Christmas Ornament Countdown –11 days til Christmas

Arches National Park.  It was incredible.  It did seem to take a long time to get there and there was lots of traffic and lots of people.  We didn't even think we would have time to see the most famous arch (shown on the magnet) but we went with plan B.  We drove to our spot and the parking was nuts.  After driving around twice, we parked and got out.  As we headed on, Robby called out to come on this trail instead-it was perfect.  There were no crowds and after a short little hike, we came upon the most beautiful double arches.  It was amazing.

(Click here for pictures from the trip)

Happy Birthday Anderson: December 13, 2010

Highlights from today: (click here for pictures)

• It was birthday day for Anderson so Dad even took off of work to celebrate all day long with us.  Though Anderson didn’t feel all that hot-he has a pretty good cough which almost sounded similar to his asthma attack a few months ago.  Mom had his doing his breathing machine off and on all day and even called for an appointment but they didn’t have one.  He would say he didn’t feel all that well and then in a few minutes he would perk up.  But he still had a pretty good birthday.
• Dad took Reagan to school this morning.  And she must have used every piece of paper there to color on-she even said that she found some paper on the floor and colored on it too.  Maybe Mom should buy the girl some colors! Ha!
• Campbell spent her morning getting into the tupperware cabinet, following the boys around the house, playing with her crawl through house and destroying the train track.  She stays right up with everyone else. 
• Anderson and Graham spent their morning playing with all of Anderson’s birthday presents still.  When Mom picked up Reagan from school, they came home for lunch and then everyone played with the parachute.  When we do this, Campbell crawls underneath it and stays there just kicking her feet
• During nap time, Dad and Reagan ran some errands and Mom woke Anderson up.  He was coughing pretty good, so she woke him up before he made himself sick.  Before long it was time to leave for the evening adventure.
• Dad had a few errands to run so we ended up at the mall.  As we were eating our Chick-fil-a, Santa walked past us and waved.  And then right behind Santa was a police officer on a segway.  Reagan said “maybe it’s a parade”
• Our next stop was Chuck E Cheese.  Anderson picked it as his special place to go to.  About 3 visits ago, Dad bought a ton of tokens and we have just been going back spending our tokens and not eating there.  We did the same tonight.  The kids had a blast.  Dad passes them out the money when ever the ask and they feel so big doing any game they want.
• At one point, Anderson was asking “who has the bank?” –he was trying to find who was holding the tokens.  After playing and earning lots of tickets, we cashed them in from the tonight and from the last few visits. 
• Did you see the pictures of Reagan and all of the tickets she won?  (We are taking her to Vegas-seriously, in February)  Guess what she was able to buy with those….a tootsie roll and a fruit roll up!  Everyone left with 2 items and you would have thought they had won the lottery
• When we arrived home, it was cake time.  Since we had a spare dino cake from the birthday party, Anderson had more candles to blow out.  They ate their cake and climbed into bed.  All is quite upstairs (no coughing) so maybe everyone will sleep well tonight

Christmas Ornament Countdown –12 days til Christmas

This is the magnet/ornament from Capitol Reef National Park.  I think it is one of my favorite parks right now.  It had the canyons and mountains and it also had an orchard.  My plan is to go back and pick some fruit some time.  In the orchard area, there was a little farm house-which sold apple pie.  Whenever I see this ornament, it makes me want to go and have some apple pie.

(Click here for pictures from the trip)

Dennie Kids: December 12, 2010

Highlights from today: (click here for pictures)

