A ton of pictures

Hi, just to feel caught up - here's our past week.  Last Thursday was my birthday so the boys got to stay home with me!  It's a tradition ever since Colt started Kindergarten.  My hope is that when they are grown up they'll still always take my birthday off and come spend time with me.  So we went to a play - very fun.

 It was "If you give a moose a muffin" by the same author of "If you give a mouse a cookie."  Very well done and the holiday twist was great.

 Skyler in his reindeer hat from school,thankfully he's still young enough to think it's cool.

 Colt tested for his orange belt last Saturday.  He did awesome!  He had to pass off 5 areas: form (it was 27 steps this time, I remember being so impressed with the 8 steps he learned for his first test!) self defense, knowledge, sparring (he sparred, or "fought" with another kid - they wear padding and a soft helmet) and targets- hitting/blocking certain ways.

 Then last night he had the awards ceremony!

 We also went to Snowflake lane last week - pictures outside didn't turn out but inside was better.  It was packed but still very fun.  Live drummers dressed like nutcracker soldiers and great Christmas songs. 

 This house a few minuted from ours always goes crazy with lights - so if you live around here call me and I'll give you the address - our kids love it!

 So my game plan for Monday - no school and potty training day #1 was "Polar Express Day."  We got the trains out -they've been put away since summer.  The boy's job was to build the track and then they each took a turn playing with Heidi.

 Then for our hot chocolate we made these stir sticks...I thought I had plastic spoons but these worked just as well.  Yum!

We listened to the book on CD then watched the movie of Polar Express...then talked a little about the differences between the two. 

 Then the boys played games while Heidi napped.

 Tuesday was "Prep and Landing" Day.  It's a fun movie that aired on ABC last year...this year you can watch the new one "Prep and Landing; Naughty vs Nice" free online.  It's about elves, Santa, reindeer, etc.  So...

 Colt was in charge of elf training.  They made pipe cleaner candy canes and somehow launched them at a target he had taped to the door.  Then he ran Skyler and Heidi through more training drills.  I kept hearing Heidi yell "YES SIR!" We continued Prep and Landing day today since we didn't get through everything yesterday...and a trip to Jump Planet was the perfect training for these elves.

 Christmas puzzle...then Colt had a friend over

 while Skyler and Heidi and I made these fun Rudolph cookies.

 This morning Skyler worked on some crafts while Colt played Legos

And when I looked in on him later I found this.... (enjoying a book) what a wonderful sight.
And Heidi was completely accident free today-day #3 for potty training!  Even at Jump Planet and running a few quick errands!  Tomorrow we shift gears and focus on the birth of Christ.