Sledding

This winter has been bad! As in awful! Terrible! I am so sick of it! The weather has been so cold that the kids have even missed 5 days of school due to extreme temperatures outside.  So when the day finally came where we got snow AND it was above 15 degrees outside we took advantage!  Lucky for us Erin was still here and we got to show Miles a good time too.  They had a ball!

Erin and Miles Visit!

Hurray for sisters!  I have the best one out there I think!  Erin came to hang out with us for the week just because!  Kermit was out of town and Romney was crazy busy with a class he is taking so why not?!  We had a blast!  We had so much fun staying up way too late laughing and visiting.  It didn't even matter that much of her visit we were were in single digits or colder.  Her little Miles warmed right up and had the girls loving every minute.  Here are some pictures with some highlights.  Can't wait to do it again!  And soon! Love you Erin!

 My girls are all huge Miles fans as you can see.  They played with him non-stop from the moment they got home from school until bedtime.  Erin laughed saying that Miles didn't have to lift a finger all week!  They even fed him!  He is such a cute little guy! I love him and am so glad he's my nephew!

A Weekend in December

This little girl had her 2 month check up.  She's perfect and healthy!  What a blessing!  She is in the 95th percentile for height (24.5 inches) and 75 percentile for weight (12 lbs).  She's growing so fast.   All her 0-3 month and some of her 3-6 month clothing went next door to our neighbor who has a baby just a few weeks younger and much smaller.   She started smiling and cooing a few weeks ago and we are loving it!  She has started to prefer keeping her head turned to the left so we are constantly trying to get her to turn right so that she doesn't end up in a helmet like Annaliese did.  She also got shots at this appointment.  She did not like that at all.   Last time she was pretty mellow.  Not so this time.  I finally got her settled down afterwards and she slept for 3 hours but when she woke up....wow! Never have I heard her scream like she did that day.  Thank goodness for Tylenol! I felt so bad.  She was miserable.  Tylenol took the edge off and before long we had our sweet happy baby back.

This weekend we got some awesome snow.  "Sledding Hill" at Oz was full of neighborhood kids- ours included.  Althea and I stayed in the car and watched.  The girls are getting pretty good. I even saw some surf board type sledding from them.  Good times!  Afterwards we went to Avrie's favorite restaurant...Noodles and Co.  Here they are still in their snow clothes waiting for our food. 

And...What would we do if we didn't go see the Joffrey Nutcracker?  Three years in a row now we've taken the girls so that means it is definitely a tradition.  It never seems to get old and we all love it.  Also for the third year in a row we drove through the drive thru at Protillo's for dinner.  Then like every year we had to speed through town to try to get there before we were late.  And for the third year in a row we sat in our seats just as the lights dimmed and the show began.  We've got it down!  Maybe next year I'll get us an early dinner reservation somewhere nice and mix things up a bit! 

We decided the best dances are the Arabian Dancers and the Russian Dancers. Also the girls loved the little ginger bread boy.  We have a couple of different storybooks of the Nutcracker that we read every year.  The girls don't know this but I'm pretty sure that Santa will have 4 giant Nutcrackers for them this year on Christmas morning. I hope they'll love them.  

 On a side note....This year Adeline announced that she would like to take ballet lessons.  She just doesn't want to perform ever and she doesn't want anyone to be in her class.  Hmmm.  Will work on that but I am glad that she is interested in lessons because I think she could be good at it.  Actually I bet all three could be awesome.  Dance lessons are a good thing I think.

And finally, Kermit has been working on a new song/video for Christmas.  Good King Wenceslas.  My girls have the sweetest voices.  It melts me when I hear them sing.

Busy weekend I'd say.  More crazy but fun days ahead as we count down to Christmas.

Grandma

I found these photos randomly on my laptop.  They are from December 2011.  My girls with Valrea Althea Hafen King.  Kermit's mom.  Grandma.  She had just been diagnosed with lung and brain cancer over Thanksgiving weekend of that year.   We knew her time would be short and it was.  We lost her on Easter Sunday 2012.  From her diagnosis in November until her death in April we visited her in St. George 5 or 6 times.  This was from one of those visits.  Grandma had some mining property up in the mountains that she wanted to take her family to see.  Gabe and Tanc were there with their kids as well and we loaded up the suv's and climbed the steep dirt roads that lead to her mines.  We had a great time looking for fossils and rocks.  We even went into an old mine cave.  Very cool!  Grandma had been receiving her radiation treatments but still had enough energy to get out and do some things.

