The Hess Family: November 2010

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Zoo Pals

Giraffes

Monorail

I think the monorail was one of the biggest highlights for the kids. The giraffes were really amazing as well. We got to be really close to them. Jake would get really excited and say, "The giraffes are coming!" whenever they started walking our way.

Elephants

The kids loved slapping this elephant back end. It would make all kinds of noice anytime you hit it.

Jake loved the fish. He must take after his daddy.

Goats

Luke spotted some sheep! His favorite!

We had a great time today at the Dallas Zoo. Our friends from a couple towns over invited us to go with them. It was dollar day and I was really nervous since last time we went on dollar day it was ridiculously packed. Today the weather was perfect in the 70s and it was busy, but by no means unenjoyable. The kids had a great time!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Gingerbread House and Train

Last year I went to the trouble of making our gingerbread house from scratch. This year, I wasn't willing to make a full week project of it. So I bought the easy kits and we got to work. Jake just wanted to eat all the candy- it was a trick trying to keep him out of the room while the big kids worked. They may not be as fancy as the originals, but they still looked cute. Next year I may try to atleast make my own frosting so it won't be quite so droopy!

piano studio

This is my piano studio. It doesn't look much different from the last house, but functions just as well. It's been a busy week with lessons. I had a group lesson/practice recital at my house last week and then we had our Christmas Recital at the church on Friday night. Cade and Cass are doing great. I was so busy talking to parents and taking pictures with my other students, I forgot to take pictures of my own kids! Cade played Christmas Parade and Jingle Bells and Cassidy played Rain, Rain and Angels We Have Heard on High. It was a success! My only concern was that we ran out of refreshments at the end. Hopefully everyone got atleast one helping. I am so blessed to be able to teach these lessons. Thank goodness for my parents who were determined to make me play until I was 18!

Christmas Sticker Chore Charts

With the move and the pregnancy, my fun chore charts have gone by the wayside. The kids have been really happy with these simple ones the past couple weeks. After Christmas last year I found a whole bunch of Christmas stickers on a super dooper clearance. I forgot about them until we were unpacking some of our Christmas decorations a couple weeks ago. They have loved sticking these on the hand written charts when they finish their jobs. Jake's even getting into it. It's helped our sleep at night as well. Staying in bed for the night is a box on both Luke and Jake's charts. I think Luke's new Star Wars sheets were a good incentive as well. Hopefully we can keep that up the good sleeping this week.

Good lookin' fellas

Here Cade is snuggled up to Warren in his new birthday clothes from Auntie Dee- so darling! She always picks out the cutest things. I'm guessing they are either playing "Angry Birds" or "Papaya Farm." Those are the kids' 2 favorite games to play with Warren on his phone. For FHE this week we played Hide and Go Seek for the activity. When Cassidy was counting she found the boys hiding with Warren in the attic. I heard them complain as they were coming out of hiding, "Cassidy! We were just about to start playing Angry Birds!" :)
We've had a lot of fun playing more games as a family. I think Hide and Go Seek was definitely the favorite, but we've also had several Monopoly tournaments on Sundays that have been fun as well. That is, until someone doesn't win and goes off crying at the end. I think we'll trying something shorter and less dramatic today.

Luke's feast

Each of the kids had a Thanksgiving activity/party at their school.

Cassidy's class had a chili cook off. I had to miss it because of fevered boys. But by the end of the week we were healthy enough to participate in the other things.

Cade had Pumpkin day where everyone brough pumpkin treats: cakes, pies, cookies, bread, etc. and the kids got to taste everything. Jake was pretty popular in Cade's class. Luke wondered why we didn't get to play any pumpkin games. :)

Luke's preschool had Thanksgiving Feast. The kids performed some songs dressed as pilgrims and indians and then we had a potluck traditional feast. Jake loves going to Luke's school.

It's been a fun week!

Ball fanatic

Jake will make anything into a soccer goal, football field or basketball hoop. Here he's invented an empty box as a hoop. It will be fun to see what happens with him as he gets older.

More birthday

Since my birthday falls the day after Cade's, it feels like we celebrate for days. My birthday was spent teaching piano lessons and attending soccer games. Cass' team was in the finals. Their team went into overtime and then ended up in a shoot out. They lost by 1 point. Their only loss all season. Of course the girls were devastated and all of them balled the whole way home. But it was really exciting to see them play as tough as they did. We got back to the house pretty late, Luke barely made it into the house before passing out on the floor. We sang a quick happy birthday, and rushed the kids up to bed. After all was quiet, Warren and I enjoyed eating up some of the pumpkin cheesecake he picked up for me. Super tasty!! Last weekend we were supposed to enjoy a birthday date, but the boys got sick. So we went out last night and saw the new Harry Potter movie. LOVED it! Glad we waited a week!

Cade turns 7

7 years old. He is getting to be such a little man now. He's doing great in school and is becoming quite the helper around the house. For his birthday, the little boys and I went over and surprised him for lunch at school. Then for dinner we headed out as a family to the Olive Garden (kind of a duo dinner for he and my birthdays). After that, it was back to the house for presents and cupcakes. We sure love having Cade in our family!

The End of Soccer Season

Cade had snack the week of his birthday and brought chocolate cupcakes for his team.

The kids love playing soccer with Warren during half time. (or "kickball" as Jake calls it)

Cassidy's team party

It's been a fun season. The kids have progressed a ton! Now we're onto basketball.

A grown up haircut

Cass has decided she is over the little girl look and now needs a haircut that involves layers, bangs, blow dryers and hair straighteners. She is growing up so fast!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Help!

Jake and Luke are still getting up multiple times in the night. I just can't take the sleep loss anymore! Any suggestions? I'm considering a padded cell... for me! :)