Elf Fun

Our elf, Q.E., was certainly busy this month!  Here's a list of things he did and brought.  We like to look back on these lists later on and remember the fun times. 

Bringing a book for each kiddo (12-01-20)

Drinking from a k-cup with a straw (12-2-20)

Hiding in bathroom (12-03-20)

Cup of water (melted snow from North Pole) (12-04-20)

Bringing ornaments (12-05-20)

Elf car wash (hot wheels with sponge) (12-06-20)

Brought "Pick a Pine tree" book (12-07-20)

Sock sleepover (12-08-20)

Toilet paper tree (12-9-20)

Floor is lava (modified this to be “counter is lava!”) (12-10-20)

In fridge wrapped in a washcloth like a blanket (12-11-20)

Bubble bath (12-12-20)

Rock star (this is an “Elf on the Shelf” item) (12-13-20)

Tissue box nap (12-14-20)

Sticking himself in toast (It might be cold outside, but I’ll be “toasty!”) (12-15-20)

Campfire (this is an “Elf on the Shelf” item) (12-16-20)

Drew a crayon picture of himself that said "Wanted: One Elf. Looks like this" sign, then he was hiding in clear bin right near the picture (12-17-20)

Made a ginger "bread" house (12-18-20)

Dog biscuit "gross" cookies (Found these cookies in the laundry room.  Gross! Do NOT leave for Santa!) (12-19-20)

Reindeer poop (chocolate chips) (left a note: Why do you have reindeer poop in your freezer?) (12-20-20)

Fort out of Lincoln logs (12-21-20)

Space man (12-22-20)

Toothpaste smile on bathroom mirror (12-23-20)

Measuring stockings with measuring tape (Yep! I checked.  Your stockings are the perfect size for Santa’s treats!) (12-24-20) 

 

My kiddos love Q.E. so very much!

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba

Sayings of My Children

I figured we'd end the year with a final rendition of 2020 Sayings of My Children. 

Avery: I really want to watch Snoofy. The pumpkin one. Then after, it's Carious George.

Noah: You're almost big enough to drive!
Michael: Yeah! When I'm..... twelve!

(During prayer, Avery wants all of us to hold our own hands together in the prayer symbol)
Michael: I hold my hands like this and I look like an angel.
Avery: I hold my hands like this and I look like a zebra.

Avery: What's the wind doing?!
Me: What IS it doing?
Avery: It's dancing!

Avery: Mom, what's your favorite color?
Me: Pink.
Avery: Oh, ink. 

Avery: Mom, you have.... superpower!
Michael: Yeah! The power of.... chores!

(After peeling a clementine)
Michael: Mom! That smells delicious!
Avery: yeah! That smells like wishes!

(Looking at our pineapple ornament)
Avery: I know what this is! It's a pineapple. They have this on cocomelon (a show). We should watch it.
Me: Okay. I'm not sure which episode has the pineapple.
Avery: (holds up 2 fingers) This is what you do. Click it. And find it.

(Looks under the Christmas tree)
A: Did Santa take our presents?
Me: Santa brings some presents. And mommy and daddy bring presents.
A: (gasps) From that closet? (Looks at the coat closet)
Me: Nope
A: (gasps) From Santa's bag?!
Me: (nods)
A: Yaaaaaayyyy!

(I handed Avery a new pair of shoes from a hand-me-down bag)
A: Oh wow! These shoes are amazing!

Avery: What's that?
Aaron: A fire box
Noah: I hope it's not filled with fire. 

Avery calls pinecones "corn nuts." I think she's mixing pinecone with acorn.

Noah: Good night. Rest in pieces.

Avery calls chocolate cobbler "chalkit clobber."

Avery says "leave my door cricket" instead of "leave my door cracked."

Michael: Did you know that the first bread was made from wheat? Not flour.

Avery: (looking at a droopy flower) Oh! The flower is sad! The rain made it fall!

Avery reading a story to us:
"The crut-nacker" (instead of nutcracker)

Noah: Does Tuscaloosa have elephants since the first four letters of Tuscaloosa are tusc?
Me: Yes. Yes they do.