• A very, very early morning church day.  Mom and Dad had a breakfast to go to-so breakfast for the kiddos was a quick run through Burger King.  Mom did sit Campbell on the counter and shoved yogurt in her little mouth before they left.
• At church, Graham was about to walk into the early class with Reagan and Anderson and then backed out saying he wanted to go to his class.  Of course, when we got there, he had changed his mind again.  He did finally walk into the class with Reagan and Anderson and they all had a fun time coloring pictures and building block towers
• Mom came and picked everyone up so they could go and see Pops in the kitchen.  He gave everyone some juice and then they met some people with Dad.  Before long they had all found some muffins and were having another snack.  Of course, they all thought church was over but it was only just beginning-so they headed to their Sunday School classes
• After church, Nonna had lunch-she had cooked 2 lunches today-tacos and chili so the kids had plenty to choose from.  Anderson was delighted that he had a birthday cupcake with candy cane sprinkles on it.  He has really been eating this birthday stuff up.  After playing for awhile, it was time to take a few pictures since they all had on some Christmas clothes
• Next was home for a nap-Anderson’s nap was about 10 minutes long so after Mom had made 5 trips up and down the stairs, he was allowed to come downstairs to watch tv.  Graham was next and Reagan (who rarely sleeps anymore) slept like a rock!
• We all had supper and then headed back to church.  Campbell went to her class with a tiny bit of fuss.  Everyone else sat in church and listened to the choir perform.  When the XCL8 choir performed, the kids were intrigued.  Graham was about to hyperventilate from excitement.  He clapped his hands, stomped his feet, waved his arms-he could have watched them forever. 
• We hung out in the hallway for a few minutes after we snuck out at intermission and then came home for bed.  Since Anderson has a tiny bit of cough (along with everyone else).  Mom made him do the breather while him and Reagan watched a movie.

Christmas Ornament Countdown –13 days til Christmas

Oh, look at this one.  We took the railway car to the top of Pikes Peak.  Wow-it was so much fun.  The ornament was perfect and even the second one that we bought-once I found this one, I just had to have it.  The kids loved climbing the steep, steep hill on the train.  Once we made it to the top, it was cold, cold, very snowy cold!  I need to make sure that this train car is at a 45 degree angle on the tree-since that seems like how are train car went up the hill.

(Click here for pictures of the trip)

Happy Birthday Anderson: December 11, 2010

Highlights from today: (click here for pictures)

(click here for birthday party video 1)

(click here for birthday party video 2)

(click here for birthday party video 3)

(click here for birthday party video 4)

(click here for birthday party video 5)

(click here for a behind the scenes video of taking a Christmas picture with 9 kids)

Since today was Anderson’s birthday party day, we were up and ready pretty early to go to Krispy Kreme for doughnuts.  Anderson didn’t want to go to the “new place where the doughnuts were different shapes” (Shipleys) but wanted to go to “the old place where the doughnuts were circle shapes” (Krispy Kreme).  We beat the crowds and easily found a place.  The kids devoured their free glazed dounut and then picked/licked at the other one.  Anderson blew out his 4 birthday candles after we sang to him.  He was on cloud nine.  After singing, he opened up a small gift from us.  It was space men and he was ready to open it and start playing. 

After the doughnuts, we had to come home and change clothes since we didn’t want people mentioning that we smelled like doughnuts.  Everyone had baths (kids) and showers (Mom and Dad) in an hour which is a pretty quick turn around.  Campbell stayed by the edge of the tub while the boys and then while Reagan had their baths until she was put in.  She kicked her feet and splashed until Mom drained the water out.

We loaded and loaded up the car.  It was so very full and then Dad added the final piece-the 7 by 4 foot piece of cardboard that Mom had drawn a dinosaur on.  Guess what?  It didn’t fit in the trunk…but it did fit over the kids heads.  So on the drive to church, all 4 kids had resting on their heads a huge piece of cardboard.  They thought it was hysterical, Campbell even tried her best to hold up the sign. 

Pops was there when we arrived and we started getting things ready.  Reagan just ran in a circle-she wanted everyone to see her skirt fly in the breeze.  Campbell was excited to be able to crawl where ever she wanted.  Anderson and Graham just ran around too and were both beside themselves with excitement.   Graham thought that it was his birthday too (he had already blown out Anderson’s candles at Krispy Kreme).

Anderson had quite a crew at his party this year: Lilly, Cash, Camryn, Kennedy, Jacob, Ethan, Brody, Caleb, Will, Owen, Everett, Reagan, Graham and Campbell.  When every one arrived, they enjoyed just running and playing.  Then we painted little dinosaurs and next up we a dinosaur fossil hunt.  They all took turns finding a dino fossil (Mom just barely had enough).  Then after a few minutes of playing, it was time to eat some dinosaur food-dino nuggets, pizza, and dino chex mix.

