Christmas

In an effort to start some Christmastime family traditions we bought an advent calendar and stuffed each day with a family activity. So each day in December we spent drinking hot chocolate by tree lights, coloring in Christmas coloring books, driving to look at lights, gathering toys for good-will, making presents, singing carols and other fun activities. It was great and will be carried on. Another tradition implemented was the making of Sugar Plum Cake Pops. Yummy and so pretty (no pictures though). And reading The Night Before Christmas from the same book that was read to both Gary and I as children (we bought our own copy). Each year we feel so blessed and this year was no different.
Here are my photo favorites:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten Celebration

All 3 Kindergarten classes put on a Gingerbread Man play. Canyon worked hard to learn all the words and movements taught by the music teacher at school. Leading up to the performance our house was filled with sweet songs and hand movements. Gary, Trek and I were so excited to go and watch him perform an he was so excited to have us. After the play we headed to Canyon's class where his teach had sweetly wrapped    projects the kids had made for all the parents. Canyon loves having his family in the class room and is doing so wonderful in kindergarten. We are so happy to have Mrs. Roth as his teacher.  On his most recent "report card" his teacher said "Canyon is doing great.  He is an example to his fellow classmates." We are so proud of our little man.

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve at the Kirkman House

My favorite shot of the night:

(My father-in-law reading the story of Jesus' birth. My mother-in-law holding the lantern.)

 

 

 

 

Parade of lights

Thanks to a cancelled shift and a parking lot with a few spots miraculously empty my boys and I made it to the parade of lights. It didn't disappoint. We nestled our way to a spot in front of an old rock church and canyon saq 4 classmates.  Trek camped on top of Gary's shoulders and they boys came home with more loot than Halloween! 

 

 

Home for the weekend.

What a joyous weekend it was to have my brother and his family and my sister and her family all at my moms with me and my family. We played and ate and visited and celebrated. We enjoyed eachother and all enjoyed being home. Here are my favorite pictures from the weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 

 

 

 

Just so I don't forget

TREK

While riding in the Ranch truck with Grandpa Trek look up and said: "Grandpa are you a cowboy?"
Grandpa replied: "Yes!"
Trek: "Good, so am I."

Staring at a full moon Trek exclaimed: "Look it's fixed."

While I was lying on the couch sick Trek came and put his hand lovingly on my heart and said: "Mama is your heart broken or is it open." (always open my baby, always open.)

I was cleaning the house about to vacuum.  Trek came up to me and said "MOM, I don't want to you vacuum my room (then he stuck out his finger and pointed at me) because I am playing with my dag gum Lego's." And turned around an walked off.

While playing with Avery in the woods Trek and Avery were running and screaming.  Trek told Avery "You scream like a little girl." (not fully connecting that she is in fact a little girl.)

Trek just started at a preschool.  His teacher introduced him in class and this is what he told me when he got home: "Mom, at school they said this is Trek Kirkman and he's a new boy. Mom am I a new boy?"
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CANYON

Canyon has learned to whistle and whistles just about every minute of the day.

His favorite subjects at school are art and PE.

Canyon makes up jokes like: "Knock, knock" Who's there? "Tree" Tree who? "Trees grow because they poop."

or

"Knock, knock" Who's there? "House" House who? "Houses are big and they fly"

or

"Knock, knock" Who's there? "Food" Food who? "Food is poop."

When he's not joking or whistling he's trying to rhyme.  He's not quite got the idea of rhyming down. But he's certainty trying.

He came home from school so excited to tell me about the book fair.  He said: "Mom they have a diarrhea there with a clasp on it for girls."

Me: "You mean diary."

Canyon: "Oh, yeah, lets get it for Mattie." 

He's been trying to convince me to let him get "hot lunch" at school.

This is what he tells me: "They have pizza.  It's so healthy. They have Chile dogs and chicken nuggets."

Me: "Sweetie those things aren't healthy, but maybe you can do it once a month."

Canyon: "But mom, they have beef salad. I really want hot lunch."

Me thinking to myself: What is beef salad?