Monday, December 26, 2011

Jasper the Santa Elf by Emma


This Christmas, we got an elf from the North Pole! His name is Jasper, and he's sort of like an Elf on the Shelf. He Came to remind us to be good, and sometimes he gave us a note or a project to do. (One time, he drew on our pictures!) One of the things that he did was give us magic Jelly Belly's! He told us that we needed to plant the bean, and wait for three days.  The first day, nothing happened,
 the second day, licorice sprouted, and on the third day, there were peppermint lollipops!   




Calvin pokes a hole in the pudding so he can plant a jelly bean.


What grew. 
(Notice the progression/digression of the gingerbread house.)

  


  Yum! :)

  Thank You, Jasper!

Without revealing too much, Emma wrote this post because she was the one who most understood Jasper.  Let's just say that she always knew what the notes he wrote were going to say and where to find him in the morning, but she never let on.  She did a great job.  Just look at her stoney face in the first picture. 

Christmas!

Every family event I have this dilemma: Do I fully participate and live in the moment or do I hang back with the camera and document for the future? Obviously, Christmas morning I chose the first. There are not many pictures but I can tell you, I enjoyed all those moments.
Opening one gift before church.

Emma showing off her gift from Mommy and Daddy after church.






Calvin got a bow and arrow set, as you can see in the pictures above, he liked it.
Breakfast.
Merry Christmas!

Stockings

Taran overjoyed.


Calvin tickled.


Oscar amazed.


Willa impatient.


Emma orderly.


Aunt Cheryl, sick and unashamed.

(Enoch out of sight.)

Before Going Down

Our Christmas morning tradition: Writing a birthday card to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Enoch done with his card.


David and Willa dressed and ready for church at 10pm.


Emma and Oscar wait.


The Sorensen family.

Pixie Gift

For the last couple of Christmases we've been trying to do homemade family "pixie" gifts. Last year the awesome one was Taran's canon/rocket launcher David made for him. This year the gift that gathered the most attention was the jet pack Calvin got from mommy made of soda bottles.

The Nativity

Our yearly Christmas passion play...
Little shepherdess, Elizabeth.


Grandma watches from California.


Pianist, David, and Joseph & Mary, Kyle & Cheryl.








Kings Elder Ika, Enoch, and Calvin.


The Ensemble.

12 Days of Christmas

This year for Christmas I got 12 days of it! I didn't get a picture everyday, but here are some highlights.
A partridge.

Pears.


Two French toasts.

Lady? dancing.


Lord? leaping?

Piper piping.

Drummers drumming.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Calvin & Mommy




Calvin feeds me some of his ice cream

Just want to document a wonderful, rare day where Calvin and his mother could have a one-on-one afternoon at the mall: he was home for the day (the day before Thanksgiving), he needed pants (I had a gift certificate!), and Emma was able to watch the rest. We celebrated the event by sharing a Ben & Jerry's sundae. It was wonderful to hang out with just this special guy.

Calvin is 4, LOVES kindergarten, is super active and has a wicked sense of humor.  He is a great date.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Martin Moment

Making Oscar a bottle.
Did you see the Oscar?  Oh to be the sixth.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Oscar Holding

Everybody's doing it.
Enoch does it sweetly.
 
Taran ruefully.



Calvin snuggly.

Emma distractedly.
Willa proudly.

Daddy studiously (yep he's in that pouch.)

Mommy constantly.