Dear Santa,

Most of you are probably thinking that it is a little early to write a letter to Santa, but Ellen brought me a coloring page today and asked if I would help her write her letter.  At first I told her it was too early in the year, but then I changed my mind.  I mean what would it hurt? 

          Dear Santa,

                  I love you and thank you for my Rapunzel doll.  And thank you for my toys.  And thank   
          you for the toys you gave me.  I was falling asleep.  I do not peek when you give me presents.  
         I like you.  Thank you for my gifts. 

         Love, Ellen. 

          Bye, bye.  I like you Santa!

I was very surprised at her letter. I bet Santa never gets letters like this. Wouldn't it be nice if all the kids around the world would write a letter like this the day after Christmas?

Samuel got it!

We've had a "wascally wabbit" around our place lately, munching on things that it shouldn't, so Samuel borrowed Uncle Eli's pellet gun and he "killed the wabbit" yesterday morning all by himself!  You should've seen how excited he was!!  Luckily, Aaron called me just after Samuel killed it so he could hear the excitement.  Samuel insisted on hanging the rabbit in the tree until Dad got home so nothing would eat it until Dad could see the proof!

Fun with cousins

Tonya came a week earlier than our family reunion and got to spend a few days with us.  We had lot of fun getting to know our Arkansas cousins better!  Thanks for spending time with us!!  Here are a couple fun pictures that I was able to snap while they were here!  By the way, Tonya was able to trick my kids a couple of times, but I wasn't able to fool hers.  Carson, her one-year-old, wouldn't even take a second look.

 Samuel, Jackson, Ellen, Calista, Jacque, Carson, Aunt Tonya, Emmy

Jacque, Calista, Ellen, Emmy, and Sarah.

The kids have been kind enough to try to teach Sarah how to play air hockey and she LOVES it!  Here are some cute pictures of Sarah and Emmy playing together.  Emmy is 3 and Sarah is almost 2.

 

Calista lost her two front teeth

Calista let Aaron pull both of her front teeth last night.  They were very loose, and she had attempted it herself, but couldn't get herself to do it all the way.  Aaron finally convinced her to let him do it.  She didn't appreciate it right away, but after the bleeding stopped and she put her teeth in her tooth pillow, all the pain went away and was turned into excitement for the toothfairy!  She is actually missing 3 teeth right now and has another loose tooth.

Babies and names

Aaron and I haven't come up with any names that we like yet, but Jacque has some great ideas.  She decided the other day that we needed to have four more kids and their names could be Jack, And, The, and Beanstalk.  That way we could tell everyone we had our own story, and then we could list off everyone's names!!  I told her I would have to pass, but if there is anyone else needing great names for their next four kids, Jacque would be very pleased to let you use her names!

I love traditions.

We have several in our family,

but the best one comes around every two years: 

'02, '04, '06, '08, '10, and '12

BEST BY: 10/17/12

All tied up!

Sarah thought this was the funnest game last Sunday night.  Aaron tied her up in the jump rope and she would get herself out.  I think she had him do this 3 times.  In between two turns, Ellen grabbed the jump rope to have a try at it, but Sarah demanded it back, in other words she screamed at her and pulled it away.  Yes, my sweet little Sarah, has started having an opinion and shares it quite loudly these days.  We are trying to work on having her use words, but she's not talking as much as I'd like.  Not that she can't talk, but mainly because her sisters and brother translate her grunts so she doesn't have to talk.  The other day she screamed at Ellen because Ellen was in her way.  I bent down and told her, "No!  Sarah we don't scream.  Say 'move' if you want her to move."  Sarah looks at Ellen and says very plainly, "Move!"  So now we need to work on saying more things!