Happy 5th birthday

Happy 5th birthday to sweet Eliza.

 Hard to believe she is already 5.

Making a birthday wish.

She had a party at build a bear for her birthday.  She chose a purple fairy kitty and named it Madison.

Fluffing the kitty.

 Her fancy birthday pictures.

 She still has blue, blue eyes,

 a sunny disposition,

 freckles on her nose,

and a silly sense of humor.

She has been such a sweet addition to our family, I am so glad I get to be her mom.

More of December

 Brian looking particularly happy to be at a soccer game.

 The girls headed out to a game.

 Grace playing soccer.

Jacob after his soccer game.

 Jacob also played for his school team this year.

They had a great season, went undefeated and won the district championship.

Finally, something not to do with soccer, Grace playing spider girl up the door frame. I am constantly having to clean footprints off of the molding.

Band nerds and student of the quarter

 This is the last year of band for Jacob, so my last chance at taking band nerd photos.

He also said he felt like Arthur in this sweater/shirt combo.

 Merry had her first band concert, the beginning band was actually pretty good.

 Mom with her two band nerds.

 Adam was selected as the student of the quarter for 2nd grade.  He is a very thoughtful boy and is always trying to help his classmates out.

Gingerbread houses

 Adam requested a bat tower this year.

 Merry and Grace went a more traditional route.

Both were devoured in a couple of minutes, mostly the heavily frosted areas.

Dec 1 and 2

 We started off December by going to the Christmas parade

to see Jacob play his baritone in the band.

 On the 2nd we Jacob was the only child with a game so we all got to go.

Towering over the opposition.

Our other kids were there too.  Only Eliza posed for the camera.

Then Brian and I went to his work party in our fancy duds.

Happy Thanksgiving

 Thanksgiving was just our family this year. 

That means I had to cook a lot of stuff.

Luckily, Brian is good help in the kitchen.

This is after everyone ate so they are looking slightly happier than the picture before.

Oh no, none of us have legs.

Just the kiddos.  The day was sort of overcast so there was not enough light downstairs for pictures.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Girls on Sunday

 Pretty girls on Sunday after church.  We finally put new floors in the loft so I took the pictures upstairs, complete with foosball table in the background.

Pretty Merry with her color changing eyes.  The green dress makes them look so green. 

Merry ended her volleyball season yesterday with a win.  

She really improved a lot and we are looking forward until next season.

 Grace's soccer team won the soccer game yesterday, she scored 2 goals.

Grace and Merry also got to go the Daddy-daughter activity day girls at the stake.

They played mission impossible games and had a great time.

Eliza finally got her ears pierced, her reward for finally stopping sucking her finger.

The finger sucking ended in time for her 2 bottom teeth to fall out.

The second tooth fell out on Friday while we were at Odyssey of the Mind at Jacob's school.  I put the tooth in my pocket so we wouldn't lose it.  When we got home I had to take Grace to soccer practice so I gave Eliza her tooth to put in a zip lock bag.  On the way to practice I got a call from a crying Eliza saying she had dropped her tooth down the drain while she was trying to get it clean by brushing her tooth.   So that night we had to write a note to the tooth fairy.  Fortunately the tooth fairy responded by writing back a note that she flew down the drain and got the tooth out.

Crisis averted.  She sure looks cute without her two bottom teeth.