Christmas Letter 2009

Hadley Sue and Harper Kate are two rambunctious two-year-olds! They can walk, run, jump, climb, throw, sing, and dance, among other things. Their favorite songs are the Alphabet Song and Itsy Bitsy Spider. They find it necessary to clap at the end of every song, much to the amusement of everyone else! They are avid watchers of Blue’s Clues and Max & Ruby (don’t bother them when either is on)! The corral (aka “the cage”) is still in the living room. Cage fights are a daily occurrence, but we also get some cage kisses, cage hugs, and cage songs.
Hunter, our oldest, is now five and a half. He is in kindergarten at Straight. This summer he was in t-ball (the first place team!), and this fall he was in soccer. He still likes school, but likes recess best. He goes to AWANA at church (this year he’s in Sparks). He is learning Bible verses and earning points and jewels. He is beginning to read on his own and surprises us often by reading something we didn’t know he could decode! He grew two inches in the last six months—he’s going to be taller than Mom pretty soon! He recently learned to ride his bike without training wheels, and now Amy’s worried he’ll just ride away!
Phil is still teaching and coaching at Straight Grade School. He is looking forward to this year’s hunting season. His German Shorthaired Pointers are looking good this year—we now have four! He is still supporting his Kansas City Chiefs even through the rocky years. He had the kids this summer while Amy went to Ada for three weeks—he’s got a lot of patience! He keeps the yard looking wonderful (compliments abound)!
Amy is at home with Hadley and Harper each day. She has one more class, a certification test to pass, and a practicum to complete before getting her Masters of Education degree for School Library Media Specialist. She got 9 free hours of class this summer (and lived in the dorms in Ada for three weeks). She stays busy with homework, diaper duty (potty training coming soon!), laundry, and chasing little girls (with help from Grandpa Gene). Will she go back to work next fall? Only time will tell….
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The crafty urge hit, so I made these dolls from The Black Apple for the girls. The urge has finally left me, so I think this may be all there is for now.

I saw so many crafty items at the weekend arts and crafts show! It really made me want to make something myself again. I am thinking later in December (when classes are done for the semester) I will have to crank out something handmade just to ease the urge! Wonder what it's going to be?

Finally got the caterpillar costume done for Hunter (thank goodness, because he needs it Thursday!). He's going to be The Very Hungry Caterpillar for Storybook Character Day at school. He thought it was going to be a fun costume, but now he wishes I'd made a scarier, more macho character. Wish in one hand, spit in the other...

"What Can You Do @ Your Library" by Amy R. Harris

"What Can You Do @ Your Library" by Amy R. Harris, originally uploaded by AtYourLibrary.

This is my entry for a Tote Design Contest with @yourlibrary.org. If you belong to Flickr, please mark this as a "Favorite" to vote for me! Of course, I made it at www.wordle.net!

After an excrutiatingly long wait (almost three hours!) to get the kids and the adults flu shots, we were on our way to New Mexico! Hunter and I hadn't been to the mountains in four years, and the girls had never been at all.

The weather was wonderful, sunny and warm in the 70s. We enjoyed the scenic drive (Hadley didn't like the drop-outs on some of the roads). The trees were turning for fall, and the air was clean.

We tried to get a family picture for Christmas cards...not too sure if we succeeded, but we'll probably use one of them anyway. How can we get five people to all look the same way (and not have goofy looks) at the same time?

It was fun to get away, but much better to be back home in my own bed! Try Eagle Nest or Red River, NM if you ever want an inexpensive trip in the fall!

I hosted a Pampered Chef catalog party (OK, so there's no party, but who's getting picky!), and now I'm going to get myself a Cranberry Deep Covered Baker! I LOVE that thing (I saw it at my cousin M'Leah's house--she's the consultant)! I am so happy I could jump for joy! Phil thinks it's big and wonders where I'm going to put it. I'm pushing something out of the way, 'cause this thing is coming home to Mama! This thing rocks!

So, I'm telling ya, I'm totally addicted to Wordle.net! I can't stop making stuff with this program! Somebody stop me!

