Beautiful Day in Seattle

For Christmas last year we got a pass to the Pacific Science Center.  We have taken grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and friends to visit.  We have seen the Mars exhibit, Harry Potter Exhibit, been to the Circus, and been mind boggled.  We have seen the butterflies, the dinosaurs, and the many other things the Science Center has to offer.  Our membership expired on December 31st, so on the 30th we went to the Science Center one last time and went around seeing Seattle. 

We missed the Nutcracker this year, but still enjoyed seeing the Nutcracker statues.

In the Science Center Tabatha got to hold a Hissing Coackroach.  Olivia and I just watched.

The butterfly exhibit is always a favorite.

And this is the first time we have gone to the 3D IMAX together.  We saw “Legends of Flight” about the new Boeing plane.  The kids loved it, although the 3D planes seemed to bother Olivia.  She kept swatting the airplanes she saw flying in the air with her hands.  

Christmas

Christmas to me is traditions.  Last year, it was too busy to make matching pajamas for my girls, but this year I was able to make them again.  So Christmas Eve, they opened their pajamas, and they wanted to wear them all day.  As the person who made them, I didn’t mind at all.  

 

My girls look so big with their new MP3 players.  Only they call them iPods. 

We were able to host all of Ken’s family for dinner this year, all 21 of us.  We had to borrow two tables and 13 chairs from friends and family, but it was nice to have all the family together.  Here are all the cousins.

Puppets Please Marionettes

 

Before Christmas we are always busy with good things.  This year, as usual, school brought sing-alongs, but a new tradition was born when Ms. Haines had her whole 3rd grade class make gingerbread houses.  Here is Tabatha proudly displaying her creation.

Then we went to a Marionette show done at the library.  We went last year, and loved it, so we made sure to go again.  The girls giggle and laugh hysterically as the puppets come up to them, hug them, and chase there underwear.

Ward Christmas Party

Every year our church has a large Christmas party.  The girls got a chance to color in the gym while they waited for Santa to show up. 
Grandma Hale helped watch the girls.

Tabatha is in her ballet posing mood.  She is such a beautiful girl.
Then Santa showed up and the fun began.  Alicia asked for her ipod/mp3 player (and yes that is exactly how she phrased her request).

Tabatha asked for an ipod as well.

Olivia was much more nervous around Santa.  She walked up, got about a foot away, then turned around and came back to me.  Grandma tried to take her, and she would go for it.  Finally, Ken took her up, put her on Santa’s lap himself, and then stayed for moral support.  I got one shot, because she was only there long enough to grab a candy cane and get off.  She didn’t scream or cry, but she is not a big fan of Santa in person.  Presents are fine, but in her mind, he can come down the chimney and never be seen and she would be happy.

Christmas Crafts

We live in such a great area.  The City of Milton is really big into making sure kids are able to do things and have fun.  From a parade every summer and a City wide picnic, to the Christmas Tree lighting, we enjoy seeing neighbors and friends from school in our community.  So this year we again went to the Christmas tree lighting, and this year it was even bigger.  Each of our girls made 5 of the 6 crafts they offered, and enjoyed it.

Alicia made a special gift for Grandma (I won’t say which one so you can be surprised).

Tabatha made a new Christmas pin.

Here we are making snowflake ornaments for the tree.

Here Tabatha is making a snowman refrigerator magnet.

Here the tree is lit and our fun at Milton is done.

Veteran’s Day Program

Alicia had a small part in her Veteran’s Day Program at school.  She got to talk about the different branches of the armed forces, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the Coast Guard.  She hadn't realized her Grandpa Hale was a veteran, that she had great uncles who were veterans, and learning that helped her realize what sacrifices they made.  She did a wonderful job, it helps that she is our little actress.

Olivia and I watched and enjoyed.

Halloween

Halloween can be so much fun.  This year was extra special because this year I made my girls costumes.  Not something I always have time or energy for, but this year with the help of my friend Jennifer, I was motivated to make these costumes.  Olivia’s hat was lost by these pictures but you get the idea. 

Here is Rapunzel, AKA Tabatha.

Then Pippi Longstocking, AKA Alicia (using one of Grandma High’s dress up dresses).

And last, but not least, Belle, AKA Olivia.

Cows & Pumpkin Patches

Living in a city, we sometimes forget where our food comes from.  This year we have made a point of getting food from organic, local sources, and extended that to picking out a cow to eat for the next year.  Our kids took this seriously.  When the farmer called his cows over, they seriously looked them over to choose the one they thought would make the best meat. 

Personally, I don’t want to see the picture of the cow they picked her on my blog each day, so here are just all of them together.  It was wet, but the kids loved being out at the farm.

After picking out our cow (Alicia picked the one on the left so that is ours) we headed over to the pumpkin patch with the High’s, Marriot’s, and DeCremer’s.

It was still wet, so the kids started under the umbrella, but it didn’t last long.  Soon they didn’t care that they were wet.

On the hay ride.

Tabatha and Isaac milking the cow.

The Marriot’s.

Racing the rubber ducks using the water pumps.

Tabatha and Isaac tried to wrangle some cows.

Alicia, Olivia and Audra decided to join Tabatha.  They look professional.

We went into the barns to dry off the kids.  The got to roll around in the large piles of corn and ride the tricycles and climb all over the hay maze.

All the kids are getting so big.  Here they are, from left to right, Olivia, Katie, Alicia, Audra and Tabatha.

And in the end, they got their pumpkins from the patch.

Book Fair Chairperson. Who Me?

This year, right after school started, I got a phone call asking me to chair the Book Fair this year.  The women who did it last year has also done it the last eight years.  She left pretty big shoes to fill, but Ken encouraged me, and I decided to do it.  It is only two weeks in the fall and two weeks in the spring, right? 

Well this was a huge undertaking, and I learned a lot.  I made my school close to $6000 which is what was made last year, so I was able to amaze myself.  Thank you family who came and supported me, my next book fair is March 16-19 so if you are available, feel free to come help volunteer, browse the books, and support Endeavour Intermediate School.

Here is a little of my advertising I did.

Olivia was my big helper through all of my decorating, setting up, and being at the school for hours at a time.  She came a lot, but I also had my friend Jennifer watch her when she got really overwhelmed.

So here is to my heroes who help me each day, especially when it came to the Book Fair.

Christina’s Visit–Glass Museum & Sand Castles

I am so grateful that my sister Christina was able to come up and visit.  I had a girls night at the glass museum with her while my parents watched her girls and my husband watched mine.  It was a lot of fun, I have never seen glass made in front of me before, and the hot shop was worth the trip.

These professionals were amazing, I kept thinking they would get burned, but after 30 minutes they made an amazing piece of glass without a scratch on any of them.

Here are just a few of the pieces made her at the museum.

A few days later we got Grandma High and all of our children together to see the World Championship of Sand Castles.

These sculptures were tall, intricate, detailed, unique, and wet because of the rain.  A few had toppled, but most were still incredible. 

The kids liked the sculptures, but our kiddos were more interested in making their own masterpieces.

But a few castles caught their attention.

Audra and Olivia are only 13 days apart, they could be twins with the way they interact, it was so cute to see.

I am not sure who these crazy guys are, but they were interesting.

Thank you mom for such a wonderful day seeing these works of art that didn’t last very long.