American Pyes

We were feeling festive for New Years Eve this year so we decided that we would invite some people over for a big party.  Unfortunately, we started getting sick in the middle of the week so we decided maybe that wasn't a very good idea.  Luckily, everyone was healthy again by the time new years eve hit but by then it was too late to invite people over so we decided to have a party with just our family.  We asked the kids what treats they wanted and we went to the store and bought everything they said.  We decided to go with a Superman theme.  We started out by everyone making their own pizzas (Richard was proud of his super pizza).  Then we enjoyed our orange sodas in bottles (apparently the bottles make it more special).  We made up our buffet table of cookies, cream puffs, veggies, jello, chips and other junk and then we watched the first two Superman movies.  Our jello was supposed to represent kryptonite.  Then we toasted in the new year with sparkling cider.  Everyone except Sarah and mummy made it to midnight.  We all had a lot of fun and we were glad that we decided to make it only a family thing.

Christmas day at Nana and Papaw's house is always so exciting.  Most of the cousins were there.  Everyone had a great day.  This year Christmas fell on Sunday so we opened gifts nice and early in the morning and then we headed to church for a special sacrament meeting where almost all of the adults in our family participated in the program.  Nana and I were left to keep all of these kids quiet during the program.  There were all very good for the most part.

We trade families who we give gifts to each year for Christmas.  This year we had my brother Don's family.  Since I have discovered my love for woodworking this year I thought I would attempt to make something for them.  It was a little difficult since I am getting big with this pregnancy but I was determined to finish.  I also left it a little late but I wasn't going to let that stop me.  I was really happy with how these adirondack chairs turned out.  I had fun painting them in their favorite colors and personalizing them for them.  We also gave them marshmallows and roasting sticks since these are meant to go around their fire pit.  My kids were pretty jealous of them.  I had them test the chairs for me and they all said they wanted me to make them one.  I don't think that's going to happen- they weren't too hard to make but I certainly don't feel up to starting anymore of them.

After we finished riding Trinity we headed to Jeremy's classroom to help out with his Christmas party.  The kids made kits to decorate their snowman.  It was a lot of fun seeing Jeremy in his class.

Ever since Richard took Sarah on the pony ride back in July she has been begging to ride a big horse.  I've been searching for some stables that would let someone as small as her to ride and it turns out that my visiting teaching companion actually has a horse.  Actually, it's her daughters horse so when she came back in town from college she was more than happy to give Sarah a ride.  I really thought Sarah would get scared and not actually do it but she was completely at ease and loved every minute of it.  She even helped brush and feed Trinity.  We printed off this picture and framed it for her bedroom.

This is the first time that Rachel and Hannah performed in the same piano recital.  They both did really well.  We are very proud of them and how hard that work.  Their piano teacher is continually amazed that they actually practice every day.

Rachel had to make pizzells to take to school for a project.  She did the whole thing from start to finish by herself.  I just supervised and taste tested them as she worked.

This is the only picture I have from our ward christmas party.  The had a little photo booth set up with props so we caught this silly picture of the kids.  Before the party we went out to eat at a chinese buffet which turned out to be a big mistake.  By the end of the party all of the kids felt sick to the stomachs.  Someone took their pictures on santa's lap but I never got a copy of them.  The party ended up being pretty miserable for the kids since they felt like puking the whole time (we had to stay because I was helping out with the refreshments).

Ever since we got back from the beach Jeremy has been asking me to help him make a locket out of two shells he brought back with him.  He chose a picture of Avery and a picture of the two of them together to put in it.  We had lots of fun with them at the beach and we sure do miss them.

When I came into the kitchen I found Sarah feeding her horses some of her popcorn.  I thought it was just too cute.

We hosted the preschool christmas party at our house.  I forgot to take any pictures during it so I took a few of Sarah with the things she did afterwards.  It was a great party.  We made gingerbread houses, decorated sugar cookies, made ornaments for the trees, played games and watched christmas movies.  Sarah loved having all of her friends over to play.

We have been having so much fun with Sarah's little preschool.  Wednesday is our favorite day of the week.  Every six weeks we have it at our house.  We always start with a little bit of free play and the kids love putting the train tracks together.  This week we had the letter N- so for an activity I blindfolded all the kids and I had them use their noses to try to guess what some things were.  They had a hard time keeping their blindfolds on.  They are so cute.