cute kid quote ...

so, Liam asked me why Santa doesn't bring me presents?  then he asked me what I want for Christmas!!

Liam:  what do you want?  another kid?!
me:  no, I think I'm good in that department!  (laughing on the inside - he's so funny)

Buddy the elf - catching up ...

day 9:  Buddy brought goodies to take to the gingerbread house party!

 day 10:  Buddy brought some hats to keep a bit warmer in this cold weather!

 day 11:  some fun crafts and some fun cookie cutters (we like to use them for sandwiches)!!

 the boys just couldn't wait - they were arting it up before school!

Annicka did hers later and once dry I hung them all on a front window!!
(I guess Buddy forgot Zoey's!  oops)

 day 12:  Buddy did some decorating - lights!!!  pretty!!!

he also brought a super fun toy (that I got on clearance last year - score!)

and some fun things to wear!!!  the little kids love the toy!!

later that night while the boys watched a movie with daddy,

Buddy snuck up and did some decorating in their room!!!
*I have to mention that this has been the most exciting Buddy surprise so far ...
probably because they were not expecting it!  to hear them gasp in awe
when they went up to bed, it really was a treasure in my heart!  Annicka & I giggled
hearing them and all their excitement ... it was so neat*

 

day 13:  Friday was meant to be a special treat ... photos with Santa

and dinner at the mall!  unfortunately one child (ahem, he's 8) suddenly decided

to be a pill, right when we got there!!!  it made for a somewhat

unpleasant outing for this mama on her birthday ... never-the-less I got "my"

Santa pic to treasure forever!  the big kids are over it

with Santa, I guess ... so now my inner debate is can I force them to keep

the tradition or not?  lol

Liam - waiting in line for Santa!!

this was the best!

day 14:  Buddy was late - but brought lots of fun stuff!

pizza to cook, donuts to eat, and some additions for our fish tank!

day 15:  a simple day, Buddy likes to remind the kids of the "reason for the season"!!!

day 16:  another fairly simple day!  

but it took quite a while for him to be found!!!  fun!!!

day 17:  today!!!  

we have some fun in store after school - Buddy brought some new candy melts

to use with our molds!!!  he also brought some home made ice cream!

(Annicka helps - she did the ice cream - thanks Annicka!!)

friday fun & flashback ...

a

 have I mentioned how cold it's been here?

it started last week ... with the VERY cold mornings ... oh yes, I do believe I shared

some photos of our van with icy windows!!!

well - Saturday morning it was about 43 degrees, just before 10am, as 

Jericho and I headed to basketball evaluations!

I was excited with the number he got - it's my favorite!!!

he was doing pretty good, it was nearing 11am when there was an announcement:

"I've just been informed that it's snowing ... if you'd like we can open the door and look" ...

you can see that quickly the lady said, "oh go ahead and go out"!

after a few minutes they brought the kids back in, but let us leave early

so we could go home and play in the snow!

 

the snow lasted less than an hour and didn't make any significant

depth on the ground ... none-the-less, my kids were thrilled!!!

 

(I had called to tell the hubby to get the kids to look out the window! 

they had apparently already been out, but I insisted they come out once more

so I could capture it on video!  after all, it's been something like

fifteen years since it snowed here - it's very rare!!!)

 Sunday we found out which team Jericho would be on - and were told he needed 

some "indoor" shoes just for basketball!  while at Ross shoe shopping, I

found some fun pasta - and made it for dinner that night!!!

 last weekend I actually got four, or was it five?, boxes of craft stuff unpacked!!!

should I be ashamed to admit that I haven't made any progress the rest of the week?  lol!

 our decorations at night!!!

 when I saw this - I knew I had to get it for Liam's chocolate loving teachers!!!

 cold. cold. cold.

I haven't felt this sort of cold for five years!

brrrrrrr!!!!

on monday we went to a fun gingerbread house party, at the home

of one of Liam's little friends from school!

the three older kids made gingerbread houses (I ended up not having Zoey do one,

as they were very unstable and I knew it would just come apart over & over),

ate pizza - and candy, and played!!!  fun times!!!

