Caroling

Tonight a personal dream of mine came true. Our family went caroling.

Growing up my family went caroling (to about 543 houses) every year. It was so fun and a great memory from my childhood. I still love singing with my family whenever we can.

The boys haven't been great at learning words to songs. At least songs I try to teach them, so not a lot of group singing going on here yet. Now that they are older they're singing more though and Hannah loves anything that involves her vocal chords.

Sooo, we took a plate of goodies to one of Taylor's HT families and Taylor asked if we wanted to sing! The boys were actually really excited because they both have been learning the words to Away In A Manger. So we practiced in the car with the kids singing random lines all the way over.

Then the moment arrived. The Horns answered their door and we sang. James and Matthias knew all the words and Hannah knows most of them, but instead she stood inside the doorway and watched us sing. It was lovely. I almost cried. Seriously.

This is the beginning of something great.

Hannah Babble

"Don't get in my own strower (stroller). I want tell Joseph dat."

**Joseph is the 6 month old baby of one of our good friends here. Hannah is completely obsessed with him and talks about him nearly every day even if we haven't seen them all week. I had to work hard to convince her that the baby in the manger is actually baby Jesus and not baby Joseph.

Lately Hannah has been yelling Santa at anything with a white beard. Tonight she picked a picture book story of Noah for bed time: "Want Santa. Boat Santa."

When we're driving in the car she shouts "Thias, thias!!" over and over until Matthias asks "What?". Then she'll say something like, "I see tree." "See car." "Da road." It's pretty hilarious because now Matthias just tries to ignore her so she shouts louder and more insistently while he studiously stares out his window.

Jeans.

So I realized looking at the Light Parade post that me and both the boys have holes in our jeans. I knew about mine obviously, but maybe we all need a trip to Ross. Could have been why we were all freezing...

Christmas Light Parade

Yesterday we went to a Christmas Light Parade put on by our lovely town of Pflugerville. Seriously one of the coolest events I've been to. It was a little cold out, probably about 45 degrees (with no sun obviously because it was night time).

The kids and I walked to the carnival and then walked back to a park to sit and watch the parade. Taylor came through the parade with his scouts, then stopped with us. The parade was so cool, the marching band was playing Christmas music, everyone had lights all over the horses, floats, etc.



Everyone kept waving and saying Merry Christmas, which Hannah thought was great, so she kept saying Merry Christmas back. And the boys loved all the candy or course...mostly peppermints, but other stuff too. It was so fun!

Matthias Turns 4!

"I'm four, but I used to be 3. Then I turned 4." Matthias response when asked how old he is this past week...which happens surprisingly frequently.

He had a great birthday. All our kids are scheduled such that their birthdays are always on the same day of the week each birthday season. Because I'm cool like that. So everyone has birthday on Sunday this time around. (I'm currently on schedule with them as well, but will get off once leap year comes around again.) Anyway...so his birthday was Sunday and he kept asking what Sunday it was going to be. Today we had this conversation:

Matthias: Is tomorrow Sunday?
Me: Yes.
Matthias: So I'll be five?!

Haha, not every Sunday Matt.




So we celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa Harvey this year who were out helping with the house. He got a camping set that he and James have used to camp in their room lots of times this week. We had cake and Matthias requested crepes for dinner. It was a great celebration!

Matthias started up tumbling again this past week at a new gym. He is doing his co-op preschool still and enjoys going and learning. He loves Joshua in his class. He is finishing up Sunbeams and has had a great year. He is still my little milk guzzler and he loves his ice cream. He can be so sweet to Hannah and very submissive to James' play directing...but only when he chooses to. He is still so full of energy and sometimes has a hard time controlling his spontaneous nature. We love this little guy and the fun/excitement he brings to our family!

I Crying!

Hannah has become quite attached to her binkie lately. Worse than the boys were. She only gets it in bed. I have been leaving it home so I won't even be tempted to give in to her fits. On the way home from Sam's Club the other day she started in crying/begging for her binkie. Matthias tried to console her and cheer her up.

Hannah: Don't bug me. I crying!


She is Drama.



She can also count to 13 or so. She is a little mimic parrot to everything!

Kristi: I feel like I'm holding onto my sanity with a little string. And the later in the day it gets the tighter I have to hold. Then I go to bed.

Long pause....

Kristi: I'm not kidding.

Taylor: I know you're not.