Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree

Henry has firmly entered his Thomas the Train phase.  He is constantly asking to watch Thomas and if I ever want to distract him, I just tell him to go play with his trains.

Stella borrowed nana's reading glasses, I love how she is pursing her lips.

Leila wanted to take charge at the grocery store, she took my purse, the list, and pen.

Jeremy and I took a vacation!  One night, but it was lovely.  We went shopping at Birch Run, stayed in Saginaw, drove to Bay City, saw some swans.

Then drove over to Frankenmuth and walked around.

We had a great time spending time away just the two of us!

Then when we came back the kids had a snow day so I watched all 8 cousins at once!

It was a busy day, but it went better than I thought it would. :)

This was lunch, everyone loves chicken nuggets!

Then I sent the kids out to shovel the driveway.  They need some practice.

Next Jer and I pulled them in the sleds in the backyard before all of the snow melted.

Duie broke her pelvis, so we were visiting her the day before Thanksgiving and Leila brought her pilgrim hat.

Today we went out for breakfast

and then in search of the perfect Christmas tree to cut down.

We found it!  Here are Jer and the kids in front of it.

Now me.

Jer is showing them how to cut it.

Stella was the first to volunteer to help.

Henry thought it was pretty cool.

And so was the snow.

Leila got a turn too.

Then we pulled the tree to the path and brought it to our car.

Apparently we like tall trees...the star is not going to fit without some minor adjustments.

Decorating Leila, and the tree.

My little helpers liked to put multiple ornaments on the same low branch.  Can you see the cluster on the bottom left?  The girls are still choosing their own clothes.  I know you don't think I picked Stella's outfit, but I like to point it out so that someday I can tease them about it.

Here is the tree all lit up.

And more trains.  Line them up, put them in the backpack, carry it on his back to the next room, line them up again. :)

And the funny things they say...

Stella: strangers have glasses on 'em.

Stella: mama, look your face at me.

Stella: mom I smell smell in here.

Me: you need a show and tell that is something you are thankful for.
Leila: can I bring shampoo?

Stella: look, its raining snow!
Jer: we just call that snowing.
Stella: I just call that raining snow.

Stella: is it morningtime?
Me: yes
Stella: is the sky awake?
Me: not yet

Stella: mom! I just saw that black cat and it was too scary for my eyes. Cats aren't my favorite.

Fall is Quickly Passing

Henry is talking more and more, but he still mostly just says the ends of words:
Up = ketchup or syrup or up
K = milk, snack, stick, rock, book, truck
Eat = rice crispie treat
It has gotten better as the month has gone on, I can usually tell the difference between snack and milk (not always) but probably everyone else is still having a hard time understanding him.  Watch Thomas the Train is a favorite phrase, that usually sounds like "atch mas RN" so only once you figure out what the string of sounds means, can you communicate with him effectively.

 Some of the chaos of watching 6 kids during the day!

 Grandparents' day at Leila's school.

 Nana, Papa, and Grandma all enjoyed the concert the kids put on!

 Some biking fun before the weather gets cold.

 Clean laundry is a magnet for children to lay on.

Craft time!  Stella is making a bead bracelet, Leila is writing on a card, and Henry is putting stickers on his paper.

 Chuck E Cheese!  Nana took all of the grandkids but Greta.  The kids got their faces painted at Michael's before we went.

 Ryan and I helped her watch them all play games, ride rides, and eat pizza!

 The kids LOVE to go there.

 And who wouldn't?

 The girls are stopping, looking, listening for cars - and holding hands.  I love it!

 We went over to check out Kari's new house with Duie.

 Kari's house is always fun!

 Especially when she plays airplane.

 Everyone got at least 2 turns.

 And we looked at pictures.

 Henry does not like the crust on his waffles, can you tell?

 Leila made herself fancy!

 I love to take the kids to the library.  They get so excited.

 They have a routine - we ride the elevator (or alligator as Stella says) up to the children's floor, then rush to see the fish & turtles in the aquarium, check out the latest kids' collections, run to the carousel, remark that it would be more fun if it were an actual carousel, then go to the puzzle table and do puzzles for a bit.  Then the kids each pick out a DVD or book and we are done!

 Leila's last soccer game!  What a relief :)  Despite excellent coaching, she really did not like it and cried every practice/game.

 We were given a piano from my parents' friends.  It is beautiful and I can't wait to see if any of the kids are musically inclined!

 On a beautiful Sunday lunch at my parents we decided to take some family pictures.

 Me & mom

 Greta, Lindsey, Rich, Norah

 Ryan, Paige, Zoe, Kari, Reid

 Paige & Leila

 Jer, Henry, Stella, Abby, Leila

The two youngest cousins have started to fight over things, which has brought Henry to biting...usually his sisters, but sometimes his cousins too...hopefully this will pass soon!

 The kids did the Mr Potatohead pumpkins again this year.  They even helped grow the pumpkins in the back yard!

Halloween prep:
Stella: I wonder what Grandma and grandpa will be for Halloween. Maybe tigers or horses.

Stella: But dogs don't go trick or treating right mom?
1 hour later...Mom only kids and grown-ups can go trick or treating not dogs.

Henry wore his Thomas the Tank Engine costume for about 5 minutes and then refused to put it back on, so he went as a "monster" instead - but that is just his winter hat.

 Henry found a new reading spot.

 I managed to take his picture before he woke up!  He normally is a very light sleeper.

 He had fun running around in his fireman coat and backpack.

 Visiting with Duie.

 The kids HAVE to ride the horse when we go to meijer.

 However I almost always forget to bring the pennies.

 I remembered today!

 The girls snuggled in together under the blanket to watch some TV.

Dad and Leila watching Sunday football.

More funny things our kids say...

Stopped at a traffic light on the way home...
Stella: look mama! There's the glove! The glove where we all live!
(I look around the intersection for a sign with the map of Michigan)
Stella: over there
(I see the "stop hand" for pedestrians. Apparently maps of Michigan are at every intersection.)

Stella: Norah put my toothbrush in her mouth. I catched her germs.

Driving next to a UPS truck and Stella says let's get one of those trucks mom.

I am putting 6 kids down for naps incrementally. Henry is already down. Stella says, Henry just stepped on my forehead and my body.

Stella: I just did the quietest quietest quietest toot.

Stella about her coat: I know I have a pocket but my hand doesn't know where it is!

Jeremy: Stella, you have a Kleenex right there, why are you getting another one?
Stella: because it will give me snot back.

With Henry's food allergies, we go over what he can and can't eat with all of the kids quite often. So at snack today when what Henry requested sounded vaguely like "grass" to Stella...

Stella: but can Henry eat grass and sticks?