We are having a baby!

On Christmas we put an extra stocking out filled with baby things and when the boys asked about it we told them to open it. Cole figured it out and said we were going to have a baby. Either they were too excited about Christmas to care or they really weren't that excited!

In order to increase the suspense of finding out the gender we had the Doctor's office put the gender in an envelope and we had a party with my pregnant friend to reveal the gender together. Here is how it unfolded....

Let's just say I have never been wrong in guessing the gender of my kids and this time I had convinced myself it was a girl so I was pretty surprised! The boys were thrilled and Tess kept saying she wanted a brother so hopefully everyone will be happy. This was such a fun way to do it especially since my friend is also having a boy and they can be playmates! Now we just have to figure out a name.

Gingerbread House

My kids favorite annual Christmas tradition is decorating a gingerbread house. It is probably good we did it as our decorations were a little slim this year. Here is the end result!

Attempt at Christmas pictures

My boys don't like any clothing with a collar or anything nice on it. My friend had these matching shirts and dress for my kids that she loaned me for Christmas. Cole took the 2 dollar bribe but Ethan did not. None of them cooperated for the pictures so whatever. We are who we are!

Christmas Day

We had a budget Christmas this year. Matt gets all video games for free and Skylanders, was released just before Christmas. Then the publisher came to work and gave Matt two t-shirts, a poster and more Skylanders. It was great and the boys loved it. Tess got a dollhouse that had been given to us a while ago! Nobody seemed to mind. They all had a great day.

Cole enjoyed the Skylanders.

Tess liked her dollhouse.

Ethan also liked the Skylanders but really liked Lego Lord of the Rings.

Opening presents!

Dagedar and a spy set.

Matt got a new iphone and a book about how to coach basketball!

A lego building fest!

Ham dinner with cheesy potatoes.

Post cracker opening!

Sacramento and a campout

I took Tess to Sacramento to visit my Grandma, Aunt Barb and cousin Stacy and her girls. My sisters Christina, Becky and Kate met us there and we had a fabulous girls weekend! Poor Duane was the only male representative the entire trip!

While the girls were gone the boys had a camp out in the front room!

Christmas Eve

We had a few friends over for Christmas Eve. We enjoyed soups and a nativity put on by the kids.

Microsoft Christmas Party

Microsoft always hosts a holiday event and the kids really enjoy it. They had a train ride, cookie decorating and a random snow globe that they could play in!

Ethan's Christmas Program

Ethan had a Christmas program at his preschool. He had a speaking part and spoke really loud and clear! Then they sang songs. The seating isn't great so I didn't get very good pictures but here he is.

Mustache

Matt often doesn't shave and has a goatee but one day I came home from being out to this:

Let's just say attractive!

Ward Christmas Party

Our ward has a reputation for amazing Christmas Parties with amazing decorations! This year I participated in putting it all together and it did not disappoint! The pictures don't really do it justice but the entire ceiling was covered with black plastic to make it look like night and the rest of the walls were covered with tents. We had a Back to Bethlehem theme. We all came dressed in clothing of the time (aka bathrobes and scarves) and bought our food from the town.

Basketball

Cole is playing basketball this season and Matt is coaching. I have to say this is my favorite sport yet. It is indoors and with Matt coaching he gets him to and from all the practices! Cole also likes it and usually scores each game. Here is some of his team.

Field Trips

As part of Cole's school they go on a field trip a month. As part of my responsibility as a parent I have to volunteer on a committee. I was told the field trip coordinator was a good one with small children but was really led astray! I have to plan, coordinate and go on most field trips! Fortunately, I have a good partner and after the first two month whirl wind things have calmed down a bit!

The first field trip was to Jubilee Farms Pumpkin patch.

Cole's pumpkin.

Cole's class and teacher Mrs. O'Malley.

Cole got stung by a bee!

Halloween

In preparation for Halloween Matt carved pumpkins with the boys. Cole had a few ghosts and Ethan wanted a bird.

The kids were all excited to trick or treat the apartments. Lots of homes in a small space but after a few flights of stairs and no one home we moved the party to a neighborhood of houses! We had dinner and trick or treated with our friends the Seamons.