Professor Noggin

My sister Heather has touted the virtues of the Professor Noggin's games for many years. She recently gifted our family with a few to get us started and now we are completely converted, salivating over the entire collection! I'm always a sucker for a game that is educational and fun. My children are absolutely addicted to the two wildlife games that we have. And they really are educational trivia games, not flash cards. As an added bonus, the cards are sturdy, high-quality items meant to last.

We play fast and loose with the rules to adapt for abilities. The first time we played Safari, Tanner actually beat Kinley, so this is perfectly age appropriate for preschoolers on up, way up. Even I learned a few things...
They have dozens of games to choose from (you should see my wish list). There are science titles, nature titles, geography titles, history titles, and more!

If you have a homeschooling heart or if you are just looking for some good family games, these are home runs.

Quote of the day from Tanner: "Mommy, 'toucan' is just like 'garbage can' except that it starts with 'tou' instead of 'garbage'."

The Screamer

Crew has become unbearably loud lately. He screams at us constantly, though I am his favorite victim by a (very) wide margin. Justin blames me because I tolerate it. I'm sure he's right because the mini-monster doesn't yell at people outside of our family. He's as sweet as sugar to the neighbors, gentle as a lamb (unless you are a baby smaller than him, of course).

Sigh...

I don't mean to put up with it, but I have compassion for his plight: It must be so difficult to have so many things to say and no words with which to say them. I can't count on his siblings either; Kinley and Tanner are bigger softies than I am, catering to our darling diva. Justin is more firm, but he's inhibited by the houseful of spineless enablers around him.

The Bitty Beast can dissolve my nerves instantly by screaming in just the right tone.

I scream back sometimes. "Stop yelling at me!" I yell. It's surprisingly ineffective.

Upcoming Event

Kinley has been excited for a really long time about a very special day. She's turning 8 in February and she will be able to be baptized!

The New Mexicans

I haven't seen my little sister Courtney in 5 years. Whoa. I know.

They recently moved from Maine to New Mexico; they passed through Utah on their way to spend Christmas in Washington (are you following the geographical story here?) and stayed with us for several days!! The cousins were able to meet each other, which was a very special treat for all. They loved each other and played so well together. They played and played and played their little hearts out.

The cousins came to church with us on Sunday. This is the whole gang:No, big brown dreamy eyes and bald heads don't run in the family. Why do you ask? I'll confess I did a double take whenever one of these boys ran by me.
Lucy and Kinley are exactly two months apart in age. They were inseparable. I was very pleased.
Tanner attached himself to cousin Emma for their whole visit. He (really) loves Emma. Enough said.
Finally!! Crew is bigger than one of his cousins! Granted, Jack-Jack is only 6 months old, but whatever.
Perfectly, deliciously squeezable, these two.
Crew was a little... um... "abusive" to his smaller and more defenseless cousin. Despite my best efforts, Kinley and Tanner have taught their impressionable little brother the smack-me-in-the-face-and-I'll-laugh-hysterically game. Do you know it? Come on over and put your face within reach of Bruiser's right hook.

It was great to spend time with the whole Wilson family. Catch you on the return drive!

Virginian Invasion!!

Our home has been a flurry of visitors and activity this December! We received a wonderful visit from Matt, Kim, and Karlee, visiting all the way from Virginia for the holidays! It was nice to spend a few days with them during their busy travel season!

Karlee has grown up so much since we saw her last during the summer. She's talking up a storm and looks so cute in her new itty bitty glasses!Everyone wants a piece of Uncle Matt.
We enjoyed brushed and baked BBQ chicken rolls.... yummy...
The crazy critters.
Photo outtakes, because they made me laugh.
Squeeeeeeeze!
We watched Inception (awesome), chatted-chatted-chatted, ate, played ping-pong, and almost everyone went to the BYU basketball game. Not me. Wrappin' with the beast, remember? It's always so nice to have visitors!

Christmas Books

We love books around here. We love Christmas picture books too.

These are our most favorite Christmas books. We are always looking for new recommendations!

