December fun-part one

December was a busy and fun month. Here is a quick recap:

Ward Christmas Party, December 14th

Harrison and Ellie with Santa (if I actually sent out a Christmas Card this would have been a good choice...)

Ellie spent the entire party asking, "Santa?", "Santa now, Mommy?". She was so excited to see Santa (and not so excited to hear the primary kids sing). Harrison was just excited the ward activities committee served breakfast sausage (he ate 4 or 5 I think). After Santa made his appearance, we got up to sit on Santa's lap and Harrison adamantly refused to come. Ellie and I waited patiently waited in line and shortly before our turn Harrison appeared all smiles. Josh later explained that he told Harrison Santa was giving out candy canes (which was true). I guess you now know how we get our kids to do anything.



Preschool Family Christmas Party, December 15th


We attended a Christmas party with the other four boys from Harrison's co-op preschool and their families. We had a great potluck dinner and decorated gingerbread houses afterward. One of the mom's made from scratch and constructed five houses, one for each family (thanks Janika! I can't believe how much work she put into all those houses). All the families brought a few bags of candy and we decorated the night away. All the boys had fun (dads included). Josh added a satallite dish to our house after seeing licorice cable wiring on one of the other houses (the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality at work).The kids had a blast but eventually tired of the activity which left the adults to finish decorating. the kids took full advantage of their distracted parents and kept disappearing down the hall with bags of candy. On our ride home, Harrison proudly announced that his tummy hurt (all the kids heard, "your tummy is going to hurt if you keep eatting so much candy!" more times than I can count between all five moms). The pictures of the gingerbread house were taking the following day and it didn't take long for Ellie to steal some candy off the house (the temptation was just too great, I guess).

Grandma Lue and Topper arrive, December 18th

"If you don't behave you won't be allowed to stay up to see Grandma and Topper tonight!" That phrase was said that day, A LOT.

Jumping on the bed, December 19th


Grandma Lue showed me these pictures during their visit and I asked her what in the world were the kids doing. She said that the kids were jumping from the rail on Harrison's daybed onto the bed and they assured her mom lets them do this all the time. Uhm, no. Those kids are amazing manipulators (I just have no idea where they get it from). In Grandma Lue's defense, if your grandkids were this cute, wouldn't you let them jump on the bed?

Museum of Science, December 19th

Harrison and Ellie in a real Apollo command module

Topper and Josh join the fun

Harrison out-racing the "running" light-Science in the Park exhibit

Topper and Ellie learning how ice skaters spin-Science in the Park exhibit

On December 19th when ventured out of the house despite the impending storm. We arrived at the nearly empty Museum of Science and were told they would be closing at noon because of the storm. We spent the next two hours exploring the museum for the first time. Harrison says his favorite thing was the space shuttle that he, Ellie, Josh, and Topper played in. Harrison was an absolute riot in there; he was in full character as an astronaut and very busy ordering people what to do the entire time. Ellie liked the swings the most I think (although she was almost half asleep by then). All the kids (Topper included) loved the interactive exhibits, dinosaurs, and escalators. We left the museum (okay, were nearly kicked out the gift shop) shortly after noon and drove home under the ominous storm clouds. Between that afternoon and the following morning we received 16+ inches of snow; Topper and Grandma Lue were quickly reminded why they live in sunny Southern California now. Josh and Topper repeatedly unburied the rental van during that time (thanks mr. snowplow).