December Phone Favorites

Oh December how you flew on by! I feel like we need to extend the holidays to soak up all the goodness 25 days just isn't enough. Who's with me? Here is a round up of this months phone favorites.

One of my favorite Sunday's of the year. Too bad my kids were all screaming like wild children. It's the thought that counts right?!

Silly face by Duke. He's getting pretty good at them :)

Taping up some Lego's??

He got the turtle footstool and the tablet and I found him in the boot cupboard. Maybe it's for the acoustics.

Snuggling watching the original Grinch.

I came upstairs to find Bear all curled up asleep on the couch. Who says you need to be a newborn to take newborn photos?

Three babes in a tub!

We call Duke our Trash Panda (aka Racoon.) We always find him nibbling on something. This time he had gotten out the applesauce and the chocolate milk. 

Elder Quarum White Elephant activity. 

Sometimes....

I feel that way about Sacrament too!

All refreshed!

Sprout learned how to climb the stairs and gosh darn it... he's quick. He can scale them in about 40 seconds if he doesn't get distracted and he's usually pretty focused. 

One afternoon I was laying on the couch and the gate wasn't locked into the stairs properly. Sprout had grabbed it and it was slowing going to crash on his head. I tried to stand up to catch it and I slipped and biffed it HARD on the hardwood. I did make it over and save his poor little noggin but I got this awesome bruise as a trophy.  

Sweet Serenades from Pa.

This boy is like a fish when he nurses, he's latched but he wiggles and he thrashes and he fights. I miss calm nursing sessions and when they do come around I just sit and enjoy a good snuggle with a babe that is growing up much too quickly!

Another Sacrament nap. 

Once our company left E could hardly wait to go over to Pipers to play. I LOVE that we have such wonderful friends right next door!

And they went tobogganing. So fun to be reunited!

And in the blink of an eye ( or in my case and extra early bed time) it is 2018!! Happy New Years Folks!

Fun with Bear in the Snow

The family is all gone and that makes for quiet slow days in this Tobler home. One afternoon E asked if Piper could play and she invited her to go sledding. E was so excited! She raced out the door and when I turned around there was Bear staring at me expectantly. I asked him if he wanted to go outside and he smiled and said yes! It should be noted that Duke does not like coats, or gloves, or hats or pants for that matter, but he happily got dressed and we headed out into the skiff of snow.

I stood outside and then looked at me and in the flattest voice said "Now what?" I laughed and began to explain that now he plays. He could make a snow man, or a snow angel. He said "Yes, Angel!" so I told him to lay down and then I demonrated the motion he was supposed to make. He walked to a fresh patch and turned around and started making the same motion I was while still standing. I told he had to lay down. He looked at me like I was insane and said "We no touch da snow!!!" So we made standing snow angels.

After a bit he decided that he too wanted to go sledding but Piper wasn't home, and we had no sled so I channeled my inner Mom Tobler and I fashioned a sled out of a box. I plopped Duke inside and we were off.... Fail. The box ripped in half. We needed a bigger box.

Success, a fan box and a rope and a tiny slope in our yard. I drug him around for about 5 minutes and then he said, "Mama, I'm done." and we went inside. This boy isn't made for the cold and I find it hilarious. Maybe if it snows again we can go sledding.

Our Final Dance

 It is Pa and Grammy's last day and we are all pretty heartbroken. Time with visitors just goes by so fast!! We couldn't let them leave without a dance party!

 Then everyone got involved!

Jakob's got some moves. And just like that.... Christmas is over and Grammy and Pa are gone. the holidays always zoom by so quickly. Thanks again for coming to visit Grammy and Pa. We love you to the moon and back!

A Few Projects

 I love when Mom and Dad come but I also feel bad. When they are here we work! We have a list and we work pretty hard to check at least one thing off a day! While Mom and Dad were here we got Jakob's hair cut...

... Defrosted a freezer...

 ...Installed a new ceiling fan...

 ... replaced hinges on three doors....

 ... replaced the electrical socket behind the fridge...

 ... lifted a curtain rod...

 ... added rails to the basement stairs so that tiny humans wouldn't fall down the open stairs and severely injure themselves...

... Made stockings...

 ... and Mom cleaned both of my sewing machines and my surger and did some much needed mending! Slave labor and we are so grateful for their helping hands! Thanks Mom and Dad! We love you!

Snowflakes

E and I started a new Christmas tradition and we both really enjoyed it! We cut out one snowflake a day and hang them up in the living room. It makes the room look so festive and it's fun to look at all of the different creations. Here are a few of my favorites!

I loved the intricacy of this nativity but it didn't really look very snowflake like. This is also one of the two snowflakes I looked up how to do, the rest are free hand. 

I loved this snowflake E made. Simple, chunky with clean lines.

I think this one is my favorite.

Another E masterpiece.

E made a very pretty star!

Gramma's doily.

And another E snowflake. It was a lot of fun and we are looking forward to starting the snow flake tradition again!