Sunday, December 21, 2008

So much to share . . . festivities!

WISHING YOU HOLIDAY CHEER!
If you aren't Grammy/Gramps or Grandma/Grandpa this will probably be one of those posts where by the end of it you'll think, "okay, I've had enough of the Quiring kids". Of course Grammy and Grandma will still want more. We've been busy with activity and festivities. We're traveling over the holidays and are getting REAL excited to see our families!!!



Activity Number ONE: Crayon making

Found this cute idea on a friend's blog and thought we'd try it. You use abc silicone ice trays (got them off of amazon) and put your old crayons in the tray and then bake them for 10 minutes (or until liquid) at 250 degrees. You let them sit for an hour or more and then pop them out. Then your old crayons turn into new crayons in the shape of ABC's. I LOVED the idea. The boys and I peeled all our old crayons and got to work. Then Ian (my gift giver) had the idea to give each one of his classmates their first initial for a Xmas Gift. How could I say no?? The problem . . . . the party was the next day and when we counted the kids in his class there were 6 or 7 kids starting with the letter C. So after making one set with the boys I continued to make C's INTO the night!!



They did turn out cute. We put a color sheet and the crayon in little baggies I use for my scrapbooking cards. His teacher said it was a hit.


Activity Number TWO: "Look Mommy, paint my toes. I paint my toes!"

Mommy's response . . . "Don't MOVE, stay still, where have you been?"

Enough said on this activity.




Activity Number THREE: More Fun in the Snow. Tatum finally made it out and enjoyed it. The boys have had numerous snowball fights with the Hawaiian neighbor boys. They have forts and snow walls to make the fight more exciting.


Activity Number Four: Jingle Jam at Ian's School, they sang two songs and he did great.For your viewing pleasure, I've posted many videos at the end of all of our holiday singing! Tatum said after EVERY SONG (for every grade) . . . "My turn sing!" Each time I lied to her and told her she was next. I know that's not great modeling but if I would have told her she wasn't going to get a turn we would have had to leave from the fit that would have followed. She was very upset when the show was over and she didn't get to shine on stage. She mimiced ALL of the actions from Ian's songs and even added in her own moves. Afterwards Ian even said, "Mommy Tatum did great hand motions." If you watch the videos you'll notice Carter and Coleson were done with the whole singing thing by the time it was time for Ian's grade.

ACTIVITY Number FIVE: Carter and Coleson's Preschool Singing

This was there first time to do any sort of singing on stage. Our church doesn't include the preschoolers so they've never performed. The show was 30-40 minutes. I was amazed, I didn't expect that. They used all sorts of instruments and all! It was fun watching them both keep beat.


Tatum picked up where she left off at Ian's performance asking when it was her turn.

This first picture is priceless to me. They look so cute side by side. These weren't their assigned spots, they just wanted to start out together. When I was telling the boys on the drive home how well they did I just started crying. The twins are growing up so fast, I don't know where the days are going!










ACTIVITY NUMBER SIX: More Singing . . The elementary kids sang at ALL three services this weekend. We are SUNG out!

ACTIVITY NUMBER SEVEN: Ginger Bread House - We did this tonight.

If you haven't found these kits in Walmart/Costco/Sams/etc. you've gotta get one. They are only like $9. This is our second year to use them and they are SOOO simple. I have memories as a child holding the gingerbread house together forever while it dried. Mom needed all hands to make the thing work. Jason had heavy Christmas music on so the kids would decorate a second and then run off to play some air guitar. Jason and I ended up throwing the candy on the house just to get it done.




ACTIVITY NUMBER EIGHT: Photo Shoot of Christmas Clothes . . . Since we are traveling some over the holidays we did the Christmas clothes thing today for church instead of Christmas Eve. The pictures we took at church didn't turn out so the kids posed for me when we got home. It got silly but I LOVE the silly pics! I love seeing the kids laugh! Keep laughing kids!



This was the best we could do for a family picture. We're all IN the picture so we'll call that good!
ACTIVITY NUMBER NINE: I don't have pics for this but today we took the kids to the Dollar Store (everything a buck) and the boys all brought their $5 to pick out one thing for each person in the family. My boys are gift givers and buying for there siblings is a highlight. Jason hung out at the fastfood playland next door and I took them one at a time to shop. I probably looked like an idiot because I was smirking most of the time trying not to laugh. The way they all reason things out and decide what to buy is HILARIOUS! They all shopped for me too and I wasn't supposed to look. Carter was the sneakiest and I'm really not sure exactly what he picked out but I think it's breakable, some sort of figurine. Coleson said, "I found what I want to get you mommy, don't look." Then he put a pack of cigarette lighters in the basket. No, I haven't taken up smoking. I had to laugh and tell him, "Oh shoot, I saw it." Then I told him what they were and that I didn't smoke. He then picked out something that makes me want to cry tears of joy . . . he picked out a spoon for me to use when I cook. Coleson is my chef and cooks dinner with me most nights so I thought it was so special and fitting!! While walking into the store with Ian he says, "Everything is a $? Wow, do they have dresses?" I told him no and he said, "Ah man, that's what I was going to get you." Can you just see me in a dress from the dollar store? What a kid, love him!! I REALLY want to tell you what they each got Jason but I don't want to spoil the surprise for him, he's gonna have to hold back the laughter when he opens his gifts.

Well, if you made it to the end of this post you are a die hard Quiring Fan! HA! I'm sure the weeks ahead will bring even more holiday festivities. Can't wait to walk into my parent's house and be with family, then it will be off to spend time with the Quirings - can't wait!!!! If you haven't had enough of us you can check out videos of all our singing fun!
Ian's Jingle Jam Singing



Carter and Coleson's Preschool Performance.

Tatum got her TURN . . . she was making Ian sing with her. Whenever he'd stop she'd instruct him to "SING!". He was a good sport.

One last video . . . this one is an old one. All these singing performances made Jas and I reminise about Ian's performance when he was three. The video may be a little fuzzy but he's the one in black, you'll hear him. He's the one singing, "Sing merrawee, sing MERRAWEE! Jesus is Born!" GOOD MEMORIES!

Did I mention we are doing Christmas with our kids in the morning?? I've GOT TO GET TO BED! Goodnight!

3 comments:

Amy said...

I loved it, Nic! There's comfort in knowing that someone else is at least as activity-driven as myself ;) Have a very Merry Christmas and allow the relatives to manage the kids for a while!

Jenny said...

I am definitely a die hard Quiring fan....loved the post and all of the fun activities you did with the kids...you are such a good mom!! Have a wonderful Christmas I will look forward to catching up with you after the holidays! jenny

Nicole said...

For fun, Steph and I decided to shop for each other at the dollar store this year! We ha a five dollar limit, and the stuff we got each other was hilarious! Did you know the dollar store sells underwear? :)

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...