12.31.13

Ringing in the New Year!!

And that brings the first year of the iPhone Photo Project to an end.  

I think it's a fantastic idea - so here we go for another year!

12.30.13

Baby it's cold outside!

12.29.13

Puzzle completed by Grandma and Olivia.

12.28.13

Due to a blowing snow warning, an extreme wind chill warning, and this view - we decided to miss one of our Christmas gatherings today.

12.27.13

Jets win!

12.26.13

Coming back from tobogganing after lunch (guys take the kids while the ladies clean up) and before Christmas story/music/presents - as per tradition on my side of the family.

12.25.13

Merry Christmas!

12.24.13

Last minute hair cut before Christmas.

12.23.13

The kids love Q&Eh during the Jets broadcasts.

12.22.13

Sophia had an infected toe hangnail that needed the home remedy of soaking in salt water - which is much more fun in Grandma's spa foot soaker!  Of course, she wasn't the only one who wanted to try it out.  All 4 kids got in on the action - including this guy. 

12.21.13

Accompanying Emma at her first voice recital - she did great!

12.20.13

Christmas gifts for the teachers.  I had each of the kids write "From the desk of Mrs. X" at the top of the page, and draw a picture in the bottom corner.  Then I scanned them into VistaPrint and ordered them as notepads.  Homemade, but useable, so they can eventually be tossed (unless they choose to keep one as a keepsake, but this way they feel less obligated).  They also got some homemade cinnamon buns.

I had already wrapped some before I remembered to take the picture.  Also, I had messed up on the order and accidentally ordered Emma's teacher's twice instead of Olivia's!  Oops!

After waiting all day, hoping this delivery would get here in time to quickly wrap/deliver on the last day of school before Christmas break - I thought of checking the mailbox - thankfully they were there and the gifts made it to school just in the nick of time. 

12.19.13

The kid's school Christmas concert was tonight.

Emma was doing the sound system (mics only), Olivia and Jacob's classes were on stage together (singing Frosty the Snow Man, and Get Along Little Reindeer with a surprise "snowball fight"!), and Sophia stole the show with her drama queen act.  It was a great show!

12.18.13

Sure enough, his tooth came out.  At school, during recess when they were building forts and one thing led to another and his tooth was lost in the snow.  The tooth fairy was very understanding. ;)

12.17.13

Looks like someone is going to lose his 4th tooth any day now.

12.16.13

Thanks to a cute Gingerbread mini town kit, each kid can decorate their own house to their heart's content.  (Sophia and Jacob worked together on both of theirs, and they all did the 5th one together).  I put them together and then let them have at 'er!

12.15.13

All dressed up for the Christmas program at church tonight.  Love the fake smile stage, don't you?

12.14.13

Nathan took Jacob took his hockey game, I dropped Sophia and Olivia off at church for their Sunday School Christmas program practice - and then Emma and I went for breakfast and Christmas shopping, all by ourselves!

12.13.13

Inspired by my sister doing this for her husband last year, and reminded by my friend Pamela doing it for her husband this year, I've decided to bless my husband with gifts throughout the twelve days of Christmas - or at least, the twelve days leading up to Christmas.  I know they technically start on Christmas Day, but I think it's more fun to give them out before Christmas - both as a fun anticipation of Christmas Day, and as a reminder during this busy season to prioritize the relationships closest to me.

The general idea is that I will give Nathan a gift every day for the next twelve days, and the gift will correspond somehow with the number of the day in the countdown.

Today's gift was one Starbucks Christmas tree ornament - Nathan was recently introduced to their frappuccino and it's his new favourite drink.  Emma hung it up next to one of the two Tim's ornaments already in our tree.

Nathan acted like the idea was a bit silly, but I can tell he really likes it.  I'm looking forward to the next twelve days!

12.12.13

Emma playing the flute at her band concert tonight.

12.11.13

Jacob lost a tooth while we were out last night.  The babysitter (Emma) helped him write a note to the tooth fairy explaining why there was no tooth under his pillow.

12.10.13

Tonight we watched the Jets game from a different perspective.  After giving up our seats for this game so we could get 4 tickets to the next game (to go with friends), Nathan still really wanted to go tonight.  So, I checked the Ticket Exchange website and found Row 1 seats.  We really enjoyed the new angle - and loved Row 1!

12.9.13

Olivia watching Jacob practice and waiting for her turn.

12.8.13

Sophia's team ended up winning bronze at a weekend tournament.  It was a very tight match against our other hometown team - we managed to squeak out a win both times we played them this weekend, but it was really close!  Unfortunately, for some reason, they didn't hand out medals at this tournament.

12.7.13

Way to go Sophia!

12.6.13

Tonight, after dinner at The Keg and some time in McNally Robinson bookstore, Nathan and I went to see Catching Fire.  It was great!

12.5.13

Jacob's first snow day.  Just caught two of them as they were all coming inside after playing in all the new snow.

12.4.13

The kids having fun with apps on their iPods.

12.3.13

Emma and Jacob both won the "Respect" pillar award in school today.  So proud of them both!

I, of course, didn't completely forget about the awards ceremony until a few hours after the fact.  Especially since it was my youngest's child's first ever award.  Nope, not me!

12.2.13

Nathan was gone to see the Vikings game this past weekend with his Dad and brother-in-law.  After doing a crazy busy hockey weekend by myself - I decided to take the kids out of school a little early and head to the city to see Frozen, followed by supper at Boston Pizza.  We loved it!

12.1.13