the week in review

last night as i laid in bed i couldn't help but think of the highlights from the last week. it has been action packed and loads of fun!
thursday, 12-18-08
pete and i celebrate our anniversary by sleeping in, going to wilson's christmas program, and a yummy dinner at capi.
friday, 12-19-08
wilson's christmas party at school, last minute christmas shopping with my dad (a yearly tradition) and finishing up photo stuff before a week off.
saturday, 12-20-08
pete to sing in choir at prison in the morning and then to his grandparents for chimney cliff christmas- an entertaining hour and a half in the bmv each way, riding 12 deep.popcorn. and a late night arrival of the davidsons.













sunday, 12-21-08
to church, lunch at pete's parents (everyone is here-that's all 17 of us), cooking cupcakes, and time out in the community.
monday, 12-22-08
cupcake day!!! we made, sold, and packed up over 500 cupcakes. this was the chinos christmas project and all proceeds went to buy water buffalos for families through heifer.












tuesday, 12-23-08
sleepy. very last minute shopping for me. movie for pete. library w/ cousins for wilson. play time at grandjules for campbell.
wednesday, 12-24-08
christmas eve. packing for hot springs. gingerbread houses and shrinky dinks at julie's. church. drive to hot springs. present wrapping and scavenger hunt.
thurday, 12-25-08
merry christmas! present opening, yummy breakfast, toy playing, family time. drive to nlr. yummy dinner, great conversation, game time.
friday, 12-26-08
9 cousins photo shoot. enjoying 70 degree weather. crazy christmas with walker family. saying goodbye to davidsons.
saturday, 12-27-08
lazy day, slept in, played with toys, cleaned up-sort of.

it has been an unbelievably fun week and i think i could sleep for 2 days.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We had a great day with our family and wish the same for you.

9 YEARS!!!

Today Pete and I are celebrating nine years of marriage.
It has been a great nine years and a great day.
I have to give props to my husband for planning a wonderful anniversary day and say thanks to those who made it possible.

i know what i want

Today was an ice day.
It was not the day I had planned.
Today I had planned to tie up loose ends before the kids get out of school for Christmas. Finish shopping, figure out what was left on my to do list, maybe laundry, a little alone time....but there was a different plan. One that left me reminded that I can't always have a plan, or at least can't hold it to tightly. There is a plan, I just need to be ready to change mine to follow it.
So the new plan for our day included an aunt with canceled flights, grandparents waiting out the roads, some computer work, my hubby still opening up Starbucks before the crack of dawn, lots of noise from stir crazy children, baking, and Christmas Cards assembly.
Somebody else in the house had a plan, too. It included wearing exactly what he wanted, superhero spy school, bossing baby bubby, and at least one grown up in the playroom giving direct attention at all times.



Those buttons didn't get buttoned all day long!

Pow Wow

I love this time of year. I enjoy the weather and the trees and the family time. This year I am loving the excitement that Wilson has because of talking about holidays at school. It has been fun to hear him preparing for his Indian powwow and learning about Thanksgiving.

All the kids had made their own costumes (a paper bag vest, hat and a pasta necklace.) Sometimes I forget how much Wilson loves order. He was very excited to show my dad and I his necklace and that he had put the pasta in a pattern and the drawings on his hat were also in a pattern.

It was such a fun way to start our Thanksgiving break.

Camping

Every year in November our school district has a meeting that gives the kids a 4 day weekend. And every year when this happens the Chinos go on a camp out. The thing that was different about this year is that we decided to go along.

The only problem is we are not really "campers" and it was kind of cold and rainy.

Also we do not have appropriate gear. Luckily we know some gear people that make it pretty easy on us.

The boys loved being outside, sleeping in a tent and ..

playing with all the kids. Thank goodness the kids never realized that they could have easily taken over, there were 16 of them and only 7 adults.

Sarabeth even made a video of Campbell and Ben talking about some of the kids adventures.
Check it out at http://vimeo.com/2263542

the bluff

Castle Bluff is such a special place to me. In the weeks that I prepared to spend the weekend there I waited with anticipation. For me it represents time alone, time with God, time with teenagers...also in the fall it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I think we hit the leaves at there peak.

Have tons of pictures, but I don't know the rules about putting peoples pictures on my blog without permission. Anybody know what the rules are with that?

jack

I was out of town for Halloween, but I did make it to the carving party.
This is the face of our very cute and kind of scary jack-o-lantern.

These two worked hard to create just the right "vampire" face.

norah's b-day

Over the weekend the boys and I headed to the Wonder Place to help celebrate Norah's 2nd birthday.

It was an all around good time with cake, toys and arts & crafts.

sleepover

Last night we had a Chino/Loibner sleepover at our house.

I'm not sure if Wilson loves anything as much as his cousins (the love also extends to the 5 cousins not present.) This smile was on his face all night.

We played, ate dinner, played Mario Cart, watched a movie, a read lots of stories.


The little guys had no trouble keeping up. Campbell was even convinced that he won the video game. He was watching the wrong player.

Campbell and Simon share a love for the same brown stuffed dog, Doggie. Between the two of them there were 4 Doggies at the sleepover.

It was big fun for all.

Highlights

• Simon snuggling with all the Doggies
• Snuggling with Simon
• Realizing that Cole had Guns & Roses on his MP3 player- this was a bonding moment
  
• Watching MP craft
• Wilson's smile
• How well Wilson and Ben play
  
• All the kiddos cuddled on the couch
• All the kiddos lined up in sleeping bags-that Simon is such a big boy
• When the last child went to sleep
  

school's out

On Monday the boys were both out of school and so we ventured to Mayflower on a little Pumpkin Patch Play Date.

It was a beautiful day- less muddy than Wilson's field trip.

Lucy and Bauer were very content with there sweet ride.

I think the best part for me was having a day with Wilson and Campbell, like the old days. Wilson has gotten so big. He was so sweet to all the little guys- maybe a bit too sweet to one little girl.

All the 2 and overs got to pick a pumpkin. The rule was you had to be able to carry your own.

Wilson likes to push the limits, but in his defense he could actually lift this guy. And it is a very good jack-o-lantern pumpkin.

Everyone played so well and had loads of fun.

These are the boys spooky faces.
Watch Out!