Heidi's Christmas photos

All Heidi wanted for Christmas was a family picture.  So, after I returned from work on Saturday, we climbed into the van and went to the library in Clayton.  I've written about getting another lens and blah blah blah, but we had to just make do with the 50mm 1.8 and 28-135.  Most of these were shot with the former.  When the focus is on, it's tack sharp, but it's not the best at long focal lengths and wide apertures.  

Thank goodness for the tripod and self-timer.  

I like these because the background looks like it's a green screen add-on or some kind of Olan Mills painted backdrop.  But that's the real landscape.

Scott got to bed late and woke up early just so he could "play piano, get it out of the way, and then do video games all day."  I mean, he was up and at 'em at 5:53 am, which is about when I left for worky.  Well, his attention was waning and he was not in the best of moods for family photos but at least we got this closed-mouth semi-smile.

I played around with the fill-flash on the camera on manual.  I would have liked a little darker background, ie, faster shutter, but everyone was pretty much done with photos.

Scott has been into making hash browns.  He makes them at least three times a week.  The other kids like to grate the potatoes but Scott doesn't like to share that part of the process.  I'm glad he's into cooking because being able to prepare what I want has brought me a lot of satisfaction.

My rolls, however, were a fail.  I started the yeast and then realized I didn't have any powdered milk to do the rolls.  I tried removing some of the water and just putting in some cow milk, but I was kinda expecting this.  I haven't tasted them yet.  Gusteau would be pleased.  Heidi commented that compared to Rhodes, these aren't worth it.  I mean, it's cool to be scratch and all that but the time it takes to prepare and clean them up is significant.

Parker Jack

Parker, We love you so much!! The first 2-3 months were rough!  You were unhappy all the time.  I never had a colic baby, but you were that.  Never feeling good.  It was so sad not to be able to comfort you or make you feel better, but after that, you have been the best baby.  

You teach yourself how to do everything and it seems like you are beyond your age.  Your happiest day was learning to crawl.  Once you were mobile and able to keep up with your siblings and get to your destination, made your world so much happier.  You love being around your siblings and being out and about.  You go with the flow are generally content.  

You love your crib.  When you are tired and we put you in your crib with your blanket, you go right to bed.  You love your thumb.  You hate bottles.  Have yet to take one.  It took mom getting sick to sleep train you.  You used to get up several times every night and when you were 8 months, I got so sick and decided to let you cry through the night for 2 days.  After that, you slept from 8-5 every night.  

Your siblings love you and you love them!!  When you see them or your parents, you always give a huge smile.  Your laugh is this old man belly rumble.  It is so cute! They take good care of you! Love helping and love cuddling you even though you are always on the move to be cuddled.  

We are so grateful for you!!

Blakes Year in Review

Blake has been angry this year.  We aren't sure why he is so angry.  It could be the new baby, the new home, Pop going to heaven.  It is hard to see him so angry so often.  When he isn't angry, he is so silly, goofy, strong willed and determined.  He says the funniest things. Lately he says, " we have a situation here," when there is a problem.  Not sure where he got it from but it is so funny.  He is serious most of the time.  Even when he is playing or having fun, he has this very serious, concerned look on his face.  Don't tell him he is cute, nice, silly or goofy, he will just get angry.

Friends have nicknamed him the hulk but that usually leads to the unleashing of the hulk.

He became a great swimmer this summer!  Tyler took him while I worked and they were so cute together.  Tyler was such a great helper and so proud of himself to take care of his brother.

He enjoys anything sports.  He does a tennis class at the gym and loves it.  He also loves doing art projects. He started a little joy school which he really loves.  He loves his little friends and doing little projects with his friends.

Tyler's Year in Review

Tyler has had a good year this year.  He loves going to school and being with his friends.  He has a great group of friends and was blessed to loop up to 3rd grade with his teacher and many classmates from last year.  He is sweet, quiet and reserved at school.

That is not the Tyler we know at home.  At home he tends to be an instigator and often explodes.  Not sure if he holds it all in at school to leave us with the fireworks.  Still working on trying to control his emotions.  

His health is doing well.  He continues to live an amazing life, free from oxygen, surgeries and hospitals.  He truly is a miracle and we are grateful for his very normal, active childhood.

