Zoo Day with Parker!

Ice sculptures at the zoo. When we came back at 1600, there were icicles hanging off the reindeer and the snowflake. Kinda fun! I think they should have put a red LED on the reindeer.

Anyway, we had a great time visiting with the Florida edition of the Tweed family! It was great spending time Parker, Michelle, Stephanie, Allie, and Mom/Dad Jensen! The cousins loved seeing each other too, though I think Jack and Joe may not remember much of Parker. Ah well. Maybe we'll make it to the beach someday when they're bigger and they'll remember more.

As it stands, the kids loved seeing the animals. I didn't hear too many complaints about the cold either. Kelsey didn't like the smell in some of the animal houses. But that's pretty standard with her.

Poor Kelsey could barely handle the giraffe house. She made it through the small animal house better than some times. Poor girl.

Cute babes in arms. It was a miracle Joe fell asleep at the very end. But good times for all! We sure miss you guys already!

This was pretty much Jack's pose the entire time. He is 2 going on 16. He kept arguing about what the names of all the animals were. It wasn't a snow leopard...it was a cheetah.

"No, Mommy! Cheetah!" said Jack.
"Whatever," said Mommy.

Oh, and pictures of Jack were not to be tolerated. He didn't want me taking his picture the entire time. He's got his own ideas and he's definitely a very determined individual. But the kids are enjoying winter! We're looking forward to Christmas! Are you?

It's Santa!

Of all the kids to run up to Santa, it was Kelsey who approached him first. She gave him a big hug but was a little reluctant to speak with him. Ah well. It took a moment for the others to warm up to him. But I was surprised with the youngest two's reactions. Jack wanted nothing to do with the guy in the red suit.

He was more than content to hug the pillar and watch the action from behind it. He did venture out to get a candy cane from Mrs. Claus. Oh well.

But Joe didn't even scream or cry (as most of our other kids have done) upon meeting Santa. Pretty impressive! He did a great job smiling for the camera...even if it was his naptime and he was tired. We were more than happy with his reaction.

John and Bekah were good sports too. Oh, and the antlers were for the Christmas fest the store was throwing for the kids. It was fun to see which kids were excited to get the head gear, and which ones actually wore them. We are sure excited to see the holidays getting nearer.

Merry Christmas!

Oh, Little Joe!

You're not so little anymore, Lil' Joe! He's got two (working on two more) teeth. He's also working on "big" people food! He was so excited to try those shells and cheese that his big siblings get to eat. And when he got to feed himself, that made it all worthwhile!

But he's a happy boy! He's a flirt with all the ladies and he loves shopping with Mommy. If you can handle tipping your screen/head, you can see a cute moment with Joe. Sorry, my phone doesn't always tell me I'm recording sideways. Ah well.

and one more cute moment with Joe...turn your screen/head again...

Happy Birthday to Bekah! You're 4!

Bekah has been the sunshine of our lives. She is truly a joy. It was fun to see her get so excited for her birthday party. The other kids had a countdown going (mostly Kelsey) but even they were busy planning how much fun they'd have with their friends. So fun!

I can't believe how big Bekah's getting! She planned her own birthday dinner (complete with veggies) and was very specific on what kind of decorations for the birthday cake. She's in love with Tangled. For someone with blonde hair, she wants to look just like Rapunzel. Awww...but here's a few highlights from the friend party and then our family party. Enjoy!

Thanks, Grams, for the dress! Bekah's so excited about the butterflies! She even wanted to enjoy the card for as long as possible.

"It's so fluffy!" Bekah was so excited to get a unicorn pillow pet! Wow! Thanks, Aunt Helen and clan!

Ooh! A warm, winter coat that's pink. Bekah compared this to John's coat...but she said, "This one's red not pink." Yes, very astute! She's excited to try out her new mittens that came with it. Now all we need is some snow. My phone washed out the second picture...but the coat fits great!

And the pink/white tutu was a great hit! Here's Bekah and Kelsey dancing...one of the few times Bekah gets to be the princess. And she makes a cute princess too.

Pre-holiday Enjoyment

At this time of year, I'm very grateful for children that get pure joy over empty boxes or little pillows of air (packaging cushions). The kids recently got a big box in the mail and it has been fun watching them jump on the bubbles! I had to keep Joe away from the noise, but everyone else tried their best to burst the bubbles. Jack doesn't really weigh enough to pop the plastic, but he tries!

Once the plastic was recycled, it was off to hide in the box. Bekah did it first and I couldn't believe she could curl up in such a small space. Jack closed the lid and proceeded to sit on top of the box. Kelsey wanted to try but when the lid started to close, she decided she'd had enough. Jack thought it a great place to ambush people with his squirt gun (not loaded, thank goodness!). And Joe just laughed to have the attention.

That face just says it all! That's what the holiday season is all about--pure love and great thanks for the little things in life. Thank you!

The Newest Member of Our Family

I'm not sure if we got any pictures of Bob-Cat up on previous entries. But here's a good time to introduce him. He is a wonderful cat and puts up with a lot of love from the kids. He even puts up with Joe reaching/grabbing for the bell on his harness. John loves to play "fishing" with the cat. Bob loves trying to catch the feathers on the end of the pole. He's also figured out the laser pointer. I think he chases the little red light just to hear us laugh.

Shawn's been doing a great job training him too. Yes, you can train a cat! He sits, stands up on hind legs, and spins. He comes when he's called/whistled and waits by the front door for the kids to open it for him. It's been fun having such a good natured member of the family.

Sleeping, Bob.

A Great Halloween!

We all remembered last year...rainy, cold, but cleared up just as we went hunting candy for little people. This year was completely the opposite. It was almost warm and the sun was still shining at 1800 when we set out for a fun evening with the kids.

Everyone had a great time! The kids came home with a bunch of candy and were good enough to share a few pieces with Mom and Dad. Thanks, kids. Only Joe got a little fussy. We forgot his pacifier. Maybe next year he'll be better about the candy collecting.

Enjoy the pictures!

John chose to fit into his cowboy costume again. I think it has something to do with the cap guns making noise. But he loved it! The red neckerchief is a carry over of the costume he wore to school. He was Brer Rabbit there and the neckerchief was originally on a stick as Brer Rabbit's hobo bag. Good thing we can use these pieces for more than one thing! He even had a shoot-out with several neighbors as we went trick-or-treating.

Aren't those the cutest princess's ever? It's amazing that Kelsey still fit into her Snow White dress. The maroon dress looked beautiful on Bekah. Wow! And they hardly needed jackets over their pretty dresses. Amazing!

Jack had plenty of room for his candy. That honey pot has an extra pouch in the front and it got weighed down as the night progressed. Jack's trick-or-treat bucket was half the size of the other kids. Cute, but meant for littler guys who don't appreciate candy like Jack.

Joe spent the day as in a pumpkin sleep n' play. For the evening, he dressed up in a warm tiger costume. I think Jack was a little jealous, but he got over it once the candy started flowing.

One of our favorite neighbors brought home some work and chased around our kids with a robot bus. It was pretty hard to get this close. They weren't a big fan of a talking, moving bus. Ah well. It was good times.

I think next year we may see even more excitement for candy. The kids will be older and braver about approaching "strange" doors and asking for treats. They will teach Joe all about the joys of Halloween. Here's to hoping your Halloween was memorable as well!