Emery Hair

When I was younger my mom and I had a deal, I could do my hair all week how I wanted but she got Sunday. What this usually meant is I didn't touch me hair all week then Sunday came and I had to sit and have it curled or even just combed. As sad as it is to say, I don't think I care about how my hair looked until I was in 6th or 7th grade (and even then it didn't look that good, I have pictures to prove it). Well Emery has started to care sooner. She is very independent and the last 2 weeks has done her hair on Sunday her self. Last week I went to do it but Brad quickly told me she did it herself and was proud that she got it into a pony. Thankfully I haven't had to teacher her how to use a flat iron yet. So far the pony is good enough and looks pretty good too. 

Weekend Progect

We have been wanting to do something to the upstairs to make the kids want to use it more and make it more fun for them. We recently all made goals and all of the kids said they wanted to draw more. They each got their own sketch book and now all the needed was a place to draw. We had some wood left over from the crib we made, so Brad and I made an easy desk for the kids. It has colors, pens, pencils, coloring books, books, and paper for them to use. We have stools that we just cut the legs off a little to use for them to sit on as well. Somehow adding this desk has made the bonus room look bigger. The desk so far has been a success, they all spent most of yesterday coloring on it.

Week Off

The kids have 2 weeks off for Christmas break and they have has some fun at least while on it. When I worked Brad let them all sleep in the front room, which they all love.

The also went and helped Grandma Arrington clean her Christmas décor. She likes having Camden to get on her top shelf to put it all away. He's tiny and bends to fit well in the small space. 

Then they got Garabaldis for all of their hard work.

I've made them clean and we have gone to the library but I think they are getting ready to go back to school to see friends.

A few days ago we were talking to the kids and Camden told us about this really cool new thing that kids have now. It's a white strip that you can put over words and it makes them go away... aka White out. Brad and I laughed at how cool he thought it was and how to him it was an awesome invention. 

New Years Eve

The kids spent New Years Eve with my parents. They asked a few times while on break if they were going back this year, which made them excited when they got to go. They played games and ate lots of food. They even stayed up till midnight.

Plate Pictionary

 

Arm wrestling Grandpa.

I think Emery won...

Making treats.

Flying paper air planes

Most everyone stayed up till midnight, Jacks didn't make it, but we didn't think he would.

Christmas Day

It's always amazing how fast the actual am goes on Christmas. After all of the planning, it goes by too fast.

The best thing we did was to stop the name tags and just have different wrapping per kid. It does make opening a little slower since they have to find which color is their paper is before they really get into their gifts. 

They boys got a PS4 VR to share. Beck also got a LOT of Funko Pops. He loves to collect them. 

Jacks got a 2DS, which you HAVE to call it a 2DS or he will correct you. DS is not good enough. He also got King Kong toys. 

We have heard about what Emery wants for months. She wanted a re-born baby doll. They look more real than normal dolls. She made at least 10 lists of names to call her baby if she got one and finally set on London. 

Santa even made a crib. We have yet to tell her the truth (and I really don't want to). She walked in on Santa making the crib at least 2 times but still won't put it together. She was too excited for the baby to care where it was made. 

 

The clean up is the worst.

Beck crashed by 9 or 10. He kept saying the day was going so slow. After waking up at 2 am I can see why. First he slept with his dog, they changed to his feisty pet. He decided this year to pick a team to root for and he choose the Eagles. We hoped he stuck with them until at least Christmas so the sweater would still mean something. He thinks it's funny when we are around town and people will comment on his sweater because they like the team too. 

Emery also got this pod swing. She uses it to read to London 

 

Camden wanted a hammock to sleep in. Usually he will sleep on the floor even though he has a bed, so we thought this may be a good alternative. 

I got book and an Amazon Echo. It is really cool to play around with and use. I made my shopping list on it and the kids always ask her to tell a joke and play songs.

Brad got a TMNT figure and also this paint by numbers. He has wanted to do another realistic scene painting, just this time a scene he chooses. I figured painting this could help him see how they highlight areas and make it all work. He has worked on it for quite a while and well lets just say it will keep him busy a long time.

Christmas Eve

Another year has gone by which means it is time for Christmas. By the time Christmas gets here we have heard a million times what the kids would like, so we are more than ready for it to happen. Since Christmas Eve was a Sunday, we decided to do a few things Christmas Eve Eve. We went to Black Bear for breakfast then came home and opened the gifts we got for each other. The kids love exchanging names every year and shopping for someone. They all loved what they got each other.

Christmas Eve we spent with Grandma and Grandpa Arrington. We went to a few nursing homes and the kids played their Christmas songs and Grandma sang a song. I'm awkward at nursing homes, but it was really fun to see how much our little program really brightened some of their days. I heard them say how cute the kids were and how well they played. They were all impressed with their playing, especially Camden playing "Moonlight Sonata." 

We went back to for games and chicken noodle soup. We played the plastic wrap game, which all of the kids really go into and loved. Even Grandma won a few prizes. 

We went back home to open out PJ's. This year the kids wanted everyone to have onsies. The kids look cute in them. Not sure how much I'll wear the llama (or sheep, we can't decide). Every year Grandpa rings the bells outside the house for the kids. It gets them excited to hear Santa close and then they all go to bed. This year Beckham was able to help him ring them. He had a lot of fun. Emery and Jacks couldn't believe how fast Santa was, since Beck some how didn't see him when he took the trash out. 

They all set up for the night upstairs. They took books and games and things to do since they all knew they wouldn't sleep very well. And they didn't... They first came down at 2am to see what they got. We sent them back to bed, then they came down again at 6:30am. So early but they couldn't wait any longer.