Happy #3 Whitty!

We recently celebrated Whitney's third birthday with a few friends that all happened to be in town at the same time over the holidays. (For anyone with a holiday season birthday you know that's a Birthday Miracle!) The trampoline was a big hit, even at 30 degrees.

Here are most of the party animals waiting patiently for the birthday candles to be lit. (Pink noses and fingers courtesy of the trampoline.) Whitney actually displayed a little embarrassment at being sung to this year. That's my girl!

Here's proof that there was a cake--not just apples and grapes.

Boy did we hit the nail on the head with the scooter birthday present. She even let each of her guests take a turn up and down the sidewalk. Another big hit. (And to think I almost wasted money on a piñata to keep the kids entertained.)

And on a completely unrelated note, look at the fire in this sky! I thought for sure it was an alien invasion. (It wasn't--just a really pretty sunset. Too bad there were so many power lines obstructing our view.)

the joys of christmas continue

Mom, are you seeing this? Look at these little Christmas angels!

The lighting in the house wasn't ideal so I made them step out onto the porch for 30 seconds in the 20 degree air. It was totally worth it--look at Whitty's hair in the sunlight. I love it!

Christmas Eve Miracle

This is what we woke up to Christmas Eve morning. About 3 inches of it. After a few more hours it turned into 5 or 6 inches. Its a Lubbock Christmas Miracle!

This is one of our bushes out front. I just thought it was pretty dawn lighting.

Here's my cutie little family playing in the back yard.

 

This camera was born for snow! It (snow) creates such fantastic lighting for picture taking.

 

Stuey's got a pocket, got a pocket fulla snowflakes.

 

This is me and Whitney doing snow angels face-down.

 

This makes a total of 3 pictures with me on the front side of the camera. Take it all in.

holiday fun

We've just been so stinking busy having fun the last few weeks that we haven't had time to post. Here are some of the highlights.

Our family morning run has turned into a family morning fiasco now that the weather has turned cold (in the mornings at least.) Instead of throwing the kids in the stroller and hitting the black top, we wrap the kids in an extra pair of jammies, hats, coats, gloves, boots, favorite snugly blanket and ratty old stuffed animal, hot chocolate sippy cups and bag o' cheerios...and then hit the black top. (And within a few hours the temperature has jumped from 23 to 58 and we trade our boots in for sandals.)

...after which they prefer to be rolled in the door and parked in front of the PBS morning line-up. (That's for those of you who were tempted to think "wow, they get up and run together as a family every morning?" No one's perfect. Not even me. Seriously. I'm not. I let them sit there for hours while I get things done.)

 

I lost the kids at the park, so I ordered some new ones. Here they are, fresh out of the box. You can't even tell the difference except that these ones might be EVEN cuter (if that's possible), plumber's crack and all.

 

We made our own Christmas tree ornaments this year. It's been the highlight of Whitney's life so far. We've repainted them four times now at her request.

 

My little budding artist...

And we had a significant snow fall early this month. It was a slice of heaven for the kids. And not a small one. I wish I knew how to upload video--they were so excited...

the pooch-pack

Stuart got a present in the mail yesterday from Grandma and they are already inseparable. In fact, both Whitney and Stuart went to bed in tears last night because they both wanted to wear the doggy backpack to bed.

 

He doesn't know yet that his precious "doddy bat-pat"is actually a baby leash.

Heh heh heh...

like father like son

These pictures crack me up. Every time I snapped one, Rob and Stuart happened to be making identical faces.

Here, we see, they are reading aloud together.

Here, they're both polishing off a good yawn.
Here, they're both thinking this giant zoo dog can do WAY too many lame tricks with his spots.

happy hoboween!

I took the kids to the costume party at the public library--which is essentially the stake playgroup activity every year. We all party hop together throughout the week, from the library to the trunk or treat activities to the science spectrum to the mall, etc. The wind blew Whitney's hat off on our way in to the library, which was pretty traumatizing. She cried. For whatever reason, however, on the way back out it was pretty exciting, as you can see. Every time the wind gusted, she squealed and laughed and held onto her hat.The End.