It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Christmas time is so fun with kids! Everything is exciting and they enjoy every part of it. The kids have had fun learning about doing nice things for others as well as the Christmas traditional stuff.  It has been a busy month so far and I missed getting pictures setting up the tree and a few other things but here's some from around our house.

They are loving playing with Pebbles now. They mostly just put her on a leash and drag her around and I don't know that she loves it.  But they continually ask for a small dog "when I'm ready for one,"

 one that they can hold in their arms.

Colt loves Santa hats. He has constantly got one on his head and is always handing them out to the rest of us to wear. They go up to bed with him too at nap and bed times.

Ellie's winter hat. She looks so cute in her kitty hat!

Playing dress up with Pebbles, getting her ready for her wedding.

Santa buddy.

Gingerbread houses! Livy liked making a gingerbread person from bones and skulls Halloween candy as well as a door and other parts of the house and Rachel just enjoyed eating as much candy and frosting as she could!

Colt stuffed his "attic" full of candy.

This little man ripped open a chocolate advent calender while he was home with Eric, who was in the shower! He came out to see him stuffing his mouth with chocolates!

We had Christmas books all wrapped and put under the tree for opening one a night to read but that only lasted one day. The second day I came into the livingroom to find Colt tearing through them. Everytime he would say "I find it, a book, yay!"

Loving Ellie and the santa hats!

Santa baby

Some of my helpers.

We have been sick around here for two weeks now and are hopefully on the mend now. Hoping you are having a great December and enjoying the Christmas spirit!

Colt's 2!

I can't believe Colt is 2! Sunday was his 2nd birthday that he got to celebrate with a double ear infection and bad cold, but he was a trooper and had a blast singing happy birthday all day long!

He loved ripping through his presents and it was really hard for the girls not to participate, they can't wait for Christmas! He got a scooter, some sharks, a helicopter and remote control car. The girls immediately took over each one of those toys. Luckily he loves them and is ok sharing with them!

Colt's birthday decorations. Went for the streamers this time because on the girls birthday they asked where all the decorations were, like the streamers, the window stuff wasn't cutting it.

Happy Birthday Colt! We love you so much. You are the sweetest, most loving, funny, outgoing, happy and spirited little boy. Everyone who meets you smiles at you and tells me how cute you are. You love taking care of people, especially Ellie. You are a great big brother and are so concerned about all of your sisters. You are comfortable and confident where ever we go and make yourself right at home. Everyone tells me what a good boy you are and you are so fun and happy. I know it! I love having you in our family. You are so special and you make me laugh and smile a hundred times a day. Some days you make me scream too but mostly laugh with all the sweet funny things you do and say. I can't believe it has already been two year! I love you Colt.

So happy listening to Grammy, Poppy, and Hannah sing Happy Birthday to him on the voicemail. He replayed it until the phone wouldn't do it any more!

Now to his next favorite thing to do on his birthday, blow out the candle. He loved hearing Happy Birthday sung to him but then just wanted to blow out the candle. We went through two boxes of matches, not books, boxes. It's his birthday though so I obliged.

Sisters stealing some turns to blow it out!

Blowing the smoke away each time with their hands!

Ellie watching this crazy ritual!

That night we went to look at Christmas lights with Grandma and Grandpa. We had two benches in the back of Eric's truck that we sat on and everyone was bundled up. We had hot chocolate and cookies and enjoyed the lights. It was great. The kids really love looking at the lights this year, even Colt. He is way into it.

Grandma kept Colt nice and insulated! He loved it!

The girls had a great time with dad. They sang Christmas songs and Rachel kept warming Eric's ears with her mitten covered hands. So fun. Hope you had a wonderful birthday Colt. We all love you so very much. You make our lives wonderful.

We are Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this time of year. It is fun, exciting, exhausting and memorable. And not to mention the weather in Texas is nice and cool, just how I like it!

The kids loved Thanksgiving and all of the Thanksgiving time things. They had a fun class party at school, made lots of Thanksgiving/turkey crafts, read books about it, and had a great day!

This is Harold. He is our thankful turkey. We all picked a few of the things we are thankful for and wrote them on Harold's feathers. We had him up for a few weeks which helped all of us think about all of our blessings.

Livy is doing lots of writing now and really loving it. She is always asking how to spell stuff. Thanks Harold, for helping the kids learn about being thankful!

Miss Ellie here was an Indian in the first Thanksgiving play that we did. Rachel, Livy and Colt were pilgrims and Eric, Ellie, and I were Indians. Eric was Squanto and had a lot of fun with the kids instructing them how to grow their corn. He was really getting into the part by telling them their corn must stay in the ground many moons to grow, and they had so much fun even though they had no idea what he was talking about! The kids loved it. It didn't go exactly as planned, but what does?

We have so much to be thankful for. We are grateful for each other and the chance we have to be together forever as a family with all of our family. We are thankful for the gospel and the plan our Father in Heaven has prepared for us and the prophet he has put on the earth today to guide us.

Thanksgiving morning dad made a big breakfast for the kids. They loved it and love having Eric home from work for a few extra days. We joined the whole Williams family for dinner later which was delicious. We are so thankful for all of our family. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Late Again with This Week's 10

1. I don't know that I am ready for the girls to grow up. It is too sad to send them out into the world where they will be sad without me there for them. Today Livy came home and said that no one would play with her outside today. So she said just sang the lonely song. I asked what it was and she said just a song she made up about being lonely. See, this isn't even that big of a deal but I almost cried when she was telling me. I don't know if I can handle kids being really mean at school next year. I love you girls.
2. Colt was sick with a 105 fever and wheezing. After visiting the doctors we had a steroid, an antibiotic, and an inhaler. It was rough getting the medicine down him. Twice he threw the steroids up, once completely on me. Glad it is done with. By the end of the week he liked putting the inhaler together in the air chamber and getting it all ready. Glad he is all better now.
3. I forgot to buckle Colt into his car seat one day. We drove all the way to the girl's school and I went to unbuckle him and saw I never did it. Losing it over here!
4. Ellie started eating baby food. Or started trying it at least. She is not very interested in it yet. She grabs at anything I have in my hand but doesn't seem to want to eat the baby food. It's only the first week though so we'll see.
5. We've been talking about Santa and things they would want. While looking at one of the magazines Livy found something gross and told me, "If Santa give me yucky stuff I'm throwing it in the trash."
6. There was a fair set up near us and Rachel wanted to go. She told Livy "If we go to the store with dad and be really good he will take us there. He's such a sweetie."
7. Colt learned to ride his tricycle all by himself. He loves it! He's getting so old.
8. Colt also wants to try the potty every morning when I change him from his pajamas. He says potty and runs to my bathroom, sits on the toilet, and then says "Rachel's turn" and gets off.
9. The girls have started learning some sight words and it is so exciting. They love it and get so happy when they do it. At school they tell them to kiss their brain when they do good stuff so they love that and at home we've added cheering "brain power!" when they get it right. Rachel really loves that part! It is just so fulfilling and exciting to see them learn, happy to learn, and excited about it.
10. And most exciting....Two people I love very much are both pregnant and I am so excited!! I won't name names until they put it on their own blogs but I am so so happy. I am so excited for both of these little babies to get here and so very happy for their moms and dads. I love you guys, you know who you are!

Our first attempt at baby food. And it was morning I don't know why it came out so dark.

Cheese.

Riding daddy's power washer.

Pointing at his favorite "wizards" he looks for everyday.

Taking a turn in Livy's boots. She loves these things. Everywhere we go she tells people they are her winter boots for when we go to New York and it snows.