Instagram v. 26

1:: Promised Lincoln we'd make pretzels at home if he would quit begging for one at the mall.
2:: Andy's train room.
3:: Her brother's introduced her to chocolate covered pretzels.
4:: Frosty
5:: Swapping Christmas toys. Gracie wanted the car.
6:: Checking expirement on Christmas day.
7:: Is Warren your Grandpa? Tags still on the boots.
8:: Wilkins family nativity.
9:: How we roll at Grandpa's.

Christmas 2012

It snowed all day Christmas Eve. Chod shoveled the driveway...a couple times. The snow just kept coming. And as usual, he finished his Christmas shopping with the boys, while I finished the last of Santa's projects.

They built their own Frosty in the front yard. All of the rocks were covered, so they used a carrot for the snowman's eyes, buttons and nose.

 We took a late night drive to the university to check on Chod's soil column and tried to find Santa's sleigh in the sky. The boys were sound asleep by the time we got home.

 After Santa had come.

 New Christmas jammies.

 Lincoln had fun opening his presents.

Bentley deemed it "his worst Christmas ever" because Santa didn't bring him rocket boosters or a jet pack.

 Gracie's first Christmas.

She was much more interested in Lincoln's car than she was her doll.

We made another stop to check on the soil column before heading out of town.

The boys were shepherds in the Wilkins nativity.

And Grandpa let Gracie take a nap. (Ever since she was a newborn she covered her face like this when she gets tired.)

 Dalanie loves babies.

 Not enough iPads for all of the grandkids.

 Grandpa's favorite trick.

Instagram v. 25

1:: Chod had this football signed by #25 Kerwin Williams for Bentley and Lincoln.
2:: The boys with Capt. Aggie (our neighbor Andy) at the Potato Bowl.
3:: Cheering on their Ags.
4:: Gracie has a rough life.
5:: Christmas card picture.
6:: Love this girl.
7:: Bentley rearranged the tree ornaments.
8:: Christmas came a few days early.
9:: Tennis lessons as SARC

Tennis Lessons

When I saw Sports Academy was offering free tennis lessons on the Friday night before Christmas, it took about .3 seconds to decide to sign these two up. 1. it was free! 2. it was active! 3. no parental supervision required=babysitting!

 They had lots of fun learning how to play, and Chod and I were able to finish our Christmas shopping. They each won a t-shirt (B won 2!) so they thought it was pretty much the coolest thing they'd ever done.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

 Chod had this football signed for the boys by running back Kerwin Williams.

Santa gave Levi (our elf) a secret mission to get the boys' Christmas present to them before Christmas. He left clues to build anticipation. The first clue was a bag of Idaho Potatoes. After reading the clue Bentley said "Oh that's easy. THE IDAHO POTATO BOWL GAME!" but the next clues were a little tricky. Clue 2: Hand Warmers. Clue 3: Roadtrip snacks Clue 4: Aggie sweatshirts and Clue 5: Drive to Grandma and Grandpa Parishes house and tell them Kerwin Dowdy Loud and Rowdy. Grandma then handed over bowl game tickets.

I was expecting a bigger reaction--but I think they liked it! Grandma and Grandpa piled in the car with us and were headed to Boise. We dropped the boys off at the game and the girls hit the mall.

Their tickets happened to be right next to these kids. (Bri's brother Jeff, Brian, Garrett, Alex Haynie, Katelin, Baylee, and Bret)

 Our neighbor, Captain Aggie was there too.

 Bentley loved that his Aggies won.

 And Lincoln got a good nap during the game.

 Bring home the trophy. Bentley's all about trophys.

Loo-Who at 6 months

Gracie at 6 months.
weight: 14 lbs 12 oz (25%)
height: 24.5 inches (10%)
head: 16.5 inches (25%)
3 teeth
Rolling
So happy

Instagram v. 24

1: Christmas card sneak peak
2: Teaching Link WEP's popcorn secrets. Aerate the salt
3: Chod was out of town so I got to gather eggs with Lincoln.
4: Christmas cards addressed and stamped and being sent on their way.
5: Levi's 4th birthday.
6: Chod brought me this wreath back from Portland.
7: Christmas tree hunting.
8: Levi left the boys clues for an earlier Christmas present from Santa. Clue 1: sack of potatoes. Clue: Hand warmers. Clue 3: Roadtrip Treats. Clue 4: Aggie Sweatshirts. Clue 5: Get in the car and drive to grandma and grandpa's and tell them the secret phrase "Kerwin Dowdy loud and Rowdy!" to get the final clue. The present was tickets to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Game!
9: Finally got the stockings hung.

Instagram v. 23

1: Thanksgiving sledding at the cabin
2: So hard to say goodbye
3: Pitstop to see cousins
4: Best looking tree in 1st grade. (It was a family assignment)
5: The kid who can't sleep when it is light outside took a 4 hour nap
6: Chod hanging Christmas lights at 11 with a headlamp
7: She's a goon
8: My Activity Day girls were in charge of the ward party centerpieces. Here's the beginning.
9: Ultimate Aggies