Catching up

Things have been going well on the home front!  I think we are all healthy from our colds and have resumed our activities!  Kids have been enjoying Saturday swim lessons, a trip to the Denver Nature and Science Museum, "homeschool" lessons, and play time.  Here are some highlights:

Staying cozy at breakfast

At a friend's for dinner, the boys got all dressed up :)

Swim lessons - this is the 3rd round and they seem to enjoy them this time! (I think)

We do Table Time in the morning where we do a couple of academic activities (it's our version of homeschool since the kids aren't in a formal preschool).  This is a story Carson wrote last week with the pictures he drew:  One day the dad was going to get them some food.  One day the mom was going to get 1 diamond.

I cleaned out some closets this afternoon and this is what the kids kept busy with...they set up a "sleep over" in Carson's room.

Here's the final outcome...Sleep over night, movie and popcorn!  Not sure about the "sleeping" though! :)

Video post

We've been under the weather this week, daddy and Aliana have been fighting a cold/cough & fever - yuck!  The weather warmed up a little and we finally got outside to play, we have been inside and at home a LOT this week so it was great to play in the sunshine!

Two celebrations for the week ... it is my Grandpa's 85th birthday - Happy Birthday Grandpa! AND we have a new cousin!  My brother Wil and his wife Holly had a little boy (Kepler) on Tuesday of this week in Los Angeles, joining sister Kiki who is 2.  We are so excited for them!!

Aliana doing some of her school work :)

   Carson has dedicated this video to my Uncle Fritz & Aunt Joanne... It is titled "How to Make a Slingshot".  (they are pilots and can appreciate the physics of flight :)

New nephew, Kepler :)  Love baby yawns.

Christmas Vacation

We've been enjoying our Christmas Vacation - it is wonderful to have Brian home every day!  The kids are loving the extra play time with Dad!  Carson uses most of his time with dad to either play legos, play his new lego board game, or "help" dad with the strategy games Brian plays on the computer.  Aliana uses her time with dad to play babies, princess or have tea parties.  Since the kids have been well occupied, I have enjoyed the extra time to do chores I wouldn't normally do like organize closets and sweep/mop under the couches (I am serious, I love that stuff just never get around to it).

Here's a glimpse at what we have been up to:

Christmas morning, getting the Lego Heroica games set up and put together

Snuggle time with Roxy (our wonderful dog :)

Ummm... we thought we got Ali lipgloss for her stockings, turns out it was lipstick.  oops!

Enjoying some crafts, these kids love glue and scissors.

All 4 Lego Heroica games, they fit together to make one massive game that I don't understand how to play.

Football time!

A tea party with all of Ali's tiny toys!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  We pray everyone has a blessed Christmas as we remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Nana's vist

We were thankful that Nana had a conference in Denver last week so she could stay with us for a few days!  The kids enjoyed her undivided attention - baking gingerbread cookies and making gingerbread houses, playing tons of card and board games, and waking her up early to PLAY!

Thanks for coming to our house Nana!!

Santa and a Sleepover

We had a fun weekend, which included 2 birthday parties, playing hooky from swim lessons to see Santa, and having our cousins for a sleepover!  Our sweet friend Abigail had her birthday on Friday night at Monkey Business (Brian and I even scored some ice cream so we were happy) and then Saturday our friend Gavin had his party at our church.  We got to see Santa (at Remax of all places) on Saturday and enjoyed donuts, crafts and face painting.  Then Saturday night Sydney and Bryce slept over and the kids had a blast!  It was a super busy weekend but lots of fun :)

Lions & Crocodiles

Various members of our family this week have been hit with a stomach bug and then a cold.  Kind of a rough week, but we are on the mend and here are the pictures to prove we are feeling better!  This is a little game the kids love to play with daddy ... he is the crocodile and they are lions.  They growl and attack each other.  They are very ferocious :)

Hope you all had a great week!  And are staying healthy!!