Christmas

We had a wonderful, relaxing Christmas!  We went to church on Christmas Eve but spent the majority of the day at home.  Brenna and Brody had to get everything ready for Santa and his reindeer, cookies and milk for Santa and water for Santa's reindeer.  Both went to bed that night without a single complaint.  They knew they had to be sleeping before Santa would deliver the goods! 

Not the best picture, but I had to include it because I don't get many pictures with the kids and I love Brenna's pouty face.  She was mad about having to be in a picture.  Brenna did let me curl her hair, which is a first! 

They are growing up way too fast!

The kids slept until almost 5:00 before they had to get up to check for presents. We spent the morning putting together toys and playing new games.

Christmas Day we spent at Aunt Jessie's house.  Auntie Lisa, Brad and Grandma Merri came over too.
Brenna, Brody, and Abbi all got guitars for Christmas so it was a musical day at Aunt Jessie's.

Brenna bought Aunt Jessie a Zebra at Santa's Workshop.

Playing a game with Aunt Jessie

 More vacation pictures coming soon, hopefully!

4K Christmas Program Video

4K Christmas Program

Brenna and Brody had a gingerbread workshop at their school on the same day as their Christmas program.

The program was short and sweet.  Brenna doesn't look very happy in the pictures for some reason. Brody really got into the words and actions.  Brenna sang all the songs too.

Aunt Jess-Jess even took time off from work to watch Brenna and Brody.  Nana, Papa, Great Aunt Zona did too. Brenna has been extremely anti-picture lately so she usually tries to sabotage the picture by not cooperating.

Enjoying some outside time after work.

Snow pictures and letters to Santa

Brenna enjoying the snow day. 

Playing doctor with Cousin Abbi on a snow day

Distressed patient look.

Brody's favorite thing to do in the snow

Brenna's favorite thing to do

My serious Brody.  I like this picture.

Brody and Brenna's Tues-Thursday daycare provider (who they are no longer with) had them dictate letters to Santa for her. 
Here is Brody's:
Dear Santa,
I would like Rudolph to shine his nose so bright so I can see it through the window.  I would like a stuffed animal that of Rudolph.  I would like a fancy guitar.  Happy Christmas to all.  I would like one more thing.  Rudolph and Donner. Rudolph and Donner, Santa, and that's all.

Here is Brenna's:
Dear Santa,
I've been nice.  I want a stufffed animal for Christmas.  I want a Hannah Montona movie.   Have a good Christmas.

I'm looking forward to Brenna and Brody's Christmas program tomorrow morning.

Christmas Must be Coming

A few events that remind me Christmas will be here soon.  #1 The annual Christmas parade, which is held the day after Thanksgiving. The kids got a carriage ride before the parade.

Cousin Sara, Aunt Sheri, and Cousin Jesse came from Illinois to spend Thanksgiving with us.

All bundled up ready to watch the parade

#2 Visiting the Santa in the mall.  He is my favorite Santa.  We also visited Santa at Sharp Photo. It's always entertaining to watch the parents who try to get a perfect picture of Santa with their child who wants NOTHING to do with him.  Thankfully my kiddos are out of that age range.  We weren't trying for a perfect picture anyway.

And #3, making roll out cookies with Nana.

After seeing these pictures,  you will know to eat cookies from us with caution. Oh wait the germs all bake out, right?

Brody is actually eating flour in this picture.  Cookie dough or sugar, I could see eating, but flour? Is this normal?

I think this time he is trying the dough.

More flour to taste....

If Brody likes it, I do too....

I love this picture.

More posing for the camera

And to end with a quick conversation that made me laugh.  Brenna was sticking a permenant marker in her mouth pretending to brush her teeth with it.

Brody: You shouldn't put that in your mouth Brenna. It's probably made of China (he did say of).

Brenna: No it's not Brody.  It says right on it, made in O (city where we live) and it's safe for little children.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for conversations like this one:

Brody (to Brenna): I know everything Brenna
Brenna: Mom, is that true? Does Brody know everything?
Me: I don't think he knows everything.
Brody: I do
Brenna: Then tell me what you know
Brody:  If you smoke you die
Brenna: Mom, is that true?
Me: Yes
Brenna: What else do you know Brody?
Brody: If there's a fire and you can't get out you can die
Brenna: Mom, is that true?
Me: Yes, that can happen
Brody: See I know probably everything
Brenna: Then what else?
Brody: Nothing else
Brenna: See then you don't know everything!
And that's where the conversation ended! 

Of course I am also thankful for my two favorite turkeys, Brenna and Brody, my husband,  and all of my family and friends!

