PRE-SCHOOL HOLIDAY PARTY

Hailey's pre-school class plus Daniel

Hailey's Pre-School Holiday Party

Hailey and Tina-Lynn

Hailey in her pretty party dress and shoes

Daniel joined sissy's class for the party

Hannah, Daniel, Bella, Hailey, and Nicholas

Hailey and her teacher Mrs. Thea

Today we went to the pre-school holiday party at Daniel and Hailey's school. It was Hailey's class but her brother got picked up from his class early so he can be there as well. His pre-school party is on Friday but his is a little different. The class has pajamas day and Daniel hasnt decided yet if he wants to wear his dinosaur pj's or his hulk pj's. The class will be having a small potluck lunch and be watching the movie The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and Hailey is going to be a special guest on Friday in her brothers class therefore she gets to participate in pajama day as well and has already decided she's wearing her Hannah Montana pj's. The kids are looking forward to their winter break. We are going to go to Chuck E Chesse one day, to the movies to see the new beatrix potter rabbit movie coming out, and possibly to h200asis the indoor waterpark with Daniel's friend Christopher that was on his basketball team, and between Hanukkah, and Christmas, and NewYears the kids should be kept pretty busy these next few week.

END OF BASKETBALL SEASON

Daniel just finished up his little league basketball season tonight. He started 3 months ago not knowing a thing about the game of basketball. Through the weeks he has picked up the game and learned how to play a little better. Although struggling throughout the season being the youngest and shortest player on the team he has made it through the season. He will miss his Lions friends and we hope he will want to play again next September for the next basketball season. Daniel was presented a trophy along with the rest of his team tonight and a basketball pin. We are very proud of him.

PICTURES WITH SANTA

Santa was at the community center on Base. He made a special trip to see all the children in base housing and on Christmas Eve he will drive around on the fire truck and come by all the houses. Both Kids sat on Santa's lap and told him what they wanted him to bring them. Hailey for the first year went up to Santa by herself not being afraid and making mommy go with her. Both kids are very excited for the holiday season to begin. Hanukkah starts on Sunday night and goes right through Christmas this year so the kids will get some extra presents on Christmas day also. We are having a few friends over and Im attempting to cook for our Christmas Eve dinner and we will pretty much be eating leftovers for Christmas. The kids also are waiting for me to go to the store to buy the stuff to make potato latkes its there favorite thing to eat during Hanukkah and ill probably make it for them Sunday night to start off the holiday. We look forward to see everyone we can on the web cam this holiday season. Uncle Andy and Auntie Amanda im glad you got you house and internet working can't wait to see you guys again on the web cam. We miss you lots. Its not going to be the same not having you guys at our house for dinner.

Alaska Christmas Train With Santa

Daniel and Hailey with Rudolph in Santa's sleigh

Palmer, Alaska where the train dropped us off

Justin ready to get off the train already

The kids with Santa on the train

The kids with Mrs. Claus on the train

Nicholas, Daniel , and Bella

Hailey and her boyfriend Nicholas

Mommy and Hailey

Hailey on the Christmas Train

Our table on the train

Justin and I on the bus on the way to the train

The kids ready to board the Christmas Train

Yesterday we took the kids and went on the Alaska Colony Christmas Train. We got aboard the Alaska Railroad and took the train from Anchorage to Palmer which is about an hour drive away. It took 2 hours to get there by train though. Once a bord the train the kids were given some coloring pages to color and had cookies and hot chocolate. The highlight of the trip was a visit on the train by Santa and Mrs. Claus. The kids friends Bella, Nicholas, Alexander, Kendall, and Conner were also all there with their families. Daniel and Hailey hung out most of the ride with Bella and Nicholas. The scenic view was very pretty seeing all the snow on the trees. Definitly the total oposite of the view we saw last time we took the train to whittier in the summer. The train actually went right through the air force base which the kids thought that was pretty cool. Once we got to Palmer we went to the colony Christmas festival there. It was very cold yesterday so we didnt stay at the festival long cause it was mostly outside. It was -6 below zero yesterday. The kids were bundled up in snowsuits but it was still very cold. They did get to see santa's sleigh and 2 of his reindeers. Ruldolph and Vixen were both there and the kids got to pet and feed them. The kids had a very good day and are looking forward to riding on the train again this summer.

LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE HOLIDAYS AT PRESCHOOL

I am very impressed with the pre-school Daniel attends. They are teaching the kids about all the different holiday. Monday and today they were learning about Hanukkah and made 2 different Hanukkah crafts. Today Daniel brought our kids menorah in for show and tell and got up in front of the class and explained to everyone about Hanukkah. The teacher told me he talked for about 10 minutes and I asked her what he said and she said he said " You light a candle everynight for 8 nights and then get a present each night after you light a candle" she said she asked him what else he does to celebrate Hanukkah and she said he said " we spin the spinning tops which he was referring to the dreidels and Grandma and Grandpa send us chocolate monies for our Hanukkah stocking" I guess for a 5 year old that was a pretty good explanation of the holiday. On Friday they are learning about Kwanza and making a craft to represent that holiday and then next Monday and Wednesday they are learning about christmas and making 2 christmas crafts and then next Friday is their class holiday party before they are on winter break for almost 3 weeks.

JUSTIN'S SQUADRON CHILDRENS XMAS PARTY

Justin's squadron children's xmas party

Some of the ornaments the kids made

Daniel decorating a cookie

Hailey playing pin the tail on the reindeer

Daniel getting his present from Santa

Hailey and Santa

Daniel and Santa

We went to Justin's squadron children's christmas party this weekend. The kids decorated christmas cookies and made Christmas and Hanukkah ornaments. Then there was a special guest that arrived. The big man in red and for the first year both Daniel and Hailey sat on his lap without hesitation. Santa gave each of the kids a new book and they told him some of the things on their list. They also had to mention to santa that we got a new dog and they can't wait till he comes to our house to see the dog.

OUR NEW ADDITION TO THE FAMILY

The kids and Beans

Going to the pet store to get some things

Justin chillin with the dogs

Yes hes a boy but hes getting fixed soon

Zack and his new companion Beans

Hailey and beans

The kids excited with their new Chihuahua

Hailey, Daniel, and Beans

Daniel showing Beans his pee pee pad

Daniel showing Beans where his food is

Beans the Chihuahua our new family addition

Well we got a new addition to the family. He is a black and tan Chihuahua named Beans. He is almost 2 years old. He will be 2 in February. His birthday is February 23rd the day after Justin's. He is purebreed but we are going to get him fixed so no breeding for Beans. The kids love him to death. They have been wanting this type of dog for sometime. Our friends Andy and amanda have a female Chihuahua named mimi and when they stayed with us for a few weeks the kids got really attached especially Daniel. He was having a hard time with our friends leaving and missing having the extra dogs in the house so we started looking at dogs. We took the kids to the animal shelter and saw the smiles on their faces as they were looking at all the dogs and the cats. We were looking at boxers and bulldogs and jack russell terriers but the kids kept saying they wanted a Chihuahua. Today we happened to wake up and look on craigs list and there was a Chihuahua that needed a home and these dogs are very expensive and hard to find. It was just a fluke. So we called the lady and set up a meeting at our home to see how Zack would react to another male dog in the house. He had seemed pretty lonely since Mick and Mimi had left and was really enjoying their companionship. Well they got along really well and Beans had found himself a home. We did do some reseach on the computer and found out Chihuahuas have a very long life span. They can live anywhere up to 15-17 years and hes not even 2 yet so we are hoping he will be around for the rest of the kids childhood and into their teen years. This is actually Daniel and Hailey's dog. Zack is mainly Justin's dog he bonds mostly with Justin and Storm the cat bonds mostly with me since they were around before the kids. Beans is mainly the kids dog and they are going to help take care of him as well. He will rotate nights sleeping in the kids rooms with them. He has a kennel to sleep in at night and tonight he is sleeping in Daniel's room and tomorrow he will sleep in Hailey's room and the kids will keep rotating. Zack seems to get along pretty well with him and is enjoying his company and storm pretty much looked at him like what the hell are you and jumped right back on our bed where his comfort zone is. Well here are some pics of the new family member.