Another talker in the family

Valerie is working on her talking skills...  she's been jabbering a lot tonight.

Keeping up with the Griswolds & Sledding on Thanksgiving

Today I discovered I still had screaming kids and more white lights.  So I hid outside and hung more lights while they screamed.  We totally have to leave the house tomorrow before we all go nuts...

  I'm a strand short on the left of the stairs, but what you see are all the white lights I own.  I would have done more of the roof up by the dormer to Val's room, but a) turns out I'm still afraid of heights and b) the dormer is too tall for me to reach.  The part of the roof that is not lit is really steep and c) it started raining as I was trying to do the upper part and I took that as a sign it was time to get the heck off the roof.

Sledding yesterday at my parents' down their neighbor's driveway...

Snow Days!

So we had a 1/2 day Monday and now have had Tuesday and Wednesday as snowdays, then we'll have our 4 day Thanksgiving holiday.

So what do you do when you are two days into a 6 1/2 day holiday after you JUST had a weekend?  Why decorate for Christmas of course!

After another time out with poor Henri looking like that kid from A Christmas Story

Hurricane Henri, who today broke a candlestick & an ornament...sigh...

Valerie's 4 month appointment

She's still 25% for weight-12 pounds
50% for height-just short of 2 feet
95% for head-17 inches

They double checked her head circumference again and the doctor called on her head CT because while she's stayed on her curve for weight and height but she's skyrocketed for head circumference.  The radiologist at Children's did confirm her brain looks just fine.

The rest of the Osh Kosh Deal

Today started Osh Kosh's black Friday sale and I had 20% off coupon as well.  For $200 I got:

$20 savings cards I have until 1/1/11 to use (I'll probably get some fall/winter stuff for Valerie when it's on clearance.

Matching pajamas for the boys for Christmas in 2T and 6
3 pairs of warm tights for Valerie size 3-12 months
2 raincoats for Valerie size 12 months & 2T
2 pairs pants and one long sleeve t-shirt for Valerie
2 coats in 2T for Henri, one a dinosaur raincoat, the other a fall/spring jacket
1 3 T raincoat for Henri
Same fall/spring coat for Carter in 8 & 10 (they might match!)
Size 10 raincoat for Carter
complete size 6 snow coat and bibbed pants (originally $88, I think I paid about $25)
wooden chore chart magnet set
wooden magnetic dressup doll set for a future birthday party.

Snow!

Yes, Mother Nature, I get the hint.  Time to finally buy snow coat for Carter.  Luckily Osh Kosh started their Black Friday savings today AND I had a 20% off coupon.  3 huge bags of coats/jackets later we're ready for winter.  Oh, and Target had boots for Henri.  Carter will be stuck in rain boots until I find suitable winter boots (his size was not at Target). I got red because I told myself all 3 kids will wear this snow coat & pants so the original $88 price that was brought down to 20% off of $35 was really a steal.

Henri & Valerie videos

These ones are on You Tube...I had a hard time uploading this to blogger.

3 minutes of pure Henri energy.  Imagine 12 hours of it and you'll get my typical day...

Valerie

more Valerie

Update with lots of pictures!

First, I'll share some family photos we had taken by my friend's husband...

This week has been all about Henri's party.  I used my Cricut diecut machine to make Dinosaur related items:

Henri got excited when the balloons showed up...

Valerie was excited to see grandma

I made dirt cups (pudding, coolwhip, oreos, chocolate rocks & dinosaur gummies)

Everyone had a great time, even the adults

Henri opened presents.  Well, he opened the firetruck, then I opened the rest because he was obsessed with getting it out of the box...

There was also his pillowpet that he spent the rest of his night proclaiming "Piwwow Pet, Piwwow, Pet!!! MY Piwwow Pet!!!!"

Then time for the pudding cups

Random pics of the month

I don't think I posted these, but they are fun!

Banana phones:

The kids with their Trick or Treat Loot-not bad for an hour.

Grandma shows Henri who's boss...

Grandpa relaxes Valerie into a state of bliss...

Henri plays with his best buddy Carson.  Funny story... they go to childcare at bible study on Wednesday mornings together.  Carson tells Henri, "Bye Henwi, high five!" they tried to smack hands in the air and missed and it took them 2-3 tries to connect.  So cute!

Carter & Kaylee playing Wii

Henri at Allison's birthday party

Carter at the same party

Henri picking his nose.  $10 says he ate it.  His newest not-adorable habit.

Valerie...

Henri falling asleep.  3 hour time difference from Disney plus 1 hour for time change = naps totally out of wack...