Homework

My favorite homework sentence he's written all year. 

Basketball day

 When we found out we were pregnant with Colin, Brent was so excited and mentioned how he hoped one day to teach him how to play basketball.  The time has come and I'm not sure who enjoys it more - Brent or Colin.  Colin has asked several times to play basketball this winter so we signed him up and Brent is an assistent coach (although I think he'd be just as happy being the head coach too)  Brent used to play basketball every week.  I have pictures of Colin as a baby watching Daddy play with our students.  Since moving to va beach Brent hasn't been able to play like he wants - or really at all. 

 They had two practices and I was impressed with how well they played not really having time to learn the game.  Colin had a smile on his face the whole time. It was hard to get good pictures sinceI had both Norah and Joel on my lap the whole time.  Joel just wanted to find Nathan but I couldnt see where they were sitting and didnt want to move since Colin kept looking over at me and Norah just wanted to eat the camera strap.  I did get some cute videos but they aren't uploading at the moment. 

The only downside to basketball is that we signed him up with Noah but Noah ended up on a different team. They played each other yesterday and Colin said he didnt like playing against Noah at all.  But there is a girl on Colin's team that goes to his school.  She is in one of the other 1st grade classes and they see each other at lunch and recess.  So I'm glad he's getting to know some other kids at his school outside of school. 

 

 Then after coming home to let Norah get a little nap in we drove up to William and Mary to watch the GMU/W&M basketball game.  Ant Ant and our friend Ivey came.

 One day the kids might be going to Ivey to get stories of Ant Ant and I from high school.  Its fun we've been friends for so long.

 We ran into some friends of ours at the game who were on staff with us with crusade and then also an old student (Riddle for those friends who read this blog) who works with the athletic dept at w&m.  Its always fun catching up.

 GMU actually won.  Every time I've gone with Brent and the kids they have lost so Brent was really enjoying it.  If the Redskins win tonight it will be the perfect weekend for Brent sports wise. 

 Ant Ant took our crazy boys and walked around at the top for a while with them.  And then bought them m&m's.  They have learned who to go to during games for snacks :)  Such a great Aunt. But we did get this great deal where our ticket, plus hotdogs, chips and drinks were all $10.

 The coliseum was pretty empty but Ivey made up for the lack of team spirit from the William and Mary crowd.  (He went to William and Mary) He had this sign and would stand up and wave it around each time his team shot a 3 pointer. Sarah and I kept  laughing thinking he made that sign and brought it with him.  But he didnt. They were giving them out at the entrance.  I like the idea that Ivey made his own sign better :) 

 His team lost.

 After the game we went and walked around Colonial Williamsburg for a while. 

Norah thought Ant Ant and Colin in the stocks was pretty funny.

 Between both basketballs games, Norah was held or in the carrier all day.  We let her out to crawl around on the ground and she was so excited.

 She kept kissing the ground.  haha so cute.

 

A really fun day and a great first weekend of the year.

Good Luck

 Its hard to believe another year is here.  Last year went by way too fast.  Besides the fact that Norah is here and trying to walk, it amazes me to think how fast the year went by each time I've gone into my kitchen this week.  We still haven't finished painting and doing some trim work.  That was going to just be a month or two later.  Now its almost a year later.  Crazy how fast it went. 

 We rang in the new year with some friends but called it an early night when it was time to go home and put the kids to bed.  I think we all left by 9ish maybe.  It was fun though and thanks Holly for offering your home.  Then on New Years Day we went over to yorktown for our black eyed peas.  I told the kids that they will get good luck if they eat the peas. The whole way over Colin kept asking "if I eat just one pea how much luck will I have?"  He ended up eating 2 bowls of peas and is determined he's having good luck because of it.  Joel yesterday put money in the gum ball machine and got two purple ones when he wanted a blue one and Colin is firmly convinced Joel doesnt have good luck because he didnt eat a single pea.  Norah loved them and Brent and I ate a few bowls full so this year should be a great year for

us. 

 

The kids enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels out the window.

Christmas break

This picture is pretty much what christmas break was in our house. Colin and Brent playing the wii, Joel eating his 4th or 5th bowl of cereal that morning, me on the couch getting better, and Norah waiting for Joel to drop some cereal so she can eat it. 

 We also played a lot of parade.  Colin kept asking to play every day.  Brent was surprised my little game was so popular.  Colin brought in lego city police into it to watch over the people. 

And Colin built a pretty amazing lego police station.

oh christmas tree

 Usually I'm sad to see the christmas trees taking down but between Norah and Joel I think its starting to look a little sad. 