Brody and Brenna each did an "I am thankful for" project at school.  These were their responses:
Brody: mom, dad, Cooper, and his dog.
Brenna: mom, dad, my bedroom, my swingset. 
Happy  Thanksgiving!

Road Rash

In Brenna's words, " I was riding Brody's bike and I turned the corner and lost control and then I fell down."  This happened Friday when Brenna and Brody were at Carrie's house.  As hard as it was to look at the scrape, I'm sure seeing it happen and listening to the crying was that much harder.  Good thing Carrie gave her some TLC.

Brenna has been very excited to tell the story to anyone who will listen.  

Happy Birthday to Me

According to Brody and Brenna, I turned 54 on November 10th.  Well, at least for 54 I look young. I actually turned 33 and celebrated with some of my favorite people. That morning Brenna and Brody insisted I unwrap my presents before going to work. I unwrapped the first one and gave them both a kiss. Brenna looks at me and says, "Do you really have to do that for each present?" Apparently one thank you kiss was enough for her.                                                  Scary....  33 candles!

Brody loves his cousin Tyler!

Brenna loves her cousin Abbi!

Okay there IS a lot of smoke. Good thing I had help blowing out the candles.

Which one looks like more trouble?

 The past couple of weeks have been uneventful for the most part.  Brenna is going through a stage.. a bossy and likes to yell stage.  I'm hoping the Love and Logic parenting class that I am attending next week will have ALL of the answers for me. :) 

Brenna is also now beginning to worry about what she wears.  She made a comment about how the Phy. Ed teacher always picks a certain student.  For some reason, Brenna thinks it is because of the clothes the girl wears. Today Brenna told me she had to match so the phy. ed teacher would call on her just like she calls on the other girl.  I just never thought this type of thinking would happen at 4!  I do have to admit I was a little excited that Brenna cared a little more about wearing matching clothes because it is a fight that I usually chose not to pick. 

In Memory of Cooper

Yesterday was a sad day for us.  Cooper ran up to Steve's truck and Steve did not see him.  By the time Steve realized that Cooper was there, it was too late, Cooper had been hit.  Steve brought him to the vet but he did not make it.  We only had him in our family for a  6 months but he was still a big part of our family, even with all of his naughtiness.  Cooper Darlene Seefeldt (as the kids liked to call him) will be missed. 

Initially Brody thought Steve was teasing him about Cooper.  When Brody finally realized Steve was not teasing, he and Brenna both cried.  Brody said we should put a stuffed animal with Cooper in his grave.  Bless his little heart for thinking of that.

My Two Little Trick-or-Treaters

Thursday, Brenna and Brody had their Halloween party at school.  In a surprise turn of events, I was able to take some personal time to attend their party and parade.  They were very excited to see me but were also confused that I ended up coming to the party when I had told them that I wouldn't be able to make it.  Nana, Papa, and Great-Grandma De-De also came to the school to watch the parade.  Neither one cried when I had to leave.  Progress!   No pictures from that yet.  My co-worker let me use her camera but the pictures are still on it.

Saturday morning, Sarah, Jaxon and Avery came for a quick visit.  We also got a visit from Desi, Abbi (Desi's friend) and Tootie who stopped to deliver some candy to Brenna and Brody. After our company left, we made green goop.  Brenna and Brody had found the recipe in a coloring book. 

Saturday afternoon, we met at Aunt Jessie's house to go Trick-or-Treating.  The hours were from 4-8 so it was nice to get an early start.  Aunt Lisa and Brad make a quick visit to see the kids before going out in Eau Claire for the evening. Steve and I both commented that it was nice to just watch Brenna and Brody run up to the house indepedently.  We were thinking back when B and B were slightly smaller and we had to worry about steps or big kids running them over. We were done walking around by 5:30 and then had to make a few stops that required hopping into the truck (friends, Anthony and Janell's house and Nana and Papa's house).  Brenna and Brody were both exhausted and were sleeping before we got home. 

                                       Brenna, Abbi, Desi, and Brody

                                                                  Playing in green goop

Brenna agreed to wear the wig for a picture.

Spiderman, Dark Bride, and Hannah Montana

First stop, Aunt Linda and Uncle Eldie's house

Aunt Jessie was going out dressed up as Big Bird

Aunt Jessie and Aunt Lisa

Today (Sunday), Great-Grandma De-De, the kids and I made a quick trip to Eau Claire so Brenna and Brody could get haircuts.  We enjoyed some outside time when we got home.  It was so nice out.  This week by the time I get home from work it will be too dark to be outside.  Depressing!