Michael: Can we go to Bethlehem?
Me: Pennsylvania?
Michael: No. Where Jesus was born.
Me: Some years from now.
Michael: Why?
Me: Because they don't always really like Americans
Michael: Thats ok! We can say we're Korean!

I want to remember the way Avery walks up to me, lifts her arms, and says "I want to hold ya!"

When Avery is upset at any of us, she'll tell us very loudly "you ruined my family!"

Noah: Oh! I didn't know you had soda!
Me: I just bought it today
Noah: (gets a cup of soda) Oh! Well, if you bought it today, shouldn't the bubbles be spicy in my mouth?

Noah: I'm dreaming of a wise Christmas

Michael: If food gets stuck in my throat, I hit myself in the chest to help myself out.
Avery: My throat punched me and killed me.

Here's to all the fun things they'll say in 2021!

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba

Our Own Little Christmas Party

Since the boys are doing virtual school, they missed out on having a Christmas party with classmates so they were a bit bummed out.  We had a "Zoom" family Christmas party/STEAM event last week on Tuesday night but it wasn't really a party at all. It was more of a "sit down and do an engineer activity over Zoom with other 3rd graders, etc."  Sweet Michael thought it was going to be more of a party and wore his pajamas & brought his Christmas stuffed animals to the Zoom call. Needless to say, he was disappointed and my momma heart was breaking. It was then we decided we'd throw our own Christmas party as a family. I added some items to my Walmart grocery pickup and we planed to have our party on one of these days that we had left leading up to our official Christmas break (we're officially out on Wednesday).  

Aaron has been working lots of long hours (like 16 hour days) and even had to work yesterday and is at work today too. So... we needed a little holiday cheering up & decided today was the day. I handled Children's Church by myself this morning and we knew that once we got home from church, then our official obligations of the day were over & we could think of things to do at our party. It was just me and the kids, so we planned it for after Avery's nap. I found some Christmas plates & trays and arranged some treats & planned out some games. I really wanted to make it as special as possible for them. Around 2:15, I started some Christmas music & invited them to choose their special snacks & make their hot chocolate order and we'd get started!  We played four games. The first was "Pin the Nose on Rudolph." The next was "candy cane fishing." The third game was improvised-- I hid 6 candy canes in the backyard & the kids each got to find two. They LOVED this! We then returned inside and we played a dice game to draw a snowman (where each number on the dice equals a snowman part to draw and the first one to draw a complete snowman is the winner! Michael won!). 

Our party lasted about an hour, which was the perfect time frame. We're watching "The Polar Express" while I write this post, and we'll have ham & bean soup for dinner. It's turning out to be a great winter day...it'll be perfect when Aaron gets home!

Here's some photos of our fun:

This is my improvised fishing pole (see the candy cane on the end?). 

This is our cup of canes to fish from. 

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba

Friday Favorites 12/18/20

Today I'm linking up with Andrea & Erika for Friday Favorites!  

We've been keeping pretty busy this month! 

Noah lost his first tooth!

One day, Avery decorated salt dough ornaments while her brothers did virtual school. 

All three kids opened a "stone work shop."

My mother-in-law caught a rare kind moment between my sons. :)

Avery was very impressed by her gingerbread decorating skills. 

Michael conducted a science experiment one day for his virtual science class assignment. 

Last night, the kids and I ventured to a nearby neighborhood to see their Minion Christmas light show!

Michael received a white board & dry erase marker from his teacher and all three kids have loved drawing on it.  Michael usually draws comics while Avery and Noah choose to draw me "with curly hair."

One morning, our elf left ornaments for each kiddo (I'm pretty sure they were more pumped than this photo lets on.) :) Noah received a police ornament (with boots, a badge, and hat), Avery received a unicorn, and Michael received a Greninja (Pokemon character). 

 

Today is an e-Learning Day for us (all kids in the county are doing virtual school today) and I must admit, this is a favorite too!

Until Next Time, 

Much Love, Reba