She is How Old?

Yesterday was Alex’s 4th birthday. The whole weekend was a lot of fun. My parents came up on Friday night and that is basically when the “party” started. She absolutely loves being with her grandparents.

Since her grandparents were visiting and because her birthday is on Sunday, we had a family party on Saturday night. After much deliberation, Alex settled on a butterfly cake. She changed her mind several times - after first wanting a dog, umbrella and a hot air balloon cake (all designs from a little cake book we have.) She helped make her cake and while I’m not a great cake decorator, it was perfect for a four year old girl. We also had fun with a small, but very hard to crack piñata. Thankfully there were no piñata accidents like you will sometimes see on America’s Funniest Videos. It’s amazing that she is four and we look forward to many more fun birthday’s with her.

Snow Day

Saturday morning Ryan went out to shovel the driveway and Alex just had to go too. She got ready to go outside just as Ryan was finishing up. He stayed outside with her and helped her make a snowman that she has wanted to make for a long time.



Connor was at the window screaming because he wanted to go out as well, so I got him and I bundled up and we went out.



Connor wasn’t too sure about the snow. Whenever we set him in the snow he would freeze up and start to whimper a little - it was pretty funny. He did make a snow angel with Dad’s help, but for the most part he just wanted to be outside and watch Dad and Alex play.



Here is the snowman they made with a carrot for the nose and chocolate buttons for the mouth - what a tasty snowman

I’m not sure what happened to our Christmas pictures. Hopefully this time it will work. About the story, it’s not for all to know. Next time we talk you’ll have to remember to ask me. 

Our Christmas Travels

We left Idaho the Saturday before Christmas and stopped off in Bountiful, Utah for the Blosch Christmas party (my dad’s family). The food was good and so was the entertainment. They had a microphone hooked up and some of the kids were singing Christmas songs. Alex got in line to sing and when it was her turn, she stated her name and gave a stirring rendition of “twinkle, twinkle little star” in front of 50 people. It was especially amusing, because she decided to do it all on her own without any prompting. After the party, we headed to my mom’s so Ryan could watch BYU’s bowl game. He was stressing for most of the game, but jumped around like a lunatic when they won.

Sunday was just a relaxing Sunday before all the fun started. (No comment on my most embarrassing moment that happened at church.)

On Christmas Eve we went to Orem for Ryan’s family dinner. I always look forward to his family’s Christmas Eve dinner, complete with English Christmas Poppers and party hats. After dinner, the kids acted out the Luke Chapter 2 with our oldest nephew Andrew being the donkey. Before Ryan and I got married. Ry was the donkey that Mary rode in on. After singing some songs and listening to Grandpa Stout’s poem the kids opened cousin gifts and presents from their Great Grandma Henderson from Scotland.

Once we got the kids down for the night, the fun continued. We wrapped all the presents and stuffed the stockings and put everything under the tree.

Christmas morning – Wow! The kids got everything they wanted and more. I feel like we might have gone a little overboard, but that’s the fun of Christmas right?
A quick list of the kid’s gifts
Alex
Cinderella castle with Cinderella doll and prince
Island Princess Barbie and prince with her own dress up dress and DVD
Dress up shoes
Light Sketcher
Minnie Mouse
Puppy in a carrying bag (thanks Grandma Stout)
A few other small things…
Connor
Basketball hoop
Assorted balls
Big Lego blocks
Mickey Mouse
Farm animals (thanks Grandma Jan)

All in all it was a great Christmas. We stayed in Utah until Thursday. Now that we’re home reality has hit. Where I’m I going to put all this toys? Most of them are still up in the front room in boxes. I’ll get it figured out sooner or later.

I have added a few pictures of our Christmas week starting off with the Sanford’s (Stout’s) Christmas Eve dinner and then Christmas morning.









The bottom picture is not a very good family picture, but is was the best we could do right before church. Dec.23, 2007

Kids and Scissors.

What is it with kids and scissors or maybe there’s just something with Alex and scissors? It’s been almost a year when she found some scissors in the bathroom and cut her own hair, but Monday she again got a hold of some scissors, and don’t worry she knows not to cut her hair, but nobody said anything about not cutting her brother’s hair.



That’s right, Monday night while I was putting in some laundry she took about three good chunks out of his hair. Two chunks from the top and one from the back. It’s a good thing we got their Christmas pictures taken last week.



What’s funny is the last time Ally cut her hair was also the day after she got her pictures taken. I think from now on I need to make sure all the scissors are locked up before we get back from pictures; maybe that would help me salvage my kid’s hair.



Well it’s a good thing he’s a boy and I guess it’s not too bad.



Until next time

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Well, I haven’t really had much to blog about until today. Alex just loves playing in the snow. Almost every morning she wakes up and goes to sliding glass door in the kitchen to see if it has snowed and every morning she has been somewhat disappointed until today. This morning she came running out of her room asking if she could go outside. I wondered how she already knew that it snowed. As I walked by her room my question was answered. The basket that her shoes are normally in was turned upside down under her window. With all the excitement she had, how could I tell her she had to wait?



She wanted to make a snow man so I tried to help her but the snow was too airy and didn’t pack well. So after we played for little while I went inside and Alex kept playing. Next thing I know she came in asking for a carrot for her snow man. I told her we didn’t have any so she asked for some broccoli. Where do kids get these ideas? We did have broccoli so I gave her some. I also had to get something for a mouth and eyes. I did what I could. The mouth ended up being some ribbon and the eyes are the tops of pop cans that we have been collecting. She was happy and that’s all that really matters. Here she is with her masterpiece of a “snowman.” I can’t imagine how excited she’ll be when we get snow we can roll into balls to make an even bigger snowman.

Tis’ The Season To Be Traveling

Well, it’s been a crazy month so far and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet! When you add up all our traveling, we will only be at home this month for 15 days. But so far it’s been worth it.

Well here goes my long spiel about the past 10 days.

We went down to Utah for a BYU football game and spent a few days at my moms then on Monday we headed further south to St. George. That is where my Dad lives. Ryan had a work seminar in Las Vegas so he dropped me and the kids off at my dads. Alex loves her Grandpa Gary and for four days she had so much fun. The first day we didn’t really do anything other then get settled.

Tuesday we went to Dinosaur Discovery and were able to see a bunch of dinosaur footprints and fossils. It was fun, but maybe just a little old for Alex. But, she was really excited about the dinosaur stamps she got on each hand. To top off the day we spent some time in the hot tub – or her “Swimming Pool,” which she though was really cool.

Wednesday we went to The Museum of Wildlife. There were all kinds of animals from bears, dears, mountain goats and even a giraffe. They give the kids little play binoculars – it was really cute. Alex would run up to an animal that was four feet away put the binoculars up to her eyes the wrong way and said look mom I can see the bear acting like she was unable to see it before she used her binoculars. It was pretty funny.

Ally was also able to play in Grandpa Gary’s pottery studio. Grandpa first showed her how to throw a pot and then I was able to help her throw her own little pot. She loved it! But, I think she liked rolling the clay out with a rolling pin even better. She would also clean up this little area next to the pottery wheel with a sponge. Throughout the week if I couldn’t find her I would go out to the studio and sure enough she was cleaning that same spot with the sponge. I need to try and take advantage of that at home 

Connor also had fun playing in the dirt and just being outside. The weather was perfect 70 - 75 degrees – oh how I miss that kind of weather. Ryan and I decided that we wouldn’t mind living in St. George at all.

It’s nice to be home - even if it is for only three days until we’re back in Utah for Thanksgiving. I’ll really try to keep up better with posting, but it’s going to be hard until the Holidays are over.