Christmas List

Mine is very small this year.  Actually it has nothing on it because I can't think of anything I want or need.  Well, there are a lot of things I want but nothing that seems very exciting for Christmas.   I have NO idea what to get for David.  He is so hard to buy for every.single.year!!! 
Andrew on the other hand has quite the list going.  He started it a couple of months ago actually and it just keeps growing, and growing, and growing.  We have never spent that much on Christmas gifts for the kids because we have never really been able to.  Well, that has changed.  We have been using cash for Christmas this year and are still spending way too much!  David keeps thinking of more things to get Andrew and the list keeps growing.  I have a bad feeling about Christmas this year.  The kid isn't going to have enough time during his break to even attempt all the legos and wii games.  I take that back....Andrew is fast with building lego kits so those will be something he'll enjoy doing and I guess when he gets frustrated, he can go play a wii game instead. 
Grace decided yesterday to throw away her list and start over.  Let me tell you, this has given me so much anxiety.  She has decided that all she wants is a blue jump rope, a blue dress, and a blue and red desk.  I can do all of that except the color of desk she wants.  There is no way!!!  Looks like I'll be returning a few things in the next couple of weeks and trying to figure out what else to get her so it is kind of even with Andrew.  She does not want barbie stuff which makes me really sad because my mom got an awesome deal on a barbie camper last summer and it is already wrapped.  Not sure what we are going to do about that.
 I have several other people I still have to buy for and this year it is stressing me out.  I just want to be done and enjoy the month of December instead of worrying about what I am going to get people. Thankfully I'm not working much this month so I have plenty of time to figure it out.  Oh, and I have to buy a gift for the gift exchange game David has at work and also the one at Grandma's house.  Looks like we will be doing something very simple for the kids classes this year or maybe even nothing.  I'm sure I can come up with something cheap and cute for that.  
What is on your wishlist this year?

Princesses and Jedi Training

We went to Disneyland yesterday and had a lot of fun!  It was very busy but we split up (girls and boys) and did what the kids wanted to do.  Andrew isn't a fan of "It's a Small World"  and that's Grace's favorite ride so I took her for the day to do what she wanted.  We rode Small World 2 times (in the morning and then again after dark).  We got in line just before they turned on the lights.  So many Christmas lights on the outside of it!  We also watched the parade all together and rode a couple rides all together.  Grace and I stood in line to see the princesses.  They switched out just before we got there but as we say at school, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!"  We also saw Merida from the movie Brave.

 Tiana

Cinderella

 Mulan

We finally went to see the Jedi Training academy (Star Wars) and Andrew really wanted to be chosen.  We were in the back against the wall and I figured they wouldn't see him, especially after a mom stood up in the front row to help her child get picked. He was jumping up and down with his arms in the air and they kept picking kids all around us and then David (wearing a bright red shirt) started pointing at Andrew and the guy called him up.  Made his day!!!!  The poor little boy in front of us didn't get picked and he was devastated.  I felt so bad for him while he sat and cried.  I'm sure Andrew would have been the same way.   Anyway, he got to go in front of everyone and be part of the academy.  He was so excited and kept turning around to smile at us.  He is so reserved about showing his emotion so the little smiles we got were awesome!  I have some video of him and a few pictures but I only took my phone with me so the pictures aren't that great.

 Here is a very blurry video from Andrew's Jedi Training.  It looks much better on my phone!

Overall it was a really great day!  We even stayed for the fireworks and found a great spot to stand and had such a great view.  It was tough getting the kids back to the car after being there for 12 hours but we finally made it and they were asleep in minutes.  Today we are just resting and recovering.  Well, David is at work today.....poor guy!

Here are some pics from the parade.

And finally a (not so great quality) picture of Grace in front of "It's a Small World"

And if you are still here after all those pictures, I can't believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we are just a month away from Christmas.  Time is going way too fast. 

Fall Break and Flag Football

So here we are....officially on Fall Break!  We had plans to go to Disneyland today since the kids have the whole week off but I ended up with a sinus infection so we made a trip to the doctor instead.  David already took the day off tomorrow so we are going to Disneyland tomorrow instead.  Not sure I will really feel like it but we promised the kids so I am going to bed early tonight and hope that I feel well enough tomorrow. 

Andrew's last flag football game was on Saturday.  It was a great game and we were undefeated for the whole season!  All but one of our kids made a touchdown.  David tried really hard to get all of the kids in the end zone but it just didn't happen.  Andrew got 5 touchdowns during the season and several extra points!  He is really good at flag football.

 Proud daddy

 This pic came out really dark but it's all the boys with their trophies.  Andrew is 2nd from the left.

 The banner I threw together the morning before the party.

 

Aren't these adorable?  One of the mom's made these for all the boys.  I couldn't come up with anything and she made these the night before.  I am so thankful!  They have a loop of twine on the back to hang it up.  I was very fortunate to have some creative, helpful moms on the team.  I usually try to do it all myself but this time I didn't have to.  The other coach's wife took care of all the tableware and we did the banner and cupcakes.  Team parties get expensive so it was nice to share all of it!

Halloween

I just downloaded all of my iPhone pics and let me tell you there are a lot!  I would probably get a lot more blogging done if it was easier to get my photos here.  It says you can use google+ but I'm not sure I want to use it.  Does anyone else?  I have it on my phone now but not on my computer.  Not sure about adding it.

Today I am recovering from the stomach flu.  The kids each had a VERY mild version a couple weeks ago and David had a not so mild version last week.  I knew I was going to get it because I didn't get it when they had it and on Halloween we took Gracie's little friend trick or treating with us because her brother had it and she wouldn't get to go otherwise.  Then the next day she came over after school to play.  We had taken her to school and picked her up both days.  About an hour after she left our house on Thursday, she got sick.  I was right, I got sick Friday night.  Today I'm just resting.  Nothing is completely worth getting the flu over but the fact that she got to dress up in her adorable Merida (from Brave) costume and trick or treat with her best friend Grace (who was a mermaid) made it ok. 

 Grace on Halloween at school working in her fun centers.

 Her kitty cat jack o lantern that she decorated.

 Andrew during his fun centers on Halloween. 

 Grace's writing about spiders.  They did this whole class.

 Little Mermaid

 Snake Eyes

Grace and her little friend that got to go with us.  Here they were digging through their buckets to see what they want to eat!