Little Drummer Boy

You have to have allot of tolerance for noise if you want to be in our home.

Larson loves his drums and has already learned 3 beat sequences although here he is just rocking out! He sings We will We will Rock you, Rock you as he plays the one beat. Actually am very surprised by his ability to keep the beat so well.

Drum playing rule #1:

No playing while Logan is sleeping!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure there will be many more to follow!

Christmas Day 2008

Our Christmas morning started at 7:00. Bravo to the Roberts kids!

As soon as they come down, they can open the presents Santa left in their stocking. The stockings are almost as tall as them. Thanks to Grandma Pat for making Logans stocking to match the others. How did Santa know that Logan might need diapers?

There were plenty of presents to go around: Video cameras, moon chairs, electric hedgers, drums, running shoes, pedicures, board games, video games, and toys. However, the kids did the best job with gift giving this year. All 3 independently came up with their own gifts for us. Jordan took her own money and put it in an envelope for her Dad to order scriptures for his blackberry, she wrote a letter to me and made a card. Larson spent many hours one day painting pictures and wrapping them under the tree. He probably had close to 20 under there. Jackson's gifts were so Jackson: He said " I just made mine on the side of the house, I dont have money to buy gifts" Do you know what is on the side of the house? His mud area. He loves to play in the mud. (his fingernails are almost always a nightmare) He seriously made me a heart with 2 holes and a string going through it for a necklace. There is a small picture of it. He asked me if I loved it? Yes, Jackson I love it. I will just remember not to wear it on a rainy day.

We got a Wii!

Thanks Aunt Char and Mr. Bell

Did we really need another Elmo in the house? Probably not but it made Logan smile everytime that he saw it in the stores. This one is mechanical and moves every body part on its own. He dances, tell jokes, stories, plays game with you. He has a chair that he sits down in and stands up. Oh well, this Elmo live can keep the regular Elmo and the Tickle me Elmo and the dance with me Elmo friends.

The wait is over: Jordan finally got a cell phone. We hid it in the tree and after all the presents were opened we called her cell phone. Needless to say she was happy and was proud to announce she had sent 88 text messages by the end of the day. Yes, we have an unlimited text plan!

Christmas was a very fun day as they always are. We wish that we could have all of our family with us but as Colby always said, we would have to have a very big house. We are so blessed and look forward to this next week of just spending time with each other and playing with all the new presents!

Christmas Eve 2008

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house were 4 little children barely being able to contain themselves!

Mommy was very busy cooking for our Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas breakfast, and Christmas dinner, wrapping gifts, and trying to meet all the kids needs. I needed a long winters nap after this day. The kids were full of that Christmas excitement knowing Santa was on his way. We had a great dinner with Uncle Chris and then attempted to watch Vacation Christmas but the kids were not into it so we moved on from that. We watched videos from Santa, put out milk and cookies, read the Night Before Christmas, Larson "read" the baby Jesus story for us and then it was off to bed. (for the kids that is)
The Children all snuggled in their beds or Not!

Videos from Santa

We found a very cool web site where we personalized videos for the kids. Jackson had a funny reaction at first when Santa kept saying his name and then his picture in the good book. He caught on quickly when he realized that the other kids videos were mostly the same. Larsons eyes got so big when he saw his picture in Santas good book and said he thought that he could arrange some drums. Jordan was so mad that Santa told her she had better eat her vegetables. We all laughed at that one. It was a great way to end Christmas Eve before getting them in bed. I just added Jacksons here as they all followed the same format.

http://portablenorthpole.sympatico.msn.ca/watch/40b90343962ac4bd71e0214a429cf17c

Logan 10 months

OK, so he is 10 months and 3 weeks but still in his 10th month so that counts

Logan has very quickly changed from being a baby to trying to be a toddler. He is just about to be able to keep up with the big boys. (or at least he thinks that) Just like all the other Roberts children, he babbles allot but no words other than DADADADADA but I still consider that babbling until I hear a Mama out of him. He may be a mischievous one as he always laughs when he knows he should not be doing something. He sure does smile allot! He is so cuddly and we all have a hard time keeping our hands off of him.

Jackson's Class Party

Mrs. Petersons class had a gingerbread decorating party. I was able to be there without Logan (home with Grampy and Nana). It was just Jackson and I and we had a great time. He loves Mrs. Peterson and she has been a great teacher for him. The chefs hats were made out of tissue paper. A couple of us made them with Mrs. Peterson before the party. How easy and cute was that!

I can promise that Jackson ate more candy than was actually put on his house and there is allot on his house.

Just One of the Boys

When did this happen????

OK, a reality check for me. Logan was nursing and practically asleep when he heard the boys come in with a game to play. Within a matter of seconds, Logan stopped nursing. rolled off of the couch, crawled as fast as he could and stood up at the table to join in Connect Four. I was a little stunned! I think he may be moving onto to more exciting things than being on Moms lap nursing.

Some Christmas Activities

This is Jordan's Achievement group. We had a Christmas party and gift exchange for them. 18 girls is allot in this group now! Jordan was so sad because it is Gemmas last one. She is now 12 and goes onto the youth group.

