Post Christmas

We've been enjoying our open schedule with Greg off work this week--seeing family and friends, doing a little shopping, and just hanging out at home playing with new toys.

Greg tells me this Lincoln log house in progress was amazing when it was finished (photo by Kari), but when he went to grab the camera, Joel destroyed it.

Destroying the gingerbread house. Doesn't Kari look scared?

Pretty tasty

We like candy!

Arnold Family Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Our Little Angel

Kari was very proud to be an angel in the Christmas play today at church. She did NOT want to do it last year but was brave and determined to be in it this year and did a great job up there.

In all the angel chaos, she ended up in the back row behind some tall older girls. You can't see her in the video (through no fault of our talented videographer). This is the best shot we got of her, and Greg worked hard to get this one photo. Kari didn't do any of the motions, but she sang the songs and did a nice little bow at the end. :) The annual Christmas play is always so much fun to watch. It's even better when your kid is in it.

Yes, Greg, too

I don't think there was any way for him to avoid it. Greg came home early from work today with the same nasty flu bug that has plagued various members of our family for the past 2 weeks. What a great way to start his Christmas vacation time. Hopefully, we'll be done with it soon!

Moffat Christmas

In spite of sicknesses and all, we managed to have a very pleasant early Christmas with the Moffat side Thursday night.

Notice that in this picture not one of the kids is actually looking at the book Grandma is reading. She really did hold their attention for quite a while. I just happened to capture an "everybody look away" moment.

Singing "Away in a Manger"

opening stockings

Opening presents from G&G

Crazy riding times

Face Plant

It's a good thing I did Kari's birthday blog in the morning on Monday because the day went downhill from there. When Greg got home I was laying on the couch, and so he decided to take the kids for a walk in the rain. Well, about 10 minutes later, they walked back through the door. Joel was drenched from head to toe, and his face was a mess from doing a face plant in a puddle on the concrete.

The kids zoning on the couch while watching Veggie Tales "Lord of the Beans" after bath time.

This photo doesn't do the scrapes justice, but it gives you the idea. Our Christmas photos will be lovely.

Happy 4th Birthday, Kari!

Kari Lynn, it’s hard to believe that it was four whole years ago that you made your rather dramatic blue-faced entrance into this world. We didn’t get to hold you until 17 hours after you were born, which was just torture. Our first pictures of you all look a lot like this one because you had to be in the baby nursery.


You were such a cute little peanut. We were so happy to take you home after 5 days of you being in the hospital.


Not too many happy photos of you from those first few months. You didn’t really seem to like being a little baby (too gassy, perhaps?), but since then, we’ve seen many, many smiles.
Here are some of my favorites from your first four years of life:


(double-click to see them bigger)

You’re a great big sister to Joel, and I know you’ll be a wonderful big sister to Aubrey. Your determined little spirit keeps us on our toes. You've brought all kinds of excitement and joy into our lives. We’re so proud of you and the big girl you’re becoming. Happy Birthday, Kari! We love you very much!

Fun Bed Times

We haven't had any good blogging material this week since Kari's party. Two of us have had the stomach flu, and one of us has a sinus infection (Kari--not me this time). So, we've just been hanging out at home and doing lots of laundry.

We have, however, in the middle of all this, been transitioning Joel from the crib to the big boy bed. It's been more of a process than it was when we moved Kari. She never got out of her bed once. It was as if she didn't know she could. She would call for us to come get her out. Joel has been the complete opposite. The first night we tried him in the bottom bunk, he came out 35 times (yes, we kept tally marks), and after two hours of trying everything we could think of to get him to stay, we gave up and put him in his crib. Turns out, that's what we should have done to start with because he was very upset about not getting to sleep in Kari's bed. It's been a little over a week, and we've had three successful nights in a row of Joel staying in his bed, so I think it's fairly safe to say, the transition is complete. He still naps in his crib, though. Before Aubrey comes, we'll have to figure that one out, but this works best for now. The kids love sleeping in the same room. They go to sleep a little later than they did when they were in separate rooms--just having too much fun--but it's ok because now they play together in their room in the wee hours of the morning (both are very early risers), giving me a little more time.

