Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

I woke up about 6:30 a.m. my normal time.  I thought the kids would be excited and wake up early as well.  Not so much.  I had breakfast, and waited and waited.  They finally started stirring. We started opening present about 9:00 a.m.  Something that seems absurd to me.  My family was always early risers, and even earlier on Christmas morning.  We always got up really early opened our presents at "Zero Dark Thrity"  It seemed we would usually finish opening our present about 6:30 a.m.

Before the Christmas "Break Through"

Christmas Begins....  Notice how much day light is coming through. I think it's a disgrace

All three kids got Ipod touch's, as well as funny T-shirts

Money from Grandpa Brent. 

All three kids got and IPod touch.  Pretty much a mini Ipad/tablet or a Smart phone without the phone capabilities.  I think Trey loves his the most, which I thought he may be a little young for it, but we didn't want him to feel left out.
They also got funny T-shirts.  Trey and Derek put them on as soon as they opened them.  Trey's had a big scorpion on it because he loves to hunt Scorpions.  Derek's says "That's too much Bacon...said no one ever".  Dax's has a storm trooper looking at the Death Star getting blown up and it says " I had friends on that Death Star".  We also got a trampoline.  In hopes that he kids would want to be outside more.  A few weeks ago Trey told Curtis  "If you get me a trampoline I would love you, even after your dead"
Dax and I put it together three times.  I read reviews/tips online about putting it together.  I felt pretty confident after hearing other's people advise.  It seemed to go together pretty easy, until we got to the safety net part.  That was a beast, we had to take it apart twice and redo that part.  I told Dax, now he knows how to put a trampoline together.

Christmas 2014

 CHRISTMAS 2014

Our Ward did a "Dickens Christmas" Theme.  They had all the kids dress in Victorian Costumes.  Dax is in the very Back.  I'm Glad it was the Youth that dressed up and not the adults.  Some of the kids loved it, some not so much.  Dax  didn't mind the idea of dressing up.

Family Pic from the Christmas Party Photo Booth-Before Photo shop

After Photoshop- smiles were added to Dax and Derek, I like the shorts in the Winter Scene

Trey lost his two front teeth right before Christmas, plus that one that was knocked out back in October.  Eating is a bit tricky right now

You can see 1 dangling tooth in the front

 

All I want for Christmas is my 3 front teeth

Birthday Boy Derek

12.23.2014

Happy Birthday D-ROCK.

Derek Turned 11.  One of his favorite sayings is "Murica" (America).  I got him a few "Murica" things.  T-shirt and Sun Glasses.  He loved them.  He also got a phone,  othing fancy just something so we can contact him when he gets his independent streak and goes on trip to Cobblestone Gas station for a treat.

We celebrated with his best buddies by going to Xtreme Air, Trampoline park.  It is nice having his birthday during Christmas break.  Usually his friends are looking for something to do during the day.  The mom's love it, it give them a bit of time to get last minute Christmas stuff done. Having a birthday right before Christmas has never been a bad thing for Derek.

He had a great day.

Derek opening his "Murica" T-shirt

Murica

Dax, Trey, Sean Paterick, Derek, Britton Platt, Westin Thomas, and David Schenter

After the Birthday Party, David invited Derek to spend the night, the next day they went to David's church where they had made snow for a Winter Party.  David, Derek, Sarah (David's sister)

David and Derek

Building a snowman, looks like a Teletubby

Sledding.  I love how the green grass is poking through and these Phoenicians are not dressed in warm winter clothes. Not an authentic winter scene.

Castles and Gingerbread

Dax had a big Semester Project for his World History class where he had to build a castle.  There were specific things that had to be labeled as a part of the castle: moat, dungeon,castle doors, knights, archers, landscaping etc.
The instructions were; he could pretty much make it out of anything, just no pre-made kits.  I thought about this and I really didn't know how to construct anything that I knew would have solid construction.  I know several times as a kid I tried to make things out of cardboard and it wouldn't stand up etc.  I don't trust hot glue guns.  I don't know if it is the climate here, but everything I've made with a hot glue gun comes apart. Wood was absolutely out of the question with our skills. I knew Dax had good Lego skills and could build anything  but that could be a beast finding all the right pieces and expen$ive.  I came to the conclusion that Gingerbread was our solution.  Dax liked the idea.

