When Will I Learn?

In my ongoing effort to be Mom-of-the-Year, and teach my children to care about the earth, we decdided to make little pinecone and peanut butter birdfeeders today. (Did I mention that it's MLK day and everyone is out of school? Did I mention that practically EVERYONE else has a hubby home today, except us?)
This is the mess my kids managed to create in about 2 mintues, making just 2 bird feeders. And I didn't even show you their gooeys hands, made worse when Wyatt dropped all his PB/Birdseed combo on his lap.
When will I learn to do these things outside?

Score 1 for the birds.

But the best part was when Jenna offered to help me vaccuum up the mess. I"m all about raising a child who helps...sure, go for it! When I came back from the garage, she had stopped and had a look of alarm on her face.
"Mom. It sucked up my sock."
Raise your hand if you think this was an accident.
That's what I thought.

Two Things:
1. My vaccuum cleaner is very powerful. (Yeah!)
2. My vaccuum cleaner comes about in many places. (Yeah!)
3. My vaccuum cleaner is dirty. (Yikes!)

Happy New Year!

Well, these little Oklahoma Children learned what cold really meant! When we got to Nebraska before Christmas, it was 5 degrees, with a wind chill I don't care to discuss! By the time we made it to South Dakota, it had warmed to the teens, and we had a lovely, light snowfall!
The kids went sledding at my Papa's hill. (These photos are taken BEFORE it all began....) Unlike the sledding in my day where we had to walk back up the hill (about 1/3 mile), my cousin hauled them up on the four-wheeler!

As you can see, Jenna has not yet gotten her wish of her two front teeth....she has a nice lisp going that we find pretty endearing.

Christmas was crazy and fun! My entire family was there, including 6 little ones. Santa made a visit to the kids, and was enormously popular with Wyatt!

We finished out the Christmas Craziness yesterday with the Curry Family. (Just in time to start thinking about birthdays....) Jenna cleaning up in the Barbie/Makeup Department, and Wyatt got a bunch of great trucks. The best moment was when Wyatt accidentally opened one of Jenna's gifts, and it was a Barbie Test. He smacked it with both fists and grunted in disgust....can't imagine why he didn't want it. He later found his Spider Man Tent, and as I write this, he is sound asleep in said tent on his floor.

Have a wonderful 2009!