'Tis the Season for Recitals

The Christmas Recital was held on Monday, December 14th. The girls did such a great job. Jocelyn had both of her songs totally memorized and didn't even take up her books. Jessica made great improvements this year. She is doing much better at sight reading and loves just to sit down at the piano and play through songs. It is fun to see the progress that the kids have been making.

Jessica played Rudolph the "Red Nosed Reindeer" & "Rockin' on 6"

Jocelyn played "Good King Wenceslas" & "Swat a Fly Boogie"

Jessica's orchestra concert was on Tuesday, December 15th. She has really been doing well with the violin (especially when she practices).

Happy Birthday and Trains!

Jared's birthday this year landed on Thanksgiving Day so we celebrated it the day before. He didn't get to celebrate for long however. He had blueberry cheesecake and opened presents, then the boys decided that his special day should be over. Ever since last Christmas when we took down the Christmas train the boys have looked at the box and kept asking when we will get it out again. About a month before Jared's birthday I remember them asking again about the train, so I told them we would get it out after dad's birthday. It wasn't mentioned again until Jared opened up his last present. Jacob said, "Let's get train out now!" Jared and I didn't know what he was talking about until he took us to the train. So that night we got the box down and let them look (their definition of "look" and my definition are not the same) at the train until we got the tree up a couple days later. The love when Jared comes home from work because they know that is when they get to play trains with him again. Love you Jared. Thank you for sharing your special day with the boys and their train!

First Turkey

Jessica helped make Thanksgiving dinner this year. She was such a big help to me and it was a lot of fun to get to visit with her. She made the pumpkin pie filling and got the turkey ready to go in the oven. After a few tears I finally convinced her to put her hand in the turkey and get out the giblets and put onions and stuff inside. Now she can say that she has done her first turkey so the next time won't be as tough! Congratulations on a job well done Jess!

Doctor Visit

The boys went to the doctor on Monday for their 3 year old check-up. After they weighed the boys I couldn't help but be grateful that I started pushing the stroller to school every day when they were just little fellas. Pushing them to school the last couple years has prepared me for pushing them today (over 60 pounds combined). I hope that our stroller will hold up until they can walk to and from school themselves. The doctor said that if the boys continue growing like they are now, they will be taller than me when they are 10 years old. CRAZY! Maybe in a couple years they can start pushing me around.
I knew that this doctor's appointment was going to be loads of "FUN", so I took reinforcements this time. Jared took the morning off to go with us to the doctor. WHEW! I was so glad that he was there because the kicking and screaming bloody murder started right from the start when we were asked to take their shoes off. They made such a stink that they banned Jared and I into another room so that they could try and get their weight and blood pressure. We finally got them settled back down from the trauma of being on the scale and then the doctor came into the room and we started all over again. Okay, I exaggerate, it wasn't quite as bad when the doctor came in. They were so exhausted the rest of the day. Poor little guys (or should I say poor mom and dad?)!

Picture taken 1st day of school, around August 13th, 2007

Christmas Spirit

This is what we watched for part of our Family Home Evening tonight. What a great way to add the Spirit in our home. May we all feel the Spirit of Christ in our lives this Christmas Season.