Tough Loss

 

Lucy cheering the team on

 

...and yes, crying was involved.

Christmas cheer...or should I say fear?!

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!!

Busy Woman

 

(How Lucy likes to watch TV)

 

This lady has been BUSY! 

 

 For the most part Lucy is a calm girl that doesn't get into things that she shouldn't but that all changed this week.  She has been a tornado and my house is the path of her destruction.  The other day I was desperately in need of a shower, usually I make her come upstairs with me and watch a show on my bed while I am in there but she was so content playing with her dolls in the toy room that I just decided to let her play.  That was my first mistake.  When I got out of the shower she ran right over and handed me a candy cane.  I thought, "Where in the world did she get this?"  Then I remembered that the girls made candy cane reindeer to handout to their friends.  They have been on the table for over a week and haven't been disturbed at all.  She had gotten into the candy canes and pulled off the antlers, nose, eyes, ribbons, unwrapped them and was a big sticky mess.   The same day she also got into the drawer on the desk where we keep markers and pencils.  She wrote on the walls with pencil, used sharpie on the dry erase board, made a huge stain on the carpet with the dry erase eraser, undid a bunch of toilet paper in the bathroom, got into the kid's puzzles and mixed all the pieces of all the puzzles together, played with the mouse on the computer and was half way through deleting a program when I caught her.  Later that evening she was carrying around her purse when she started pulling out all sorts of real money.  The kids and I just looked at each other and were like "what the HECK?!"  She had gotten into Cam's room and into his piggy bank, taken out his money, put it in her purse and then put everything back in his room undisturbed!  What a little turkey!!  Apparently I need to supervise her more closely but have been a little distracted getting things ready for Christmas.  What a little pistol!

 

Santa

 

Santa came to visit and we were EXCITED!

 

 

Cameron rapidly writing down his list for Santa while the girls had their turns with him.

 

This was as close to Santa as Lucy wanted to get.  She did get a little closer once he gave her a candy cane.  The girl can be bought!

 

Thanks Santa!!  We will see you soon. 

ONLY 8 more days till Christmas!!

Fort--Dad Style

 

This is what a fort looks like when dad is in charge!

Dancing with Santa

 

Dear Santa...

 

Julia and I found this ornament while shopping. Originally we were going to buy it for Cameron but Julia told me that "we just have to get this for the whole family!"

Rollerskating

This pretty much sums up the Stuard family roller skate night.  When I saw this I laughed and laughed. 

Art Gala

Julia and Natalie put on an art gallery of some of their art pieces tonight.  Each family member received a formal invitation and there were snacks following the viewing.

 

 

The Orthodontist

Julia's class had a project where they wrote a story and then recorded themselves reading it.  To hear Julia narrate her book, CLICK HERE. ENJOY! (It may take a few moments to load.)

Turkey Trot 2013

 

One of our family's favorite traditions of the year was on Saturday, our annual Turkey Trot Run. 

 

This was our 5th year and we have been so lucky that it has never rained.  Cold, oh yes! 

 

 

The 1K

 

 

Natalie was our family's representative in the kids 1k.  She got a super cute medal at the end of her race. 

 

The 5K

 

Julia decided this was her year to run the 5k.  I was a little apprehensive about her running this without Mitch or I by her side but she kept telling me, "I am going to be fine, you just follow the crowd!"  

 

Mitch, Cam, and Julia ran the 5k.  Mitch and Julia stayed in the middle of the pack to start and Cameron started in the front.  Of course.....

 

 

His game face.

He told me that he was pretty nervous before the race.

 

Julia got third place in her age division (Girls 7-8) out of 16 others with a time of 30:31.   She couldn't believe that she got a trophy!

 

Cam came in 1st in his age division of 45 other boys (Boys 9-11) with a personal best time of 21:30.  That is a pace of 6:56 a mile!  He got placed 28th overall out of 480 runners.  He was very excited to try out his new Brooks running shoes.

 

 

Mitch placed 1st in his age division (Men 35-39) with a time of 20:40.  Placing 22nd overall out of 480 runners. 

 

Last night for Family Home Evening we enjoyed Mitch and Cameron's gift certificates they got for coming in first at a frozen yogurt u-top it place.  Just in case you think we are a picture perfect family of fitness after the pancake breakfast at the Turkey Trot we stopped at Krispy Kreme for doughnuts on the way home!

SIX

 

 

Natalie turned 6 on Friday!! 

 

Natalie was beyond excited for her birthday to arrive.  She only reminded everyone about 500 times the day before that it was her birthday the next day.  I think the other kids were relieved it came so she would stop talking about it!

 

 

I love Natalie's theme for her birthday because it is so her....A cupcake/rollerskating party. 

 

Since Lucy's birthday last month, Lucy understands and gets what a birthday is all about and she was EXCITED it was Natalie's! 

 

Natalie named her balloon penguin...Perry and is about the easiest person in the world to shop for.  She LOVES just about everything.  One of her favorite presents was an art kit.  She spends at least 2 hours a day making art.  There is a lot of cutting, gluing, glitter, feathers, markers, painting going on here on a daily basis.   If any one is in need of some artwork let me know.  Our walls are filled and it is darn cute stuff!

 

Blowing out the candles

Happy Birthday to my SWEET girl!

 

What could a cupcake/rollerskating party be without rollerskating?  The next day we hit the roller rink and had a lot of fun.  Stay tuned for a video!