Snowmen and Hermit Crabs

I was so excited a couple of weeks ago when our snow was finally sticky enough to build snowmen. We have lived here for 2 and a half years and this is the very first time our snow has been sticky. I'm not sure if it is because we don't get a ton of sun in the backyard, but I was so excited the day I discovered it. We couldn't build just one.

It's a little bit old but when I was going through my pictures I remembered our good ol friends, the Hermit Crabs. We were camping last summer and on a rainy day went to West Edmonton Mall where we found these pets. The guy at the kiosk was telling us how these little crabs are so people friendly and easy to take care of. He said they were very social. They were supposed to recognize their owner as soon as they were held and come out of their shell. At first I thought it was so sweet. Their shells are painted in bright fun colors, they love their owners, and are easy to take care of. What more could I ask for in a pet for my kids? So we bought Asher, Lexi and Hunter each one. Well, they were in love with their little crabs.

Fast forward 2 weeks and Hunter's crab keeps biting him, Lexi's would rarely come out of it's shell so she felt like it didn't love her, and Asher's got lost in the house. That's right. In the house. A crab just walking around. I just assumed after 2 days of not finding it that it would be dead. About a week later my sister was over and all of a sudden looked over at the wall in my living room and started freaking out at what was crawling on the floor. Asher's crab. Lovely. Still alive, and has been free in my living room for a week. Gross. So I'm sad to say, that none of the crabs lasted much longer. Erik sent them all to Heaven. I just couldn't take it any more. At least I gave the pet thing a good shot, right?

I

Happy no blogging anniversary

I have wanted to start blogging again, so I figure my no blogging anniversary is the perfect time to start! Update for the past few months:

Asher: Is in grade one, loves school, and has learned to read fluently. He got to have a small part in the our ward Christmas play, A Christmas Carol. He was so proud, and did such a good job. He loves to build lego, play DS :( , and play with his friends. He is such a good big brother. We miss him when he is at school all day. He just seems so big and I really don't want him to grow anymore. He has learned over the Christmas holiday's how to wiggle his ears. Not up and down, or back to front, but he opens and closes them, kind of like wings. He looks like he is gearing up to fly away. Super cute!

Lexi: Started kindergarden. She is working on NOT telling her teacher what to do, what she has forgotten or missed on a daily basis. I told her teacher that it is just who Lexi is, and wished her luck trying to subdue that trait. Secretly I don't want that part of her to change at all, even though I did explain to Lexi that she needs to be respectful of the teacher! I am fine with her telling her teacher when she has done something wrong :) She loves to sew, cook, sing, dance, and a million other things that she is constantly reminding me are her many talents. I am not sure where her strong personality comes from....I was so quiet as a child, but I love it, and I love her so much!

Hunter: My little Huntee Buntee. This year I am doing home preschool with him. He has recently started being so careful with his coloring. He will spend a lot of time making sure there is not white space on the page, and colors in the lines so well. He also enjoys writing his letters. Most of all he is a Mamma's boy. He has the cutest paper thin bum ever that I enjoy pinching. He is very particular. He usually comes down the stairs already dressed in the morning. He is the most thankful kid. He thanks Erik and I constantly over and over for the smallest things. His sweetness has definitely started to overpower his temper...most of the time :)

Evie: My little baby. She is so big now. It felt like a milestone when she started nursery a couple weeks ago. I am finally free at church. Horray! I try to make myself sad about it sometimes, but I just can't :). She has started talking a lot and has the cutest expressions. She has a voice louder than me if you can imagine. If I am yelling one of my kids names (which of course rarely happens) she will yell it twice as loud. It really is shocking. She can hold her own with her older siblings, but also plays so well with them, and feels lonely when they are not around. She is so snuggly, and will go to anyone, which is not a good thing in the grocery store. She is a little light in our home.
Such precious gifts!

