Ruth and her music

We discovered this past week that Ruth loooooves to boogy to music...but only if she gets to hold the phone. She's been quite fussy this past week, so we have indulged her.

If we take away the phone, or there is too long of a pause between songs, she kind of freaks out. Aah, to be the adored baby! :)

At one point this week, the only thing that would make her happy was to be put in the lego holder and pushed around the house while listening to music.

bonus video from Dad's visit

How could I forget one of the best parts of Papa's visit?!?! Pillow talk!

How I love to find my kids...

 

Papa's Thanksgiving visit

My dad came out to visit over Thanksgiving this year--the first time he'd ever seen our place here! We had lots of fun--he had lots of time to play with the kids, we talked and watched all 6 Star Wars movies, he took us out to dinner (oh, how I love to not prepare and clean up dinner!)...and of course we had a great big Thanksgiving feast (with 30 other friends who had nowhere to go for the big day).

 

How Trevor watched Star Wars. Every time a fighting scene came up he pulled out his light saber

Don't go, Papa! We'll eat you up, we love you so!

October & November photo dump

A love triangle: Ruth loves Sable, Sable loves Stephen, Stephen loves Ruth

How Trevor likes to play outside...

Oh, how everyone loves Ruthie!

Trevor loves playing in the real kitchen as well. :)

Ruth's own miniature "Buck" from Aunt Lisa--my grandpa has sponsored a carousel horse in my grandma's memory at the Historical Carousel & Museum in Albany, OR, and his name is Buck.

This is what Buck will look like when he is completed! It's hard to see, but there are all sorts of things on his saddle that my grandma loved. We're planning on visiting sometime in 2018 when the carousel is completed. Here's a neat video on the project.

Our barn kittens are the latest addition to our farm. We're up to 9 chickens, 2 kittens, 1 dog and a bucket. Sadly, the barn kittens think they are house cats. They also think that Sable is their mother...poor confused kitties!

The poor, confused kitties also think that they should go on a walk with Sable and I every morning. Silly kittens!

Sammy's primary talk

"Look, Mom! Is this dangerous?" (He's all about doing things that are "dangerous")

Selfie time!

The first ones out while playing dodgeball...

Pretty, pretty princess!

Trevor's birthday--flashback to October

My little Trevor is now 4! In a rarity for me, I knew months in advance what I was going to get him for his birthday: a play kitchen. Every since he could move he has been drawn to play kitchens--at the midwifes, at nursery, at friend's houses...but we haven't ever had the space for one. The first time we looked at this house I had the perfect place picked out for his very own little kitchen.

As soon as we got here I started looking for a wooden kitchen--I didn't want one of the plastic ones--and sure enough, found one for $20!! The older kids helped me pick out paint, and I got some chalkboard and magnetic paint and got to work. The older kids also pooled their money and bought him some really nice wooden play food. And...he absolutely LOVES it!

He has noticed that Ruth also loves to play in his little nook, so will take here there when she is fussing and I need to be doing something other than holding her (alas for Ruthie). One day the kids created "Trevor's Restaurant", complete with a menu, price list, "Trevor Dollars" and a waiter.

Gymnastics and Gumby Girl

Elise, Mason and Sammy have been doing gymnastics for the past few months, and Sammy was just invited to join the team, coming in as a level 4! He is extremely excited about it--now he'll get to go twice a week for 2 hours each, instead of once a week for one hour. He is so happy to have found something that he loves to do!

Elise and Mason have had lots of fun doing gymnastics as well--I'm glad Mason is enjoying something active, and Elise likes having something purely fun to do. She pays for her own classes--I told her that I was paying so much for ballet that I didn't have any left over for her, so if she wanted to do it, she'd have to pay for it. So she does. We have a friend in the ward who does day care, and she uses Elise when she needs a little extra help, so that is good for Elise's wallet!

Anyhow, here are some pictures of my gumby girl:

Popcorn sales

School for the past week was creating a business plan and carrying it out. Funny how one sentence can sum up a whole week! We decided to make and sell goodies--caramel corn, chocolate-peppermint popcorn and muddy buddies. We got the idea from some friends who did something similar last Christmas, so were able to talk to them about what worked and what didn't, which was really nice.

The kids picked out what to make, how much to sell each bag for ($3) and how to market and package the goods. I told them I would help them in an advisory role, but if they really wanted to make money, they would have to do the bulk of the work on their own. 

I helped them figure out approximate costs and Mason created a spreadsheet (truly his parent's child) to figure out gross & net revenue, tithing, fixed costs, unit cost, etc., based on how much they would make and sell. They pooled their money to purchase ingredients and packaging materials (I chipped in a little bit) and off to the stores we went! They picked out and purchased everything they needed with their own money.

The kids made 3 double batches of muddy buddies (33 bags total), 4 of caramel corn (24 bags) and 4 of chocolate-peppermint popcorn (24 bags). As of right now there are only 2 bags of chocolate-peppermint popcorn left!

They sold some through an ad I put on facebook and a basket at Stephen's office, but mostly they sold door-to-door around town. It wasn't easy work (which I was glad about!), but they stuck with it over two days! After the first day they were pretty depressed because a lot of people weren't home, and some of them (Elise) were frozen (you better believe they bundled up more the next day!). It was not easy selling--it was windy, cold and the wagon kept getting stuck in the snow.

However, when they counted up the money they were re-inspired to go out and sell the following day. They have grossed around $250, and have plans to sell on Christmas Eve since people will be home. They are donating 1/3 of their net revenue to Scott & Marni's adoption fund--they can't wait to give them the money when they are here visiting over New Year's!

We're planning an end-of-project planning session to go over what worked, what didn't and what to change if they do it again. 

Let's go get our Christmas tree!

All growing up my family would go to a Christmas tree farm and cut our own tree. That tradition continued when Stephen and I got married and had our own kids, up until we moved to Utah and had to go to a Christmas tree lot (where we got some dinky little tree). Then, for the last 5 years in Minnesota we walked 5 blocks to the Christmas tree lot, pulling and pushing our wagon through the packed snow on the road. This year, tho, this year was a new experience: we drove to the mountains, tramped through the snow and cut a wild tree. It was awesome!!

Next year, however, we are all going to wear snow boots...and wear real coats. Brr! That wind was cold!!

I put lights on the tree while it was on laying on the floor, and as of right now, only the bottom half of it is decorated...we might get the rest of the ornaments up, but maybe not...

Lincoln is 6!

Lincoln is 6! It is a very, very exciting age to be! Lincoln is a responsible boy who tries to do what is right. When he gets overwhelmed and out of control, he takes a walk with Sable and calms right down. His household jobs are unloading the dishwasher and taking out the scraps to the chickens or compost, and he doesn't complain about it. Ever. He's the best about doing what he is asked to do, even if he doesn't want to do it.

He loves his friends and his brothers and sisters (although sometimes he wants to play with the big boys and not his little brother). He is anxious to be reading and loves loves loves doing math--with Daddy is best, but DragonBox and Khan Academy are also acceptable. He also loves to dance and do gymnastics--he's a strong little guy!

This might be our best ever blowing-out-the-candles picture.

Party on the bottom bunk!

Quotes from the past month

In church today Trevor was rolling around on the floor under the pews. He had my pen up his nose, going "pew-pew-pew"--shooting something though his nose-pen gun.

***

While practicing company manners during FHE last week, Stephen asked Trevor what he should do if he needs to go to the bathroom (hoping for an answer like "ask politely to be excused").

Trevor: Close the door.

Yes, please!

***

Elise: Can I just teleport my brain thoughts to you?