Next up was presents.  Anderson was very polite and told everyone thank you.  Mom and him had been working on it.  At one time, he said that he wasn’t going to open anymore until everyone sat down.  They did and he continued.  The kids enjoyed hitting the pinata and Dad finally had to crack this one open.  Reagan is a candy hog!  She had more than anyone else and she made sure that Mom wasn’t going to give any of it away.  Everyone then took pictures behind the dinosaur cut out and then it was time for dinosaur cake.

Mom had worked for quite awhile on the cake and she couldn’t have been any prouder of how it turned out.  Anderson told her yesterday while she was working that she was the best Mommy ever.  He said this because she was making him a dinosaur cake-this made the back ache and lingering hand cramp from all of those stars worth it!  He blew out the candles and we all had cake and ice cream. 

Anderson handed out his goody bags as his guests left.  And told them thanks for coming to his party (when Mom reminded him).  Mom, Dad and all the grandparents stayed and cleaned up.  The place was cleaner than it was before and the van seemed must fuller on the way home. 

At home, we unloaded and just as Mom said that we had left the ice cream, Uncle Jason pulled up with the ice cream.  He stayed and opened present packages for the kids while Mom and Dad unloaded and put stuff away.  The first things out of the box were the tunnel for the train track and the big dinosaur but by the time nap was over, everything was out of the packages. 

Graham was pretty tired and Campbell needed a nap too so they were put to bed.  Anderson and Reagan hung out downstairs and watched a movie and then Grannymom and Grandpa came to see the Christmas card Dad had worked on.  Anderson practiced shooting his new gun up the stairs while Reagan hung out in the bathroom trying to drink her cough medicine-she has a touch of the crud like everyone else.

Soon the car was reloaded and everyone had on Christmasy outfits.  Campbell was dressed a little Santa Claus.  Mom thinks that everyone has worn that Santa outfit.  Maybe she will try to find the pictures sometime.  The Thursday night crew Christmas party was at Amber’s house.  When you put 9 kids (soon to be 10 with the new Pennington baby coming) in a house, it is an instant party. 

After a supper of salty and sweet snacks the kids played until it was time to open gifts.  Campbell got a doll, Graham opened a firetruck, Anderson had a bathtub fishing pole and Reagan had more Strawberry Shortcake dolls.  We opened presents from youngest to oldest-poor Reagan and Kennedy had to wait the longest and it was a pretty long time.  After opening presents, everyone found something to play with and the kids were all pretty calm (for a minute or two). The grownup even had a moment to talk and relax (a brief moment-but a moment nonetheless.) 

We changed into pajamas for the ride home-Anderson had on his new Mickey pjs so everyone else had to have newish pajamas.  That was pretty easy to do and we headed out for the windy ride home.  It was so windy that Dad had a hard time pulling into the garage because the carpet on the floor of the garage kept blowing up.  Poor Santa and Thomas inflatables were really blowing and waving in the wind.  Reagan ran out to push Santa up but she didn’t last long in the chilly wind.

As Mom and Dad were unloading, Mom’s laundry basket of food fell out onto the driveway.  Mom’s trifle bowl was the only thing that broke and Mom was glad that her only 2 Christmas dishes stayed intact.  And she was pretty relieved that only the bottom of the bowl broke so she can still eat what is inside.

Campbell went to sleep immediately, Graham had to fight it for a few minutes and needed Dad to come and recover him up a few times.  Reagan and Anderson watched a movie and then headed to bed.  The wind is blowing so hard that it is making spooky sounds coming in through their window.  Mom turned the fan on pretty loud and hoped they didn’t noticed it!  Anderson wanted to know what we would do tomorrow and then what we would do the next day (his birthday)!

Christmas Ornament Countdown –14 days til Christmas

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was just a big hole in the ground and it was pretty incredible.  We drove down a crazy steep mountain (I wasn't nuts about the idea but I was sure wrong).  At the bottom was a river and a little picnic area.  It was the perfect stop.

(Click here for pictures of the trip)