Joel loves to rearrange all the ornaments every day. And just on this tree. We havent lost any they are just all on 1 branch or hidden in the middle.  I will miss all the enjoyment Joel gets from the tree.  I think this week while Colin is in school I will slowly box up the ornaments and give Joel a few more days to play in his tree. I guess one good thing about having a fake tree is that he doesnt cause tons of needles to drop with his playing in the tree. 

Christmas Day

I think its funny that I wrote how a great christmas present would be an afternoon on the couch.  I ended up spending two entire days either in bed or on the couch right before christmas.  It wasn't fun. At all. Downright miserable. So I take back that gift idea for the future.

We were suppossed to spend christmas eve with brents dad but he heard the word germs and stayed clear away.  We are going over there tonight instead.  The kids were devestated.  So we let them open on gift on christmas eve.

 At first we were going to just have them open their new books they all got so we could go to bed reading those. 

Joel wasn't excited about that. Not one bit.

Please mommy can I open this big present I've been shaking all week trying to guess what it was.

We caved and let them pick out a big present.  Well the boys.  Norah didnt notice so we just saved hers until the morning. It was christmas after all and they hadn't been anywhere for 2 days since mommy sick. All our plans had changed.  Norah has a beautiful church dress to wear.  Didnt happen.  I think mommy is more disappointed about that than her :)

Joel was not letting his present out of his hands.

Christmas morning came and I woke up feeling much better.  In Joel's words after opening his stocking,  "santa got it wrong" because "santa" brought him a lego set he already had.  oops.  Thought it looked familiar when putting it in the stocking.

Norah was a little confused when we gave her presents to open. 

You  mean I can finally chew and open these gifts you keep taking away from me?

Alright!!!!

After opening gifts at our house we headed over to my parents house. I think it was funny talking to them that morning on the phone and mary is saying "dont come - we dont want your germs" and hearing my mom in the background saying "we want you - please come" 

 The green ninja morphed into a gold ninja during the season finale.  So mom made him a new costume.  Joel has now requested a red ninja costume. We like to keep my mom busy. 

 Mary gave the boys this amazing bow and arrow set.  Brent and I want to make a bunch of them since it was so fun. This picture of Capers reminds me of the picture of her mom shooting a gun at the farm. 

Norah loved the icecream at the end. Brent couldnt shove it in fast enough. It was a great christmas. Thank you everyone for our gifts. And for all the fun.

And if anyone wants to guess what we're doing all of christmas break take a look at this video. 

Merry Christmas

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

 

Luke 2:12-14

Mary and Baby Jesus lying in a manger.

 

Drawn by Colin. 

Mustache

It was mustache day at school on Friday.  I thought this felt one would work but it was too small and I was trying to fix it while walking him into school that morning. Next year i'm painting one on.   I usually drop him off but had made some sugar cookies for his class party and Colin wanted me to ask the teacher if I could come to it that afternoon.  We were late so I got to stand in the hallway for the pledge of allegiance, moment of silence, and national anthem.  It was fun but also made me tear up in light of what happened last week.  I had to wipe tears away after I dropped him off in his class. I saw the principal and other teachers doing the same thing after the Pledge.  I came back that afternoon - his school is so accomodating to parents. (Brent was home sick with Joel and Norah so I got to really focus on Colin which was nice)  I helped out with his party and he has such a fun class.  The teacher said a class like this doesnt come around very often and according to Colin they get so many "complements" while walking through the hallways. If they get 15 they get an icecream party. I think Colin has an ice cream party at least twice a month.  I hope this class stays with him all through school :)  The assistant principal sang christmas songs to the kids during lunch which they were all talking about.  And I have to say its pretty funny hearing a bunch of 1st graders break out into "jingle bells, batman smells, robin laid an egg...." right after singing Little Drummer Boy while making their christmas crafts.   

Gingerbread

 We held our annual gingerbread/christmas exchange with the Fosters. Only this time we decided to make christmas trees out of ice cream cones.  I love the look on Norah's face.  She know she was just getting puffs - that the big kids were getting something to eat that was much better. 

 Adah worked hard and hers was so cute. 

 The boys - all the boys just ate theirs. At least some of them got some icing on the cone before they ate it. 

 Too funny

 At least they had fun doing it.  And thats all that matters. 

Sweet baby girls - growing up too fast. 

Colin started asking when we were going to do this weeks ago.  A fun tradition.  Even if we dont get to line up the finish products to admire :) 

At the very end Colin decided to pour the whole jar of sprinkles into an empty cone and bite it.  sprinkles went everywhere.  At the same time Norah was tipping over a plant and shoving dirt into her mouth. Laura was packing up the kids and my friend Bethany walked in to drop off her car key since we were picking up her car.  haha good thing Bethany is such a great friend.  One of those moments where you hand off a baby and clean up the mess before saying hi :)