Random pics

These are just some pictures from the last couple of months. I'm hoping this will buy me some time before my Christmas post.

I love Christmas!

Well I hope we're ready for Christmas because here it is. Ah! Last weekend we went to Utah for a family Christmas party. It was a quick trip (in between snow storms) we figured we were only there for about 20 hours! It was worth it though. Every year we have a Christmas party with my mom's family. We've been doing it for as long as I can remember. We eat yummy food (of course), play bunco, and decorate gingerbread cookies. This year I think we had more babies than adults. The Wyoming and Colorado fams weren't there so we were few in number, but we still had a good time. My dad's family has a caroling party every year on the Sunday before Christmas which is also an awesome tradition. August has only gone once or twice when she was pretty little and she still talks about it. We couldn't make it this year because of the storms but maybe next year.

Tonight we are having a Christmas Eve dinner at Brandon's parents' house and then tomorrow morning we are going to Grandpa Larsen's for Christmas breakfast. All of Brandon's sisters (except Robyn who is in Korea-love you, Merry Christmas!) will be here this week some time. I really love this time of year so that we can reconnect with our family. Isn't that what it's all about?

Here is my new favorite picture of the babies, doing their new favorite thing...emptying drawers! Don't they look so proud of themselves.

We're back!

Wow...it's been awhile! I guess my blog is a pretty accurate respresentation of my life. A lot of other things are being neglected in my life as well...ie: laundry, dishes, Brandon! :)

Instead of trying to catch up I'm going to start afresh with renewed determination to make this the best blog ever! (or at least a mediocre attempt to stay in contact with the few friends I have left)

August is as hilarious as ever! Today she added singer to her list of "what she wants to be when she grows up." The list also includes: moviemaker, author, and mom. She is extremely creative and writes and illustrates her own books. She wrote one titled, "Flowers" and took it to school for show and tell. Her teacher Mrs. Austin read it to the whole class (bless her heart) and August loved every minute of it. We've learned not to throw anything away around here. August can quite literally turn trash into treasure. Her book was written on some of our extra wedding invitations from 8 years ago.

Addie had her Christmas Dance Party today. They did their Christmas dances for us, Santa came and surprised them, and then we had some goodies. August was at school, Brandon at work, and Brooke babysat the babies for me so it was just Addie and I. She was funny during her dances. She would dance along, then stare at some of the other parents, pull some funny faces, and then do it all over again. When Santa came she looked shocked and confused, not necessarily happy. She told him she wanted a candy cane and a doll for Christmas...huh? She's been telling us for weeks she wants a bike and a Kung Fu Panda movie.
This was our ensuing conversation:

Me: Why didn't you tell Santa what you really want?
Addie: He wasn't the real Santa, so he doesn't have magic.
Me: Why do you think he wasn't the real Santa?
Addie: Because I saw his skin and it was different.

I don't know if she was talking about his beard, or what. At this point I'm just trying not to laugh my head off. After some more discussion I said that it was probably just one of Santa's helpers dressed up to make the girls happy. To which Addie replied: "but I wasn't happy, it wasn't the real Santa." HILARIOUS!!! She wasn't going to waste her real Christmas list on an impostor.

Avery & Aiden are getting so big! They each have 5 teeth and will be 11 months old tomorrow! They are very close to walking. Yikes! When I lay them down for their naps they stay up playing and laughing for about 20 minutes. I like to watch them from the hallway without them knowing I'm there. It's so cute. They like to touch hands through their cribs and they also swap binkies that way too. When I'm feeding them in their high chairs they like to hold hands sometimes. Precious. I don't want them to grow up! Sigh. Sniff Sniff.

Brandon is really liking his new job. He started about a month ago working at a local TV station. He still sells ad time but now on TV instead of radio. He liked his other job too, but this will be better for our family. It's hard for him to jump ship because he's so loyal and he'll miss all the friends he made, but we're really glad we took this opportunity.

I love staying home with the girls. It is so challenging some days, but extremely worth it! I'm basically behind on every aspect of keeping our home, but my kids are clean and fed and happy (with one 3-year-old exception that apparently can sniff out fake Santas).