Christmas memories

This Christmas was wonderful. It was so nice to spend time with family and friends. I got spoiled and got a camera and a laptop (all for the sake of blogging :). I don't have pictures, but we also did dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Bates house which was fun. Santa even came to their house. Here are some other highlights. I know it's a lot but I just couldn't pick what to post!

So, I love the tradition of opening pajamas on Christmas Eve together. It is so funny every year though when we tell our kids that they get to open one present. They get so excited so they rip it open to find.... pajamas. It is so funny how disappointed they always are. I act so excited to try to get them excited but they just sit there with a funny look on their faces. It just cracks me up.

Christmas day we went to Grandma Barnhill's house for dinner which was really nice. This is Erik's sister, Colleen. I think Evie looks so much like her.

The day after Christmas my Mom booked all of us rooms at Radium Hot Springs lodge. We used to go there when we were kids with our extended family and it was always so much fun. So this year we were excited to go. The first day we had a nice dinner at the restaurant. Here is a picture of me with my siblings (the oldest is missing, he lives in Texas and wasn't able to

come).

After dinner we did our annual talent show!!

Asher did karate, Hunter sang Jingle Bells, Lexi did a beautiful dance and did her Daddy Dance as Erik sang "Evie is my Little Girl".

And the best of all....... Erik and I did a lip sync to "Baby it's Cold Outside". My sister Candace choreographed it for us. It was so much fun! I'm sure I just made a total fool out of myself but I didn't even care. It was just fun to dance and sing with my hubby. There were dips and lifts, but that's a tad embarrasing to share, so here is a bit of a tamer clip :)

Another highlight was a Christmas story my Mom wrote with my kids' names in it. My mom is a talented, accomplished writer (goes to show that talents are not genetic at all!) so it is a real treasure. We also acted out the Nativity which is always fun. Hunter did not want to be the Angel so my brother in law Brad stepped up to the plate and even wore the costume!

I love my ward

My friend and I were talking on the way home from an enrichment activity last night about how much we love our ward.  I love the sisters in our ward.  I just feel like there is so much to admire about all of them and I could spend hours visiting.  Even the ones I don't know very well I just admire from afar.  It has really been a blessing for my family to be in this ward! 

On another note...I got this magazine called LDS Living from the church book store the other day and it is so good.  I had never heard of it before, maybe everyone else has, but if not, here is the link to subscribe ldsbookscanada.com.  There is nothing like a good magazine to read in bed with my blow dryer:).

My Asher Basher turns six

Six years ago today, my life was changed forever when Asher was born.  Every mother can remember the feeling of holding their first baby in their arms, and falling so madly in love. I knew he was so special and my spirit felt a feeling that I had never felt before.  Little did I know though, the Angel I had been given.  He is more than I had ever dreamed of in a child.  He has such a special spirit.  It is not anything I do, it is just who he is.  I am so grateful that I get the opportunity to be his Mother.  I thank Heavenly Father every day for that blessing.  Happy Birthday to my sweet six year old boy who is NOT ALLOWED to get any bigger! 

CANDY CANDY AND MORE CANDY

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE candy.  Ever since I can remember, without fail I would build a gingerbread house.  I would buy graham crackers and candy for my family even when I was little to make sure that we did it every year.  I don't even really eat it once it is done, but it is magical for me to think of a whole house made of candy!  I always just let my kids go to town on it, so it may not look so pretty, but it is so much fun none the less.  Hunter just stuffed his face the whole time as though he has never had candy before, and never will again....but not with this Mommy!

Nutcracker

Lexi and I were able to go to the Nutcracker together.  It was so so so much fun.  It was so nice to spend a day just with my little girl and some friends.  In the middle of the dance, she leaned over and put her head on my shoulder and said "Thank you so much for bringing me to this."  She loved watching the dancing, and so did I, besides the "package" dancing around (if you know what I mean :)  It felt magical and I will for sure be doing this every year.  I love my little Lexi Lady!