Chunk-a-lunka

"Chunk-a-lunka" This is Grant's nickname lovingly given to him by his Aunt. He is quite large, as all my children at this age have been. I really am very grateful that he is healthy and strong, especially considering I have close relatives with small infants who are struggling to gain weight.
Yesterday was Grant's 4 month check-up. He weighs 16 pounds 7.5 ounces and is 26 inches long. That puts him in the 90% for weight and between the 75 and 90% for length. He has more rolls than a bakery!!
He is such a happy little guy and I feel so grateful to be his mother. His sisters adore him- Arianna more and more. (At the beginning she wanted nothing to do with him.) Emma loves to play with him. I have to keep a close watch because she is starting to try to move him around and likes to roll around with him on the floor. Luckily she is pretty careful and Grant seems to love the attention.

Christmas at the Farm

We had a great Christmas at the Farm! The girls absolutely loved being with their cousins. It was a zoo, that's for sure! There were 7 children there at the farm most days and 5 of them were 3 and under. Diane thought of all kinds of things to make the holiday wonderful- she brought all kinds of goodies and planned out Gingerbread House making for the kids. Kenneth's big project for the time we were there was installing a new floor in the downstairs bathroom. His mom was very pleased with the results.
We had the traditional visit from Santa on Christmas Eve and the kids had fun playing with their news toys and fighting over toys- with that many kids under 3 it's inevitable!
Here are some pictures of the good times:
Grant's first Christmas.

Watching Santa come through the door.

Not so sure about Santa. She started to bawl after that.

NO worries- Chocolate will make it all better! She got a little dinged up before vacation and there at the farm as well. Hence the line on her head.

Scott and Kenneth lifting Santa up


Emma's new cell phone, keys and makeup. These were the coveted gifts the whole rest of the week. All the kids fought over them. Amazing how happy a thrift store purchase can make kids.
Arianna opening her gift. She was pleased.

Arianna building her house.

Emma really enjoyed the Gingerbread house building activity. She did a pretty good job!



Here is a video of Christmas day sledding.

The girls didn't so much like the sledding activity. Notice the pouting faces.

Here are the 3 cousins who are all born within 2 1/2 months of each other. Lydia, Benjamin and Arianna. Arianna was having a bad hair day!

Grandma reading to all my children.

The girls out by the tractor- that's Grandpa on the tractor pulling the bale chopper.

Riding in the tractor with Dad.

Tromping out in the snow.

Here is a video of Grandpa moving a bale and the little girls completely enthralled.

Sweet Travels

We headed north for the Christmas Holiday and decided to make it a sweet trip; we visited the Chocolate World in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I had been there years ago when my sister lived in Pennsylvania, but it was fun to go back and take my family. It was also fun to visit at Christmas time. They had a candy house made completely from chocolate and candy!

It was a nice break from being cooped up in the car- the girls appreciated being able to run around a little bit!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Most of you know that the D.C. area got dumped upon a few days before Christmas this year. What I didn't realize until I talked to the locals here was how unusual it was for these parts. We were told the first snow usually doesn't come until after the first of the year and there is never that much snow. (We had about 18 inches here where we live and some areas close by had well over 20 inches!) Our Home Teachers said they haven't had a White Christmas here for 20 years!
One thing is for certain, they sure did have a hard time cleaning it all up!! It took days! We were so used to the efficiency of snow clean up in Syracuse, that it was baffling to us! The roads were a mess, even days later. The snow happened Friday night late through all day Saturday and Church was canceled on Sunday and schools were canceled Monday-Wednesday because of the mess! We drove on the beltway Sunday evening and lanes would be there and then disappear because of snow banks. It was horrible.

We bundled everyone up Sunday morning (while Grant was napping) and tromped around in it a little. I think it was the first time that Emma actually somewhat enjoyed playing in the snow. Before now she would just stare at it wide eyed, not really move and want to go inside 2 minutes later. Arianna still was a little wary of it.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Festival of Lights

Last night we went to the Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Temple and Visitors Center.  It was gorgeous!  The girls loved seeing all the lights and the Nativity Scene.  We also were able to see a Handbell Choir Perform in the Visitors Center.  I miss my days in the Handbell Choir!  They even rang the same arrangement of Joy to the World that I had rung before.  Grant was golden throughout the whole excursion.  Thankfully.  Arianna and Emma did pretty well during the concert.  Arianna got a little antsy towards the end, but luckily not too bad.  The major problem with taking her places where there are lots of people is that she throws a fit being strapped into the stroller, but if you let her walk she is all over the place like a wild chicken.  She is an adorable little handfull.  You can't help but love her, though.  She cocks her little head to the side and says the funniest things.  We feel so thankful to be so close to the temple right now.  We drive by it every Sunday after church and the girls just love to see it.  They had been waiting for weeks to see it all lit up.  Hope you all are enjoying this season as much as we are!

Grant growing up

This is a picture of Grant yesterday.  He is such a cutie and growing up so fast.