We spent the Saturday after Thanksgiving mixing, baking and constructing .  It was quite a project. 

Draw Bridge View

Dax- Building his masterpiece

I like the alligators in the mote.   I found those guys in the cupboard, perfect scale.

 The entire castle was edible except for the people, and the trees.  The mote was blue icing, the dirt was ground up graham crackers and rock candy.

Trey was loving this castle. As we were building, he wanted to build one too.  It was way to much work to re-create this.  I just bought him a gingerbread kit, he did a great job, and this is our "Village"  Trey loved it.  This replaced our Gingerbread activity we usually do at Christmas time.

Village, with Castle and gingerbread house.

We delivered it to school in one piece.  Truly a miracle, not even a spec of dirt moved on the drive in.  Dax got a 94/100.  It was fun to see the creativity of the kids.  PVC pipe, Sugar Cubes, cardboard.  Some castles looked amazing.  Some not so much.  Dax was somewhere in the middle in appearance.  We learned a few things along the way to improve the appearance if we ever did it again.  The Gingerbread was definitely original.  His teacher said he had to hold himself back not to eat it.  It smelled amazing.  Once we got it home, the kids couldn't wait to eat it. 

I was looking at a picture of Jerusalem and the way the walls were built up around the city it looked very similar to the   design of  the Gingerbread Castle.  I said something to Dax about it.  By this time  the kids  had already dug in and started eating the Castle.  The  walls and structure was coming down.  When I told Dax his castle looked like Jerusalem he said  "More like Jericho by now"  Sometimes he can be so witty.  That was a good one.  It was in shambles by then.

The Castle  was yummy.  I am proud of Dax. This was a big project.

Thanksgiving

Another Thanksgivng has come and gone.  We keep it pretty low key.  It is just our immediate family.  I only cook (more like re heat) a Turkey breast and then we have the usual fixins.  This year and I don't exactly how it came about but it turned into a Super Buffet each person got to pick a side, main and dessert to have for Thanksgiving  along with the Mashed Potoatoes, Turkey Breast, stuffing, and Pumpkin Pie we had hamburger sliders, Enchiladas, and ice cream.  It was quite the meal.
I feel like my kids are finally old enough to use the "Fine China"  which they were.  They enjoyed eating on the good stuff and they were impressed with the Gold "silverware"  that has been passed down for a few generations.  I may start putting a little more effort into this in the future.  It was no fun to do all the hard work, have no body appreciate it and then I have a big mess to clean up.  The kids also helped me do a little of the preparation.

My favorite story of this Thanksgiving was when Trey came home from school with a little book he made about the first Thanksgiving.  It told the story of how the Pilgrims and Indians had a big feast they ate Turkey, Nuts, Berries, and Popcorn.  Derek interrupted and said "there is no way the Pilgrims had Popcorn, they couldn't have because they didn't have microwaves"  I started laughing so hard.  We need to introduce that boy to Jiffy Pop.  Popcorn has been around long before the microwave.

We had a great meal and Derek nearly inhaled an entire Pumpkin Pie himself.  Maybe he shared a slice or two.

Trey's #6

Trey turned 6 on November 12th.  The kids were off on the 11th for Vetrans Day so we had his party on their day off at Peter Piper Pizza.  Grandpa Brent was in town so he stopped in for the festivities and Grandpa left Trey with a nice card with some cash $20. We had a great time and Spoiled Trey Rotten.

