Snow Day!

We only got a couple of inches of slushy snow but it was enough to build a real snowman...

...and even make a few sledding runs down the hill in our backyard.

Yes, Grant is wearing his jammies. Fortunately, they are polar bear jammies so I'm sure he was warm enough.
Or maybe not.

I Like Sno Man.

As soon as I saw this I just fell in love with this striped "sno man" that Cole produced at school.

The wonderful depiction of our family, including the two cats, is also quite striking. I'm pretty sure that the orange, egg-shaped object above the snowman's head is meant to be a symbol for both our chickens and our bunnies. Or maybe it's the sun, which has been shining entirely too much this winter, making dreams of family snowman building an impossibility.

You'll notice, of course, that he got a "First Rate!" rating, which confirms what we've always known about this Boy of Destiny.

Who's the Boss?

Well, obviously. Just ask him.

Can You Spot the $25?

Sue invited Grant to help her shred some old bank statements. She was cleaning out our mail caddy and had made two piles on the floor: one to keep, one to shred. She indicated to Grant which pile to shred so of course he immediately went to the non-shred pile, grabbed the first thing that caught his eye and put it into the shredder. Sue caught a glimpse of it as it chattered through the slot. From her shriek I thought he might have shredded the Declaration of Independence or the Magna Carta. Actually, it was a Target gift card we received during Christmas. Once she identified it, I shrieked as well. Without much hope I suggested that she fish the pieces out and see if the numbers were still legible.

Okay, I purposely obscured a few of the numbers in the picture for the hindrance of our more enterprising readers but they were all there. It was the most expensive puzzle I've ever tried. When we entered the numbers into Target.com, they said "giftcard information entered is either invalid or incomplete." We checked the numbers again, made a couple of corrections and voila! $25 is ours.

Go Ye Into All The World

Grant has recently been asking questions about how the government works. Sue has been answering him and trying to help his 5 year old understanding try to grasp why we even need a government. A couple of days ago she remembered that she has several small books about various aspects of the United States, including one that has a short biography of each of the U.S. presidents up through George W. Bush. Since then Grant has insisted on taking the book with him wherever he goes and showing whoever is nearby some of the portraits of the presidents. Not surprisingly, his favorite is our 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant.

Today he took the book to church with him and shared it with other kids, the people sitting in the pews in front of us and behind us, his Primary class teacher and one of our favorite people, Brother Longfellow who walked past us in the foyer.

I thought Cole looked like Grant's mission companion in this next photo, adding his testimony while Grant prepared to present the next topic.

If you'd like a couple of LDS missionaries to visit your house with a message about Jesus Christ and the importance of families, visit mormon.org and submit a missionary request. If you'd like a couple of kindergarteners to visit your home with a presentation about their favorite U.S. presidents, Church presidents (try to guess Grant's favorite), and other interesting historical figures, drop us a line and we'll arrange a time. Either way, cookies are appreciated.

She's Our Sunbeam, Too

Today was Bryn's first day in the "big kid" Primary at church. She was a little shy at first and needed Mom's support.

Dad needed some support, too, but I had to be satisfied with taking surveillance photos through the window. Bryn eventually came around, let Mom go and sat on her teacher's lap for a while, then in her own chair.

By the end, she was excited to find mom to show her the picture she colored and tell her about her first day in the Sunbeam class.

A Very Crumb Cruncher Christmas

Bryn was delighted with her princess kitchen. The boys have played with this more than I would have thought.

She also quickly took advantage of her new princess dress up box. Fortunately, the boys have left this one alone.

Grant got exactly what he asked Santa for: Walkie-Talkies!

Cole was visibly pleased with his Harry Potter Lego set.

And a little yuletide swordplay just made the day perfect.

Polar Pen Pals

The boys left notes for Santa next to a plate with some crackers, M&Ms and a cup of eggnog. I particularly like the use of the Star of David in the accompanying pictures.

Cole's note:

Grant's note (see the interpretation below):

"From Grant to Santa. Thank you for the presents. Thank you."
For those of you who haven't spent time reading notes from a 5 year old, thank you is spelled "faing cyooe". The figures with hats are all various representations of Santa.

Santa's Response:

That's right, a personal response for the big red guy himself! We're all thrilled.

Shepherds Abiding in the Living Room

I don't know what the actual shepherds mentioned in Luke wore.

However, I'm reasonably certain they didn't have T-Rex t-shirts.

And I doubt they stacked their sheep.

But I'm sure they visited the baby Jesus, just like the Bible says, and I'm also sure they didn't get a picture of it. Well, that's the one part of the story we matched perfectly.

Rare Who Roast Beast

Then the Whos, young and old, will sit down to a feast.

And they'll feast!

And they'll feast!

And they'll FEAST!

FEAST!

FEAST!

FEAST!

All I Want For Christmas

Christmas Bells

The boys wowed the audience at our church Christmas party by performing a violin duet of Christmas Bells are Ringing. Fortunately, Santa was on hand to watch their performance and listen to their Christmas desires.

Bryn wouldn't touch Santa with a 10 foot pole.

Good Night, Gracie

While riding in the car, Grant is mad at Bryn for... well, it doesn't really matter.

Grant (trying to sound authoritative and preparing to deliver a withering riposte): Are you talking to me?
Bryn (quietly): no
Grant (still authoritative, add annoyed): Are you talking to me?
Bryn (quietly): no
Grant (more annoyed, more bossy): Say it louder. Are you talking to me?
Bryn (quietly): no
Grant (more annoyed, louder): Are you talking to me?
Bryn (quite loudly): NO!
Grant (with faux patience): Don't say it like that. Say it like this: "yes" or "no".
Bryn: ...
Grant: Say "yes" or "no".
Bryn (without a hint of guile): Yes or no.

We almost missed the punchline because we were laughing so hard from the set up.
That girl is on her way to being a world class tease. And Grant plays the straight man perfectly, if inadvertently.

Our Baby is 3 Today!

But as her brothers like to remind her several times a day, she will never catch up to them, and they will always be older AND bigger.  (But a little sister can dream, and even wish - while she blows out candles.)

Feeling all special while being sung to.

Munching cake with her best buddy from a few houses down.

Best of all, it was a day full of princessy goodness.

And as far as we know, all her dreams came true and she will be living happily ever after. 

The boys, hiding from all the new girl toys.

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Having a magical Halloween is all about having the right neighbors. Cool neighbors, just a few doors down, with kids the exact same ages and genders as our own.  Plus lots of apple trees,

plenty of space,

a cider press to put those apples into,

which all the boys agreed was the most miraculous contraption ever created, (juice comes out!)

a huge garden in which to find the perfect pumpkin,

everything to decorate your pumpkin, and your clothes,

Someone to go to the school carnival with (that's just our Cole on the right - Grant was sacked out with a high fever on the couch, and Bryn was opposed to the photo op)

And all of this got our little vikings in the appropriate character,

(I think they're going for tough and threatening, here)

for the BIG NIGHT!  Happy Halloween to our little Crunchers!

(Bryn is a viking princess.....just use your imaginations - we couldn't get her to take off the tutu and yes, that's a tiara on her horned helmet.  Oh well, she still got lots of candy and quickly decided to get rid of all the chocolate, which is "yucky" in her opinion, so Evan and I had a VERY happy Halloween.  It gets more fun every year.)

My Family is Forever

5 going on 15

Grant:(5yrs old)  "Mom, when will I be old enough to have a phone?"
Mom: "I dunno - maybe 14."

Grant: "How 'bout a pocket knife?"