Pumpkin and Fiona

(This is Cailin) Doesn't he look sweet, peaceful, loving, cuddly.....like a perfect little kitty? (Well...maybe not SO little...)











Too bad he's just sleeping.
He's not like this when he's awake.
Do not make him angry when he's awake.
You don't like him when he's angry.
PUMPKIN SMASH! (Mom wants me to say 'think Hulk here' because she didn't get the reference to Hulk.)

Anyway, Pumpkin is the cat of many names here. He is called Pumpkin (duh), Little Boy, Teeny Cat, Meowie, Stupid, Knothead, Fluffy, Egghead, The-Annoyingest-To-The-Conannoyingness (if you didn't tell from that name, that's Liam's name for him), Psychotic, Psycho Cat, and, last but certainly the most used, "OUCH STOP BITING ME YOU STUPID CAT THAT HURTS!!! or MOM!!!!!!!! HE'S BITING ME GET HIM OFF OW OW OW OW YOU STUPID CAT!!!!"



This is Fiona. She's my piggie. She's an old pig, but she doesn't really look her age. She's...5? 6? I forgot. But that's old for a piggie. She is wondering what in the world I am pointing at her, so she checks it out.

Pose for the camera!

This is Nutmeg. He is called many names, also, but not nearly as many. He is called Nutmeg, Nutty, Peanut Butter, Nut, and, best of all, Nutbrain.
Mom says he looks like a demon in this picture because he was sniffing the camera and it made his nostrils look like eyes.

Painting like Jackson Pollock

 Today we spent the afternoon reading about Jackson Pollock.  We looked at his works and deemed it quite easy...thus not really art, just splatters of paint.  Then, we tried it ourselves....Delaney, who wasn't amused at how hard it was to get the paint to do what she wanted it to do put it succinctly into words, "This is hard!"  Maybe there is something to this form of art!  It definitely gave us more of an appreciation for what he did.

An Amazing group of girls

Here's Cailin with her amazing and wonderful friends and fellow classmates from Challenge B.

 This second picture is from Renee's Facebook page.  She's my friend and Cailin's ChB tutor.  Here's what she has to say about this fun picture..... I absolutely LOVE this picture! This is how they look most of the day in class - smiling and mouths open!! lol!Like · Reply · 2 · 8 December 2013 at 09:32

Yep these girls have lots of fun....and at time talk just a bit to much.  Not sure about the rest of the group but Cailin's learning soooo much this year.  She's exceeded my expectations and and blown me out of the water with all she's doing each and every week!

Christmas Eve Celebrations.....meet you at the Cold Cereal Isle

 I wonder if Dad could ever imagine how this one particular Christmas Eve tradition would grow to be sooo popular.  My crew, once we told them that Christmas would be spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house this year were quite concerned that they wouldn't get to pick out their Christmas Cereal.  They weren't concerned about any of the other traditions that encompass this blessed holiday, just this one!   "Of course you will!  We are going to be with the very couple ( Gma, and Gpa) who started this whole thing so many, many years ago!"  I replied

Dad even footed the bill for this one.  I'm not sure what the total cost was, but I"m sure it was a big dent in the budget.  Again, who knew this would be the costly outcome of this beloved tradition from years ago.

 Not that my kids often want cold cereal, in fact they prefer warm homemade breakfasts over multiple mornings of cereal when I've hit a sale and it's around,  but if ever they would ask for endless mornings of cereal I wouldn't do it for the simple reason that this one tradition would then lose it's charm.

 

 It's hard trying to get so many people set in place for a family group photo....but finally we did it!

 To everyone in the store (who tried to pick up cereal for their future mornings) from our family.....Merry Christmas, Love the Stumm's (and Hale's too.)

Christmas' Creative Confectionaries

Gingerbread Houses....or for us it's graham cracker houses.  While Cailin and Connor headed off for a stake youth activity in Pembroke making ornaments and graham cracker houses, Delaney and Liam wanted to make some of their own too.

So while we were out on a sleet filled, rainy day to get a hair cut for Liam and Brianne at the Morgan's home we stopped at Dollar Tree and picked up a few supplies to make our own graham cracker treats.

They all had fun creating and Brianne looks sooo cute with her new hair cut!

 

.....for FHE we spent the evening making dipped pretzels for Aunt Elizabeth....and us too!  It's not Christmas without these goodies.

 

 

Pulaski Dance Production's Christmas Dance Recital

 It's that time of year....Christmas brings many activities and events.  One of my favorite is Delaney's dance class recital.

 Dress rehersal and the recital were all on the same day this year.  At 12:30 they were dressed and ready to practice.....

 ..for the big night which started at 7 pm. This year her class were the gingerbread men and candycanes for The Nutcracker

 They group of girls only had 2 hours between rehearsal and recital so the Mattson girls came over for dinner and relaxation (they watched a copy of The Nutcracker on video that we have--for inspiration, of course!)  Getting make up, hair and dressed was fun when you're doing it with friends!

After the show!   The girls had a fun jazz number  to the song Rock'in around the Christmas Tree.

These girls love to dance!!  I'm always finding Delaney dancing to music and song around the house!  Gotta love it!

Our Weekly Check-off List

1.  Get the Suburban fixed---Completed.  It only cost $1054.00 to get it done.  Ouch, but we will be able to cross the Rockies!

2. Have Ryan apply for a job. ----Check!  He turned in his application for Little Caesars and it's looking like he'll get it too!

3. Cailin complete her "Blue Book" and other CC exams.  ---  Check!  She feels like she did a fairly good job too......we'll see soon enough.

4. Tie up loose ends with Delaney (and Liam too) before we begin our Christmas Vacation.  I've had a goal to read at least one more chapter book, other than our book group selection for this time period.  I did it!!  We read A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck for our book group (three weeks early too!) We had time to read A Letter To Mrs. Roosevelt  I'm so happy.  We even have time to start the third one.....the prequel to A Year Down Yonder (we absolutely LOVED that book!  so hilarious) A Long Way From Chicago.  We even got our timeline book started Yeah!!

5. Have Connor finish up his assignments for his Sword of Freedom class.....still working on this, but getting closer!!  He also got his PSAT test results and did good!  Well Done Connor!

6. Christmas celebrations have begun...Delaney was in the Christmas Parade.  On Friday Barry, Brianne and Connor got to go to Macado's for his work party and I with Cailin, Delaney and Liam headed over to the church for the ward Christmas party.  If I hadn't committed to singing Mary's Lullaby, I would have ditched the ward party for Macado's anyday!.....but the kids had a fun time with their friends so it was all good.

7.  Get the laundry caught up and clean my room ---Nope!  No check mark here.  I"m still trying to find the laundry fairy or maybe even a wall troll that will do the work...so far no luck.

8.  Delaney's Dance Recital....Rock'in around the Christmas Tree.  I love watching those girls dance.  You can see sheer joy on thier face as they move and groove to the music.