The Roberts and Tovars were in charge of the Pac meeting for Jacksons cub scouts. Who decided to sign up for this in Dec??? Anyway, it was a success. We had a great skit by the kids and Tom. Wish that I had of taped it but couldnt with helping and the baby. They had crafts and relay races to decorate the Christmas tree (our Cub Scout Master) Then finished the night off with hot chocolate and lots of cookies!

Larson is dreaming of the day that he becomes a cub scout: for now he just lives for the Pac meetings so he can participate with the entire family and pretend that he is already a cub scout.

I got to enjoy a nice night at my friend Mindas house. She has a beautiful Christmas dinner. It was so nice to be with her and some other girl friends during this time of the year.

J & J

Sometimes they even act like they love each other.

Nana & Grampy Visit for an Early Christmas

We were lucky to have Nana and Grampy visit us in December this year so the kids could do holiday activities with them. Austin gave them weather from the 80's to the 30's while they were here.

We celebrated Nana's birthday with a nice dinner and presents from the kids. Jenny Boynton, a good friend that grew up with Tom and Chris in Toledo came over (she lives in Austin now with her son Fred) Grampy gave the kids gold dollar coins with the first 7 Presidents. That was a project that he had worked on for a few days. He made them memorize the Presidents first before he gave them the coins.

They joined us for church!

We had a very nice adult dinner at the new UT club. It was our first time in it and it was very beautiful. A great place to have dinner and it be less than a minute from your house.

Thank you Nana & Grampy for visiting with us. I am sure that you both are recovering from 5 kids, yes 5. we are counting Larson as 2 as he never let them have a break. Carol and Jim shopped, watched kids, did laundry, did laundry some more, cooked and fixed things around the house. Most important spent so much time with the kids.

Church Christmas Breakfast

I love that our church "Christmas Party" is a breakfast. There are just so many planned activities for the nights in December. We have a breakfast, sing some songs, listen to the kids sing and watch a little nativity.

Larson was the cutest little wise man ever! Here goes our typical Larson story: They called for the children to go get in costumes and I was talking to a friend. I said that I had better go get Larson but I looked up and he seriously was in a full on panicked run to the dressing room so that he would not miss out. Does he really love everything in life that much?? It is hard to describe how serious he took this little role of a wise man. Once again just cracked me up. One of the other wisemen had two black eyes. He must of been high jacked on the way to Bethlehem. r

Finally Over

Jordan's One Act play seemed to me like she had been in this thing for a year at least. They finally had their competition and performed for their own school and even threw in a couple of parties.

I know that it looks like they performed ZOMBIE ISLAND but they really did the Terrezin Promise. If you are looking for an uplifting play to see, don't go to this one. They were children in a Nazi camp and some of them were even dying. I have never seen a more somber play in my life. However, she loved seriously every minute of it. They did not take home a top finishing trophy but they did get best lead actress and honorable mention for best lead actor. How did they not place??? I don't know.

I'm just looking forward to spring Musical, Willie Wonka so that we can add some fun and color to the drama dept.

Larsons Christmas Duet

Our friend Traci and Larson bringing in some holiday cheer.

Locks of Love

Jordan so excited to go to school to receive all of the attention that she knew was coming her way. We did a much better job of styling than they did but they were just in a hurry to cut more hair from girls coming in.

What is there to say? She loves it! She just keeps swinging it from side to side saying it is so light and fluffy.

She donated 11 inches in 2 pony tails. We went straight from church and within a minute of going in she had both cut off. She did not hesitate at all. I guess she was just ready for this. It took me a while to warm up to the idea but Mom is doing fine with it. She was just so happy to be doing it and helping someone in need. She kept saying that she wished she could meet the person who gets her hair.

While her hair was being cut, a local news station came and interviewed her. OK, if she was not already so happy with herself, this really sent her over the top. The camera guy said she is a talkative one, we will use her. He asked her who she was with? She replied, My Mom. Is she getting her hair cut today for locks of love? Jordan said, no she cant because she bleaches her hair. So true so true!

They did not use her interview but she was on the news and it is hysterical at one part where she is just flipping her hair all over the place. Tom and I kept playing it in slow motion and just laughing so hard. I am going to attempt to add the link to the news cast. I have not done that before so I will see how it goes.

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=41C33CE7521416FEE6744F78D4A14F04?contentId=8021578&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

In all honesty, we are so so proud of Jordan for doing this and setting the goal to never look back.

Happy Thanksgiving

Our 2 littlest Turkeys

The day was spent cooking, eating, playing a little football, watching a little football, allot of cleaning up, trying to help our sick Logan and just being thankful to have such a great family.

What Do the Roberts Do...

when they have a week off at Thanksgiving???

get help decorating for Christmas????!!

go to downtown parade where you give new toys for kids

Make Funnel Cakes!!!!

Attempt Christmas card pictures. Notice the crying baby crawling away. Always a dreaded moment at the mention of kids its time to take Christmas pictures.

We had a good week off, I am not sure how relaxing it was but is it ever going to be that way with 4 kids at home???

I got to go see Twilight followed by Tom taking Jordan and Gemma to see it.

We had dinner at our local pizza place, ice cream at Cups N Cones, celebrated Thanksgiving with Uncle Chris and I got to do a little black Friday shopping!