Merry Christmas 2010

Christmas time for us brings a lot of excitement around our house. We try to do some fun things, like make gingerbread house, sugar cookies, see Christmas lights, sing Christmas songs, and most importantly we try to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,

We spent Christmas Eve night at my parents, something we haven't done except for one year our entire marriage.

Highlights of Christmas Morning
Brad - Lego and a baseball hat. Read the Christmas story from Matthew for us. He enjoyed listening to his new MP4 player.

Kyle - Magnetic Roller Coaster, getting to eat extra sausage. He started a Nerf gun war with his new Nerf gun. He also put out reindeer food for the reindeer's in the snow.

William - Got his tunnel with a waterfall for his train to go under. He was almost in tears when he saw that Santa brought it. William sang Santa Clause is Coming to Town for weeks, warming my heart.

Matt- Saying Ho Ho Ho every time he saw Santa. Matt riding on the train for 3 hours straight, giving William a few turns once a in a while. He rode a big with smile on his face the whole time.

The Monkey Trap

Matt tried getting one too many vitamins, but couldn't figure out how to get his hand out along with the vitamins.

Setting Up Christmas

Unfortunately a lot of these pictures turned out blurry. I tried to pick out the best ones.

Happy Birthday Brad

Brad turned nine on the 14th of November. We had a couple of his friends at the YMCA and swam. Brad is my peace maker. He wants everyone to be happy. He has take his little brothers in their rooms to play trains with them sometimes for hours. We had a family home evening on inviting the spirit into our home. We talked about the importance of having the holy ghost in our home and when we fight it makes the holy ghost to leave and the spirit of contention to take over. Brad is especially sensitive to the spirit and can feel it when it is in our home, but he can also feel when the Holy Ghost leaves our home. He works hard to do things to keep the Holy Ghost with him all the time. He often tells me in the morning about what he read in the scriptures in his room. He has a sweet strong testimony but because he takes a lot after his Mom his heart strings are connected to his tear ducts and he has difficulty expressing it without become emotional. Brad enjoyed playing baseball, soccer, football, and is looking forward to basket ball in couple months. He has a great laugh. He is learning to play the piano, he played in his first recital in November and did a great job! He loves to read. Happy Birthday Brad!

Brad's Favorites
Favorite Food: Chinese
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Sport: Baseball
Favorite Book: Harry Potter
Favorite School Subject: Math
When he grows up he wants to be: An Author
He wants to serve a mission to: Chile

Happy Halloween

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We hope everyone had a Happy Halloween this year. Here are a few pictures of carving pumpkins, trunk - o - treating, and our family enjoying what we did on Sunday for Halloween. Grandma and Grandpa Fredericks as well as Tim and Amanda and their kiddos joined us for the fun. For some reason Brad is not really in a lot of the carving pictures. I had to look twice at the pictures because William and Matt look so much alike!

Costumes
Brad - Red Fire Ninja
Kyle - Clone Trooper
William - Spiderman
Matthew - Elephant.
Blake - Transformer
Daphne - Nebraska Cheerleader
and of course we don't want to forget Joe, our Leprechaun.

Funny Things the Kids Say

Kyle at dinner says, "Hey, Mom did the baby get a bath today?" Me looking confused trying to figure what in the world he is talking about. He continues "You know the one you put on the calendar." Oh now I know what he is talking about. . . "Yes I went to the baby shower today."

Brad: "I was trying to go to sleep but he voices in my head are just too loud!" (Should I be worried about these voices)

We changed garbage companies and the old company had to come pick up the garbage cans. Yesterday they came and got them. The boys were very concerened that someone was taking our garbage cans. I explained it was okay that we were getting new ones with the new company. Kyle looks at me with tears in his eyes, "not the brown garbage can, I love the brown garbage can. I can't believe they are taking it!"

William wanted Dad to lay down with him while he fell asleep to which Dad, Joe, said no. William was really mad and told me that I needed to call the police to come take Dad because he wasn't being nice, he needs to be locked up.

Vala's Pumpkin Patch

Can you find Brad & Matt?

Little old lady who lived in a shoe along with her boys

Last Monday we went to Vala's Pumpkin Patch. No Frills Supermarket had free Smore's for everyone. We saw a table, but it didn't have a sign with Smore's and hot chocolate. We thought it was the No Frills table, so we got some hot chocolate and then went and did our thing. While walking to the train we saw where No Frills really had their table set up with Smore's. Later we saw some friends at the first table getting hot chocolate and come to find out it was their work party's table. We had a good laugh about it. Over all it was a lot of fun.

Minute to Win It

Brad's First Try

One of our favorite shows to watch together as a family is America's Funniest Videos. They had a challenge for people to get the Oreo from their forehead, like on Minute to Win It, and get it into their mouth without using their hands on film and then send it in to AFV's.

Arbor Day Tree Farm

Boys Building with Sticks

Bradley Finishing Up

Matt Being Matt


Matt Having Fun

William Trying to get a Butterfly on his Finger

William Showing Matt how it is done

William Excited

Brad & Kyle laying eggs

Nap Time

William Playing Music

Kyle & Matt Playing Music

The Boys on a Tractor

No Apples There

Matt Getting his Apple

Kyle Getting his Apple

The Good Ones are at the Top

William Size Apple

William Picking his Apples

William Trying to Pick an Apple

Over Labor Day Weekend we went to Arbor Day Tree Farm in Nebraska City. They have some hiking trails along with activities and things to do. Then of course they have apples to pick which we enjoyed picking and eating.