consumes a lot of my life.

First A/R - which stand for Accelerated Reader Program.  Every night we read a book or two at least 3 times to the kids.  The next day they take their A/R Folder back to school and are given a comprehension test on the book.  The test usually is 5 questions (some are 10 questions- hate those books).  They have to score a 60% or better to pass the test.  Based on their percentages they receive points, usually up to 0.5 points for the book levels they are reading.  They have a rewards schedule that they earn prizes based on how many points they receive.  

Second is Challenges.  This is a Kindergarten program, Jaedyn did her's last year.  Landon and I work hard at passing challenges.  He can test on one challenge per day.  Some challenges are easy for him, some are hard.  They deal with letter sounds, 3 dimensional shape names. counting to 100 by 1's, 2's, 5's & 10's.  Some challenges are very easy for Landon, some we really have to work on. 

Of course this is in addition to their regular homework.  Which granted isn't too bad.  We usually knock out our homework in one night and spend the rest of the week focusing on A/R & Challenges.

Here are the cuties with their folders!

{The tooth fairy is going broke at our house!}

Jaedyn has slowly been losing teeth.  This one makes #5.  The sad part is, it is the first one that really makes her look older.  It was a top tooth, and I'm really sad.  She looks so much older now.  She on the other hand is way excited! 

 [Tanner wants to be like the big kids so bad]

{Christmas Gift}

This year, I got many kitchen appliances as gifts.  One of them Adam bought for me is a griddle.  We love to make pancakes on the griddle.  So that is just what I did.  It was nice to have a Lake House favorite at home!

[of course, my favorite way to eat them... With peanut butter and bananas!]

{Nail Polish}

For Christmas Jaedyn got some new nail polish, and some nail "stickers".  We had a lot of fun decorating her nails.  Even Tanner got a blue flower on one of his nails.

[Before]

[After]

{My Pinterest Project}

I have been looking at decorating ideas on Pinterest.  One idea that caught my eye was a built in coat rack.  It wasn't very hard, and I love how it turned out.  Perfect for the kid's backpacks.

[Pinterest photo]

I don't know why I didn't think to get a before picture - but just imagine it....   a bare wall.  (Actually it had a picture of the Atlanta Temple on it, but you get what I mean)

{Landon loses his first tooth (x's 2)}

Landon has had a loose tooth for months now.  He asks me everyday, sometimes a few times a day, to wiggle his tooth.  Finally it was loose enough to try and pull.  He was a brave boy, and let me pull it.  When it came out, I noticed the one next to it was barely hanging on.  So, we pulled the other one too.  He is so excited to lose his first tooth (x's 2).  The tooth fairy came, and brought Landon $2.00.   She also left him a note telling him how brave he was for losing 2 teeth!

We took lots of pictures, my favorites are of a toothless Landon and where Tanner insists on having gauze in his mouth too!

{New Year's Eve}

We headed up to the Lake for New Year's Eve weekend.   We bought a bunch of fireworks, and a few little things for the kids.  We had a blast.  The kids loved playing with the "morning glory (sparklers).   Adam played a joke on the kids, it was really funny.  We bought a pack of fireworks that just make noise, really loud noise..... in a 200 pack.   We went outside to look at the "moon" and Adam set them off.  Oh my goodness, it was so funny!!  The kids about died, and we died laughing.  They laughed afterwards.  They were seriously loud!  Then Adam went down to the lake side and let off the big fireworks.  I tried to get a few on camera, but was busy watching the show myself.  The kids loved seeing all the fireworks, and kept yelling - good job Daddy!  The kids went to bed at 9:00 and the parents at 10:30.  A perfect night!

{Hi-Five Ma!}

Today I have been pretty productive around the house.  I have finished up a few lingering projects & organized a few things.  Feels good to be productive.  One thing I needed to do was finish painting Tanners crib/toddler bed.  I needed to get all the way to the floor on the legs and a few of the corners needed attention.  While I was at it, I took off the bed rail so we can test tonight if Tanny-manny falls out of his bed tonight.  He was so excited that he came up to me and said - "Hi-Five Ma" with his hand up in the air.  The Cutest! 

{Christmas Pictures}

Before Church on Sunday we took a few pictures in front of the Christmas Tree.  I set the camera on self timer, and it worked out well.  I love how cute Tanner is in some of these pictures.  He totally gets what "Say cheese" means...  haha :)

[who can resist a silly Family Picture]

{Christmas Day}

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas.  It was just the five of us, and we really enjoyed ourselves.  I got to enjoy the day, without cooking and cleaning the entire day!  We woke up, put the breakfast casserole in the oven.  Opened our presents.  Everyone was excited to see what they got.  Then, breakfast was ready and we ate.  Then we played for a little bit, got ready for Church.  It was fun to have Christmas fall on a Sunday and go to Church.  We sang songs, listened to the Bishopric speak, a few more songs and then it was time to come home.  We had lunch, took naps, and then Dinner was ready.  I put a roast in the oven and it cooked all day.  It was yummy and easy!  Then, we drove around and looked at Christmas lights.  A perfect day!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas also!

{Cookies & letters to Santa}

Every year we bake cookies for Santa and write him a letter.  This year Landon wrote a letter and drew Santa a picture.  Jaedyn's letter said she was sad that Sparkles the Elf had to go home.   Santa is a funny guy, usually leaves part of the cookies un-eaten with a bite mark out of them. 

[Sparkles last day here, he hung around on the ceiling fan!]

{Christmas Eve}

At our house, we open our Stockings up on Christmas Eve.  Mom fills them with little things, like hand sanitizer, chocolate, nail clippers, and other practical things.  Usually there is one toy in there to hold the kiddies over for the night.  As a kid, I always wanted to open one present on Christmas Eve, sometimes my grandma would let me.  So when I became a Mom, I decided that opening Christmas Stockings on Christmas Eve was my solution. 

Here are my cuties (hubby included) opening their Stockings!