What are your favorite Christmas picture books?!

Snow Fun

The kids decided to make a snowman in our yard. It ended up being a "haunted mini-mountain" instead. That's ok; cheeks were rosy, snowballs were thrown, hot chocolate was enjoyed, and that's all that really matters.

Merry Merry Christmas!

I didn't take a lot of pictures of our official Christmas celebrations, but we had a marvelous Christmas. So happy, so peaceful, so perfect. This whole holiday season has been so good to us and for us.

We opened new pajamas, enjoyed a pizza picnic, and watched The Forgotten Carols on Christmas Eve. Kinley loved it as much as I did; Justin really liked it; Tanner tolerated it. After the play/movie, Kinley and I serenaded the men of the family with a multitude of Christmas carols. My little angel princess has a great voice!

To get to our bedroom, Kinley and Tanner have to pass right by the livingroom, so we shut them in their bedroom on Christmas Eve and gave Kinley a phone to sleep with. She was instructed to wait until 7:30 before calling my cell phone. Once she called us, we would turn on the tree lights and the Christmas music before they scurried down the stairs. As luck would have it, she and Tanner didn't wake up until almost 8! Justin, Crew, and I were already wide awake and waiting impatiently!

When what to his wondering eyes did appear? What is this Christmas magic?Someone told Santa about Crew's love of smarties.
"To infinity... and beyond!"
Kinley's favorite present was her brown stuffed horse. She named him "Mint".
Merry Christmas!
We love our beautiful children. They love us... and their glorious Christmas haul of gifts.

My wish-I-could-go-back-and-redo moment of the morning:
Giving Tanner his Buzz Light Year gun. It was the only thing he really wanted for Christmas, all he has talked about for a month. We knew that the success of Christmas morning was riding on that gun! We had, very fortunately, secretly purchased two when we were in Disneyland. I thought it would be funny to let Kinley open hers first and send Tanner into a tailspin. I almost did it, but chickened out at the last minute. Wouldn't that have been really mean/hilarious?

Cookie Monsters

We made Christmas sugar cookies.

I know. Shocking, isn't it? Don't pass out.

And they were pretty successful, if I do say so myself. I just kept blurting out, "I can't believe we made sugar cookies! And they are edible!!"

Maybe I'm a baker after all.Kinley rolling out a tiny bit of leftover dough.
They each got to choose four cookie cutters for our little baking project.
Whoops. Tanner is a little heavy-handed with the sprinkles. But we we already knew that about him.
These are the cookies they frosted.
This is what was left for me to frost alone when they got bored.
Merry Christmas!!

Candy Man

Justin took Kinley and Tanner to a BYU basketball game while I stayed home to wrap presents. The naughtiest boy I know stayed behind to relieve our tree of candycanes."Hmmm... this doesn't taste quite as delicious as I had hoped.""Whoa, dude, thanks for taking off the wrapper. I'm much obliged to you for the stogie. Peace out."

Snowflakes

Thank you again for all of the wonderful suggestions you offered regarding holiday traditions. We were able to incorporate a few of them this year and have made great plans for next December!

Last week we embarked on a snowflake adventure. Some snowflake experts came to my rescue on this one. Thanks, Anna, Kirsten, and Uncle Matt!

Links for the snowflake-challenged:
Templates for snowflakes (who knew?)
3D snowflakes
Diagrams with video for 6-point snowflakes
More diagrams

This year we dabbled. Next year we'll have a Winter Wonderland of snowflakes!!

When Good Boys Do Naughty Things

I had been whacked in the head with different toys four times in just a few minutes. He ignored my firm "NO" every time. I finally trapped him on the bottom stair in timeout. He was deeply offended.

Traditional Rudeness

This afternoon I pointed out the presents that would be opened this evening--one package for each of us, always pajamas. Tanner picked up his gift with great excitement and then promptly scowled.

"Heeeeeeeey," he said. "This present feels like CLOTHES. Clothes is SO RUDE for a present."

Rude or not, they look so cute on him.