Tyler does well in school.  He is a great reader even though he doesn't love to read.  He is great at the piano even though it is struggle to get him to play. Doing minimal homework is usually a struggle.  He loves playing baseball and had a great season playing short stop and first base. 

He is a very confident and social kid.  He will talk to kids and adults, make new friends anywhere he goes and talk with adults with ease and confidence. He likes to do his hair like his brother.  He likes when others are proud of him.  He loves his cousin Roman.  He misses his Pop who he had a special relationship with.  He loves his kitty Mel who always snuggles in his bed.

We are proud of Tyler and the young man he is becoming!

Kira's Year in Review

Kira got an award, "always doing her best" in school and that pretty much sums up Kira.  She is this tiny ball of energy that will do her best in playing, partying, dancing, being a friend and just enjoying life.  She is a FIRECRACKER!!  

This year has been an amazing year of growth for Kira.  Her favorite part of kindergarten is learning tubs that she gets to do 'fun learning stuff'.  During free choice, she loves to draw mom and dad pictures of hearts and our family.  She is my first child that actually loves doing her homework and learning.  I am just starting to read with her and she is picking it up so fast.  

She LOVES playing with other kids.  She will bounce from one friend to another to another and considers everyone her friend.

She is a strong, confident little girl.  Sometimes we need to reign that in.  She enjoyed doing a little swim class this fall and can't wait to start gymnastics.  She is one athletic little girl, climbing walls, doing flips on the trampoline and balancing on anything.

Kira loves her brothers!  She loves when they include her and are kind to her and gets her feelings hurt when they are not kind to her. 

She does this things with twinkling her fingers and hands when she gets excited or is proud of herself.  It is like there is too much excitement to be contained her little body.

  

We love Kira so much and are so grateful for her energy and love of life she brings into our family.  She is such a reminder of my mom in our life and that is such a special little gift from above.  

  

Scott's Year in Review

 2015 has been a great year for Scott.  It is a year that he has truly become confident and true to who he is, what he wants to do and wants to become. That is an amazing thing to see.

Scott loves his teacher Mrs. Sutherland and going to school.  His teacher said he is always helpful and patiently helps his classmates.  That made me so proud of him.  He has such a good heart.  He loves math and reading.  He is reading at the 7th grade level and Harry Potter and Gregor the Overlander were his two favorite series.  He got into the GATE program with 10 other kids in his grade scoring 99%.

He tried out for historian this year, made a great speech and had fun campaigning.  He was so proud that he made it on the council and has really enjoyed his leadership role.  It is perfect for Scott.

He continues to love swimming.  He had a great 9 year old rec season going a 30.5 in free, 37.5 in back, 121 in IM and excited for next summer.  He was competitive but ok with defeat.  He had fun with his friends and had a lot of fun during the season.  

He is excited to do track this upcoming spring for the first time.  He got the running bug in P.E. tying for the top spot at the school with a 6:37.  I think it will be a great sport for him to try out.

Scott loves hanging out with friends.  Sometimes it gets rather annoying to hear, "I am so bored! Can I have a friend over?  Can I go to a friends home?"  He would rather hang out with his friends than his siblings so the struggle begins with him wanting to be with his friends over us.  He is pretty independent on his bike.   I watch him from afar at school as the girls take his hat and he chases them which is a whole new parenting era as well certain to never reverse.

Scott gets up every morning on his own to practice his piano. Such discipline and he is becoming a great little pianist.  He performed in the primary program and did great.  

Scott likes Scouts.  He has great leaders and enjoys hanging out with his friends.  He is doing odyssey of the mind this year and making new friends.

He really likes his hair long, spends about 5 minutes styling it in the morning that pretty much just looks like a 'perfected' hair sprayed mess.  He loves wearing long socks, athletic shorts or pants and a t-shirt.  Getting dressed up any nicer than that takes bribing. Nike is his brand of choice and instead of asking for toys this Christmas, he has asked for Nike shoes. And so an expensive shoe habit begins.

Scott is really helpful in watching his siblings.  He is a great helpful.  He is a peacemaker.  He can get moody, when he is at his limit will yell but that usually takes much aggravating.  We love Scott so much and are so proud of him!!    

  

kiss the clock

Got home from a long day at work today.  I go inside and the kids jump up and run toward me!  I thought, Heidi must have told them to hug me.  Then, one by one, they run by me and kiss the clock without even acknowledging my presence.   It was 5:55.

Yeah.