 Zoey had to be corralled for the inside stuff ...

but got to have a little fun outside!!

and there's our fun & flashback - of the past week!!!

I know I'm behind on our elf's activities - I will update soon!!!

Buddy the elf - day 8 ...

today Buddy brought us some new seasonal dishes and placemats!!!

I love having stuff like this - and adding every few years is fun ... plus the few

items I've had since it was just Annicka are harder to spread out over three kids - lol!

the new dishes inspired a yummy breakfast of pancakes!  

yummy!

Buddy the elf - day 7 ...

I saw the copy idea and really ran with it - I just thought it was too fun!

I stocked up the other day at target ... I've literally been waiting for December so I could go

and buy all the fun Christmas-y snacks they have!  they're perfect as little

treats and such - for school lunches and at home!!  I split all the yummy goodies

into two groups and decided that Buddy should bring them to us!!

so, today he has brought us our first batch!!!

it was fun making a scavenger hunt out of it ... the boys had so much fun finding the

clues and then locating the matching yummy food!!

friday fun & flashback ...

 let's start by flashing back to yesterday!

we have had some very cold weather - in the 30's and even 20's ...

so yesterday morning we woke to find we had icy windows on the vehicles!!!

 Annicka and I ran some errands - so we picked up lunch and got home just in

time to get everything in and then get Zoey off the bus!

bad mommy award: Zoey loves french fries and I even let her have the last sips of my soda!

 here's a real flashback: 2006!

man, how fast the time has gone!!!

 today us girls had a day out!!

Zoey doesn't have school on fridays, so we have much more time to 

get stuff done!  before heading into the mall, I snapped this pic of her and I!!

we were in the most fun candy shop when we began
to hear singing ... there was some sort of little musical group
performing (but they weren't actually singing - lol)!
Zoey enjoyed watching, but she really enjoyed seeing Santa!!!
(we could see him from where we were standing - & every time we pass him she has to see, too)
she's saying "hi Santa" in the video - adorable!!!

 ... and when we got to the school to pick up Liam (Jericho rides his bike)

I snapped this pic!  I love this view!  she's so sweet and precious - sound asleep!!!

 Liam (and Jericho, too) earned a perfect attendance pin!!!

and this was the scene just a bit ago - starting up a 3D movie!

I ended up joining them!!!

Buddy the elf - day 6 ...

 as you can probably guess, thursday was not the best!

I want Buddy the elf to be a fun thing through the month of December,

but I realized that he has to truly play conscience and re-enforcer - 

not just the guy who keeps bringing presents and such despite yucky behavior!

update: they both had great days at school - so while they were distracted Buddy moved

and a little surprise came with him!!!  the kids really enjoyed the hot cocoa!

the most awesome quote

it's been so long since I've shared a fun quote!  hopefully I can get back on track with those - cause my kids definitely still keep me rolling with the things they say!!!

me: what do you think we should get your teachers for Christmas?
Liam: I don't know
me: well, what do they like
Liam: they like candy
me: they do!! how do you know?
Liam: I heard them say it, not talking to me ...
me: oh yah! what did they say?
Liam: they said they like chocolate and that's how they survive!!! 

 I love it!!!

Buddy the elf - day 5 ...

yesterday was so big - Buddy needed to pull back a bit!

also, I wanted to be sure that he does acknowledge the true reason/meaning of Christmas!

Buddy the elf - day 4 ...

I think Buddy's note pretty much says it all!!

 

I know!!!

it seems like so much - trust me, though, the kids aren't going to be "gifted"

like this every day leading up to Christmas!  it's just that I put

aside some of the more practical - as well as just fun little stuff - items that I

have been purchasing for just this purpose: our "advent"!!!

today the kids got pajamas, Liam & Zoey got slippers too (I haven't found

any for Jericho, yet), then of course a yummy treat, some fun tattoos, 

and a book I can't wait to read to them!!!