Hand Print Trees

Erin and Ashleigh have been bring home a lot of art projects for Christmas time.  Their teacher has managed to make things like trees, candy canes, gingerbread men, and snowmen.  All covered in glitter,of course.

They made these cute trees out of their hand prints.  

I opened Ashleigh's first and thought, "What a cute palm tree!"

 Then I opened Erin's and thought, "What a cute Christmas tree!"

 I then read the little poem:

My hand print made this Christmas tree,

To show how much you mean to me.

So Merry Christmas from me to you,

With lots of love the whole year through!

I love how each of their projects is theirs.  They are so similar but so different too.  I love my girls.

Bowling

 Erin and Ashleigh have a good time riding the bus.  When they first rode, they complained about how loud it was.  I can only imagine.  They have made some friends in the neighborhood from the bus ride.One of those friends is Mariana.  She is a sweet girl and very kind.  They were excited to bring home an invitation to her birthday party.  Which was followed by questions like, "When are we going to have our birthday party?" (I skipped a friend party this year.)

Mariana's party was at the bowling lanes.  They were excited, but also a little nervous because they hadn't bowled before (well, only in P.E. with light balls and plastic pins and on the Wii).

 Ashleigh trying out bowling.

 Ashleigh with Mariana.

 Erin giving it a try!

 Ashleigh and Erin sitting on the computer score table.

The final scores: Erin 52 and Ashleigh 67.  

They had fun with glow sticks, pizza, cake and most of all bowling!

Champion

 Wes has loved playing roller hockey.  Erin and Ashleigh (and Kara and Janiel) don't really love going to the games.  Although, they do have a park close by that they can play at.  Sometimes, I make them sit, so I can watch the game.

Ashleigh and her self portrait.

 

Silly Erin

 Wes' team did really well this year.  He had a great coach with a great name: Wes.  He teaches skills and drills.  Wes had him his first season here, but they had a bummer of a goalie and kind of a sad team.  I don't think they won many games (if any).  So this season has been fun. The boys are getting to be better players and it is exciting to watch.  Wes scores at least 2 goals each game.  He is a top player for his team.

BANTAM	WINS	LOSSES	TIES	POINTS
ICECAPS	5	2	2	12
BULLDOGS	4	4	1	9
AMERICANS	3	4	2	8
SOUND TIGERS	3	5	1	7

There were some games that were pretty evenly matched.

Wes scoring a goal!

 Getting ready for a face-off.

 Wes is on a champion team!  They played good games and played fair! What good boys.

 The final score: 7 to 5.  Wes said that two of their goals were tipped in by accident by his team.

 The team lining up for awards.

 Wes shaking his coach's hand.  The assistant coach will put on the medal.

 This year, instead of giving everyone trophies, they decided to give the teams who won a play-off game a medal.  Then the team that won the championship would get a hoodie.  It was different but Wes was glad that he won!

Wesley modeling his championship hoodie!

Wesley also continues to help with a hockey camp once a week.  This week he has gone every day for 4 hours to help.  The man in charge of the camps was a scouter for the Boston Bruins.  He loves hockey, loves teaching skills, but is getting old in age.  So he has Wes assist him and help the kids in the camps.  Wes loves to do this (plus a little money doesn't hurt!).  He has seen great improvement in some of the kids.  He feels rewarded when they improve!  We are proud of our hockey player.  It will be interesting to see if he wants to play ice hockey when we return back West.  He thinks he likes roller better than ice right now.

Happy Birthday 6 Year-Olds!

Where has the time gone?  It seems like it was just yesterday that we brought home these bundles of joy!

Can you tell who is who?  I can tell by the noses.  Erin is on the left, Ashleigh on the right.

It was snugly in the car.  We sold our Montero and bought the Suburban this same week.  That was the only way we could fit all four kids plus the much needed double stroller.

Any way, back to the current birthday girls.  They have grown so much.  They are loving school and learning a lot.  

Ashleigh and her doll cake. Her favorite color is red.  Pink is her second choice.

 Erin and her doll cake.  Can you tell green is her favorite color?

 The best friends.  It has been fun to see how they are so different.  They look different, act different, and are learning differently. But they are still the best of friends.

 Of course, I had to make the other girls a doll too.  So here is the ball of cake dolls.  Brent, Wesley and I had just egg-shaped cakes.

