Hazel says...

Nate was trying to make conversation with Hazel while waiting in the car. He asked her how old she was, when her birthday is, etc.

Hazel: I will be 4. I am three. Jackson (a boy in her preschool class) will be 4 too. He is a nice boy and we love each other. The other kids are nice, except two: Isaac and Walker (pronounce Rocko). They are always angry and fighting each other.

**pause**

Hazel continues: You don't kiss with boys, that's disgusting.

I hope that sentiment sticks until she's 22.

I'm constantly amazed at what comes out of her brain.

Christmas Countdown Day 8, 9, and 10

There aren't pictures to go with most of these activities. Though I love to take pictures, sometimes I miss out on being in the moment with my kids because I'm too busy trying to save the moment for posterity. So sometimes, I don't do pictures.

Monday we watched a movie (Santa Claus 2) and made finger puppets.

Tuesday was split. We had bought tickets for the Austin Symphony's performance of Handel's Messiah (which we have been going to see for 12 years!) Then, the day after, Aspen tells me that her band concert is that night. So Nate took the boys to the Messiah. I took the girls to Aspen's band concert.

I am really proud of Aspen. She practices her flute without being reminded most days. She really enjoys it and is quite good, especially considering she's only been playing since September.

Tonight we went to Chuy's for dinner (we were all craving some Tex-Mex)

and then to Best Buy. Isaac said he could live there and be happy. We looked at everything. Used the video camera to look inside Isaac's ears (gross) and played Rock Band for awhile.

(I think I want this game. But it would also require a new gaming system. And I swore I'd never buy another. But Rock Band is really fun. )

Hazel's Christmas List

Nate: What do you want for Christmas?
Hazel: Candy necklaces. (She's been requesting these for 3 months; she really wants them.)
Nate: What else?
Hazel: My own fingernail polish.
Nate: What color?
Hazel: Pink.

A couple minutes pass and the conversation moves on.

Hazel: Oh, besides those other things, I want my own car.

Bi-polar weather

Even after living in Texas for more than 11 years, I still can't get used to how fast the weather can change.

We woke up to warm and humid today: 80 degrees.

I took the kids to lunch and we decided to eat outside. About 5 minutes after we sat down, the wind came up and instantly it turned cold. The wind had changed from a warm, balmy southerly breeze to a cold, stiff northerly wind. We ate fast and high-tailed it to the warm car.

Tonight it is supposed to snow.

It is true what they say: "If you don't like the weather here in Texas, just was a bit. Something will change."

We're supposed to get flurries, sleet/snow mix, and wind (wind chill will make it feel like 24 degrees F.)

24??!!

SNOW??!!
HUH??!!

I haven't bought coats for 3 years. My baby girl doesn't even own one. I was hoping to get through the season on jackets. But this weather is supposed to last all week. I might have to break down and buy one...if I can even find a decent one. They don't sell real coats here. Thank heavens for internet shopping and UPS. I won't have to even go outside to get it!

Christmas Countdown Day 7

Today we set up our tree. I've kind of been holding off on this one. It's always a chore to put the tree together and get it "fluffed". Then there's the lights. And sure enough, it took a few tries to get them all on at the same time. But the kids had a great time decorating it. Most of the ornaments are souveniers from trips we've made together or have some other meaning attached to them. So the kids enjoyed talking about those. Hazel didn't want to stop. She kept going back for more! So now the room is all aglow.

Christmas Countdown Days 4, 5, and 6

Day 4: we were supposed to make finger puppets. It was bedtime before I knew it; so we are postponing that activity.

Day 5: we went to a friend's elementary school winter carnival. It was indoors and outdoors. Which is only significant because it was about 40 degrees that night (not usual for us Texans). But we bundled up and braved the cold to ride ponies, pet pigs, feed chickens, hold bunnies, slide on giant inflatable slides and stand in line for cotton candy (which was kind of gross). Then we went inside and warmed up in the bounce house, sat on Santa's lap (I had no camera, so I missed this. But there will be another chance at the ward party this weekend), decorated cookies and chatted with friends. It was actually pretty fun!
Toby spent this night on an overnight scout camp. It got into the 20's where they were. But Toby was prepared with 4 sleeping bags (his scout master was questioning the amount of sleeping gear - but Toby and his buddy were NOT cold, like a lot of the other boys), lots of foam pads, warm PJ's, extra sweatshirts and coats, hat, gloves and a very tall thermos of boiling hot chocolate. Sadly, there is a severe burn ban here. So the boys had to do without a fire. But apparently, someone brought propane space heaters to help battle the chill.

Day 6: We put up the lights on the house! Isaac had been asking for days (I think he just wanted to get out on the roof).

Christmas Countdown Day 3

I know I'm a few days behind in posting. Sorry. Blogging tends to get pushed much farther down the to-do list when I busy doing stuff for/with the kids. So now it's nearly midnight (about the only time I can find to blog without interruption) and I'm trying to catch up.

We tried out my new Christmas present from Nate. We made pizza and Isaac made this little movie about it. He is using my new Christmas present from Nate: An awesome Flip camera (does video in HD and is smaller than my cell phone!) Nate gave it to me early so that I could use it during the holidays. It is pretty cool and simple to use and make movies. So Isaac filmed, and the others helped to make pizza. Here it is:

***disclaimer: while the camera shoots in HD, it does NOT have image stabilization. So it is a little jittery.