December 2016 (Christmas and Calvin's 9th birthday)

Pictures really do help tell what's going on around here!  I'm a picture taker, so looking through all my pics helps me remember.

I helped Violet make an Awana project to describe a portion of scripture (Acts 8) - the little scene in a shoe box turned out so cute! 

Dave and I attended a Weekend to Remember in Cedar Rapids - thank you mom and dad for babysitting!

Magnatile tea party

"The Flash" went to preschool. :P

Eli is learning to say and write his ABCs...this was the first time he wrote out the whole thing (with help)!

He was so proud.

This is about the cutest photo of the two boys .... ever...

Dave and Calvin sneak away to work on a model airplane when they can.  

Thanksgiving 2016 at our house

Jay, Stella and Theo visited too!

We took a walk around a lake - explored some woods/sand - was a fun time digging up shells!

Christmas holiday hoopla downtown Cedar Falls

Calvin came along with me on the ride to pick up Eli from preK - he noticed a baby eagle or hawk (I don't know which it is) perched up on a light by the Orchard Hill Church gym while we waited in the van.

Eli working on his preK workbook at OHCP

Getting a head start on Christmas legos!

putting up the Christmas tree 

all decorated!  This year we switched to LED lights.  So bright!

picture day at preK - doesn't he look handsome?!

Christmas program by the OHC preschoolers - Eli didn't sing a word

a homemade scale inspired by Vanessa's math book - this provided a lot of entertainment

Calvin is learning pronouns! 

"Snow big deal"

the gals getting ready for BBC's Christmas program - Violet got curly hair, and Vanessa's got straightened! 

Little Miss Sassy Claus

Violet played her version of Carol of the Bells as prelude music at the Christmas program

Eli wrote the names on the tags for the gifts he got for all the kids - he helped me wrap them too.  

He was so proud when he finished wrapping them with me.  He chose the candy cane wrapping paper for all of them.

getting ready for family Christmas before leaving for Josh and Carrie's house the next day

Calvin got a "Hobbes" doll

Vanessa got a "dream blanket"

Violet got a clear umbrella!

Eli got a remote controlled Cars car.

at Josh and Carrie's - these are the boys!  Wesley, Austin, Calvin and Eli.  Eli wore that shirt so he would scare the dogs. haha

Carrie and I went out for a walk to deliver her neighbor's Christmas goodies.

me and the girls!

Me 'n the boys!

Eli fell asleep during their church service

kid gift exchange

Vanessa and Eli cuddling up with Jade by the fire

Violet mixed up waffle batter, I fried up "chewy" bacon - Calvin's request - and we all had breakfast together.

Calvin's expression of excitement when he discovered he was given an Amazon Kindle Fire for his birthday.

Calvin is NINE!

A visit to the gym in Mason City - then dinner with my parents in Mason City - and some gift opening.  Calvin got a big fuzzy blue blanket like he was hoping for!

Gotta put that selfie stick to use!

We were gifted some money from Grandma Rowena and chose to spend it on upgrading our home in terms of preventing fires and encouraging fire safety for the kids in our home!  The smoke alarms are from 1995 and have been acting weird.  Dave felt an urge to get prepared for emergencies, so he called up the fire station in Cedar Falls.  Three firefighters drove out to our house (in their fire truck!) and spoke to our family about fire safety, and repeatedly said "make a plan!" and practice it!  They let the kids go inside the fire truck, explained the hoses, and gave them little gift bags with stuffed dalmatian dogs, activity books, etc.  

When the firefighters left, Dave put into practice a plan for evacuating the house.  In the event of a fire during nighttime, we taught the kids to feel their bedroom door, and if it was cold, that would allow them to open the door and crawl on the floor, down the stairs, out the front door and meet at the tree in our front yard.  If the door was hot, they were taught to stuff the bottom crack with a blanket or clothes, open the window, and breathe the air from the window.  If the fire came in their room, they could escape via the roof or the ladders.  Now, the ladders are coming in the mail ina a couple days....we researched some online and bought some of those too.  The girls windows open to a roof that is easily walkable.  The ladders are for the boys' and parents' rooms.  Mom and dad got into the action as well with the kids doing escape drills - pretending to feel our doors, and then be blindfolded (too cloudy if it smokey in the house) crawling out of bed, down the hall, down the steps, and out the front door.  We timed everyone to make sure we  could get out of our beds and out to the tree in 60 seconds or less.  Eli LOVED this activity.  Everyone seemed to love the practicing.

So we had an exciting day meeting the three nice firefighters - seeing them in their breathing mask (they're the good guy, not scary!), and taking a couple hours to put a plan in place in the event of a fire to get everyone out safely.