Christmas Card Photo Session

Anthony took pictures of the kids outside in our side yard. I tried to organized them. It was pretty cold outside. When I set Camellia down on the ground she was a little shocked with the cold.

I am into suspenders right now, the boys have purple, red, black, and soon to come yellow!

 

 

We used the pictures for a Christmas card.

 

Rhett's Preschool Christmas Program

Rhett had is Christmas Program at Cross and Crown Preschool. It was a Monday evening. Rhett and Anthony wore their matching bowties, I made them a couple years age. Anthony and Caramel went and watched the show. I decide it would just be easier if Myles and Camellia stayed home with me.

 Rhett's preschool sang several songs most of them having an instrument. Very cute! Love that the preschool does this event and they practice a lot before.

 

 

Zoo Light's Grammy Family Outing

We had a family outing with Grammy to the Woodland Park Zoo lights. It is right next to Grammy's house in north Seattle. It was a great night with no rain and not too freezing. I do get very paranoid about losing one of the kids in the dark and with the crowds.

The kids got to ride the carousal. Caramel picked a carriage to ride in, not a horse. She did this last year too, funny girl. I don't think she likes rides that go in circles. There were lots of lights throughout the zoo like elephants that walked to water and a big ice mountain. Kids enjoyed the ladybugs in the walkway bushes and the meerkat tunnel exhibit.

Fun lights thanks to Grammy. Rhett got a flashing rainbow snowflake.

Rhett and Myles started running a loop which ended with a screaming Myles. Thus we started for the exit. I went with Camellia to the car to get warm and the rest of the crew went on a bus ride that wasn't really a ride. Kids enjoyed it though.

Garden Lights in Belleuve

Garden lights with Grandpa Dan. This was a rainy night. Good thing we have umbrellas. It wasn't very rainy to start, but started pouring at some points. There was no crowd which was nice. Other times we have gone it full of people.

The garden had a makeover during the summer so the lights and pathways were different this year.

Camellia trying to keep warm and dry. I have Christmas time picture with Caramel wearing this snuggly outfit.

 This picture makes me laugh! Myles kept falling to the ground, on purpose and enjoying it. He doesn't talk much and is hard to understand when he does. I think he kept doing it, because he was acting out monkeys on the bed falling off. He really enjoys sensory objects like water too. Oh, the liquid messes he makes can drive me crazy.

Rhett always ready for a picture.

Rhett wanted this picture taken, sure why not. Thank goodness for covered areas.

 

Caramel and Rhett went with Grandpa Dan to Snowflake Lane in Belleuve. Sad the whole family didn't make it. We did go and see the Nativities at the Maple Valley church. Spent a lot of time in the kids craft room. There were Lego nativities which was a first I have seen. Myles attacked those, so I fixed it and headed out of the room. There was a beautiful walk through the life of Christ ending with the empty tomb. One the way home we stopped by a house that was fully house and yard decorated in lights. Fun night!

80's Christmas Church Party

Our ward had a Christmas party that was 80's themed. The members did a great job planning the party. First there was Santa and making ornaments. The kids enjoyed gluing together wreaths and mangers, Santa not so much.

We dressed in 80's. I had a Smurf shirt that the kids gave me and some orange leg warmers. Anthony had a green velour track suit with orange sweat band, he won the best dressed for the boys. The winnings was a VCR player with some VHS tapes. Rhett wore a Ninja Turtle shirt Anthony got from a cereal box mail-in when he was young. Caramel wear some bright colors. Myles was suppose to look like Marty McFly, but he didn't keep his puffy vest on very long. At one point Myles was jumping up and down on a chair saying, "Santa, Santa." Camellia was just hanging around. 

The Primary president had a Awkward Family Photo set up.

Rhett really wanted a picture as an ornament, of course Myles followed wanting to be dressed up too. Pretending to be a present was fun too.

After dinner they had a Star Search program with Holiday jokes, Mary Had a Little Lamb dance, a men's singing group, and ladies dancing group. At the end the star was revealed as the Nativity scene with the members singing Christmas carols. Fun night with lots of entertainment.

Christmas Jammies

First year the kids got Christmas pajamas delivered to them December 1st from Santa. The boys got matching green snowman and girls got red and white pajamas.

