New Year's Eve

We welcomed the New Year
with
mini-Martinelli's
watching Muppets Take Manhatten
tucking the boys in at 8pm
me falling asleep by ten
E not sleeping because of the neighbors fireworks
and
all was good.

Oh yes, and this night
we did arrive at a solution to keep Kacin quiet
for about 30 seconds.

Happy New Year!

The Skate Deck

Kacin combined his birthday money to purchase
his own pair of rollerblades.
When I got tired of him wearing them around the house
(and nearly killing himself going up and down the stairs in them!)
we took the boys out to a roller rink.
One of their friends happened to be there with his dad, too
which made the afternoon even more fun for them.

Celebration Week

In just one week, we have celebrated four different things.

Number 1: Adoption day

It has been three years since our day at the courthouse when the adoption finalized! So we had some family fun at the bowling alley. However, due to the fact that this month is kind of crowded as is, we did decide that this would be the last time we officially celebrated our court adoption day and from now on we would celebrate as a family on our Temple sealing day. 

Number 2: Christmas
When we bought our house, we moved down the street from a family in our ward with three little girls. We didn't know them too well before joining their neighborhood, but the boys have already spent many, many hours playing with the girls and we're so glad to have such great neighbors! They invited us to join them and some others for dinner on Christmas Eve. We had a very pleasant evening.

We usually open a family gift on Christmas Eve. This year, we had an Indiana Jones Lego set ready to go. But we got home later than expected from our friends house and we knew we had guests coming over the next day so E and I did not feel it wise to start a big Lego project and leave it out on the table. In the words of Kyler, E had a light bulb above his head. We had an unopened Monopoly game that someone gave us years ago. It has been sitting in the game closet waiting for us to break it out. So we wrapped it up and the boys opened it up Christmas Eve. The boys were both confused why we gave them Monopoly when we already had it in the game closet. I ashamedly admitted that we were lame and it was the game from the closet! But in the end, it didn't matter. We had fun playing our first family game of monopoly (a game that continued the next day and ended with Team Me and Kyler dominating the game) and they still got the Lego set on Christmas (which we just finished building today).

Last minute, Kacin insisted we make a plate for Santa. (ha-he got it all ready using treats brought to us by a friend). He arranged everything by their stockings.

And Santa did come!



We tried Santa's gifts outside on Monday.

And the boys spent lots of time playing with the helicopters Daddy got them when he was in China.

In the evening on Christmas day, three families joined us for our annual Family Untalent Show! We had everything from an 8 year old stand up comedian to a balloonist to a 6 year old singer to a one year old saying "Christmas Lights". I think we outdid ourselves this year. When I was tucking Kacin in that night and talking about his performances and how the show went, he asked me about my performance with the other moms to "Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer". He said, "Were you embarrassed tonight? I think you embarrassed yourself." What's he talking about?! That was the best performance of my life!
( I'm looking forward to a second talent show next week when family is here with us)

Number 3: Kacin's 7th Birthday
Kacin chose Tuna fish sandwiches for lunch (I don't even know why--it was a pretty random birthday meal pick) and an afternoon out at the movies to see the Muppets. But he didn't even really like the movie. The rest of us did! But Kacin was up and down and on my lap and asking when it would be over and telling me he was tired and looking all around everywhere but at the movie screen. The only part he seemed engaged in was when the chickens were singing. Oh my dear, little Kacin! I made him a simple chocolate cake, but he is waiting for my mom to come next week and make him a "bowling" cake. He has informed me that my mom is the best cake maker and it must be her that makes him a real birthday cake.

Number 4: Eric's 30th Birthday

The big 3-0. And how lame is it that we stayed home and E cleaned up the garage on this day. I was feeling under the weather so any plans we may have wanted to make got pushed aside for another day. Luckily, we had already made it to Costco so at least he got his pumpkin pie. And after everyone who wanted had a slice of that pie, I casually asked if anyone wanted pie to the face. Without hesitation, Kyler volunteered and admitted he has been wanting a pie thrown in his face. So he opened his mouth and I obliged him. What fun! He especially enjoyed eating off his face until I made it to him with towels to clean up.

I'm almost all celebrated out. But right around the corner is New Years, and for some crazy reason that I am regretting now, I promised Kacin that we would celebrate the fact that he has been remembering to wear his patch each day and is doing so with very minimal complaining. Yeah!

of pajamas and paint

on a recent day out in Seattle

a day like today
only comes about once a year for me--
I did not have to leave the house even once today.
I stayed in my pajamas and glasses
all day.
Days like that are so rare
and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
But it was only because E got to work from home
and so he offered to do a little shuttling of kids
while I painted.
And then he painted with me for awhile,
taking care of all the high parts of the wall.
I get ridiculously dizzy and frightened on those ladders.
I do not like them.
I have conquered my fear only enough to stand on the third rung
at times.
So he is my hero today.
I'm still not sure if I even like one of the paint colors we chose.
But E says he will NOT be repainting it or doing the ceilings
for at least ten years.
no matter what.
We shall see . . .

Our Donkey

Kyler playing a part in the Nativity
last night at our church activity . . .



Beginnings of Christmas

Thanksgiving came.

We got into our new house.

All the neighbors put beautiful lights up on their houses

and you could see Christmas trees through windows.

At our house, you could barely walk from room to room

without stepping on anything.

Yet Kacin asked us over and over

"Where's Christmas?".

I tried to tell him it was in a box somewhere buried in the garage.

Or maybe down the street at our neighbors house.

He didn't like those answers so much.

We finally made some time last Saturday

for a fun excursion to downtown Seattle.

We drew names and hit Pike Place Market

to find interesting gifts for each other.

I really hope this becomes a family tradition

because we had such a fun time!

Then we thought we could stop by a tree farm on our way home

to cut down a Christmas tree.

Except they were all closed.

So we couldn't.

And no one in our family has much patience,

except for Eric,

but he was out voted,

so we came home and dug out the Christmas tree

from a box.

Kacin placing the first ornament . . .

 Kyler placing the star . . .

When the tree was up,
Kyler sat at the piano
and played us three Christmas songs he knows.
He had to practice them
because he was asked to play prelude at primary in church
(I love that they are giving the kids opportunities to share and develop their talents!) 

The singles ward in our stake was collecting
toys
to donate. The boys picked out some cool toys
and when we dropped them off,
there was Santa!
Little Kacin looked at his hands
the whole time Santa was talking to him.
He whispered that he wanted a blue bike and a motorcycle.
Kyler had no problem chatting with Santa,
or afterwards telling me all the reasons why
that was not the real Santa.
But he did ask for a ripstick and a book.

Kacin is happy now
that we have found a little bit of Christmas.

You Are 8 Now

Happy day to you, my Ky-by.

Even though this birthday was sandwiched between Thanksgiving and moving day

we managed to fulfill your 2 birthday requests.

1. brownies w/ caramel and nuts

 2. you got to watch Star Wars

And because it was important to you,

I came to your class

a few days later

and watched you glow in front of the room

as everyone sang to you

and you passed out a snack.

You are just so cute.

You're not too old for me to say that, right?

Daddy and I are so proud of you for finishing the Book of Mormon before your birthday, settting a good example for your brother, helping out around the house, being so obedient, and trying so hard to be a good friend and person.

We love you very much.