Sissy has this new thing she does. When she gives out kisses, she first pinches the cheeks of the other person, and then goes in for the kiss. I don’t know why I find it so adorable, but I eagerly tell her to pinch everyone’s cheeks all day long. And the best part is when it is someone I am not fond of, because her pinches aren’t dainty. There are times when people walk away from her tactics with two red dots on their cheeks for the following ten minutes.
Here she is trying out her pinches on herself.
Sunday is my favorite day of the week.
It is quiet, I get to be with my family all day long, and we get to go to church.
So in honor of celebrating my favorite day, and to make it just that much better, I started the tradition of making pancakes each Sunday morning.
Micah actually said, “Babe — who knew about your hidden jewel!?” He was referring to my pancakes making skills that could combat anyone this side of the Mississippi. Scout loves when I make pancake pictures — and I’ll admit that his crocodile really did look crocodilish. Sissy prefers one of my specialties — pancake nibblers. I make pancakes the size of a 50 cent piece for her, and she loves them. Micah just loves that he can excuse heavy eyes at church on the pancakes. (Sorry babe — it doesn’t fly!)
As we head out to church with everyone gussied up, of course Sissy has to take a seat on the fruit. Nobody even looked twice. But we might have, if she had just sat nicely on a chair.
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Church
It was Scout’s first time in Primary. He isn’t officially in it yet, but he is doing little taste testers so it won’t shock his system in a few weeks. I watched the scene, and was the proudest mom EVER. He walked in with his arms folded and a very nervous/forced smile. They went to the front where Nonnie, of all people, got to introduce the newest Sunbeams. Then when Nonnie touched each child’s head, they were supposed to say their name. When Scout’s head was touched, he looked so scared, but then said, “SCOUT!” When the kids giggled, my little class clown felt right at home. He then went and sat in his seat. As he sat there, he just kept looking around at everyone, but mostly at B. He kept giving her the “look at me — I am in her too” smile. We were dying. He was so cute. When it was over, he came out to tell me everything because he was so happy he is finally in Primary with the big kids!
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When we headed home, it was snack (most often grilled cheeses) and nap. My kids were playing catch up apparently, since they both slept until almost 6:00.
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Since my kids gave me the biggest break ever, I wanted to have a great time with them when they woke up. So when they did, I put on Christmas music, I made dinner, we made brownies, and while the brownies cooked, we danced. Scout then asked what a pomegranate was, so I gave them a lesson. I had them repeat after me….Pomegranate ….Scout said pomegranate….Sissy said apple. I told her no, and tried to say pomegranate again, but she insisted on apple. Whatever.
So we opened it up, and Scout was freaking out at how cool it was.
We soaked it in water to loosen the seeds.
And then they got to taste the seeds. Scout wasn’t excited about them at first, but he tried it and really liked it. Sissy liked the juicy part, but spit out the hard part. There go those pajamas!
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We ended the night with Popsicles.
(I burnt the brownies.)
And then headed over to the piano so I could play and we could sing some Christmas tunes.
They ended up on the piano in the end, and were singing Jingle Bells together — or at least the “Hey”.
But then things took a turn for the worst.
We headed upstairs to read books and say prayers.
Unbelievably, only 2 1/2 hours after they woke from naps, my kids went down for a full night of sleep again.
Apparently, those Ure Kids really take it out of them!
Thanksgiving was great this year. We spent the weeks up to the big day writing things we were thankful for and putting them in the tree. Every night Scout would ask if we were going to “do the tree”. I love that he got so excited about it, but loved how he was thinking about things he was thankful for even more. Throughout the day, he would randomly tell me things he was thankful for, and it would make me so happy to see him appreciative.
I made a sign for our kitchen that I hung with pride. This was mainly geared to the men who somehow go limp on holiday weekends. (Seth + 6, Ryan, Brook were in town, and Micah was sick — so you know he was really handicapped. (But if I heard correctly, he got a stellar time at the Turkey Trot.))
The first order of business in the morning was breakfast. Since I was in charge, I told everyone that they had to wear a mustache while eating. Not surprisingly….everyone was game.
Even Icka who demanded one, and even cut in line. But as soon as I started to draw, she just had to be on to something else and tried to get away. Hence, the crooked stache.
Look at this handsome devil dressing the turkey. He might be the only example of the popular phrase, “you are what you eat”.