Of course trying to get a picture was impossible. Myles has to push over Santa every chance he gets, probably because Myles is slighter taller and he likes to show his dominance.

First Snow

We had some magical first snow at the beginning of December. Of course the kids were so excited to go play in the small amount that accumulated. I was the lucky one to go outside with the kids and Anthony stayed inside with Camellia. Jumping on a snow covered trampoline is super fun. Myles slipped everywhere and was done quickly.

Caramel lasted the longest and made this snowman. It was difficult to make with the snow not sticking together.

 Of course there was a snowball fight because kids think that is the funniest thing ever. Until there is a face shot. This photo is hilarious with Rhett's facial reaction. Caramel got him right in the face and neck, so cold. Rhett does enjoy complaining especially about being cold.

Fun picture of the house with snow.

Tree in the backyard.

Myles giving the snowman a high five. Snowman, nutcracker, and Santa are some words Myles really enjoyed pointing out and saying this season.

Black Friday Decorating

Camellia crawling, attacking the singing and dancing Frosty the Snowman here. On Black Friday there was no shopping for us, just decorating. I am currently trying to paint the TV/living room, so all the decorations stayed in the front formal room which has little furniture and is not formal at all with toys all over the place normally. All the Christmas decorations were lined up on the mantle. The kids decorated the tree, I only added a few at the top and moved more delicate ones there too.

Favorite decorations this year was the candle holder/horns. So funny how the 3 older kids took them and started marching around the room. Caramel took the tallest one, Rhett the middle, and Myles the smallest. Forward marching onward.

Thanksgiving at Grandpa Dan's

We had Thanksgiving at Grandpa Dan's, not a bad holiday drive, Renton to Bellevue about 15 minutes. Grandpa made his specialty- sweet potatoes. Unfortunately the kids just like ham and rolls. Caramel likes mashed potatoes and corn.  

Grammy Pam joined us. She brought some turkey cupcakes and pumpkin chocolates. Of course the kids liked those.

Myles hanging out with Camellia.

South Dakota and Vegas

 

Anthony went to South Dakota for hunting with his dad and visiting with his Aunt Karen and Uncle Rodger. Lots of snow and birds there. Anthony still thinks moving there is a possibility. The kids and I were glad when he came back. There were a couple of windy days in Renton, I didn't like the fact I was the only adult at night.

 

Anthony also went to Vegas with his car friends, Gary and Rob, for a car show. His friend Jared had a car he entered and even won for his workmanship.

 

Two trips in one month! Enough said.

After Church Family Photo

I tried to take some decent pictures of the kids altogether one day. Caramel is basically a comedian, making all these funny faces. Only a normal smile from her if you remind her, then she gets grumpy and gives you a fake smile. She found these glasses and wouldn't take them off. Rhett is ready to please, with a smile and always trying to help his siblings too. He will get sad though if you praise anyone else and say, "Am I doing a good job?" Myles is just everywhere, taking off clothes, jumping, getting a smile is pretty much impossible. Camellia is usually smiley but with all the siblings close, there is no smile. As soon as I would pass her off for Caramel to hold she would usually start crying.

Daddy Home

The kids love it when daddy comes home after work! Rhett and Myles are all about running to the door. The door alarm beeps letting them know. Caramel gets the guilt trip when she doesn't acknowledge the fact that Anthony is home. He reminds her that when she was younger she use to run to the door too.

They love riding on daddy's back and getting bounced off. Even though it usually ends with someone crying with all the wrestling going on. One day the kids left a Nerf gun and a note at the front door for Anthony. It said to come find them. Of course that ended with someone crying, Nerf gun activities always do.

A lot of days Camellia and I will venture to the front room and look out the window waiting for Anthony to come home from work.

Halloween Costumes

Camellia Pumpkin

Myles Toad

Toad and Mario

Myles Toad

Caramel Peaches

Mario Rhett

Our favorite Halloween friend, Frank. Kids love the song he sings. He used to jump around, but he is too old for that now.

Pumpkin Carving and Drawing

Crazy faces to match the crazy faces on the pumpkins.

Myles organizing cars while the kids cleaned out the pumpkins.

Caramel's design requested to be carved.

Rhett's crazy design.