That is one thing I have always loved about her and miss.  She was always up for an adventure or outing.  She was never one to sit home.  She got out every day.  If somebody in the family wanted to take a hike - she'd change her shoes (or not) and join the fun.  If somebody wanted to go shopping, she'd take you off the beaten path to find the best places to shop.  If somebody wanted to go anywhere she was game to join in, always. Even when she was in pain before she had hip surgery years ago she was still up for adventure just to be with her family.  She loved to travel the world.  She loved museums and culture.  She loved life.  I hope my children will have her sense of adventure throughout their lives.  These pictures up in "no mans land" with their grandma I hope will remind them how much she loved an adventure and also how much she loved them.

More of October

What would October be without our visit to Goebert's Farm! I love the picture below. Avrie is holding the zombie's hand! he he. =)

Last but not least, here is the video again. The resolution isn't very good here so click the link here for a better picture.

Field Trips

When ever the kids have a field trip for school I try to go with. Their school is small so they rely on parent drivers for all field trips so I usually get to go. Here are some photos from Annaliese's trip to Goeberts Farm. It was pretty cute. All the kids got to feed all sorts of animals and take a hay ride out to the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin. Fun!

Avrie and Adeline took a trip to the Swedish American Children's Museum. We had never been before and were very impressed! The play areas were adorable. They made a craft and learned songs and learned all about what farming was like in America and Sweden.
We'll be going back for another visit one of these cold winter days coming up for sure.

I didn't have the chance to really read any of the books that they had at the museum but they looked adorable. We love good picture books at our house. I'll have to take a trip to the library and check them out. Maybe we've found some new books to add to our collection? I hope so!

Labor Day Weekend 2010

So this last Labor Day weekend we decided to take a road trip with the kids south. All the way down to Bella Vista, Arkansas, home to my grandparents. What a great weekend we had! We broke up the 10 hour drive by stopping in at the half way point both coming and going. I planned ahead and booked a hotel (woohoo for me...no sleeping on the side of the road in a car b/c every hotel along I-55 is full)! We were thrilled beyond thrilled to get a clean and comfy room to stay the night, a free hot breakfast in the morning and...a pool to play around in, all for about $99! We vacation in style! ;) (And did I mention I didn't have to sleep in a car with a wiggly four year old on my lap? Yay!) Truly though, it was a prefect weekend!

On our journey we stopped in St. Louis to show the girls THE arch and ended up randomly running into my old friend Terica and her family. That was so cool ! I love that girl and she has the cutest family ever. She and her family live there now and it had been awhile since I'd been in touch with her. We were both pregnant with our twins at the same time when they lived here in Chi-town. It was so fun to see her there! (Terica, can I get that picture you took so I can insert it here...until then imagine two hot momma's here.)

After our St. Louis adventure we pushed on to AR for the long awaited visit with my grandparents. We had hoped to go down for a visit this summer but Grandpa's health was too poor for us to make the trip. Finally he was feeling better and was up for some company so we jumped at the chance to visit. The girls had been praying all summer for their Great Grandpa W. to get better but they really didn't know who he was. The last time they had seen him they were babies! The girls were so excited to finally be able to see him and Anna. It was great. I was so happy to see him as well. It had been about four years since I last saw him. He hasn't changed a bit and I love it. He is older sure, but he is still Grandpa. When I called to tell him we were almost there I could tell he was just so happy and told me to get over there now. Our visit was short, just a few hours. We sat at his kitchen table and visited for awhile then the kids and Kermit went out back and played. Anna made a delicious lunch for us. We visited some more then we headed out. Short and sweet but oh so worth the effort to be there. I love my Grandpa and Anna. I was so glad I got to take my family to visit.

Catch Up Post - December 2009 Adventures!

Before I can post spring pictures....let me post these winter ones! One of these days I'll be better at keeping this blog up to date....for now it's me playing catch-up! Enjoy our flashbacks!

Every year for December we have a little wooden advent calendar with little doors that count down to Christmas. Behind each door of the calender is a note inside that reveals a special something that we get to do as a family. Sometimes the advent calender will send us somewhere exciting like Navy Pier Winter Wonderland, other days we get to decorate candy houses. Sometimes we get a new Christmas book to read. Every day is exciting as the kids pull out the note that tells them what fun thing they get to do for the day. Here are some pictures we took from some of advent calendar outings. Good times!

I took the kids and hopped on the EL train. Three stops later we were at Kermit's NEW office building! We met up with dad and had a lunch date to remember! 42nd floor!

December would just not be complete without a visit to Navy Pier's Winter Wonderland. Loving the little Ferris Wheel!

