Hippie Day 2010

Today was hippie day at school for the kids. I usually forget these things like all good moms, but my Grace would NOT let me forget this time. So last night I was scrambling for some hippie-ish outfits for them. Here's what we came up with.

Ray didn't like the whole idea of hippie day and sighed loudly, in an I'm-so-annoyed kind of way, the whole time we were getting ready. I assured him that our kids would not turn in to hippies if they dressed up like them for one the day (he was raised by hippies and is a bit disenchanted with the whole idea :) ). Ray kept trying to talk Elliot in to wearing his suit and tie to school for hippie day (which I do think would've been funny) but Elliot wasn't having it!

Elliot made his peace necklace :)

And since Maggie can't stand to not have her picture taken when everyone else is, here you go!

Is it just me....

or is December completely CRAZY!! I feel like I haven't had time to do anything. My house is a disaster. Seriously. And it isn't over yet. 10 more days until Christmas. I think I'm almost ready. The kids get out of school for Christmas break on Friday and I want to be all ready by then so we can enjoy the break together and focus on what Christmas is really about.

Anyway, last weekend a local Seventh Day Adventist church by us held it's annual "Journey to Bethlehem" event. This is the first year we have gone and I'm so glad we did. It was a really neat experience. It is set up outside (it was freezing last weekend, the kids all wore their snow gear!).

Elliot waiting to go out

Elliot's bff Gabe

Our group met with a "cousin" who was leading us to Bethlehem to pay our taxes. People were dressed the part and acted the part. The Roman soldiers were really mean and scary (they all had huge swords, yikes!). Our cousin had to bribe them in order for us to get in to the city.

We went to a few inns to try and find a place to stay. No one had room for us. We walked through Bethlehem as the residents tried to sell us their wares. Finally we got the the area where we had to pay our taxes and got to listen to their big speech about how wonderful Caesar Augustus is and how lucky we are to be able to pay taxes to the Roman empire (gag ;) ).

As we were headed out of the city we passed the angels singing, giving us hope. Then we came to the manger where the baby Jesus had just been born. It was very authentic, complete with goats, donkeys, and a camel.

Her name is Camille :)

Maggie petting the camel

Merry Christmas! Hoping your December isn't too crazy!

Trimming the tree and such

We usually leave for Thanksgiving and I like to put up the Christmas tree for FHE the week we leave, so it is up when we get home. Because, really, if you wait until after your tree only gets to be up for 3ish weeks. That just doesn't work for me. Even though having the tree up is a SERIOUS lesson in patience because the kids are uncontrollably drawn to it like bees to honey, (Maggie and Naomi have already knocked it over). But I love it and I want it to be up for as long as appropriately possible!

We went to Cascade for Thanksgiving and I didn't take hardly any pictures. Mom, Dad, Leslie, and Alex were there. We had a great time. Alex and Leslie entertained our kids pretty much the whole time, it was great! We had a delicious, huge Thanksgiving dinner. It snowed almost the whole time we were there and the kids got to go sledding. In true VanderLouw style, Elliot had what can only be described as an asthma attack (he doesn't actually have asthma but it happens every once in while, we have a nebulizer that I forgot), but after a quick trip to the doctor for a breathing treatment and a little prednezone he was fine.

I did manage to get a few shots of the amazing scenery.

*sigh* I love that place.

We also have gotten tons of snow at home.

My cute gingerbread-looking-house in the beautiful snow :)

I truly do have so much to be thankful for.

Hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving!

Seasons

2 weeks ago I looked out my window and saw this

(couldn't help it...)

2 days ago, I saw this

Love this time of year :)

The Obligatory Halloween Post

I know you all want to see pictures of my darling children in their darling Halloween costumes, so I will indulge your wishes! I love Halloween, it is so much fun when you have kids. They get so excited about it.

We had Grace the Snow Princess

I think the pink socks are a nice touch :)

Elliot the blue crayon

No I did not get a full body shot of him *mother of the year*

I take that back...

Love this kid...

Maggie the "pink" *wink wink* crayon (which she insisted on being after she saw Elliot's costume, she proceeded to change her mind about 25 times but once the costume is bought, well, sorry!)

Full body shot? Nope...

Naomi the lion (does this costume look familiar to anyone else? :) )

Sweet girl

Sometimes it's just easier to take a picture without Naomi in it.

For all intents and purposes, Halloween was on Friday the 29th this year. We had school parties and church parties (which was totally insane by the way, but really fun, but so insane that I couldn't take hardly any pictures!). We didn't go trick-or-treating on Sunday but the kids probably had more fun handing out candy than they would've trick-or-treating so it was all good!

Elliot also had a Kindermusik party.

Don't you just love Ms. Teresa's costume? She never disappoints!

And don't worry, I did get one shot of all the kids together...

With my phone *sigh*.

and on a totally unrelated note, I think I figured out where Elliot gets his inspiration...

Especially at about 2:20 on :)