Sunshine's Classiest Statement to Date

Eagle: Burp! Burp, Mommy! Burp!
Sunshine: Eagle, it's not called a burp when it comes out of your butt!!!!

Only in homes like ours...

...is an announcement that someone welcomed a new baby followed by:

From her tummy or from a caseworker?

In 2 1/2 years, I can only think of one friend who has actually birthed a baby (or three). But many more than that who have "had babies" (or kids) through CPS.

Christmas Creations

Approximately twelve pounds of sugar on two small houses

Homemade ornaments pre-glitter

Merry Christmas 2015!

Chickadee's Prayer

from this morning, over her breakfast. Something like:

God is Grace, God is good, let us thank you for our food. Jesus Christ. God. Thank you, God, for Jesus in your tummy and he will come out on Christmas from your tummy because it's his birthday.

Petsmart

Four kids standing on a bench watching the dogs get groomed.

One two-year-old yelling at the top of his lungs, in his horsey voice because all he does is yell at the top of his lungs:

MOMMY! DOGGIE! PENIS!!!!!! DOGGIE! PEEEEEEEENIS!!!!!!!

So awesome.

The Reason for the Season

We were driving around our neighborhood the other night looking at lights. There's a house around the corner that always has a gigantic lit up cross in the yard at Christmastime.

Chickadee: a cross!!
Me: yes, who is a cross supposed to remind us of?
Them: Jesus!
Me: uh huh and they put that out for Christmas because they want us to remember that Christmas is not about Santa Claus. It's about...whose birthday is on Christmas?
Sunshine: MRS. GEEN!!!! (her teacher...true story, her birthday IS on Christmas but....)

Query from Chickadee

"Mommy, 'member I got a flu shot?"
Yes.
"I cry for my flu shot?"
Yes.
"Cuz I don't know where it flew to!"

Where Has December Gone?

-to lots of glitter on homemade ornaments
-to many ornaments on the tree. On ONE branch of the tree.
-to four opportunities to see Santa and four failed attempts to get people to actually take a picture with him.
-to packing up and then unpacking Eagle in the most last minute change of plans I have had in 30 kids.
-to lots of bike riding in the cul de sac because it's been 70-something most days lately.
-to lots of work and school but we are all counting the days (2 more for me, 3 more for them) until we are off for Christmas break.

Eagle's New Chants

At bedtime. At the top of his lungs.

"TEXAS! FIGHT! TEXAS! FIGHT!"
"Momma, Mommy, Tammy, Speed, Chickadee, Sunshine, Stubby" (repeat)
"Yellow? Green? Blue? Green?"

An Advent Project

Given to us by the kids' godparents is a little bucket with 25 sticks in it. Each stick has something to do written on it to prepare for advent. So far, we have sung songs, read about St. Nicholas, and said "Thank you, God!" to the night sky.

Tonight's task was to tell a gift you have that you share with others.

Sunshine: I am good at helping people get up when they fall.
Speed: I am good at vacuuming and helping people vacuum.
Chickadee: I help people carry stuff.
Eagle: HELP!

Eagle's New Skill

Eagle has developed enough language to tattle in his own way.

Mommy. Speed. Sticker. Table. (Speed put a sticker on the table).

Mommy. Chickadee. Kick. Arm.

and on and on and on. He is winning this week's award for Biggest Tattletale.

Our First Movie Experience...

...was one that doesn't need to be repeated for a good long while.

Theaters have gotten fancy and come with electronic recliners. This was the highlight for Speed and probably NOT the highlight for the kid in the chair next to him.

Up....
Down....
Up....
Down....
Up.....
Down.....

Attention spans of three year olds aren't long enough for a movie. I know this. This is why I have never EVER taken a 3 year old (there have been many!) to a movie in the past 8 years. After 30 minutes, Chickadee was done.

Can we go?
Is it over?
I wanna leave!
Take me home!
Can we pleeeeeeeease go home now?

Only Sunshine held in for the whole movie. She quietly munched popcorn and never took her eyes off the screen.

I. Love. Movies.

I. Love. My. Kids.

I do not, however, love the combo platter of the two!