More Holiday Festivities

I can't get enough of all the fun holiday festivities! So much fun!

So we went to see Childs Play Theater do the play "Junie B: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells." I wasn't too sure what to think but was pleasently suprised by how funny it was!! We got the kids elf hats just like Junie B's. They were adorable!

Every year we make gingerbread houses.....

And today it was overcast and cold, so we did a little extra baking and this fun craft. We made Christmas trees out of waffle cones, frosting, and candy. The kids had a blast making them and eating them!

DONE, DONE, DONE!

I finished my very last class! And I finished with a perfect straight A grade point average. A couple of days ago I found out that I passed my state certification exam! I am ready to start my internship in January. As nervous as I am, I actually think I am going to have a lot of fun.

Scott finished his first semester in his Master's program too. He's a smarty pants.

Baking Christmas Cookies

One afternoon last week we baked cookies together. It was super fun and we ended up with 19 dozen cookies. And the kids have been eating them so fast that I think we will have to bake more sugar cookies!

It ain't Christmas 'till the hippo sings......

I asked Scott what he wanted for Christmas and this is what he sent me.

But I can't find a coupon!

So proud of our boy......

So I know I am biased, but I think Kyler is incredibly intelligent! Today he came in 1st place in the spelling bee. I am so proud! You should have heard some of the words he had to spell: warp, prowl, tough, etc, etc. Don't those seem kinda hard for a 1st grader? I thought so, but he prooved me wrong! His teacher actually called me tonight to tell me how cute Kyler was. She said that after he won he said "I knew I would win. I studied." So he was on the phone with his granma this evening to tell her about his win. And bam- his tooth fell out. It is the first tooth he has lost! So exciting since he has been so anxious for this day! (He did give me a lesson about the difference between "tooth" and "teeth.") Looks like the tooth (not teeth) fairy is on her way to our house!

We just love the big boy that our Kyler has become!

Visiting Santa

We took the kids to see Santa last weekend. All 3 girls asked for DSIs (yikes!) and Kyler asked for a telescope. I just love how happy and cute my kiddos are!Laynee (who had a quite a long conversation with Santa!)....

Makenzie.....

Danika....

Kyler....

Poor Laynee :(

So I was grocery shopping yesterday while the kids were in school when I got a phone call. Laynee's school. It was her teacher and she said something like "Laynee fell and hurt her head. There is blood gushing everywhere. You need to come!" Yikes!!! About 2 seconds later, I get another call from her school. It went something like this: "I am an assistant at the school. I am calling for the nurse. Her head is gushing blood. She can't talk to you because she can't take her hand away from Laynee's head. Come quick!" Double yikes!!! So I abandon my cart and we rush ourselves over to her school. He run to the nurse's office where she is laying down screaming bloody murder. She saw us come in and she stopped screaming and said "I made you a present." And then she was right back to screaming.

Off to urgent care we went. (We thought about taking her to the ER. But she never lost consciousness or had a seizure. Plus hospital copays, even when you work there, are outrageous!) The nurse was pretty certain that she needed stitches. But after a lot of examination, the doctor said stitches would not be good for her. They use stitches when it is more of a straight across the head injury. Her injury is more like a puncture wound. So he worked very carefully to put skin where it belonged and then used butterfly bandages to close it. She screamed. And it took quite a while for the bleading to stop.

Her teacher called last night. She said that Laynee was just walking and fell (there was nothing there to trip over) and landed her head on a screw in the bookshelf.

Scott says I am overly sensitive. But he thinks like a nurse and I think like a mom. Big difference. The good news is that she is gonna be just fine. The bad news is that it looks terrible! Here is what it looks like this morning...

And she goes back to the doctor tomorrow where I am certain they will make her scream again. Sigh.

And to think, her black eye JUST healed from when she fell down the stairs (onto tile) on Thanksgiving. (That was so bad, it took a while before Scott ruled out a fracture. When Scott gets worried, you know something is wrong. We were almost off to the ER that day too!)

So Laynee is off to school this morning. And can you believe it is her last day of school before winter break?! I love her but three and a half weeks seems a bit much. :)

Dear Santa

The kids wrote their letter to Santa today and they are precious!!! Laynee told Scott what to write so that is why her's is spelled right. With the others, I left all the mistakes!

Dear Santa,
Christmas is today. I would like a DSI. I have been a good girl. Santa I love you. Next time will you stay for Christmas?
Love,
Laynee

Dear Santa,
I ben A Gud Grl. I ben wisheng for a DeeSi for Christmas. I luv Santa!
Luv,
Danika

dear Santa,
I wld wont a dsi and I wld like good presints. I have been a good girl.
Love,
Makenzie

Dear Santa,
I wish for a telescope. I ben very good. have a happy Christmas. how or you doing Santa? Is the north pole big or little? how or your elfs and mis claus doing to? I love Christmas Santa. It's the best holidy ever. I love you Santa.
Love,
Kyler

New Car

We went car shopping yesterday- with ALL the kids. It seemed like a recipe for disaster! But instead it turned out to be the easiest and quickest car buying experience I have ever had! And in the end we paid less than we had planned and got a nicer car that we had planned! Can't beat that! Plus it only took 2 hours! Yup, you read that right!!! Scott had been working online and over the phone all week, and he actually made good on every offer he made. That has never happened before!
It is a deep gray 2010 Hyundai Accent (the same type of car he crashed!). But this one is newer, less miles, power windows and locks, cruise controll and a 4 door instead of a hatchback. I love it! And it's a good thing because I will be driving it Monday-Friday starting in January. I will be student teaching!

The kids were amazing during the car buying. We were at the dealership for only a half hour (which they spent playing in the dirt) before we left to talk and have lunch. We agreed to happy meals. The toy inside kept them busy for the other hour and a half. The dealership even let us sign the paperwork in a board room so their was room for all the kids. As we left the dealership, Kyler said "Thanks for letting us go car shopping! It was the best day ever!"

Family Christmas Portraits

Here are our family Christmas pictures!!! Aren't they fun?!

I just LOVE these cute kids!