Brother's Pictures

Aunt K let Brother use her camera and take pictures today. He was very excited and did a very good job. These are taken straight out of the camera with no editing. He is quite the natural and really enjoys the artistic angle...


Aunt K, Grandma P and Bugs

Mommy
Grandma Donna
Grandma Donna and Grandma P
Aunt K's decorations
Aunt K and Brother

Aunt K and Bugs over at Grandma Donna's house

Grandma Donna's decorations

Mommy and Uncle Dane

Brother, self portrait

Snow Machine

Yesterday, Brother went out to the farm with Uncle Tid and the boys. He got up enough courage to ride the little snow machine. Rumor has it that he rode it all day and ran out of gas (actually not a rumor...). Cousin Dallas had to bring in some gas from town so that he could ride it some more! He was so excited to tell me and Bugs when he got back to town (we stayed in town all day to visit with Great Grandma Donna). So today we all trekked out to the farm to watch him drive.

Here he is posing on the snow machine. Can you see his big smile under his mask?

Here he is zipping past me. He had no problem "putting the pedal to the medal" or thumb, or whatever... He did peel off when he started and Aunt Kay was worried that she would be sprayed with snow!

Hey, come back here so that I can get more pictures!

Looky look! Bugs is actually walking in the snow! It was just a few steps, but it is a start! She should be getting used to it by now since that is all she sees.

She even sat on the snow machine with Brother. She didn't like it when it was turned on, though. Can you say next years Christmas card...

Here she is sitting on her own little snow machine. Maybe she is warming up to the snow...

And what do the kids do when they go into the farm house to warm up you ask? Why drink hot chocolate and play with toy snow machines!

Ice, Ice, and More Ice...

So, you ask what it is like in snow country? Let me show you! These are pictures of the farm. The ice covered trees are quite a site. Lots of beauty around. The weather has been quite mild here. About 19* and no wind! That is the best part. Normally the wind blows and it can be quite cold (below zero with wind chill added).







These pictures were taken Saturday.

Snow Country

My family lives in snow country, so the kids had a great time on the snow machines out at the farm.

Brother posing on the little snow machine. He was not quite brave enough to drive it by himself yet. Maybe soon.

The boys really like being pulled in the tube.

How fast are you guys going??!

Better slow down Uncle Tid! Those boys look like they are having too much fun!

These pictures were taken Thursday.

Vacation Fun

Finally at our vacation destination, everyone is having fun. We are able to see most of our aunts, uncles and cousins. We missed some family due to our airplane delay, so we will catch them next time.

Brother playing with the boys.

Our first introduction to my brand new baby cousin. Isn't she cute! Look at that red hair!

Are you having fun Bugs?

Don't let cousin Jensen get you!

These pictures were taken Wednesday.

Are We There Yet?

Vacation is hard to get to! Especially if you travel in the winter. We were stranded one night in a very metropolitan airport due to us missing our connection. Our first plane was late getting to the airport and taking off, so everyone missed their connection. What fun it is to be stranded with two small children and no luggage! At least Grandma P was with us, so she took care of the arrangements (must have happened to her before...). At least we were able to get on the first flight out (looking lovely in our clothes from the day before, I might add.). Here is a picture of the kids looking out at the airplanes.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Busy Time of Year

We have been very busy the last few days during this fun holiday season.

We stared it off with our annual fondue party. Here is an attempt at getting a picture of all the kids. When we started this tradition, we had no children, and just look at how our party has grown!

After the fondue party, we hosted the family ornament exchange at our house this year. It was a pretty good turn out, around 40-45 people. Sorry, no pictures to post.

Brother was in a holiday program at school this year. They sang "A Time For Love" and "The Penguin Polka". They were very good (and very cute!)

Then we had the Christmas party in Brother's class. Since I am room mom, I was in charge of the party. It went pretty well, if I do say so myself! The kids had a lot of fun.

How cute are these gingerbread houses!

The kids are I are going to the snow country to visit family after Christmas. There should be lots of stories and pictures to share after the New Year!

MP3

Brother was talking to Grandma C. the other day about what he wants for Christmas.

