Ketchup

Merry December! Happy Christmas! Our tree is decorated (and watered, for a change), our nativity set it on the table, our Christmas cards have been ordered, our Christmas books are by the couch, and Christmas music is flowing through our house. I have even already had my annual sing-and-sew, where I sit down and sew while listening to Handel's Messiah in its entirety. I listened to the Mormon Tabernacle's latest version of The Messiah and found it very fresh and uplifting. I sewed yesterday afternoon away with NO mechanical difficulties! A true Christmas miracle. Before I go any further, however, I MUST get these old pictures off my chest--the everyday ones that have fallen through the blog cracks for the past two months. Then I will feel 100% ready to start Christmas on the blog.

October 17th: Amber said she'd be happy to take over for Mr. White at parent teacher conferences. Jay brought him half a Little Ceaser's pizza, Rose gave him a back massage, and I brought him his kids to visit. We take care of our favorite teacher every way can! Parent teacher conferences at Jeff's school are three times per schoolyear (6 days total), for four hours right after school. It makes a long day for all of us!

 October: trampoline time with the girls.

October: running past the fall-colored grape vines. I couldn't get a wide enough picture to show how pretty the view was that day out in the countryside west of Grandview.

Mid-conversation selfie, and Jay dressed up for mismatched crazy clothes day. Since he normally dresses less-matched than this, I guess that's why he chose this not-normal outfit for mismatched day! Jay is awesome like that.

Rainy run at the track together--I snow-suited Amber up, gave her an umbrella, and turned her loose while I ran laps to avoid pushing that heavy stroller. Amber loved exploring the wet world in the freedom of the large fully fenced track. 

 Ambrella!

 Amber looks through our Chatbooks every single day. They are never stacked neatly in order, if they're stacked at all. It makes me happy that she has all these books full of pictures of her favorite people to enjoy while her big brother and sister are at school. 

 One day at the end of October I babysat a friend's little boy who is 6 weeks younger than Amber, and they got along so well! Usually Amber is wary of ALL strangers, but she really liked this little guy. Cute Mr. Sam made me miss having a little little boy around. Superheroes and Star Wars!

 A cold windy run on Badger Mountain: pure therapy.

After family prayer every night, we all say HUUUUUUGS! and reach for the nearest person. Since there are five of us, we often double up on the hugs so nobody is left out. 

One Sunday morning in November, Jay noticed the condesation on my bedroom window and wrote me a message. When I was walking to the bathroom the sunlight broke through the clouds and lit it up beautifully--it was one of those moments that I can't believe I have a picture of. A spontaneous darling note shining in the sunlight from my sweet boy.

 November: I finally taught the kids how to load the dishwasher. Now they take turns loading and unloading. It's not perfect, but it still has taken quite a weight off of my workload!

 My daytime best buddy/archnemesis, Amber-bamber

 Amber started playing jack-in-the-box with a bucket while I was on the phone one day.

Amber likes helping me carry bags out of the store. It's pretty adorable, and everyone we pass grins at her efforts to haul a bag that's longer than her arms.

After church in the front yard at the end of October (these pictures are not in chronological order--whoopse)

Birthday bash part two--when we got back from our Utah trip, we recycled the cake my grama gave us for our birthday celebration with local family members.

 Jeff is buff, carrying both of his daughters to bed at once.

Rose opened the door for him. 

Rose started hanging her artwork on the wall above her bed a month or two ago. It's quite the gallery.

School picture day: I took pictures before the kids went to school as I always do. I let them pick out their outfits (although I did veto Jay's gray polo shirt with a clip on tie idea). This year I also ordered school pictures for the first time ever. $13 for one digital image seemed pretty steep to me, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to get a normal picture of these active kids, so I paid up anyways, for posterity.

 I tried helping Rose remember how to smile normally at will...

I LOVE THIS PICTURE. And I love this boy. 

 I LOVE this girl too. Such a sweet shy-looking kindergarten picture, although she is anything but shy.

WHY do I do this to myself? But those FACES!!! Above: Jay, ages 3 and 7.5, below: Rose, ages 2 and 5.7

{Watching a Beep-Beep--aka, Magic Schoolbus cartoon--the all-around favorite Netflix offering in our house right now.}

Ketchup complete.