Merry Christmas!

Piggy Pudding

Hazel: "Mom will you sing the piggy song?"
Mom: "I don't know the piggy song, how does it go?"
Hazel: "Yes you do. You know. . . bring us some piggy pudding, bring us some piggy pudding. . . "
Mom: (Laughing I realize that "piggy pudding" is actually figgy pudding from We Wish You a Merry Christmas.)

Christmas Lesson Help Please!!!

This Sunday I am teaching the Young Women a special Christmas lesson. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas, I need some help. I have a few thoughts, but I wanted to see if anyone else has a better idea.

Good Tithings to You. . .

Kimball had a Kindergarten Christmas program last week. One of the songs his class sange was, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The other day he started singing it again in the car on the way to the church for our ward Christmas party. Andrew and I looked over at each other and chuckled as he sang. . .

"Good TITHINGS to you wherever you are, good TITHINGS for Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Making Christmas Gifts

Shelley & Heather DON'T LOOK!!!!

This year I have decided to make most of the Christmas gifts. We (Andrew actually) has my sister Shelley's name for Christmas. I decided to make her a flannel board and a whole bunch of flannel board stories for family home evening. (Andrew helped by sawing the boards and buying the white duct tape.)

I used wonder under to attach the flannel to the boards and then duct taped the sides of the boards. It folds down the center for easy storage and carrying. The back of the boards are a laminated wood, so stick tack can be used for pictures too. I was able to score the boards for free from a local cabinet maker. I found the pictures and lesson plans all the Internet. After coloring the pictures I was used wonder under to attach the flannel to the backs of all of the pictures.

For my niece, Sophie I made her this ladybug blanket. I knew that I wanted to make her a rag-time ladybug blanket, but there are no such patterns for something like that so I just made it up. I think it turned out darling. I also had enough left over fabric that I made her these funny little stuffed ladybug toys, complete with a drawstring leaf bag.

My other sister, Heather, is having a baby in January. I made this little blanket for her new little guy. It has super soft brown Minky fabric on the back.

Traditionnnnn. . . Tradition! (Sung by Tevte)

Here is the annual Black family trip into the mountains to cut down our own Christmas tree. This is a tradition that has been going on in the Black family for years, and we love to be a part of it. We had to tie the tree to the top of our car as we drove back from Idaho.

I don't know what it is, but I love this picture of Hazel. This is a look I frequently get. I'm glad that I finally have a picture of it!

Hazel's Hair Cut

Before

During

After

Thanks for the haircut Auntie Heather!

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth

A few days ago we noticed a tooth coming in behind one of Kimball's front baby teeth. After a trip to the dentist, he's now down 2. (Apparently it was 2 for 1 day at the dentist - Their only catch was that you still have to pay for both!)

Anyway, Kimball was excited to wake up this morning with 2 dollars, a note from the tooth ferry, and his teeth still in the little treasure chest that was given him by the dentist.

Out of the mouth of Hazel

Me: Hazel you can go potty by yourself you don't need my help.

Hazel: "Yes Mom, but I'm still growing little."

Happy Halloween

Andrew ended up going hunting in Idaho this weekend, he missed out on all the Halloween fun. Here are the costumes for this year. I couldn't get Hazel to keep on her wings. . . but when she ran around in her costume she did look like a little fairy fluttering around. Kimball was bothered that we never got a feather for his hat, or a little sword for him, but after I darkened his eyebrows with a little makeup he was fine.

The kids loved Trunk or Treating at the church.

Crazy Kids

This week is Red Ribbon Week at Kimball's school. Tuesday was "crazy hair" day.

Here are the pictures of him sporting his do.

He did a lot of screaming when I took out the elastics after school.

Hazel was just wandering around visiting to herself and playing as I was working on the computer. When I turned around to see what she was doing, this is what I found.

What planet is she from?

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

-Robert Frost

Family Home Evening for me tonight was a moment of "They grow up too fast." I have the greatest little family!
(sorry about the picture overload)

I'm Sorry

Andrew: "Hazel what happened? You went from being a sweet little 2 year old to a grumpy 3 year old."