While cooking was going on, I set up our very own “Turkey Trots”. The kids lined up for skipping, hopping, running, galloping, scooter, etc. races in the cul-de-sac. Icka proved to be into the “head start”.
Scout loved this race where he was dominating. Too bad this came on the heels of a few lost races and few breakdowns. Looks like we are going to have a Family night on good sportsmanship in our future.
Scout was okay losing to the “bigger kids”.
By the way, I’d like to point out that my kid is ALWAYS without a shirt and shoes. I dress him completely every morning, but without fail, he is about half way undressed by afternoon and down to his unders by night. I am the mom who chooses her battles, and this one doesn’t seem worth it to me. But I will admit that when every neighbor tells their kids they can’t go outside without shoes, I tend to be a bit embarrassed. But can you imagine how embarrassed they are going to be when their kids is tantruming it up with a splinter. Calluses — they are a beautiful thing. Just ask me!
Uncle Brook (Booger) came up for the day. He is always fun to have around, and is the best teammate on games.
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Happy Thanksgiving.
For Trey’s birthday, we all headed to Knotts. This was Icka’s first time at an amusement park, and she was in heaven. She loved all of the things to look at and all of the things to do. We spent the first half in Camp Snoopy where Scout and Navy hit up some of the kiddie rides.
Scout was loving this one. Chloe was not! She ended up pushing both Scout and Navy along.
Scout had put a package of bread in the bottom of my stroller the day before to feed the squirrels at the harbor. But when he noticed it at Knotts — it made for the cheapest lunch out there.
Scout and Navy loved driving their very own trucks.
The troopers. My mom always is, and Megan said, “I have already been on every ride — let me take your kids back to Camp Snoopy.” You bet, and have fun!
Look at this big girl on her very own horse!
Just as Scout’s eye is almost healed up, and Christmas pictures started sounding like a good idea again, he got another nasty injury. This time, it was a fat lip that stuck around for a few days.
I swear that people probably think I beat my children since this comes only one day before Icka was walking around with a fat lip also. I decided to forgo a picture on her. (You know — in case Child Protective Services comes knocking — I don’t want any lingering proof.) (Or I didn’t know where my camera was at the time.)
Scout and Navy have been in Nursery together for close to a year. I am so sad that Scout will be going to Primary and leaving Sissy in his dust, but he is so excited. Each time we head home from church, I ask them what snacks they got, what they learned and what activities they did. This week, as I picked them up from class, they each had a Thanksgiving tree that had 10 things they said they were thankful for. Both kids loved theirs, and as I looked at them I had to laugh.
A handsome little boy who is thankful for Gymnastics, his bath, his sister, his yummy toothpaste, etc.
And this on-the-go girl who is thankful for her soybeans, her brother, milk, the color pink, and most of all the word, “no!”
I laughed because the teacher said, “I took pictures of the kids the week before, and this is the very best I got of Navy.” And then when I looked at her project, she is all banged up, she is trying to get away from the camera, and the best part — the Thanksgiving tree is ripped in half.
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They are now taped to the fridge until there is a new project to bump them out of their place.
I am thankful (as a mother) for Nursery and Nursery leaders!
We had these huge pink balloons left over from a dinner party the night before. So I figured they would be excellent props for a photo shoot. Unfortunately, the kids thought that they were better toys than props. So the photo shoot ended there.
Our favorite past time during this rainy fall season has been popcorn parties. This day, the kids were glued to “A Looney Tunes Christmas”.
Terrible shot (especially of Icka) but great memory.
When Sissy got her third bonk of the day — that resulted in an immediate blue bruise, I had her hold her own ice pack.
Too bad the bump was on her forehead and not the side of her head.
There are not many things I know for sure in this life, but one thing I do know is that my kids (along with every other cousin) LOVE Uncle RyRy. I am not sure what his magic touch is, but maybe it has something to do with his willingness to hang out and talk up a storm, or his classic sense of humor, or his love of Popsicles that he always shares.
Here Uncle RyRy is showing Scout how to grout. Scout loves to help RyRy in all of his tasks. It was extra cute when Scout came around the corner after dinner and could hardly contain himself as he exclaimed, “Unlce RyRy!!!!! There is a humongous hole in the ground. We have to put out stuff in it!”
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