Top L-R: Dax, Derek, Westin, Soren, Bella, Ace Brianna, Taylor, Freya

, Carson, Trey, Jarrett

Trey got some really cool Birthday Cards from Amelie, and Bella, that light up and play music.  Jarrett gave him Walkie Talkies, Ace gave him the Classic Operation Game (with Minions)  I think it is ironic that Ace's mom is a Dr..  Carson gave him a  Shark Hot wheels set with Hot Wheels cars.  Westin gave him a nerf gun (can't have enough).  Brianna, Taylor and Freya gave him Lego's from the Lego Movie and the game Spot it.  Soren gave him ninjago Lego's, and Bella gave him a shooting Spiderman.  It was a really fun day with a Star Wars Cake.

Carson, Soren, Trey & Bella

Trey, Jarrett, Ace

Our Birthday Boy, Trey

Trey excited about his water bottle for his bike

From the Family he got some more Lego's and a water bottle for his bike.  Which he was excited about.

Halloween Week

Halloween Part I

I thought the kids (Derek and Trey) had figured out their costumes, but Dax wanted to be a "Headless Butler"  so we went to the "Spirit of Halloween" store because it is fun.  (Or scary.  I didn't know that Curtis took the kids in a few weeks back after they got hair cuts.  Trey was too scared to go in.)

Anyway Trey was ready to go in this time.  As we're in there they get all kinds of ideas of what they want to be instead of what they had already planned on being.  The only "headless" costume they had was a bloody, gross,gory thing. I'm glad Dax didn't want to go that route. But he finds a "Stalker" costume a.k.a "Slenderman"   I guess when they don't have the copy rights to something they come up with the costume anyway and call it something else.  Once Trey saw Dax's costume he wanted to be Slenderman, but they didn't have it in his size so he opted for an "Orange Skin Suit".

Trey as Anakin Skywalker

Now that I have dropped a ton of money on these costumes, I remembered that at the church "Trunk or Treat" they say no masks.  These costumes for Dax and Trey are worse than masks.  So I had to convince Dax to go without his "head skin" and Trey to wear something else.  Before we set foot in the Halloween store he already pulled out the Anakin Skywalker costume and was excited to be Anakin.  I had to get Trey excited about being Anakin again.

Curtis had to go to San Diego so he missed the Trunk or Treat.  We went and had a great time.  As usual the kids get way too much candy, way too fast and easy.  Trey kept saying "I can't believe my bucket is entirely full"  It was!! We could not have fit another nibble of candy in it.  He does need to use a bigger bucket.

Dax in his "Stalker" costume, but we thought he actually looked like Jack Skellington.  He has a hat, but is not wearing it

Derek as something creepy that he came up with on his own.

It was actually a very busy weekend.  The kids also had the Primary Program in church on Sunday.  Saturday was crazy busy with the Practice, a Football game, then Trunk or Treat. Trey was also supposed to go to a Birthday party, but he ended up opting out.
Derek and Trey did fantastic saying their parts in the Program.  Our friends,the Thomas', had passed on this suit to Trey a while ago.  He discovered it, and it almost fits so he wanted to wear it for the Primary Program, tie and all.  Everyone said how nice he looked.  Which he did.





It was another busy week.  Derek and Trey started LEGO club at school.  Dax got Braces.  Dax has been dreading this, and fighting us for months.  He was now the perfect age, and on Sunday he finally accepted it was time.  I immediately called and made an appointment on Monday,  braces were put on Thursday.  He has been very tender and sore, and not too happy about the braces.  I keep telling him one day he will thank us.

Before Braces

Halloween Part II

For Halloween night I let the kids wear the costumes they were most excited about.

Dax as the "Headless butler"  Trey in his Orange Skin.  

All three wore masks, all three realized how hot, and inhibiting they are.  We are going back to my Mom's rule "NO MASKS".

Dax helped me pass out candy, which has always been his favorite part.  Derek went out trick or treating with his friend Sean,  Trey and Curtis hit the neighborhood to load up on Candy.

Halloween is a crazy holiday...You put on a costume, knock on people's doors and they give you candy.  Who thought of that?