Thanksgiving Weekend

For Thanksgiving, we drove over to Sioux Falls to see Robin, Fred and Shaun. It was a fantastic meal and I even did a little shopping with my sister on the infamous Black Friday. On Saturday, we went to Falls Park. It was pretty cold, especially when the wind picked up, but we had a great time. After climbing the tower to see the view and letting the kids run around the park a bit, we took them on the trolley (heated!) tour of Historic Downtown Sioux Falls. It was a really fun weekend, thanks Robin and Fred!

The first snowflakes have fallen!

Here is a picture from the day it snowed (a few days before Thanksgiving). I thought I had more, but this is all that was on my camera when I went to upload them today. This is the view from our front door. It doesn't look like much (it only stuck to the coldest places like cars and porches), but we were pretty excited. Eden wanted to build a snowman (we'll have to wait for more snow) and Andrew wanted to come inside after about 20 seconds. Poor guy, I think he's going to have the hardest time of all of us adjusting to this super-cold weather.

Hullabaloo

We had some pretty cold and windy weather earlier this week. Between the sometimes extreme weather and the shortage of daylight, we've been trying to figure out how to keep Eden and Andrew entertained, indoors. We got the game "Hullabaloo" from Target a couple days ago. Here they are playing with it, sorry the video is pretty long, and the lighting isn't that great, I'll try to do better next time. Anyone know how to cut a video shorter after you've taken it?



Hey, I noticed after I posted this that there's no sound. I'll have to use the other camera next time I do video. It really is more entertaining with the sounds that this game makes, and the sounds that the kids make too. There's a soundbox that has music and a voice telling them to move (twirl, bounce, fly, etc.) to a different color, shape or picture. Then after a while it stops and if you're on the lucky pad, you're the winner for that round, and the voice tells you to take a bow or do a funky-monkey dance (the kids favorite), or something like that. You can keep playing over and over (until Andrew loses interest and starts picking up the pads). So far, it's been a worthwhile purchase.

Tagged Post Script

Scott thinks people know a lot of that stuff so here's a couple more:

• I alway got really excited as a kid for the new school supplies, especially a box of brand-new crayons. I always try to keep them nice as long as I can in their box (I especially love the 64-count with the sharpener built into the back). It was almost painful to watch Eden, and later Andrew too, destroy the first box, and eventually the crayons. I've learned now to just buy the basic colors and get rid of the cardboard box right away.
  
• I was part of the Tech Drama class in high school, which built the sets and did all the lights, sounds and other "behind the scenes" stuff for the plays (most of you know you wouldn't catch me actually in the spotlight). Ironically I got into this class because I was forced through as series of very unfortunate events (more like nightmare- remember way back when you actually registered in person for your classes and had to walk all around the gym trying to get the classes/teachers you want? well, I was a freshman...) to take ADVANCED SPEECH the second semester of my freshman year. The teacher who taught Advanced Speech, also taught Tech Drama.

Those who have been tagged know who they are, but anyone who wants to can do this "tag." Can't wait to see what I learn about you guys! I also wanted to add that I posted a link (in my "useful stuff" list) to an LDS Living article I found through Saundra's blog. Thanks, Saundra!

I've been tagged...

...by Mandi

The rules:

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.

B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.

C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 4 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Here are 6 things about me you may or may not know:

1. I have a slightly embarassing amount of scrapbooking and stamping supplies. I also have a few other unused and unfinished crafty supplies and projects. I truly enjoy scrapbooking and stamping, and any kind of craft, but the time I actually put in probably does not warrant the amount of stuff I've collected. I also love going to the craft store (ie. Hobby Lobby) just to look around. Of course this is harder when you have little kids in tow, but on my own, I could spend the whole day in there.


2. I have some sort of belly-button phobia. I hate seeing the kids (or Scott, who does it just to bug me) playing with/sticking their fingers in their belly buttons. When I get to be towards the end of pregnancy, my inny never turns into an outy, but just keeps expanding. I worry that it may just pop open. Totally irrational, I know.


3. Books are addicting for me, way worse than tv. My favorites are mysteries and historical fictions, but I'll read just about anything. I'm pretty disciplined in the beginning of most books, but the further I get in, the more I have to get to the end. My family and home often go neglected until I finish.


4. I have had three trips to the emergency room, and they are all clutz related, the broken bones and stitches never came with bragging rights. First, in 6th grade, I slipped on wet grass (I wasn't even running, just walking) and broke my wrist. Then just a few months later, I tripped over my sister and broke my foot. The third trip happened last year right before Scott left for his deployment. I was tried to push a gate open the wrong way (I thought it could swing open either way) and ended up with a ambulance trip (not necessary, but the kind lady who helped me insisted on calling 911) and 10 stitches down the center of my forehead- just in time for the family pictures we wanted to get before he left. I'm not always a clutz, but when I am, I do it big time.


5. I am right-handed, but dribble a basketball better with my left hand.


6. I tried out for three different sports my freshman year of high school (volleyball, basketball, and badminton) and didn't make any of the teams. It was all for the best though because the next year I went out for the cross-country team (no cuts), which I still enjoy today. If I had listened to my mother, I could have started my running 'career' a year earlier, but I was too embarrassed to go out for x-c my freshman year after not making the volleyball team.

Well there it is, now I tag Kendahl M., Chelsea B., Robin G., and Danette M. Have fun!

Gratitude

We have not had much to post about lately. The most exciting thing that's happened in the last week or so has been our new carpet. The housing office agreed to replace most of the carpet in our house, so we no longer have "funny" smells coming from the floor. Not much to brag about, but we are thankful. Since it is that time of year, I've decided (like some others) to start a gratitude list, you'll see it on the left-hand side. (I thought I should put it there so it doesn't get buried by all the super-exciting posts that I'm hopeful will be made in the near future.)

Trick-or-Treat!

Here are the pictures from the kids' night of looting. Eden was a fairy-princess (she had glitter in her hair and on her face, but it didn't really turn up in the photos) and Andrew was Spiderman. They were only gone about an hour and were completely satisfied with the half-bucket each that they collected. One of the great things about living in military housing is that there are set hours for Trick-or-Treating, 6-8pm, and there are a few security forces patroling. Even though the kids were with Scott, its nice to know that its such a safe environment.