A Tree Birthday

On Saturday afternoon we celebrated Kari's 4th birthday. (We had to celebrate a couple weeks early in order for all her cousins to be able to attend.) The tree theme was a Kari original. She's been talking about her "tree birthday" since August, even before we went to her cousins' birthday parties in September. We still have no idea where she came up with this theme, and I asked repeatedly if she was sure that's what she wanted. I gave several other suggestions, considering she loves the Disney princesses, particularly Cinderella, but no, it had to be a tree birthday, as in apple tree, not Christmas tree. So, we worked hard to make her "tree" birthday special for her, and I have to say, I think we succeeded.

She LOVED her cake. She watched me make it and made sure I did everything just the way she wanted. She told me it was perfect! :)

She LOVED the balloon apple tree Greg and I made during nap time on Saturday. She squealed with delight when she saw it. She was so funny!

She LOVED having all her cousins and family there--both her Arnold family and her Moffat family. Of course, we had to get another cousin couch photo.

And she LOVED her presents. You know a girl is excited when she is ecstatic about the batteries she opens before she opens the camera they go in. In fact, there wasn't really anything Kari didn't love about this birthday, and that made this mommy very happy. It was so much fun to watch her enjoy her party.

We saw this expression a lot on Saturday!

Joel was busy taking care of the wrapping during the present opening. He'd pick it up saying, "Gaw-bage," and take it to the kitchen.

We had a lot of people crammed in our little house! Kari doesn't know yet how blessed she is to have so many wonderful family members close by who love her, but we do. Thanks so much to all of you who came to her party, gave her gifts, and made her 4th birthday a special one.

"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"

I get several requests a day (mostly from Joel) to watch "Hippo." Uncle Ryan introduced our children to this little YouTube gem a few weeks ago, and they absolutely love it. Kari can sing along pretty well now.

This is the first version we saw and Joel's favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtqIM_bPTws

But here's the version Greg and I prefer and recommend if you're going to watch one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKLZxv6wA78&feature=related
Enjoy!

Snow and Zoolights

So pretty--too bad it didn't stick

We braved the cold and the rain and went Zoolights on Saturday with Grandpa & Grandma and Uncle Ryan & Aunt Michelle. The rain became a bit of a downpour on the drive there, and we considered turning around and going home, but because a certain little girl would have been devestated at missing Zoolights, we decided to persevere. It was worth it. It really was fun.

Here we are on the zoo train.

So glad we cleaned our carpets last weekend...

...so that Kari would have fresh carpet to throw up all over. Greg called last night from the airport after returning home from another business trip (welcome home, my love!), and all I could think to say in my half-asleep, exhausted stupor was,"Kari threw up." Apparently it was just a one day thing because she's feeling better today.

We are all very happy to have Daddy home, and right now we're watching the snow fall outside our windows. Kari's been anxiously awaiting the first snowfall, and while I don't believe it will stick, I'm happy that she's getting to see her "winter snow." It's not always a guaranteed happening here in Gresham, OR.

Gingerbread

My Grandma Arnold makes her own gingerbread houses every year, and last year she made one with Kari when they were here visiting. I decided to attempt it this year with her recipe and direction. It was a lot of work, but here's the finished product. Thanks for all the help, Grandma. The kids loved it.

Kari did great and was really into it. Joel made things a little more complicated. I don't think gingerbread house making is an ideal activity for a 22 month old. There are several things in this whole process that I will do differently next year. :) This was my practice year.

Greg, Kari turned the little ones around because she wanted you to see the backs and how the one on the left looks like a face.

It's Christmas time!

And now I can "legally" listen to Christmas music in our home! (Greg caught me breaking that house-rule a couple weeks ago.)

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we went and got our tree. It was a perfect day for it--cold and dry.

Family Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving with the "Miller" family (Greg's mom's side of the family). I guess we only took pictures of the kids. You can see all of us adults in the background of the first one. We enjoyed some good food and had some time to catch up with family we don't get to see very often. Thanks to all who worked so hard to put it all together!

Thanksgiving

Here are the things Kari was thankful for on one particular morning this last week. We really do have so much to be thankful for, and I'm sure if we wrote them all down, there wouldn't be enough room on the page.

Have a very happy Thanksgiving!