Karing for Kids

There is a ministry at our church, started by a family who lost their daughter in a car accident called Karing for Kids. They help kids in the area in several different ways, but one of the biggest things they do is the ANGEL TREE. This year, they helped buy presents for 440 kids (8 gifts each). It is a great ministry and we had lots of fun at the Karing for Kids wrapping party. Nathan got to be Santa this year, and though Garrett and Sami had planned on being Santa's elfs, on the delivery day it was freezing, and I thought it was too cold and icy for them to be out and about. They are looking forward to next year though.

New Gerbils

Garrett went on a walk this summer with Sami and Macy and Uncle Brian to the pet store a couple of blocks away. Ever since that walk he has talked about getting a hamster. We told him that we wanted him to take over feeding the cats, to show us that he'd be ready for a hamster and maybe he could get one for his birthday. Well he is a very responsible little guy and he did a terrific job. So his birthday was coming and he had not mentioned the hamster for a couple of weeks, and I had thought that he had changed his mind.
He didn't!
He decided to use birthday money that he had gotten from Cheesy (GG) Pap to get a hamster. We went to the pet store, and after talking to someone at the store, decided to go with gerbils. (They bite less and are awake during the day, while hamsters are nocturnal) Well, gerbils like to have friends, while hamsters don't so, of course, Garrett did not want his gerbil to be lonely. We needed 2 gerbils. He picked a blonde one and a grey one. We picked out a cage with a wheel and a tunnel and all the supplies we'd need.
Garrett knew right away that the blonde gerbil would be Isaac, after one of his favorite people ever, his 11 year old uncle Isaac! The grey gerbil was trying to escape from his container they sent him home in and Garrett saw some Kung Fu moves, so he named him Master Shifu.
Now our family has 5 kids and 5 pets! (2 cats, 2 gerbils and 1 dog)

Christmas Pictures

Pictures of the kids after they finished decorating the tree.

Ice Storm part 2

Ice Storm

We got the anticipated ice storm early this morning, and have stayed inside warm and cozy. We are fortunate to still have our power, which over 120,000 people in the area were without. Thank goodness, I can't imagine what I'd do with 5 little ones and no electricity. We've had lots of limbs/branches falling throughout the day. Fortunately no damage yet. There are some branches and limbs that look ready to fall at any minute. We will have quite a cleanup when this is all done!

Decorating the Tree

Decorating the tree is always a lot of fun. We let Garrett decide when we would put decorations up, before or after his birthday. With his birthday being in December, we want to make sure that he knows his birthday is still so special. He wanted it up before Christmas, so we slowly started decorating. (It's a little hard to decorate with so many little ones running around, getting into everything, and being mischievous because they know you are busy.) Plus we ran into a slight snag when opening our ornament tote - a water globe had leaked! Wet ornaments, airtight container, 12 months = mold! YUCK!!!! but we saved what we could and decorated away.

It is quite a haphazard looking tree, decorated entirely by a 2 year old, a 3 year old, a 4 year old, a 6 year old and an 8 year old. Nathan did put the final touch on, a star, which now doesn't work :) due to the water globe incidence, but still, we like it.

Build a Bear Birthdays

Happy Birthday Sami and Garrett! We love you!

Our niece, Sami, turned 8 Nov. 27th and our little boy, Garrett, turned 6 on Dec. 7th. So hard to believe that so much time has passed. Both had decided that they wanted to make a build-a-bear for their birthdays. So we all went, even Grandma Theresa, and they both made their bears. Sami made a high school musical bear, of course, and named it Gabriella. Garrett made a koala, dressed like a rollerskating Santa Clause and named it Santa Clause. It was a lot of fun, and Macy is looking forward to making her birthday bear in March, and Sydney in June.

The Palmer Point Birthday Carnival

After watching an episode of Franklin this summer, the kids began talking about and planning a carnival. They all wanted to call it Palmer Point. So they planned and planned and planned. They knew what games they wanted to play, who they would invite, and what kind of cake they wanted. Dylan's birthday is in October, Sami's is in November and Garrett's is in December. We decided to have one big party for the 3 of them.

Headaches, Headaches, Headaches

Well I have come to realize that I must have too many headaches. Lately that has been the topic of discussion between Dylan, Sydney and Macy. I hear alot of the "SHHHHHH! I got headache." Then, "No! I got headache!" "Mommy, Macy sed she got headache!" It's quite funny, but then I think what 2, 3 or 4 year olds do I know besides my own that sit around arguing over who has "the most headache"? It is true that I have had a nonstop headache for several weeks now, but after a follow up at my dr. today found out that I have an ear infection and sinus infection..... Well that might explain it! So hopefully my headaches will be gone soon, and the kids will find something else to discuss.... still it's cute!

Election Day 2008

Garrett, Sami and I went to the polls today so that they could see what voting is all about. They sat so patiently while I voted. (Nathan had already voted) They have a Veterans Day program at school next week and I thought it was important for them to see some of the freedoms we have because of those veterans. They can hardly wait to see who will win.