Happy New Year!

The holidays seemed to fly by and as always I am a little sad to see them go...but even more excited to get back to regular routine stuff...I like routine...and what's predictable...except every now and then!

Even though this Christmas seemed a little empty with the losses we've endured this year we were so blessed and had a great time this year. The girls got DS's this year and have been having a ball on them...it truly is as a friend told me...a gift that gives all year...I've even been playin on them! We can check out games from the library so that will be good so that we can try them out to see if the girls like them or not.

Chad's parents came up and shared Christmas with us. We had a great time just hanging out and playing. They gave us a Wii and that has been a hoot. We have had the whole family involved! The games are sooo expensive so we will have to save up for those...but fortunatly we can borrow those from the library as well.

My sister, brother-n-law, niece and grandmother came up after Christmas and we had a great time. I so miss my sister and her little girl. We all have been a little sick so that put somewhat of a damper on our time...but we had a great time. We played the Wii so much....Chad and Zach kept competing in the Fitness Challenge to see who could get the youngest score...love that kind of competition.

I went back to the gym Friday after not going since right before Christmas...I missed it! I really need to get back there faithfully and get in gear. I am sure that it will be packed in January with all the New Year's resolutions...hopefully most will stick it out the full year!

Today,we put up our final boxes of Christmas decorations and it felt so good to have the house de-cluttered again. We even worked on straightening our garage a bit...it just feels good to have some organization!

Autumn has been so much fun this Christmas. She literally plays with all the toys she recieved for Christmas. The girls weren't so much like that when they were her age. She loves the tunnel Aunt Courtney bought and the ball popper from Nana and Pappy, and the piggy bank from Granny...She was really into the FP Little people barn too. I spread the toys out around the house so she didn't get so overwhelmed with it all...they are just too spoiled!

I am including some pictures of when my sister was here last week!

Snow Days = No School! Yah!!!

Yesterday, we had the biggest snow I've ever seen! How crazy is that! We never have it snow in December here. The last time it did that, I was pregnant with Hannah. Wow! So anyways, we cut school these last two days and have enjoyed playing in the snow, making cookies, and watching Christmas shows!

Our first time leading a co-op class

Mikayla's SnowmanHannah's Snowman

The kid's snowman craft

The Cookie Swap

We had a fun morning leading co-op class today. We had a Christmas theme. We made snowmen out of water bottles, rice, fleece, rubber bands, pipe cleaners, and socks turned inside out. The kids seemed to enjoy making them. We also read the Nutcracker and A Christmas Dream. We are planning to see the Christmas Dream Ballet this month as our field trip. It is a Christian version of the Nutcracker. We learned two songs in sign language- Silent Night and Jingle Bells.
We also did a cookie swap that seemed to go well. Now we have way too many yummy cookies...lots of variety. It didn't rain like we thought it would, so the kids were able to go outside and play a bit. Some stayed in and colored some pictures of a Christmas Dream.

Yesterday, the girls helped me pour rice into individual bag. They had to use team work to help get it accomplished. I cut the fleece for them. Then we made sure we had everything we needed for the craft for today.

We also made ritz peanut butter crackers covered in chocolate and vanilla candy coating. Hannah did the vanilla and Mikayla did the chocolate. They had to count out how many we needed for three dozen. We began with how many are in a dozen. Then we had to do that three times for 36 cookies each. Then we had to double it because we needed two crackers for each sandwich. Then we realized we needed seventy-two crackers for each of them to have their three dozen cookies. I snuck a little math in yesterday.

I read them another version of the Nutcracker to get their opinion of which Nutcracker we should read to the co-op. They picked the shorter one of course.

Tomorrow we plan to do some Art projects and maybe cookie some cookies...yum! We will read a few more Christmas stories and maybe watch a Christmas movie. I need some ideas for Christmas math...hum...have to look that up!

Autumn was so sweet today to let me take a nap. She took a 2 hour nap...yah...normally she has a 30 min nap. I was hoping to just lay down for a min...but yah! I took a nap! Those are few and far between these days!