Hazel: "I'm Sorry! I didn't meeeeeeaaaaaan to."

Swine Flu

Sorry for the lack of posts from our way. Kimball has been sick for a week with what we think is the H1N1 virus. He has been VERY sick. For three days all he did was lay in front of the TV with a fever and watch movies. He wouldn't even eat. 3 kids in his class (2 sit at his same table) had H1N1, so although he hasn't been officially diagnosed with it we are 95% sure that would be the diagnosis if we were to take him into the doctor. When I called the Dr. office to ask if we needed to bring him in to be tested or if it would even make a difference to have a diagnosis. The nurse told me that they are not even testing for H1N1 anymore, they just figure that any child that comes in with the similar symptoms they are calling it H1N1. So other than coughing so hard at night that he cannot breath, and a rough little voice, he seems to be on the mend. He no longer coughs all days long, and he seems to be back to his regular pester-his-sister-self, so we know he is feeling much better.

The pits of it all was. . . I was planning on taking him into the doctor to get his regular flu & H1N1 vaccine on Friday, and he got sick Thursday night.

Kitty Tea Party

Hazel's birthday party was a kitty tea party. When the kids first got to the party they were given necklaces and feather boas. (Except the boys got bow ties instead of feather boas because Andrew insisted that his son was not going to wear a feather boa.)

Then the kids colored a picture until all the party attenders arrived.

Games:

All the kids were given a ball of yarn. They were told to act like kitties and unwind the yarn until they come to the prize in the middle. (A plastic ring)

Here is a picture of Hazel dressed up in her Tutu, princes shoes, and necklaces. The yarn concept was a little bit tricky for some, but there were enough adults to help that all the kids ended up with a prize.

In one of the other rooms the kids were told to find the mice, just like kitties. Each child was able to take home two rubber mice.

Tea Party:

Here is the set up of the tea party. For her birthday Hazel got a tea set (alright 3 tea sets). I found them at Toys R Us a month before. They were on sale, buy two get one free, so it turned out perfect. (They were paint your own porcelain tea set, but we just left them white.)

The table was covered with a white table cloth, pink tulle draped down the middle, flower petals sprinkled around. Then there were stuffed cats placed between the little tea sets.

The tea pots were filled with chocolate and strawberry milk. For treats the kids each had wafers, baby cupcakes, & marshmallow cats. (You know those little yellow peeps for Easter? Well it turns out that there are some Halloween peeps now too, ghosts & cats. How lucky!)

Here is the kitty birthday cake. The look on Hazel's face made it all worth it.

The little tea set was the perfect size. Maybe I am living vicariously through my daughter, but at least she had a great time.

Kids at birthday parties always have a hard time when it comes to opening present, so to ease that I made all the kids (15) these goofy "stand up kitties". Hazel passed them out to each child before she opened her presents. I'm not sure if she had more fun at the party, or if I did getting ready for it.

Look at ME. I am 3!

Here is Hazel trying to figure out how to show us she is now 3.

She didn't need any lesson on how to open presents. It is about 6:30 in the morning in this picture, and she seems to know what she is doing.

Here are the annual roses from Daddy.

This year there are 3 peach ones.

Kimball gave Hazel 7 Beanie Baby cats. (They are from that huge Beanie Baby collection that I had when I was young. What was the point?. . . an investment because they where going to be worth money someday . . . nice try they are not worth anything so they are toys for the kids now, years later.)

Hazel is so giving, and she loves her brother. This picture is perfect, because she really does think he is a super hero. She even gave him 3 of her cats to keep. What a sweet sister!

Tah-Dah!

Here she is sporting all of her birthday loot. Her presents included: clothes, Elefun game, Aristocats the video, cats, roses from Daddy, and a tea set . . . . . or three. (The tea sets are for her birthday party on Tuesday.)

Stay tuned for more pictures after the big birthday party with her friends.

We love you Hazel!

Happy Birthday!

Love, Dad, Mom, & Kimball