Monday, January 21, 2013

Basketball and Penguins

This week we were so blessed to get to go to TWO of Granddad's basketball games.  One was Coaches Vs Cancer.  They honored Mom before the game!  Sometimes I see Zach and Lorén and I "see" Kris and I. Jax loved watching Granddad's team.  He was determined to get a ball for himself!

This week was also Penguin week in First Grade.  Lorén brought Flippy, the class penguin home to spend-the-night.  She recorded her adventures with him in the classroom notebook.  It was neat to see what Flippy did with the other classmates.  Lorén concluded her week by doing her very first research project.  Lorén not only did all of the internet research and fact compilation, she also came up with a very clever way to display it all.  Her thought process was "If I'm doing a research project on Adélie Penguins, I should make a giant Adélie Penguin to show everyone what it looks like."  In all, it has been a fun and busy week!

Thursday, January 03, 2013

A Good Ol' Rozema Christmas

How did Art Noel our Elf on the Shelf finish out December?
By driving my car
Playing Jack-Jack's game

Summer-Time Dreaming

Taunting Cookie Monster with Christmas Cookies

Taking Pictures of you!

Taking a Jingle Bath

Doing Elmo's Hair

Loving Baby Jesus and saying goodbye!
I just have to be honest that I have a love-hate relationship with all of those hodge-podge ornaments.  I LOVE Hallmark ornaments (remember the commercial staring the Father of the Bride couple?).  But I also like having a pretty tree.  So one of my best friends suggested that I have a "Santa Tree" for the kids outside of their room.  Here is where we put all of our keepsake ornaments.  The kids LOVE looking at them.  Daily they look at the tree, press the buttons and remember special times.
Jax playing with Mike and My ornament from this year
Lorén loves this ornament!  (Ps look at her pretty hair for the  Christmas Eve Service)
Zach playing the most ANNOYING one.  Imagine jingle bells played to banjos!
We started off Christmas Eve by baking a Happy Birthday Jesus Cake.  I literally drew a line down the middle of the frosting and I said "You decorate this side, you decorate this side and don't cross sides!"
By the way, it's an Aldi Cake/Frosting.  It was really good!  I was surprised.  
Can you say "Sprinkles?"
Finished Product!
Later we got to go to our Churches Christmas Eve Service.  I couldn't help snapping some pictures of my loves in their Christmas finery
Lorén's dress came with a necklace (Ruby) that she LOVED!
Zach and Jax got matching outfits from Gymboree.  Isn't it so cute??

I finally got a picture of everyone smiling!  I only have 100 awful ones!


My wiggle butts!
I just loved this picture of my angels!
I had to put this one in there.  He always has to give a thumbs-up.  
Caught him messing with my pretty tree :)
A few weeks ago the boys made Reindeer Food with our Parents as Teachers Dayna.  
Jax did a great job measuring out "food" and putting it in baggies.  Then my precious son Zach asked if he could make a bag for his sister!
As soon as we got home from Church, the kids sprinkled "food" for the reindeer to help them find our house!
Jax was sprinkling his oat by oat.  It took a while.
We had our Annual Christmas Eve Party!
Singing Happy Birthday Jesus!!  
Zach getting cookies for Santa

Loren getting carrots for the reindeer

She had to count out enough for all 9 reindeer.


And Zach asked me to pour Christmas Milk for Santa. 

Finding a special place by the fire for Santa's treat.

After the kids went to bed, Santa came!

He left special gifts for the kids under their tree. 

And he filled their stockings!
Caught them Christmas Morning!
Lorén got her American Girl Doll Bed!
Zach got his Batcave with Robin!
And Jax got a new basketball hoop.  It wasn't Elmo like his siblings asked for him but it was what he "wanted!"
Then they headed downstairs and I caught their reaction seeing the tree!

I love her little face!



What is this all about?  Well HE wanted to put his hat on and DADDY did it for him.  How dare he!  

Zach and his new books

Lorén got makeup

A jail to go with his Batcave.

Happy Christmas from the Rozema Family!