Adaption. Migration. Hibernation.

I did our little preschool on "Animals in Winter Time".  For adaption we played a game where each child got to hide a nut and then the squirrels (other children) would come looking for it.  Then we made bird feeders by rolling a pine cone covered with peanut-butter in birdseed.  For migration we formed a V like geese and practiced "flying" in that formation.  We also read a book about whales migrating.  For hibernation we read "The Bear Snores On" and "Where Does Bear Go?"  I gave them a coloring page with a sleeping bear on it.  Their job was to make a nice warm cave for the bear.  Pepper glued grey circles (rocks) all around her bear.  Lastly, we taped animals onto a poster (that Pepper & I painted previously) into their proper homes.  I love how my kids always get excited for "preschool"... it makes me excited to prepare things for them.

Pepper, Tabor & Kitt

 I am down to only 2 people hanging on my legs 24/7.  Pepper has started looking at books, coloring, digging etc. on her own for an hour + at a time.  I am more efficient this way, thus giving me more time, to spend with her.  It is a happy little cycle. 

 Tabor said "Mom look at this picture I colored!"  I could not see a spec of ink on the page so I asked "What is it of?" in which he replied "It is Jesus getting baptized, he is under the water".  It was a blue paper.  I guess if it was white he would of seen a polar bear in a snow storm.

 When I made dough there was enough for two pizza's and then some.  Tabor insisted he used the extra dough to make his own pizza.  When we were sitting down to eat he asked where his pizza went.  Kitt had found it.

Each of these kids are sweet and enchanting.  Together they are chaos. But I love them!

little thief

When Pepper and Tabor were toddlers they would play with a toy for 30 seconds and then move on.  Neither concentrated on a activity long enough to be bothered when the other tried to take it over.

 

We now have that problem.  When Pepper colors Kitt tries to take the markers.  When Tabor builds a towers Kitt knocks it down.  This basically goes for everything they try to do.  In this case she kept taking off our tape "roads" and stealing the cars.  It is hard to get mad at her... she is so delighted whenever she takes something! 

Popcorn the Bear

Pepper got this bear from GG a couple years ago.  Tabor has long since taken it over.  The bears name is popcorn and has been Tabors companion for almost a year.  He reads him books, points to things out the window, feeds him etc.  They are currently in potty training together.  Round two.

Kitt is One Year Old!

For Kitts birthday we went to the Zoo.  She LOVES animals.  Whenever an animals moves she squeals with excitement.  Then Grandma Vicki let her pick out something from the Zoo store.  She wanted a rain-stick (okay so I might have pointed her in that direction).  Grandma also made her a penguin cake in which she consumed that evening.  Today (Sunday her actual Birthday) we sang to her using a bluebird made of blueberries and carrots.  After all, who needs cake two days in a row?  

Christmas Morning

 

This is the first year the kids had any sort of expectation for Christmas.  Pepper wanted a million things so I was afraid she might be disappointed.  But she was not. It was a fabulous day!

Christmas Eve Tradition

As a child, I spent each Christmas Eve at my grandparents.  We read the Christmas Story and sang Hymns about our Saviors birth.  The kids were fairly good, I thought.  Tabor did tease us a bit (pictured above).  Then we all get new Pajamas. We always finish the evening by eating fondue.

cousins in town

 While the Curtis cousins were in town we all took turns with the stomach flu.  Because of this we spent most of our time in grandmas house playing games and so forth....

 Pepper made this play-dough sculpture of Grandpa Darrell.  It kinda looks like him :)

 Pepper bossed Korver around all week.  Korver was a really good sport and usually obeyed her commands.  They had a good time.

 Kitt and Grandma

 They hot tub was a daily ritual.  Good investment Grandma!

 These two were dance-aholics. Whenever music was playing, they were moving and grooving.

 We took care of chickens (for our other grandparents) while they were out of town.  It was nice to get in a daily walk.

Tabor continues to be my best worker.  He loves to cook, farm & garden.

art

Pepper continues to do art each and everyday.  She stays in the lines incredibly well and is now coloring things realistic colors.  Lately she has started drawing.  Spiders are her specialty.  But I took a picture of this drawing because I thought it was so cute... it is Robert and I holding hands. Next time she could make us a bit skinnier, but all in all I thought it was pretty good for a three year old.

the perfect tree

The kids picked out a tree that was about Kitt's size.  We had to talk them into getting a larger one.  I think they were happy about the decision in the end. They really enjoyed decorating it, and I constantly find them staring at it.  And it smells oh so good.

in "tents"

lately, all of our life happenings occur in a "tent".  The kids want to have snacks, read books, play games, do homework and put their stuffed animals in bed all undercover.  To much time under there makes me claustrophobic.  Oh to be small again...