MACKENZIE GOES TO PRESCHOOL- January 8

With birth of this baby happening soon and making us a family of 5, we qualify for the public school system preschool program. So I got Mackenzie registered and all that jazz, and she was able to start the next day! Which was a Friday, so it was a little weird, but it's all good!

She was super  excited to start going to school again!

 She goes in the morning for 3 hours. A nice perk is she can get breakfast at school for free, so we drop her off first so she can eat there and then we take Devin to school. And then I am able to pick her up in the middle of the day and still get Devin at the end of the school day without any problems.

 On her first day, I went in with her (obviously!) and she was a little nervous, but the assistant teacher kind of just took her into the classroom without allowing her time for her usual long goodbyes (which was super good) and now she goes in without a problem. I just drive up next to the school and there is a teacher there waiting to get her out of the van. She grabs her backpack and hops out and doesn't look back! My little baby is growing up!

She is super excited about all the things she gets to do in school- like library on Mondays and gym on Thursdays. She even has homework, which she does happily!

DEVIN'S CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT- January 8

At Devin's school, they have 6 week grading periods. And after each grading period, they have an assembly where they hand out class awards (like best class in PE or music, etc) and then each teacher will also pick one student in their class to be awarded the Certificate of Achievement. Devin's teacher let me know that at this latest assembly (the 3rd one), Devin was the student to be receiving the award, so Mackenzie and I made sure to attend!

Way to go!

MORIAN TURNS 33- January 1, 2016

Morian turned 33 this year! We considered trying to get a babysitter and us just going out, but we figured it might be kind of hard, plus it's fun to do things for birthdays with the kids. 

But first, he had a few presents to open:

 a nightstand organizer

 and polo shirts

 and money!

PREGNANT SISTERS- December 27

I have never *really* been pregnant at the same time as a sister or sister-in-law. But now my sister, Kayley, and I are pregnant together! We had to document it at Christmas time since that would be the last time I'd see her until after my baby is born. So here I am at 35 weeks. Believe it or not, Kayley is 21 weeks pregnant. She's got the tiniest little belly that you can't even see!

Let's remember what I looked like 21 weeks pregnant this time around:

Yeah, I feel like I got huge really fast and then just stayed the same size for the last 20 weeks!

CHRISTMAS DAY- December 25

On Christmas morning, I heard Devin get up to go to the bathroom and then he went into the living room to inspect it, "case the joint" as it were! I let him do it because I didn't want to get up just yet! Even though it really wasn't that early. The kids actually slept in!

Santa left a note for the kids, thanking them for the delicious cookies!

Christmas tree with presents

 Mine and Grandma's stockings

 Devin's, Morian's, and Mackenzie's stockings

 Mackenzie was pretty excited to see what was in her stocking!

 As was Devin!

CHRISTMAS EVE- December 24

The kids had been wanting to make sugar cookies like all month, but I told them we should wait until Grandma gets here. And even then, it took us until Christmas Eve to finally make them! But we had to have cookies to leave out for Santa!

They were excited to help me roll out the dough and use the cookie cutters! (And maybe sneak a little cookie dough! But who can blame them?! That stuff is good!)

SANTA'S VILLAGE- December 19

As Morian drives to and from work, he passes the Richardson Library, which he saw was starting to look rather restive for the holidays. We looked it up and saw that they do a "Santa's Village" in the courtyard by the library and city center with a bunch of little buildings that have to do with Christmas and lots of decorations. So, we braved the cold to go and see it.

Inside the city center they had some decorations we took pictures of.

 Devin liked this tree made entirely of poinsettias.

COOKIE HOUSE DECORATING- December 16

The library had a cookie house decorating night for kids, so Devin and Mackenzie were able to go and decorate their own little houses that were made out of graham crackers. They both did an awesome job frosting and loading their houses up with lots of candy!

PLAYING IN THE LEAVES- December 15

What is this?! The kids are playing in the huge pile of leaves in the middle of December?! It was a beautiful day and they couldn't help themselves! (Good thing they did too because they were all gone the next day!)

ANOTHER LOST TOOTH- December 4

Devin lost his third tooth in like 8 months. He was pretty excited to get another half dollar from the tooth fairy!

 He had gotten hit in the mouth while playing football at recess, causing it to be more wiggly than it would have been at this time and so it bled a lot after it came out, even though it popped right out!

PUTTING UP THE CHRISTMAS TREE- November 29

It's been our tradition to put up our Christmas tree on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. As I was getting out all my decorations, I realized that my Nativities were missing. Then I started remembering more and more that I didn't have. ANd I realized they all must have been in the box we never got when we moved here. I am incredibly sad (and very mad!) to think of all the things I no longer have. But I am grateful we at least have our tree and ornaments to put on it and our stockings. At least not all is lost!

Devin with the first ornament he put on.

 Mackenzie with the one she did.

 Trying on the tree skirt- always a good time!

 We made Morian put up an ornament just so I could get a picture of him and prove he was there!

 This year Devin got to put the star up on top!

 Way to go buddy!

 And look! I was there too!

EXTENDED BIRTHDAY- November 26

Kayley and Glenn had been planning on coming up to our place for Mackenzie's birthday like they did for Devin's, but October just ended up being a really busy month for them. But they still wanted to her a gift so while we were down there, she got to open a birthday present!

Halloween Mickey and Minnie!

TWINNERS- November 25

Devin and Glenn have the same shirt, courtesy of Grandma Esther (my mom). I had packed it for Devin so one day when we were down there they both wore it. They tried to match their pants too but Devin couldn't find his dark jeans.

 Boys will be boys!