It's Great to be 8

When it's your birthday you can make any silly face you wish.

We had a party with some of Marianne's friends. Someone asked what kind of party it was. I answered that it was a birthday party. I didn't really have a theme. We did do activities around winter and snow. Julene is showing the candy bar game that uses a hat and gloves. (She was just like one of the others at the party and participated in everything, Nathan didn't care until he saw this game. The allure of chocolate.) We also did some relay races with marshmallows and cotton balls.

Marianne really wanted a pinata, but we have done those at summer birthdays... outside. I wasn't sure how it would work inside, but the girls weren't too crazy. The pinata was indestructible anyway. They finally put it on the floor and poked it with the stick. 

It was so nice to have Randy, Janae and Nathan as helpers at the party. Randy said this is the first friend party that he has helped at home. It really made a difference as we passed Tanner around between us.

Marianne got her Jessie doll, and I don't know if she or Jared was more excited.

Here is Jared showing off his cool dance moves. He's been dancing a lot lately. Likes to lead with his elbows and end with pushing against the wall with one leg fully extended. Randy likes to imitate him and compare him to Nacho Libre.

Our two Garths are getting acquainted. Little Tanner is doing his best not to stay little.

Christmas 2010

Christmas Eve Program

We sang the 12 days of Christmas and Jared insisted on being 2 turtle doves and it came out 2 turtle dogs, but never at the right time. When you get to those higher numbers it is just so hard to wait for your turn. We always have a hard laugh during that song, but I don't think I will ever forget Jared's rendition at 2.

 It was very special to have our very own baby Jesus. He brought a nice spirit to our Christmas celebrations.

My Mother and Grandmother

These zhu-zhu pets even fascinated my Grandpa. He planned a way to get them to connect in a complete circle. I hope everyone enjoyed these robot pets because that's as close as we get to the real thing.

Did you notice how my mother and daughter are wearing cut trendy hats? Now I didn't get one, that just shows how much more young at heart my mother is than me :)

Christmas activities

It's been 3 weeks since Christmas, and we want to remember the wonderful times we had.

Nathan's Christmas clogging.

 He was very excited to show us his Christmas dance. They do their freestyles and Nathan was the last one on the stage and his partner came back and carried him off over hershoulders. Sorry so blurry, but it was sure hilarious. This was our first outing as a family of 8.

 Elementary Christmas sing

 Julene participated in her first school program and was great. She knew her songs so well and got to ring on of the bells during her song. Marianne was a very cute Reindeer with wonderful expressions, and Nathan sang a fun version of the 12 days of Christmas and got to keep a souvenir scarf.

We got our Graham cracker houses and sugar cookies made which made everyone happy. I finally made some good sticking icing.

Having fun with our cousins on the day before Christmas Eve. So glad they could stop by while they were in town. They were kind enough to indulge the younger children.