Wilson Family: 2009

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

December 30, 2009

This guy's thank yous are in progress. I really shouldn't blame him, as Rowan and I haven't even started.

December 29, 2009

Why yes, that is a bird at our birdfeeders! Thanks for noticing. And thanks for not tripping and running into the window (a la Conor) while running to see them.

December 28, 2009

The girl's thank you notes are done and mailed. They were done on Monday morning. It's totally my fault that they didn't get mailed until yesterday.

We're at the time of year where if Mallory isn't home, Ellie is B-O-R-E-D. She can't go ride her bike, or swing, and she doesn't watch a whole lot of tv. What she does do is hang over your shoulder and sigh. That means it's good to have some projects on hand. So I present: the cheap balsa wood cutout painted with corn syrup and dipped in bird seed birdfeeder. They look darn cute hanging on the lilac bush. (They're hung there because I can reach it from the office window).

December 26, 2009

On Saturday we went to Wilson Christmas. The big kids got digital cameras, and spent the entire weekend taking pictures and videos. I can't believe I don't have a picture of that!

December 25, 2009

I apparently didn't take many pictures of Christmas morning. You'll just have to trust me when I say it was great. As great as 6:00 am can get. We left not long after to come home. Love that winter weather.

You'll be happy to know that Santa brought Conor Madden 10 and a Wii. As soon as we unpacked the truck, it was set up.

Here's a close up of the floor, so you can see what great care they took while setting it up and before playing.

December 24, 2009

Christmas was a little crazy this year. We went to Cedar Falls early because of the weather, and so did Sarah and John. It was great to see them an extra night. They got there after the kids had gone to bed. The morning of the 24th, when Sarah came out to the kitchen, Conor got up from playing, saying "Finally!" and gave her a hug.

Mary-Claire made it as well. She was only there about 12 hours, but I'm so glad she could be there. Ellie cried a little bit on the way home Christmas Day, because she didn't get to see Mary-Claire much. She has since told me that we "just need to visit Mary-Claire at her house". (Note: Ellie sometimes gets confused as to whether M-C lives in Chicago or Colorado, so I'm not sure where we'll end up).

It was a wonderful Christmas!!

Please note the Falcons pants worn over the red fleece feetie jammies. That is Conor's current outfit of choice. At night he adds his Falcons blanket.

December 23, 2009

On the 23rd the kids had a half day, and their Winter Party. As usual, their homeroom mom did an amazing job planning the party. And to top off that great party, I took Conor and Ellie home with me after the party. Then we headed to Cedar Falls.

December 22, 2009

Because of the weather, we changed plans and had our family Christmas on the 22nd. All gifts were hits!

December 21, 2009

Puzzles.

December 20, 2009

The decorated cookies. Rowan napped, and the rest of us decorated. Even Jon did a few!

December 19, 2009

She can cut out cookies on her own! Although she gets bored halfway through, so you need to finish up.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

December 18, 2009

Conor was the VIP in his class this week. He made a poster with lots of pictures on it, and read a book to his class. I read a book on Friday, and then Jon took him out for lunch. (They could have eaten at school, but neither wanted the rib sandwich). Yesterday he brought home a pack of letters that his classmates had written, telling him why he was VIP and asking him some questions. We found out that he has great "caricter", is very, very funny, has good handwriting (really?), is way nice, and is "halereyes".

Turns out that the guy we thought was a little shy at school is actually a bit of a clown this year!

December 17, 2009

We made Hot Cocoa mix for teacher gifts this year. Conor and Ellie did the whole thing.

And see that mess? And me not helping at all? I've come a long way!!

December 16, 2009

Sorry all my videos go from focused to blurry and back again. I need to figure that out this week sometime!

December 15, 2009

On Tuesday we went to Jolly Holiday Lights. (Or as it will forever be pronounced in our house "Jawly Hawliday Loyts" - Thanks Matt).

Ellie LOVES going, and Conor tolerates it. This was Rowan's first year going, and while we knew he'd like it, we didn't anticipate the non-stop chit chat it would cause. Even Ellie asked him to be quiet on the way home.

December 14, 2009

This is the skill that has been eluding her for about two years. She just can't walk that far on her hands. (And Jon and I aren't all that good at helping her with that!)

December 13, 2009

Conor had a basketball game on Sunday. Grandma Wilson stayed with Rowan, so I was able to go to the game. His team is kind of in the middle of his division. They're not undefeated (or even close), but they have won a few. On this day, he played his best friend's team. He had mixed feelings, I think. It was his best friend, but it was also as close to a sure win as Conor's team will get this year. Wait - maybe he was up for the win, and I was the one with mixed feelings. Either way, Conor's team won easily.

Even when guarding his friend, he's all business.

The book keeper guy.

December 12, 2009

Our neighbors gave us a package of cookie dough with four colors. It looked just like play dough, but tasted much, much better.

That flower? Oh yeah, it's mine.

December 11, 2009

Goldfish crackers as an afterschool snack.

December 10, 2009

We knew Thursday was a snow day before she went to bed on Wednesday, so we braided her hair while it was wet. This is how it turned out, and she loved it. I'm thinking we may need to get some curlers and try those.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

December 9, 2009

Yesterday was a snow day for all of us, including Jon. Our street didn't get plowed until sometime in the middle of the night, so most of our neighborhood didn't go anywhere. Several of the people who tried got stuck in the drift in the street in front of our house.

How they'd like you to think the cleanup went:

How the cleanup really went:

We ended the day with a Hyper Dash tournament. (Jon won).

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

December 8, 2009

I feel the same way about wet mittens.

Monday, December 7, 2009

December 7, 2009

I'm a pretty prepared person. I usually have a fairly good idea of what clothes the kids need new for the upcoming season, and what will work from last year. I bought their winter coats and snowpants at the beginning of October, as soon as Target put them out (no more coats from there, but that's another story). This year, however, I completely spaced out on the boots. When we went to bed last night it was snowing, and that's when I remembered. So this morning the big kids went off to school knowing that they'd be spending recess on the blacktop, and Rowan and I went off to Target hoping we could still find boots. Eighty dollars later, we had them. Ellie's aren't the cutest, and they may very well be "boy" boots, but they have fur, and that has to count for something.

December 6, 2009

This tired girl still found time to decorate gingerbread houses with me.

December 5, 2009

Conor and Jon were at a basketball tournament most of the day Saturday. I wrapped presents, with the help of this elf. In the evening, she went to an open gym at gymnastics with two friends from the neighborhood. It was from 6-10, and she's still not quite caught up on sleep. It's hard to tell here, because she did hold still for a picture, but she's bouncing off the walls with excitement.