Christmas Play

First Lutheran put on a really cute kids program this year. Marissa was in the choir for it and sang a lot of songs. She really enjoyed it as well. Her favorite songs were "Away in the Manger" and "The Friendly Beasts".

After the play we went downtown Poulsbo and took a horse and carriage ride. The kids loved it.

Kyle wouldn't have anything to do with sitting on Santa's lap.

Fun at the park

I took the kids to the park in Port Gamble last week - it was cold but they didn't seem to notice. Just trying to curb the Christmas excitement and pass the time.

This was Kohlton's first time on a swing. He loved it!

Marissa and Kyle had more fun climbing trees and making pretend forts than playing on the equipment.

December Festivities

We were all so excited to enjoy the advent season this year. I got my shopping done in November so we could concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas this year and not fill it with shopping/presents. It felt great! We filled the month with cutting down our tree, decorating the house, listening to Christmas music, bible stories, praying, talking about the birth of Jesus in all opportunities, making gingerbread houses, we watched the Navy band play a Christmas concert (amazing), drove around to see Christmas lights, and drank plenty of hot chocolate and eggnog!

Marissa enjoying her hot cocoa and Kyle just wanted to carry the saw!

This is the tree Kyle wanted. A bit small.

We found the perfect one for us.

Everyone helping to carry it - besides me and Kohlton :)

This is a video of the kids. They just wanted to run down the hills at the tree farm. Of course, Kyle doesn't make it far without falling!

Daddy did the lights and Marissa decorated the whole tree!

Kohlton and I watched the tree decorating.

The kids drinking their cocoa's by the tree

Making the gingerbread house

The finished product

Nature Walks

I recently have become very interested in a particular homeschooling method by Charlotte Mason. I have been reading a lot of her books and she has excellent ideas and reasons for learning. One thing she really recommends is getting kids outside to learn more. So we started a "nature notebook" where Marissa looks a different things outside and draws them what she finds. We also take a bag with us and collect all sorts of things to bring inside to study and look at under the microscope. Her favorite find was a dead dragonfly, his wings looked like cracked glass under the microscope.

Drawings of different tree leaves

By our pond - lots of bugs to look at

Studying the different trees in our Christmas tree field

The Nutcracker 09

Marissa was in the Nutcracker over Thanksgiving weekend. It was her first time. She LOVES to watch The Nutcracker more than anything. She knows the whole story line and has several different Nutcracker books. She was one of the baby mice and an angel.

Marissa and BFF Hannah backstage waiting to get costumes on.

Shay brought the kids and they loved it. It is a long show but it kept their attention the whole time.

Marissa and all her flowers!

Taylor, Kyle, Marissa, Ruby Ann

Thanksgiving 2009

This was our year to spend Thanksgiving with Paul's family. We had a great day over at Paul and Sue's house. We took a walk down the beach they live on. We had a great dinner, played games, and watched the kids play together.

Soccer

Kyle and Marissa both started soccer. They both love it. I could not believe how outgoing Kyle was even at his first practice. He can tend to be rather shy so we were very surprised how he got out there and did everything his coach asked and had so much fun. Paul does his class with him and it is so fun to watch.

Marissa was so excited that Kyle got to go to his first soccer practice that she made a flag all by herself that said "Go Kyle Go"

From Halloween

Here are pictures from October (still trying to catch up)

Cousins, Vann, Marissa, Kohlton, Kyle at the pumpkin patch

Pumpkin sling shots

With Grandma and Grandpa

The pumpkin carving

Sue, Tony, Tonia, Gina, Marissa, Leann/Kohlton, Steve, Kyle Paul

Kyle, Marissa, Vann at the church Harvest party

Cousins Taylor and Kyle at Papa's

Ruby holding Kohlton

Taylor, Kyle, Marissa and Ruby at Papa's

Picture for the fam

Here is a couple shots from the night we went out to dinner with Uncle Harlan.

Mom, Fred, Joey, Uncle Harlan (from New Jersey), Dad

Shay, Michael, Ruby, Marissa, Kyle, me and Kohlton

Uncle Bob sat at the kids table (as it should be)

Here you can watch on YouTube Uncle Harlan doing a burnout in Uncle Bob's funny car. (Uncle Harlan was a professional funny car racer)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bku9z9XHUpI