Fondue Night!

Kids' first time with Swiss fondue.  Not fans, but they were good sports since they were hungry and it was dinner time.  We'll have to do chocolate next time and see if it goes over better.

This awesome man, however, was thrilled that I used real Swiss.  Must be his heritage.  ;)

Putting Up The Tree: Christmas 2013

Mommy holding Quin up so he can reach the branches.

Quin trying hand Mommy ornaments--she's on the ladder getting decorations to the top of the tree.

Payge and Quin, mixing up the Little People's Santa Sleigh set with the Nativity set.  Who says Mary didn't arrive in Bethlehem with a sleigh?!?  ;)

Sweet Chayce...

Silly Chayce.

 I took the three older children to a performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday, while Stephen stayed with little Quin.  I had a wonderful time watching their faces throughout the performance.  They were so excited to be able to go to such a large production, and were all quite impressed with the dancers.  Zac's been attempting the Russian dance since we got home.

Our seats were perfect!  Payge was able to see everything without a booster seat, even down into the pit where the orchestra played.  She felt so grown up being able to do that.  

Chayce was reading the program when I tried to get them to smile for me.  She did NOT want to be interrupted.  

Payge lost a tooth

Payge is in Jillian's Shakespeare class. Today she kept complaining about her tooth, so Jillian reached in, meaning only to make a point, but came out with a tooth. How's that for class discipline. Payge is doing quite well with reading and is currently in charge of keeping the sippy cup drawer organized.

Age differences

My children were pretending to fight monsters together (think Final Fantasy style battles mixed with Pokemon elements). At the beginning of each fight (cue epic battle music), they would announce their primary offensive weapon.

Zachary: electric cultlasssssssssssssssssss!!!!!
Chayce: pyroblaaaaaaade!!!!!!
Payge: Jelly beans!

September, JZachary's birthday, Chayce's Baptism, wildflowers, and mulberries

Jillian and I went to the Glenn Miller USO show at USU. We need to go dancing more often!

Grapes from our vines (that the chickens couldn't reach, we had about 25% of last year's harvest)

Quinton in daddy's office, chewing on a car.

Zachary's birthday cake, a minecraft creeper. No it didn't explode when he blew out the candle (maybe next year). zachary has figured out how to set up a home server so we can play multiplayer minecraft.

Chayce's belated birthday cake. We had a combined birthday party after the baptism on the 28th.

Chayce, 8. Yes, 8. 

Chayce and her daddy.

The children helped clear the rocks so we could seed this area with wildflowers and crimson clover for next year. This is a view from the center facing south.

A view from the center facing north.

As we cleared the area behind the fence, we found a submerged kiddie pool full of sand. We removed the decrepit pool, and left the sand for the children to play with, and avoided seeding wildflowers in this area.

We have been clearing the chicken of grass and will replant this area with quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, clover, and alfalfa. The fence will be line with raspberries and sunflowers. We'll add three mulberry trees (two red, one white) in the center. 

The mulberry trees, Illinois everbearing, Oscar, and Sweet Lavender (the white variety)

Payge getting ready to water the newly planted trees.

Chayce picking almost ready plums.

The three mulberry trees

A view from the other direction

Payge next to the sweet lavender mulberry (bottom left) and in front of the plum tree.

When little boys prepare for the day

I hear Zachary up in the bathroom. He has just washed his hands but has obviously not left the mirror. I hear a low, raspy "die....Die...DIE...." I imagine his face is quite contorted.

Update (23 seconds later)
Noises have stopped and he has left. He must be ready to torment his sisters.*


* He actually doesn't do that too much. They play together well. It has cooled off lately and they have spent many hours playing legos together, and the only time it falls apart is when Payge takes it personal that her castle was attacked.