Grandma - "What do you want for Christmas?"
Brother - "A MP3 player."
Grandma - "Do you know what a MP3 player is? You put headphones on and listen to music. You can't play games on it, only listen to music."
Brother - "Oh...Then maybe I should get a MP4 player."

Bringing School Work Home

We were talking in the car the other day about Bugs and her fear of snow. (she wouldn't even step in the frosted grass. She stopped dead in her tracks on the sidewalk when I mentioned it to her).

Brother - "Remember when she liked snow last year?"
Mommy - "I do. She rode in the sled with you a little bit."
Brother - "She should make a pattern."
Mommy - "What is a pattern?"
Brother - "You know, circle-square-triangle, circle-square-triangle."
Mommy - "And Bugs should do that with the snow?" I am thinking that he changed subjects on me...
Brother - "Yea, she liked snow last year, now she doesn't, so she should make a pattern and like it again."

Oh yes. This is what is called "bringing your school work into everyday conversation/life. I never saw it coming...That is why I am not a teacher.

Not Snow Fun!

You may have wondered why Bugs was not in the sledding pictures. Well, it turns out that she does not like snow! She would not stand in the snow at all or even sit in the sled. When I tried to put her down, her legs would go up! It was too funny. I ended up sitting her in the snow for a few seconds, but she was also crying hysterically at the time, so that didn't last long. So Daddy and I ended up holding her the entire time. She was having fun watching the boys play on the sleds and when I would ask her if she wanted to get down and play, she would put her head on my shoulder and mumble something about Mommy holding her.

The kids and I are going to North Dakota after Christmas to see some family, so she will need to get used to snow since there will be a lot up there!

Snow Fun

We headed to the mountains this weekend to get our Christmas Tree. Of course while we were there, we participated in some sledding fun! Here are a few pictures of Brother with his good friend Bry. I will try and narrate for you:

Look out Sydney! Here we come!

Whoa! Watch out for that tree!

That was a close call! Ready to go again??

Does it look like Brother had fun??

Favorite Word

Bugs's new favorite word is "Uh, huh"

Mommy - "Were you a good girl today?"
Bugs - "Uh, huh."

Mommy - "Do you want more Banana?"
Bugs - "Uh, huh."

Mommy - "Should we get your pajamas on?"
Bugs - "Noooooo."
That is her second favorite word.

Mommy - "Do you want a cracker?"
Bugs - "Uh, huh."
Mommy - "Do you want some vegetables?"
Bugs - "Noooooo."
Just checking to see if she was paying attention...

Spread The Love

I got home late last night after an appointment, and the kids were running through the house playing. They were screaming and laughing and having a great time. Brother stopped and said to me:

Brother - "Don't you just love Bugs!"
Mommy - "Why, yes I do!"
Brother - "I am so glad that I have a sister!"

Actually, Brother loves his sister so much that he wants two more siblings. Not three, because that would be too many...We all wouldn't fit on Mommy and Daddy's bed in the mornings...

No Room For Broccoli

At the dinner table last night, Brother, the vegetable hater exclaims:

Brother - "Look, my plate is full, and there is no room for broccoli!...That is too bad, huh dad?"

Normally we make him have at least one or two bites, but he had lots of other stuff on his plate, that we let it slide...

After Brother was done with his dinner:
Brother - "Look, I ate everything on my plate. It was too bad that I didn't have any room for broccoli, huh mom."
Mommy - "Well you have room on your plate now."

Long pause....
Brother - "What?...."

For the record, Mommy is not that mean. However it was funny...

Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had fun spending time with family.

The kids all dressed up nice.

Say cheese! Bugs, you need to look at Mommy...

What cute girls!

This is a wonderful Turkey that Brother made in school. He wanted it to be placed in the middle of the table, so it is nestled nicely between the candles and flowers.

The guest of honor...

Wait a minute, is that legal!!

Read To Me Daddy

Bugs is definitely Daddy's little girl. It is so sweet to see together. Seeing Daddy being so sweet and gentle with the kids makes me love him even more!