My new Wordle creations for a class! Fun! Help me! I'm addicted to Wordle!

It's soccer season. Hunter has three soccer games each week until the middle of October. He doesn't play much, and he doesn't really understand the game (neither do his non-soccer playing parents). We have resolved to just tell him to go out there and have fun. It's hard to not tell him to play better or work harder (we have to remind ourselves he's only 5).

My cousin has a baby girl who is four-months old. She's a doll with big brown eyes. My two blue-eyed girls are just fascinated by all babies, and she was at my mom's house for lunch on Sunday. Mom tried to get a picture of all three of them in the recliner, and this is the result. I don't think Maddy's as fascinated by the girls as they are by her! Doesn't it look like they're trying to avoid that screaming baby!!! It seems like they're saying, "We didn't do a thing to make her cry!"

I started back in my graduate classes August 17, and it's just been an uphill climb since then. We went from blended classes (half ITV and half online) to totally online classes. This is NOT good! I miss the interaction and voices of my classmates. This is not my ideal way to get an education. Not at all!

Hunter won two blue ribbons, one red ribbon, and one white ribbon at the county fair! He was excited and proud to show his winning entries to his grandparents (he even showed a few strangers!). We are going to try to do some things a lot earlier for next year (but I'm not promising anything). Am I raising a procrastinator by being one? Probably, but I'll work on that tomorrow... .

I made a pillowcase dress for the girls thinking it would be a quick, cool(as in weather) dress for them to wear. One of them unties it in about 5 seconds, and the other one cries when I put it on her because she doesn't like how it fits (I guess). I got some pictures of Harper wearing it (Hadley just cried when she had it on). I don't think I'll make any more for the time being seeing as how it was not a big success story. It was cute though!

I forgot I took some pictures of the girls in their wrap dresses I made earlier this summer. The dresses were size 2, and I thought they looked small--until I put them on the girls! They are too big and will have to wait until next spring/summer to become a part of the daily wardrobe. I again discovered it's extremely difficult to make a 1 1/2 year-old hold still for a picture!

Hunter finished his first day of kindergarten and is in the middle of his second. He loved school, and his comment was, "Mom, we had three recesses and nap time!" It's so nice to see him smiling out the door instead of leaving him crying every day (like it was at three-year-old preschool). He's growing up, and I'm so proud of the boy he has already become!

Hunter and I have been working hard on fair entries for the county fair (entries are due tomorrow). He's made two painted rocks (a ladybug and a "mystery" creature) and a sand art picture of Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba. He starts kindergarten on Wednesday...where have the years gone?

On a lighter note, here's a video shot a couple of days ago. Hadley is checking Harper for poop--down her shirt! They are starting to talk and make a lot more sense. So funny and so darling!

We got an early morning call (they're never good) today to tell us that Phil's brother Chris died as a result of a motorcycle accident. He was 25, recently out of the Army, and living in Virginia Beach, VA. He was a gunner in a turret of a Hummer in Iraq, and he was also a sniper. We always thought one of those jobs would be the end of him, but he made it through with flying colors. It's so sad to lose a relative, but it's always much worse when they're still young and vibrant. My children will never know or remember him. Just sad.

I was recently reminded of my days long ago when I was a nail biter. I used to bite them off so short that the quick would bleed. I finally gave up this disgusting habit when my mom offered to buy me a doll that I really wanted if I stopped for a whole week. I still have that doll: a little tiny thing dressed in a white christening gown and bonnet laying on an oval satin and lace-trimmed pillow.

Confession time: I have since fallen off the wagon. Sometime after my daughters were born (they're 20 months-old now) I again started biting my fingernails. I'm not sure why (stress could be a factor here). My husband HATES it and tells me almost daily his opinion. I wasn't too worried about it until one of my daughters started to nibble on her nails. She does it when stressed, when watching Blue's Clues, and even when taking a bath. I'm going to make a conscious effort starting tomorrow (well, it's after 10 p.m. so I might as well say tomorrow) to STOP BITING MY FINGERNAILS! Update at a later date and time (unless I fail...then, no update--it will conveniently slip my mind).