It's Been a While!

We got hit with the ear infection bug (which is really weird because ear infections are not contagious as far as I know)... Both Carson and Aliana ended up with ear infections/ ear drum ruptures a week or so ago.  It was no fun!  Kids are doing better now after rounds (and rounds) of antibiotics, drops, sprays, etc.  We had a wonderful visit from Nana and Grandpa John that came just in time to distract us from feeling so yucky.  We went to the zoo, library story time, enjoyed church together, read lots of books and just had a great time playing.  We were sad to see them go but will get to go to Alaska this summer and see both sets of grandparents at their houses!!  We are very excited.

Here's what we've been up to...Hope all of you are having a great week!

The boys busy with their architecture drawings.

Yes, Aliana is actually asleep in this picture - this girl loves pink!  And babies :)

Thank you Nana for letting us play on your phone!  And adding lots of pictures to your photo library :)

This has been the kids' favorite activity the last couple of days.  I have bags of rice, beans, lentils, noodles, etc. and the kids will literally spend an hour (that is a long time) pouring, measuring, dumping, spilling, and scooping the different items.  Notice the vacuum is very close by :)

Carson loves his legos!

Grandpa John taking the kids for a ride in the sled... and then down the steep hill!  It was fun!!

And last but not least, our vegetables are still growing!!! We've graduated the peas and carrots to bigger buckets and they are all doing well.  With our spring weather this week we were happy to get them out into the sunshine!!

Winter days

Ok, well today was a "winter" day so we took advantage and went sledding behind the house on a little hill we have.  It's perfect for the kids as they usually last about 15 minutes :)

We've had round 2 of winter colds at our house so have been entertaining ourselves with forts, marble mazes, and Carson's/Daddy's latest project of growing vegetables in the basement!

Hope everyone is having a good week!!

Paper towel tubes + duct tape = awesome project for rolling marbles

Carson and Daddy's seed project .... not sure what we'll do when these actually grow...

Giant fort in the play room, can you see the kids?? :)

Sledding today

Had to put this one in here, just a cute picture of the kids!  Carson wrote "Happy Birthday Bryce" on the ipad and sent it to his cousin for his birthday :)

This is our good friend Ellie, that used to live in Healy when we lived there.  We've enjoyed getting together with her a couple times a month since she lives in south Denver now.  AND you can see my "new do",  11 inches gone from my hair!

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!!