Merry Christmas!

December 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

This year has gone by so quickly. This year we had our 2nd annual trip to Disneyland in October. We were there during Amy’s 5th birthday. We had a great trip and enjoyed our time together with David’s family. We are planning another trip for next year. It is a great to spend time with aunts, uncles and cousins.

Amy just turned 5 years old and attends preschool 3 half days a week. She is learning how to read and really enjoys it. She is also in a ballet/tap class. Her favorite is ballet. Her dance studio is putting on the Nutcracker and she will be a doll dancer with Clara. She is really enjoying it. She is becoming so grown up and thinks she is the boss of her brother. She is really getting into her friends and having play dates.

Parker is 2.5 years old and is a very good little boy, but can keep his mom and dad busy. He was in speech therapy this fall, but we decided to take a little break to see how he will do with just help from us. He just started putting two words together, but he is still really hard to understand. It probably doesn’t help that his mom is an audiologist and has high expectations. J He is a sweet boy and loves to cuddle with his mom. Mom doesn’t mind. I know it won’t last forever.

David is still working in data security and keeps busy with projects around the house. He is perpetually working on getting the garage cleaned out. It is a never-ending project. I think he just really likes the garage.

Shannon is still working two 8 hour days on Tuesday and Thursday at the same clinic. It is nice to have a long weekend every week. Shannon has started a new hobby, blogging. It is a great way to keep connected with family and friends and keep a journal of our life.

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love,
Shannon, David, Amy and Parker

Decorating the Christmas tree

We finally got our tree on Saturday, December 12th. We had it up for a couple of days before we started to decorate it because the first day the branches had to relax and we really didn't have time. Amy and Parker loved to decorate it. I didn't get any pictures of Parker decorating the tree, because when I finally got out my camera he was more interested in the ladder. I realized that I forgot put a picture of the tree. I will have to add that later.

Broken house

The beginning of this week we noticed that our house was not very warm. We thought that it was just our house because it has been getting very cold this month. Down into the single digits and below zero. On Wednesday I had Activity Days at my house and it was only 60 degrees and the girls complained that it was cold. I agreed with them. The next morning when we woke up the temperature was down to 55 degrees. The heater was running non-stop. Our thought was great our furnace is going out. This summer we had our air conditioning services and they told us that we may have to replace our air conditioner/furnace because it wasn't keeping the house cool and it could be any number of problems and they couldn't promise that replacing the parts would fix the problem.

Well, when we got home from work on Thursday our house was still cold about 53 degrees now. David was totally stressed. Then the refrigerator started making a loud noise. Great, our furnace and now the refrigerator! That won't be cheap. Well David was able to fix the fridge. It turned out that the letter magnets had gone under the fridge and was causing the problems. Once he took them out every thing was fine. To say the least we are getting rid of the magnets.
That fix that problem thank goodness, but our house was still cold. We brought in the space heater to warm up the bonus room. We dressed the kids nice and warm and put them to bed. David decided to check to see if there was a problem with the ducts under the house. When he opened the crawl space a blast of warm air came out. David tried to crawl under the house, but he couldn't fit through the frames. I was recruited to go and investigate and fix the problem.

So let me just point out two little things. I am a little claustrophobic and I hate spiders. I was not sure I would be able to do this, but I was tired of my house being cold and it was suppose to get cold again that night. So at 9:30 at night I put on a jump suit, gloves and with duct tape and a flash light I went under the house. The main duct coming from the furnace had completely come apart. It was way bigger than I expected. It was probably about 20 inches in diameter. It would have been nice to have another set of hands, because I had to hold the flash light in my mouth, try to hold the duct tape and all the parts together (there were three parts, the actual duct, insulation and then a plastic cover) and put the tape around it. I kept getting dirt on the tape or the tape would stick to my glove. I managed to get the thing together, but it didn't look pretty. We will have to hire some to fix it the right way. But the great news was that the house warmed right up after I fixed it.

So we don't think there was any problem with our air conditioner we think there may have just been a hole in the duct. Our utility bill has been high for the last year. Hopefully we have found the problem and won't have to replace the furnace or AC any time soon. I was just thankful that my husband thought to check under the house.

I should have had David take before and after pictures of me going into the crawl space. It was dirty and there were lots of spider webs. Yuck! Here are some cute pictures of Parker helping Dad with the fridge. He loves to help and play with tools. He is definitely a boy.

You gotta love the binky.

Amy's Christmas Program

Amy had her Christmas program at school. She did a great job. Her teachers told themif they sang really well then they would have a special vister. I think that definitely think that helped Amy to sing well. She listens when she thinks Santa is involved. It worked for the winter program, but I don't know what they will use in the spring. Most of the pictures didn't turn out very good. Amy looks just like her dad when he was little in this picture.

Gingerbread House

It has become a tradition at our house to decorate a gingerbread house every year. Amy really enjoys it and this year she was able to do a lot more by herself. Parker even got in on the fun. They both enjoyed eating the frosting and candy as they decorated. I put the house together an helped when Amy asked, but Amy did most of it and Parker helped add candy. I helped when asked, but they did most of it all by themselves. Amy thought it was fun to use the glue but usually she had me do the big things like the roof and the tree.