Christmas In Heaven

"I see the countless Christmas trees
Around the world below,
With tiny lights like heaven's stars
Reflecting in the snow.

The sight is so spectacular
Please wipe away that tear
For I'm spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
That people hold so dear
But earthly music can't compare
With the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you
The joy their voices bring
For it's beyond description
To hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
Trust God and have no fear
For I'm spending Christmas
With Jesus Christ this year.

I can't tell you of the splendor
Or the peace here in this place.
Can you imagine Christmas
With our Savior, face to face?

May God uplift your spirit
As I tell Him of your love
Then pray for one another
As you lift your eyes above.

Please let your hearts be joyful
And let your spirits sing
For I'm spending Christmas in Heaven
And I'm walking with the King!"

By Wanda Bencke

Ladies Man

Earlier this year Tanner offered marriage and a lifetime of Star Wars adventures to our neighbor Madison.

Over the weekend he confessed to me undying love for his cousin, Emma.

Should we be concerned that he absconded with the Princess Frostine card from our Candyland box?

I just checked under his bed for Strawberry Shortcake and Tinkerbell magazines. All clear.

When Natural Consequences are Ineffectual

Kinley and Tanner share a room. Crew has his own room. Crew's room will eventually be Kinley's room. Therefore... Kinley's clothes are in Crew's closet.

It works. Mostly.

Kinley is supposed to pick out her school clothes every night before bed. If by some miracle Crew sleeps in, I'm not going to wake him by sneaking into his closet. We are trying, without much success, to get Kinley to do this all on her own, without endless reminders and nightly haranguing.

This morning when I woke her up, I noticed that (once again) her clothes had not been set out. Well, without any fresh laundry to pick through this time, that meant she was left with very few options---all of them were in Tanner's closet.

The Mean Mom within was satisfied to let the hammer of natural consequences fall squarely on her little blond head. She panicked when I presented her with today's outfit. Mission accomplished.

Then...

Once she was dressed, she came to me and shyly asked if this could always be the outfit she wears when she forgets to pick out her clothes. She does so love stripes, after all. And blue is one of her most favoritest colors.

Pee-Wee Potentate

I think Crew was an emperor in a former life. He has enslaved me as his official food taster; I guess you never know when someone is going to slip poison into your spaghetti. He is quite insistent.

Big and Tall

Critter pulled himself to standing by the couch this morning all by himself! He is stiff-legging the effort and we need to work on having him bend his knee to use his thigh muscles, but this is excellent progress!! My expectations of when we'll have him running laps around the house has been changed dramatically by the miracles of these last several weeks!

Conductor Crew

We take the kids to one choir performance and they think they are mini-maestros. Especially this one.

Crew Conducting @ Yahoo! Video

But let's be honest. Who can help themselves with the Hallelujah Chorus?

King of Kings! And Lord of Lords!

I just can't get enough Hallelujah Chorus. Thank you, Mr. Handel.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Today I taught my last Relief Society lesson. I over-shared, as always. I must thrive on embarrassment because a permanent state of over-exposure is the name of my game.

I'm off to the YW! I will be serving as Laurel Advisor, instructor to the 16-18 year-old girls. I have a soft spot in my heart for the YW program. I have served within its auxilliary before and it is always a unique, challenging, and rewarding experience. I also have a fondness for the YW leaders that didn't give up on me when I was an abrasive and belligerent young lady myself.

Justin is really looking forward to Girls Camp. Insert evil laughter here.

Ta-Daaaaaa!

When it clicks, it CLICKS.

6 weeks ago:
Crew couldn't crawl.

2 weeks ago:
He could crawl but couldn't quite get himself up onto an air mattress that had been placed on the floor.

Today:
My baby mountain goat climbed my entire staircase unassisted. Three times.

Will Climb For Stormtroopers

Yesterday I was on the phone with a friend when I turned around and found this:Crew really really wanted that stormtrooper!! We've been working on climbing skills recently and he navigated the bottom step all by his wee little self for the first time! Go, baby mountain goat!