Just a few photos to share...

Bodie has been a very nice little boy this year Santa!

Avery at her preschool Christmas program! She did so good! I wish I would have video tape her singing the songs. She was just so stinkin' cute!

Rowdy opening his Transformer from Santa! I love that I got his expression in this photo! He was also squealing in excitement that Santa came through. Now if mom can only figure out how to "transform" this toy into all of the things it is supposed to transform into. It says it is for 5 years and up...but this 35 year old was struggling to understand the instructions.

Huh?

As I was making dinner for the kids I asked Rowdy if he wanted some of "Mama's Juice"? and it dawned on me that we have many words in our house that to the outsider would not mean a thing and would require some translation:

Mama's Juice = Crystal Light
Dada's Cereal = Toasted Almond Crunch
Squishy eggs = Hard Boiled Eggs
Other Cup = Any tippy cup. This is one Avery made up when she was learning to talk and express her opinion. When she didn't want a regular big kid cup she would say "No, other cup"
Man-note = Rowdy came up with this for sandwich. I spelled it fanatically so you would know how to say it.
Mekeykey = Christmas Tree
Hervy = Volkwagen bug it is how Avery pronounced Herbie
Give me a Ma = Give me a kiss
Nangy = Naked
Cozy = Blanket


I know there is more but I can't think of them right now.

We also have about 20 different names for our pets besides their real names. I'll share those another time.

What words do you have in your family that need to be translated for outsiders?

Christmas!

Taste testing the cupcakes we brought to the ward Christmas party.

Rowdy was the star in the Nativity.
I love this time of year!

Gettin' the Tree

We picked the most beautiful day last Saturday to get our tree.

The tree farm we go to has a tractor that looks like a train...that was the best part for the kids.

Bodie was awake when we were looking for the perfect tree.

Random

Farm Hand! Rowdy was heading out to help Ron feed the cows.

Bodie hanging out in his swing while I was doing dishes.

Avery eating frosting from the gingerbread house they decorated.

Mrs. Claus

We went to visit my Mom at the Greens Show. She has a booth there every year with a friend of hers. My Mom is a decorative painter and she is so talented. She has been painting since I was in the fourth grade. She also teaches classes.Watching the train go around the Christmas tree. This is Rowdy's favorite part of visiting Grandma at her art show (besides seeing grandma).
Doesn't my Mom kind of look like Mrs. Claus?

This is how Bodie spent most of the trip. I am getting braver and braver about nursing in public with each child. I would have never done that with Rowdy. At this point I don't care about who I offend, my child has to eat and I am getting better about being discrete.

Tradition!

When I was a kid my mom hung an advent calendar every year. I remember exactly what it looked like. It had little pockets for the candy and I loved getting a little candy cane from it each day. Anyways, I saw a really cute one on another blog and got inspired to make one for Rowdy and Avery, even though December has already started. They helped me put it together. One of the first things out of Avery's mouth this morning was "Can we have a piece of candy off the candy chart" We don't have our tree up yet but we have candy on the wall.

Who are my readers?

I was reading another blog and the writer asked all of her readers who don't comment to come out of hiding and comment on her blog. Some of my readers comment frequently and I gotta say I love comments on my blog. But it was reveled to me today that I might have readers who visit frequently but don't comment. Hi Kimo and Rebeka!!!! In the world of blogging you are known as a lurker. I am asking you to 'delurk" yourself. I am so curious to know who you are. Comment on this post and let me know who you are.

If you have a blog too I would love to lurk on yours too! And if you don't have a blog please start one so I can start! Actually this is kind of a scary post because I just might be surprised as to see who has been checkin' up on the Shinkle Family...that is if people are willing to comment. Go ahead I double dog dare you! This blogging thing is kind of weird because you really don't know who is reading about your little ol' life. In fact the other day I did a search on the web with a few key words from my blog and sure enough my blog was listed first in line on the search results....that is a little scary.

Anyways as the title of the blog that inspired me to do this said...Delurk You Lilylivered Lurkers!