Merry Christmas!

Christmas started around 5:45 this morning.  Santa brought a little husky puppy named Sylphrena.  She decided to be playful around that time and wanted everyone else up.  So, she started whinning and by 5:45, everyone was up.  The kids were a little confused, but when they saw her, the were surprised that there was a dog in the house.  Not to mention excited!

Even though I would have loved to sleep in a little longer, it wasn't going to happen.  So`Christmas was really early today and we had all our presents open before the sun came up.  Crazy!  Here are some pics.

Merry Christmas!

 



Advent Calendar

One of my favorite memories of Christmas growing up is placing an ornament on our Christmas Tree advent calendar.  Each one of us kids would take turns putting up an ornament each day until Christmas.  It was fun because the fuller the tree got, the closer we were to Christmas.

 

I decided that I wanted to make one that our family could enjoy.  So, a week before December was supposed to start, I dived into my felt scraps and began the process of making the ornaments and the tree.  It took me all week working in my spare time, but I managed to get it done for the first of December.

 

I'm rather proud of it, though there are some ornaments that I may try and redo in the future.  I was just glad to have it done and up for December 1st.  Then I realized that I hadn't taken any pictures of it yet.  Here they are.  The entire calendar and ornaments are made of felt.  I tied little jingle bells onto the tree for the ornaments to hang on.  It was a lot of fun!

Only 12 days until Christmas!

Happy Birthday and Holidays

Quite a bit has happened recently. We celebrated Heber's 3rd birthday and Thanksgiving followed not long after. The kids helped Scott move the wood pile we have had on our driveway, we got our Christmas Tree, decorated it, and set up some decorations. It's been busy, but fun.

Eliza and Heber help with the wood

Gideon loves being outside!

Heber's Birthday cake

Happy 3rd Birthday!  He loved his fishing cake

Gideon loved the cake, too!

Cutting down our Christmas Tree

Decorating time

The Christmas village

Happy Halloween!

We went Trick-or-Treating at Scott's work and the kids had a blast.  I wanted to post pics of us all in costume, but the picture didn't turn out.  So, either we need to dress up again and take a pic, or these will just have to do.  Happy Halloween!

 

Getting Caught Up

Wow, I clearly have not been keeping up with my blog.  Sorry about that.  So, here is a little of what has happened since my last post...

Eliza in her first swim lesson.  She loved it!

This is what happens when you play with markers.  Instant face paint :)

Watching Eliza at her swim lesson

Having fun outside.

All four crazy kids!

Yum!  Corn on the cob

East Enterance of Yellowstone National Park on our way to Washington.

Yup, we drove from Chicago to near Olympia, WA.  What a drive!

Driving by the Buffalo

Gideon got Oreo cookie more on him than in his mouth.

He loved every minute of it!

Eliza and Heber playing with their cousin, Jackson, at the Natter's

Gideon loved just sitting and playing in the water...and crawling around.

Eliza and Heber with their cousing Aliyah and Uncle Steve

 

 

The purpose of the trip to Washington was for Aaron and Kate's wedding.

 

The cousins: Jackson, Rylie, Gideon, Aliyah, Eliza, and Heber in the back

 

 

Grandma Natter made the vests and hat for the boys for the wedding.

Don't they look handsome!

 

Eliza's first day of Kindergarten!  My little girl is growing up!

Heber loves to take the chalk outside to draw.  I have fun, too!

Bristol Rennaissance Faire

Riding the flying ship at the faire

Gideon's First Birthday

Chocoalte Cupcake....Mmmm!

Eating the delicious cupcakes.

Happy First Birthday, Gideon!

My First 5K

Like I promised, here is how I did on my very first official 5k.  On Saturday, June 2nd, I participated in the St. Matthew Eagle's Nest 5k which took place in the Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda, IL.  I was so excited to run that I woke up around 6:00am and couldn't go back to sleep.  I got up, got ready, dropped the kids off with some friends of ours, and then headed out to my race.

This was the very first race put on by St. Matthew Lutheran School so there wasn't a lot of people.  The course was really nice and reminded me a lot of my cross-country races in high school.  It was nice to run up and down the many hills on the course and to make it through without stopping.  Loved it!

Of a total of 46 people, I came in 13th place and was the 4th fastest girl.  My time was 27:40!  I'm just glad I was under 30 minutes!  I would love to get back into my competative running shape, but that would require running more than just once a week.  So, after not running for so long and the only getting to run once a week for about a month in preparation for the race, I think I did pretty well.  Let's just say that this won't be my last race I run.

I was also honored to win a $50 gift certificate to Running Unlimited in a raffle drawing at the end of the event.  I am super excited to replace the running shoes I have had for about 6 years now.  That's a long time to have shoes and for running...way to many miles.  So yes, I am in need of a new pair and I can't wait!  Now I just have to figure out how to go without taking the kids with me.

Firsts

This is what happens when your son finds a smashed Junior Mint on the floor...

Yes, he devoured it and loved it!

(I tried to post a video of it, but it wouldn't work.  Any ideas?)

Some other firsts of Gideon's are...

Two bottom front teeth

Eating first cookie

Eating food from the dinner table (not so much into the baby food)

First drink of apple juice - loved it!

French Fries - his face lit up with those

Yup, our little boy has some sticky fingers, and a dad who is willing to give him just about anything.  I try to wait until my kids are a year old before giving them the junky stuff, but I seem to fail each time.  Oh well.

Poor Heber has had a rough few days.  We went camping over the Memorial Day weekend and he fell into the fire pit.  It was mostly ash, but under the ash there were still some hot coals. So, he burned his left hand and we have had to bandage it up to protect his blisters while they heal.  It was rough right when he burned his hand, but after that, he acts like nothing has happened.  His prayers are too cute though.  He says, "Heavenly Father, bless my hand, got in Daddy's fire, Jesus Christ, Amen."  That's my boy!

Eliza got her first make-up case.  It was all lip gloss and lipstick, but she took it as make-up to go all over your face.  She picked it out.  I wanted to persuade her to pick out something else, but I knew I wasn't going to win this one.  Especially since she got to pick a present with the birthday money she got.  So, she has been giving herself a makeover, one to Heber, and has tried me, but I'm not too keen about lip gloss all over my face.  At least at the rate she is going, it will be gone soon and then no more make-up.  Yes!

I had fun making this cake.
Maybe one day they will turn out the way I envision it.

Tomorrow I go on my first 5K run.  I am super excited and I can't wait.  I'll post how I do.  Here are some pics from our camping trip to Devil's Lake, WI.

We had to build a lean-to because of thunderstorm.

Family hike at Devil's Lake, WI

Western Bluffs summit

It is possible to play together!