The finished house. Parker didn't stick around for the final pictures. Not a big surprise since he is two and doesn't sit still for long.

Looks great!

Snow Angel

This was the first day it snowed this year. The kids were so excited to go outside and play in it. It has been really cold here for quite some time. I am glad that it finally snowed. If is going to be cold we might as well have snow.

Amy's first snow angel.

Parker did like getting the snow on his skin at all. He was happy just walking around in it. No laying down in the snow like his sister to make snow angels.

Lip Stick face

Parker got into to my makeup and put lip stick all over his face. He thought it looked pretty cute. I love how he did his cheeks, chin and around the outside of his lips, but none on his lips. He wasn't too happy when I had to take it off with makeup remover. He hates having his face washed.

Amy's Blending Badge

Amy received her blending badge at school. This means that she is able to blend her sounds together for reading. Their teacher lets the headmaster know that they are ready for their badge and she comes and takes them to her office. She reviews it with them and gives them the blending badge. Everyone cheers and makes a really big deal out of it. We are so proud of her and all her hard work. Congratulations Amy!

Rough Day

There are some days that I wish I can do over. Today was one of those days. Both of my kids were trying my patience and I had very little to give to begin with. Parker and Amy were fighting and Parker was testing me every chance he got. I was a complete grump today. I felt like running away from home. I had Activity Days scheduled and I was dreading it all day and really wanted to cancel. I didn't though, because it was cancelled both times in October and I know the girls look forward to it. I was so grateful that the girls were so good and very sweet. They made my day and made it much better. Parker also gave me a big hug and big wet kisses on my cheeks. He really is a sweet little boy. My hope now is that tomorrow will be better.

Happy Birthday Amy

Amy turned 5 in the middle of October. I have been playing catch up for the last couple of days. October went by so fast. I wanted to post some pictures of my little girl that it growing up so fast. She tells us all the time now all the things she can do now that she is 5. Her dad tried to make her sit in the shopping cart seat at Costco and I told him that now that she is 5 she doesn't have to. She was beaming. She thinks it is cool that she is a "big" kid now. The only problem is that Parker thinks he is 5 as well.

These pictures are all out of order, but I couldn't get them to cooperate.

Amy age 4.

2 years old

Almost 2

3 years old

One day old.

6 months

5 years old

Amy's Birthday Party

We decided to have a friend birthday party this year. Amy has been talking about and planning her birthday party since August. I think she is going to grow up and be a party planner. She knew exactly what she wanted to do at her party and who she wanted to invite. (She said no boys were allowed exept her cousin Benjamin, because he could be the prince. I told her that her brother and other cousin Tyler would also be there and she said that was fine.) I had to reign her in a bit because besides games and crafts she also wanted dancing and a talent show. She put up some of her own decorations. It was a lot of fun. We ended up having eight little kids come. She had to blow out a little votive candle, because the candles disappeared at the last minute and my sister and I could not find them anywhere. (I still have not found those candles.) Amy was good about it and said that she really didn't care about blowing out the candles.

I can't believe she is already 5.

Halloween

This year for Halloween Amy was a ladybug and Parker was Spiderman. Parker picked out his own costume at DI. I was planning on using his Nemo costume from last year, but he had other ideas. He doesn't talk a lot, but he is definitely showing us that he knows what he wants. It ended up being so warm this year, which was really nice. We went Trunk-or-Treating at our church then headed over to another church for more Trunk-or-Treating and then the pumpking patch to use up the rest of our tokins. I don't know what we were thinking going to two places. We have so much candy.

Parker showing his muscles.

They really enjoyed checking out all the candy they received. Parker loves Tootsie Rolls. Amy loves Reeses Peanut Butter cups.

Parker having a party

I was checking on Parker before I went to bed the other night and this is how I found him. I guess he decided to have a party in his bed before he went to sleep. I thought it was cute. but of course I had to take it off.

Preschool Trip

On Tuesday and Thursday Amy goes to a Co-Op preschool with three other little girls. We went to the pumpkin patch and it was soooo cold. The wind was blowing really bad. The girls had fun despite the cold. They were able to go in the hay bail maze, ride the hay ride and pick a pumpkin.

Amy was posing with some attitude.

Halloween Party

David and I were able to go to an adult Halloween Party this year. It was fun coming up with a costume. We didn't want to spend very much money and this is an idea we found on the internet. David was the Prize patrol and I was the winner of the Publisher Clearinghouse prize. We had a lot of fun.

Halloween Party at the Disney Store

My sister Holly and I decided to take the kids to the mall for a little party at the Disney Store. It was fun to dress the kids in the Disney costumes. The party was a little crazy, but what do except in a little store. I don't think we will be doing that again.

The whole gang!

Doesn't she make a perfect Alice? She was planning on being Alice for Halloween, but after dressing up for this party and for her school party she was ready for a change on Halloween.

My cute Nemo and Alice sticking out their tongues. Someone this has been a popular pose for my kiddos lately. Amy starts it and Parker copies.

Amy and Hailey.

Tyler and Parker

Amy pretending to kiss the Iquana at the Pet Store.