We went to CiCi's Pizza for dinner, then home for presents and cake.

Erin and Ashleigh were spoiled!!!

Grandma and Grandpa Breinholt sent art sets (perfect match for the new easel) and puzzles.

 Ashleigh standing by her new easel.  Grandma and Grandpa Prime sent Crayola story sets, nail polish and a book!

 Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

 Ashleigh tried out her new easel.

 Erin wanted a puppy that played and a puppy that walked for Christmas.  Both puppies are expensive.  I was lucky to get a deal on the playful puppy on Black Friday.  So that is what Erin got for her birthday.  (She got a mini walking puppy for Christmas.)

 Ashleigh opening her present.

 Ashleigh loves horses.  So when I found this huge horse book, I knew she needed it.  It will be fun to read all about the different horses!

They loved all the presents from Barbies to books to dogs to art and easels.

Erin and Ashleigh, we are so glad that you wanted to come to our house and that you had to come together. We wouldn't have it any other way!

D.A.R.E. Graduation

Janiel has been working on the DARE program for the last 8 weeks (I think).  She has learned all about drugs, alcohol, smoking, and peer pressure.  She worked really hard.  

She was excited to make a poster with the hope of winning and having it displayed.  She was disappointed when her poster didn't win.  

She worked really hard writing an essay about what she learned.  She tried so hard and wanted to win that contest too.  The winner would read their essay at graduation.  She was disappointed when her essay didn't win.  

Brent had the day off of clinical, so he came with me to the graduation.  He wondered why this was such a big deal.  Not sure why either, other than some parents don't teach their kids to stay away from these things and they are proud of their kids when they promise to resist drugs and violence.

We sat and listened to the essays and other speeches.  Some kids spoke of not being too harsh on your parents if they smoke.  Some said they would stay away from tobacco and drink responsibly when they were 21.  Others promised never to do these things.

Then they announced that there was a special DARE award given to the students (one in each class) who showed the most care and helped other students.  The Outstanding Student Award.  Only the police officer who taught the class knew who would be the winner of this award.  My heart just about burst when they announced that Janiel won it for her class.  

To me, this award is better than any poster or essay.  

I hope Janiel knows this too.

Branch Christmas Party

We had a fun Branch Christmas Party.  We had hay rides, crafts, dinner, a tacky sweater contest, a program and nativity and Santa.  I still need to track down some better pictures of the Nativity.  I'll post that later.

Kara and Ashleigh putting together a wreath.

Kara was one of the first in line to see Santa.  She was excited to see him.  She told him that she wanted a Polly Pocket swimming pool.

Erin said she would only sit of Santa's lap if he came to the church party.  Her wish was a walking dog.

Ashleigh told Santa that she wanted a unicorn (her previous wish was a horse).  Santa told her that Mrs. Claus likes unicorns too!  (I'll have to ask her...she is one of my counselors in Primary.)

Janiel wasn't sure what she wanted, so Santa said he would surprise her.  Doesn't Santa have a cute elf?  I told Wes that I should have made him an elf outfit.  This is the second year that he has been Santa's helper. Kind of funny too that he didn't move the goat.  Guess it all adds to the Christmas Spirit!

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas...

We went to Bass Pro Shop to check out their winter wonderland.  The girls were pretty shy to sit on Santa's lap (and he was a real Santa!).  Ashleigh was the only little girl that would.  Brent got to be in the picture so that Kara would too.  

The kids had fun making a craft, looking at all the toys and coloring.  

Kara and Wes

Janiel, Kara, Erin, Ashleigh and Wes

Erin

Ashleigh

Janiel

Ashleigh on Santa's lap

We also decorated a little for Christmas.  We put garland on our mailbox.  I figured the neighbors wouldn't care since both places on either side of us are vacant (thank goodness). We are the only ones that use the mailbox!

This is the tree that the kids decorated.  I sometimes think I would like a tree that is fancy.  But the kids love to decorate and redecorate.  So that is the kind of tree that we have.  Each ornament brings some sort of memory--made at school, church, given by a friend or loved one, ones that coordinate with a Christmas book (a tradition of my parents), and ones that I got from an ornament exchange. This poor tree is crammed into the only space available in our house now. 

Brent decided that he wanted to attempt putting lights on our palm trees.  He had an adventure of lights going in and out, but he got the job done!  

This is in night mode on the camera!!!