Advent Activites and Elmer part II

We are still doing our Advent calendar but I sometimes forget to take pictures or it would be rude/awkward to take pictures so here are only two from the past week.

Family Movie Night
We watched How the Grinch stole Christmas,
ate popcorn, and sipped on sparkling grape juice.
FUN!

Here is Lexie holding our present that we donated to a family that was in need. Ethan and Gracie helped picked it out but Lexie got to deliver it because the other two were at school.

Elmer dyed our milk green!

Here he is hiding in the tree

Here he was caught with a blue marker while the kids had writing all over the face.
I think HE really enjoyed this one!

Hanging upside down form the light fixture.

I forgot to take pictures of him playing hungry hippo game with Woody
and reading a Christmas story to GI Joe.

Lovely

When I place Lexie in her crib she usually won't use her pillow nor cover herself. I typically check in on her before I go to bed just to make sure she is covered. However, one day during her nap, I went to go check on her and this is what I found...

She is laying on her pillow and is completely covered!

Isn't she lovely!

Lexie the Stair Master

Lexie, like most children her age, absolutely loves the stairs. Due to her safety and our sanity we have had to install a gate to keep her from going upstairs. However, the moment she hears the gate being opened, she ditches whatever she may be doing at that time and hightails it over there in hopes that she may be able to squeeze through before it closes. There are even times during the day where she tries to squeeze her head through the gate just to touch the 1st step. Tonight we were able to catch her love of stairs on video. Even her savoring every step because who knows when she will be allowed to do it again. Also, by the way we never really taught Lexie how to get off of the couch. That is something she totally picked up herself and we are thrilled to see her develop the correct action without us having to push and repeat it during therapy. Kudos Lexie!!

Yes, we love football around here!

Advent Activites and Elmer!

Make a gift to give to someone else.
The kids choose to paint a plastic ornament.

Decorate a Gingerbread House.

He cracks me up how serious he gets when he is making something.

This one was full of giggles that day!

Eating the leftover candies!

I saw these last year and just had to try them for myself!
Aren't they not the cutest?!! I opted for store bought (GASP) gingerbread and icing,
but I think they came out just as cute!
Mini Gingerbread Link

Deliver goodies to our local fire station and thank them for their service!
These guys were so sweet and basically let the kids do whatever they wanted.
They got to sit in the truck and play around with the equipment.

Make Reindeer Food to put out on Christmas Eve!
Reindeer Food printable

Make a Christmas Craft
Reindeer Link


You betcha I still took a picture of her!
She is just going to LOVE this when she grows up!

Elmer the Elf's crazy antics

Zip line from upstairs to downstairs

Fishing for goldfish

He "Tped" our gingerbread house

Elves LOVE syrup!

Traditions for the season

This will be our first year doing a advent calendar and I think I am more excited than the kids. I wanted to do an advent to celebrate the coming of Christmas but I didn't want it to just be filled with treats for them. It is quite hard to show Ethan and Gracie how they can be of service to other people especially since they are still dependent of me. Their age and skill level kind of inhibits them from being able to help in ways adults can. Therefore, half of our advent list is treats or activities that they will be able to do and the other half are things that we can do to help other people. I think Christmas is a great starting off point to show them how they can be of help to others throughout the rest of the new year.

Also, one of our activities including introducing our new Elf to the kiddos.
His name is Benny Elmer. He has been very mischievous while we have been asleep. The kids absolutely adore him and LOVE his little antics. They can't get over the fact that he is here to spy on them to make sure the are being good, yet he does crazy things while we are sleeping.

Here are a few pictures of the recent activities that we have done.
If you would like my full list, please email me.

Ethan opening the 1st door on our advent calendar

Write a letter to Santa

North Pole Breakfast to welcome our Elf!
(Yes, my kiddos love Tattoos! Ethan's chest looks like he has been in the Navy for 20 years)

Yummy Donuts!

Powdered Face

Our Elf taking Barbie to a drive in movie.
Gracie was giggling and loved that her Barbie had a friend.

Here he is switching our stockings for the kids underwear.
Mischievous little guy!

Thankful Memories

Last week Eric's parents, brother and grandparents joined us for Thanksgiving. We were even lucky enough to have his grandparents visit with us for one whole week. The kids absolutely adore all of them and loved having everyone here to celebrate Thanksgiving. The food was delicious but the company was divine!

Lapiz and Gracie during snuggle time.

Germ and Ethan doing a puzzle together.

I ♥ this picture of Lexie giving Lapiz a hug.

Grandpa Dan and Gracie swinging

Ethan and Grandma Teresa

Gracie with Uncle David

I loved seeing all of the wonderful things my babies have created over the past Thanksgivings.
It won't be long before that fridge is completely filled and my heart will feel heavy.

Steps away from walking!

Lexie's physical therapist brought a walker today for Lexie to practice on. Lexie is really good at alternating her feet but her main issue seems to be balance. However, after a couple dry runs with her walker she has been doing so well. We will need to work on turning and not running into walls, but other than that I think it is going to work out nicely. At the end of the day she actually took one step towards Eric without the walker. Who knows? Maybe the walker is just what she needs to boost her confidence.

Lexie's helper

This video is about 2 months old but I realized that I have never posted a video of Lexie in her walker. She can do more damage and get around quicker so I refer to it as her "helper". She is super fast so you really have to watch your ankles and she has no problem getting around doorways or going on the carpet. I think she enjoys the independence.

Pot Banging

Lexie helping me cook!

Happy Halloween

What does a daredevil archaeologist, a kidnapped princess, and a nocturnal bird have in common?

They make the cutest Halloween costumes!!

This year Ethan chose to be Indiana Jones, Gracie chose to be Rapunzel, and Lexie was nice enough to allow me to choose her costume so she was an owl. I made her costume.

It was a great day/night full of Halloween fun!

Oh Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair!

I love her chesser!

Seriously! Just one picture?

About ready to go haunt!

Whip has been tested all week so it is ready to go!

Ethan helping Lexie stand up! Little stinker was not in the Halloween spirit.

Ethan walking into our neighbors haunted porch!

We meet up with Gabrielle and Gavin (our Godson) for pictures

CANDY!!!!