We went to see CSO's Welcome Yule! Fun! The girls primary teacher sings professionally and is a member of the CSO choir. It was fun to get dressed up all fancy and to see their teacher perform. (Fun extra tidbit...during intermission a youth orchestra was performing in one of the ball room lobby areas. Addie started to dance and twirl to the music totally uninhibited. Soon the other two joined in as well and they all just stole the show! It was too cute! Oh how I wish I had video! I knew then that I needed to get them signed up for a dance class!)

We visited the Botanic Gardens. You'd think that there wouldn't be much to see or do in the winter....but what a fun place any time of year. They have an elaborate indoor exhibit of little trains traveling all throughout villages made of tree bark and all kinds of woodland plants. So cute! They also had a variety of fun activities for the kids to do as well. Love that place!

Can't forget Rain forest Cafe!

Took the girlies to the Art Institute. They did pretty good. (Lost Addie for a good five minutes! Now that was the worst feeling ever! Luckily she was wearing bright pink and was easily spotted clear across the other side of the museum. Whew!)

PUMP IT UP!

Guess who was the star of the kindergarten class play? Great performance Annaliese!

That's about it for now! Next we'll be skipping to February. Come back soon!

Ice Skating

When my sister Erin was here visiting a few weeks ago we headed downtown to take the little ones for their first shot at ice skating. We thought that having 3 adults to 3 children would be just what it would take to pull off this adventure.



So we were wrong. If we go again anytime soon, we'll know that we need 2 adults for each child.

Not only did we have a good time but our biceps got a nice work out. Whew! The girls did great! If we had had more time they would have been able to go around with just one person helping. Guess we'll have to get Erin back out here for another visit!

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas

These past few weeks....wow! They have been full! Full of activities, service, shopping, stress, pink eye, fun, excitement, sadness, love, repeat....(except the pink eye part).

We've been busy with school programs and parties, church service and festive family outings. I don't remember a Christmas ever being as full as this year. I'm finally finished with our church giving tree project. Also our family has been busy supporting a family from church who tragically lost their son last week. We've recovered from a house full of runny noses and goopy eyes. Add to that some of our family traditions such as Zoo Lights, Wonderland Express and CSO Welcome Yule...there you have a FULL December. Christmas cards may or may not make it out this year, but I did get some cute pics of the kids in case they do. Whew...Christmas is in two days...what should I get Kermit? Any suggestions? =)

Guess who's coming to dinner!

Byron and Co...that's who! My brother Byron drove his family up from Texas to spend THanksgiving with us! We had such a fun time! THANKS FOR MAKING THE TRIP! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!



Above is all of us sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner. Pie would come later...and it was then that we realized my pumpkin pies from Costco needed to be refridgerated. Oops, ours had been on the counter for a few days. Tammy and I whipped up 2 pies from scratch in 20 minutes. They turned out awesome! Our apple pie was great too! Tammy, we are dangerous together!


Above: All the kids lined up in fromt of Portillo's.

We spent one of our days at the Museum of Science and Industry. We loved seeing the German Uboat and the model trains. I love this time of year when they have the hall of Christams Trees from around the world.
Below: The Links, what a great family they are~


Below: Here we are. (This picture is our only family shot in months. I better get on the stick or this picture will be our only option for Christmas cards....I mean New Years Cards by the time we get them out.)


Below: THE German Uboat

Below: Greyson towering over Chicago


We spent one of the days at the Field Museum. You can't come to visit us without seeing dinosaur bones! Good Times!
All of us in front of Sue the T-Rex.

Field Museum. View from 2nd level

Above: Dino bones

Above: Brynna

Above: Avrie

Above: After the museum we went to Starfruit for some frozen keiffer. Note, if you ever go there I recommend getting a berry smoothie b/c it tastes like a berry smoothie. =)

I couldn't resist this picture of Maggie. Her face says it all. Turns out that frozen keifer wasn't a huge hit. My favorite comment was from Caden who said, "I don't think mine is vanilla." At least the toppings were good! =) (Kieffer is sour...and for some vanilla and sour don't mix well I guess.)

The entire time they were here the kids just played and played the entire time! Every now and then they'd come away from their play for food or something. =) Our "playcave" was in use constantly. The older boys loved playing fooseball....we also had some nailbiter rounds of Chinese Checkers. Greyson has some good moves!
above: Greyson and Caden

above: Brynna and Annaliese

above: Addie and Maggie

Below: Annaliese saying goodbye to cousins! We love you all!

We can't wait to see you again! We loved having you here! Let's do it again real soon! WE LOVE YOU GUYS! xoxox