Christmas Eve

We just returned from a trip to visit my family in Pennsylvania. So expect an onslaught of posts. :)

Christmas Eve, we celebrated at Jack's parents' house. Ellyson was really excited to receive an Elsa dress, and the twins were thrilled about Goldfish snacks in their stockings. Carter couldn't wait to come home and try out his solar system projector.

Since Carter's bedroom is downstairs at our new house, he spent Christmas Eve night sleeping on Ellyson's floor. And for the first time in my parenthood, I understood why my dad used to booby-trap the kids' doors on Christmas Eve. Santa was convinced this would be the year our kids caught him. Thankfully, they didn't.

Barbies are Low-Tech

We are preparing for a road trip. I packed Ellyson's Elsa and Jasmine Barbie dolls in her bag. She loves watching Barbie movies on Netflix, and asked for a Barbie house for Christmas. She told me (repeatedly) she didn't want to take them. I finally asked why, and she told me she "doesn't know how to play with them." Because they don't "talk or have buttons or anything."

Sounds like just the thing I want my kid to say, hours before Santa delivers some Barbies and a big ole Barbie house. Awesome.

Powderpuff

This is what happens when you have a girly girl sandwiched in the middle of boys.

My Birthday

My birthday was last Friday. Ellyson helped me make a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, and the twins tried to steal my Starbucks cranberry bliss bar. So, I received no special treatment from them. ;-)

Dressing up

Graham dressed himself today. Baseball cap, puffy vest, Christmas tie, underwear, sequined shoes. We're just glad he put on underwear. We set the bar pretty low. :)

Christmas Programs

Yesterday was Christmas Program day in our house. Thankfully, Carter's program was two hours before the preschool program - especially since I teach a class at our preschool! My director was very understanding, and found a sub to cover my class for the first hour of our school day. I took Ellyson, Grant and Graham to Carter's program (and Grandma and Papa Jack met us there), and then we all went over to our church for the preschool program.

First is Carter's program. He is in the front row, in his Christmas tie. I'm pretty sure this was the first time I'd actually heard Justin Bieber sing (a discussion we had with Carter a number of times over the last few weeks).

Here is the preschool video (about nine minutes long). Ellyson is on the left, in her Christmas dress. The twins are together in the second row, wearing their Christmas ties. I'm in the green sweater, playing referee with the one-year-olds.

Grant Wishes You a Merry Mit-mas

A little Christmas cheer for your Thursday ...

By the way - this kid is making huge strides with using the potty. He has been upgraded to Pull-ups (meanwhile, Graham has been downgraded to them). Both boys are only needing one or two Pull-ups per day, which isn't even worth the load of laundry to wash them every couple days ... so I am cautiously optimistic that I may have washed my last load of diapers on Sunday (fingers crossed)!

New Pants

I made these pajama pants for Carter on Saturday. I can't decide if I'm proud (because I made them, and the fit is awesome) ... or ashamed (because they're Star Wars).

Santa Visit, Take 2

Today was our second Santa visit of the year. My Mothers of Multiples group held its Christmas lunch, and the kids got to see Santa again. Ellyson dressed the part (you know, since she wore sweats to our last Santa photo open), but the boys did not dress up. Maybe we'll just put the two pictures side by side on our bookshelf, so we can see all of them dressed up.

Muscles!

Santa Pictures!

Morning Person

We are a family of morning people. It may take us a while to get everyone ready in the morning, but that's because three of our kids still need help getting dressed. Well, our youngest is the least-morning-person of the bunch. Always has been. At night time, Grant curls up on his bed, with his thumb in his mouth and Sleep Sheep in his other hand, and he is ready - to - sleep. Graham isn't usually quite as ready for bed. And before the crack of dawn, Grant is often hovering over Graham, trying to talk to him, or he is simply jumping on Graham's bed. Graham is not the morning person of the two of them.

Christmas in Grayson

Last weekend, Carter sang at our church's children's Christmas program, and the group performed at the Christmas tree lighting in town also. I made his Christmas tie. (Spoiler alert: it matches his brothers' ties and his sister's dress!)

I took video of the program at church also, but only loaded the one from the tree lighting. The one at church was a lot longer, and the camera jumped around as I helped Graham hop in and out of my lap.

Grant and Graham also discovered candy canes last night. Grant loved his. Graham thought he did. And then, about half-way through, he made a funny face and told us he didn't like it. The kids all visited with Santa also - and as soon as I get the photo from the photographer (no personal cameras allowed), I will post it. Unfortunately, we weren't expecting to see Santa. So all the boys look dressed up, while Ellyson is sporting track pants and a hoodie. Haha. Had we planned for it, something would have gone wrong. I was just happy that all the kids stood (or sat) with him, and we could get a photo without me being in it. (The past two years, I had to stand in the picture, holding the twins.)

Hashtag: Bed head

Oh, My Darlin'

Oh, my darlin'
Oh, my darlin' Clementine ...

These boys do love their clementines!

Graham's Curls

So, this before-and-after happened today. Don't worry: what hair is left, still curls. We trimmed both Grant and Graham about a year ago, but it had finally really filled in again. Graham was actually ready to have his hair cut - he stood perfectly still and even leaned into it. Next, Grant's mullet-in-the-making will need to go ...