Christmas 2011

One week post ACL blowout...my sister helped salvage Christmas for me! She took my gifts home and wrapped them. Luckily, I had most of my Christmas shopping done. But I tell you...if it weren't for her wrapping, my kids would've had no surprise at all! They had a fabulous Christmas morning!

 Knowing it would be easier on myself to have people over then to go somewhere, I hosted the extended Marquette family here for Christmas brunch. It was so much work, but Conal was a great help. I was already in enough pain that I'm not sure if I would've noticed if it wore me out or not!
I'm glad the kids had a good Christmas, but I sure am looking forward to being mobile and healthy next year!

Christmas Card Pics

The older the girls get, the more time seems to get by me. I didn't send out Christmas pictures last year, so I really wanted to this year. In a last ditch attempt effort to get a card in the mail before the end of the year, I got the girls ready on a whim and went to the Gilbert water tower to snap some pictures. Unedited and with my camera that doesn't always like to work...I think they came out semi-decent. It made me feel good too, since I didn't have my sister take any pictures for their 5th and 8th birthdays.

Winter Showcase and Chandler Parade

The first Saturday in December has turned into a shuffle for us the last couple of years. The Dads' Club puts a float together, that all their children get to ride on, in the Chandler Parade. And The Dance Loft has their Winter Showcase that day as well. This year we lucked out a bit, as dance ended before the parade started.

It was a wet, cold, dark wintery day...which was so awesome, since we don't have many of those. The not awesome part of that was the kids sitting on a float drenched, and us following behind on foot! We were good sports though...it's not often we get to feel like it's really the Christmas season around here!

The best part of all that is that it falls right around my birthday. So afterwards, the Houses came over for birthday desserts to help me kick off my celebration month!

Patient dance spectator waiting for her turn at the parade!

Polar Express Float

Whirlybird Wednesday, Part 2

The Fox 10 news/weather crew came out to Sanborn again, for another Whirlybird Wednesday. The chopper was hit in the windshield with a bird on the way to the school, so there was no helicopter this time. The kids still had fun, and Taylor was on the news!

Taylor, Ali and Tessa

Addie, Sadie, Mrs. DeHart, Taylor and Mollie

Christmas Tree Helper

Hayden helped fluff our Christmas tree this year. Fluffing the tree earned her the honor of putting the star on top!

Thanksgiving with the Winnett's

We had much to be thankful for this year, as we do every year. But this year, in general, we were thankful for Cooper's health and continued road to recovery!

The Nutcracker

On Thanksgiving weekend, my mom treated all of us girls to the Ballet Etudes performance of the Nutcracker, followed by dinner at Firebirds. Girls days are so fun!!

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

There is so much I will miss when I will no longer have a Kindergartner...and one of the biggest things I will miss is the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving party. It is, hands down, the best class party that I've been to yet! Each Kinder class watches the movie, while we put together a Charlie Brown feast. Toast, jelly beans, popcorn and pretzels. They then put on their pilgrim and indian attire and the parents take a gazillion pictures! Sadly, it's the only holiday party our kids get at school...that actually specifies a holiday, so that's probably what makes it extra exciting!

Taylor, Sadie, Molly

Mrs. DeHarts 2011/12 Kinder Class

Kitchen Update

We decided to cover up our boring maple cabinets! My sister warned me that it was a tedious, messy job. It was, but it was so worth it! I feel like my kitchen looks bigger, cleaner and just more up-to-date! I love it!

Tay's first Kindy Field Trip

Taylor's first Kindergarten field trip was to Superstition Farms, and I was able to go! She was equally as excited to ride the big, yellow bus, as she was to go on a field trip! There were goats, chickens and rabbits to pet (although she's not a fan of petting critters!). We took a hay ride around the dairy, and the kids got to pick which flavor they'd like in their milk. Since Taylor wasn't drinking milk yet, Mrs. DeHart made sure to have her favorite smoothie on hand, just for her!

 

Paisley, October 2011

Cash and Paisley spent a few nights with us, while Pam and Bubba stayed at PCH with Cooper while he was in the hospital after his accident. This little love-muffin decided she was going to finally like me that week. She would still prefer Uncle Conal, but she grew a little closer to Auntie, too!

Halloween 2011

For Halloween 2011, we recycled Taylor's dance recital costume, and Hayden went as Toad (from Mario Kart). As tradition has it, we spent Halloween at the House's eating green chili and corn bread, and this year was the moms' turn to take the kidlets trick-or-treating, while the dad's stayed behind and handed out candy. Halloween was on a Monday this year, so it was a quick, early night. But fun, nonetheless!

Jump Rope for Heart

Now that Taylor is in Kindergarten, I get to help out in the classrooms much more than I did in the past. It's a lot of fun being able to be at events that I couldn't before, having a little one at home. This year, I helped chaperone both of the girls' Jump Rope for Heart sessions. Hayden was too cool and wouldn't let me take a picture, but Taylor and her little friends cheesed it right up for me!

Taylor, Grace, Sadie, Lexi - October 2011

Riding Bikes to School

For the first two months of 2nd grade, Hayden asked (almost daily) if she could ride her bike to school. I held her off until the weather was cooler, and decided an early release day in late September would be the best time to try. 

To say Taylor rained on her parade would be an understatement. Taylor doesn't ride a bike. Can barely ride a bike with training wheels. Has no desire to, nor has any intentions on learning how to ride a bike. You'd think with all the driveway bike parties we have in our 'hood that she'd want to ride a bike. BUT...she doesn't. 

Anyhow, we get on our bikes and start heading to school. We need to be at school by 8:00am, so we left at 7:30. We barely made it when the bell was ringing. Two teacher friends of mine were laughing as they saw us coming down the street while they were on duty, and spotted Taylor trailing behind in tears, me aggravated and Hayden downright pissed off. I'm sure it was quite the sight! 

I opted just picking them up in my car later that morning when it was time to head home, but knew Hayden wouldn't like that. Needless to say, it took us an HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES to get home. Taylor cried, fell, whined and pouted the entire way home. I ended up sending Hayden ahead with the garage door opener and kept my fingers crossed that she would really follow the rules of the road. 

She came back on her bike twice, looking for us. She'd spot us and ride back home. When we finally arrived, she had already made herself a PB&J sandwich and was comfortably watching tv. 

Needless to say, we haven't tried that again!

Marley Farms

We took the girls out to Marley Farms to check out some unusual animals! A zonkey (zebra-donkey), a camel, some llamas, emus and ostriches, too. 

Hayden Goes To Her First Slumber Party!

Hayden was invited to her very first slumber party...Lauren Yee's 8th birthday!

Hair Feathers!!

I decided that hair feathers would be a fun thing to get on Fall break!