Arrow of Light Ceremony-Isaac
Not good pictures, everything was happening in the dark. Danny made Isaac's arrow for the ceremony while he was at Scout Camp with the boys this past summer. Hopefully Isaac will appreciate the significance.
The last days of school before winter break bring many winter projects. This picture is Isaac's gingerbread house. Marina also made one, but has no picture to show for it, because the dog ate it! Literally Gandalf ate the entire house and goodies, (even the milk carton that it was built around). Marina was upset ;( I wasn't. ;) 
The Purcell kids Annual December Birthday Party Hoorah! They actually included Danny on this one, since they had the party on his birthday, December 18, 2010. So, Happy Birthday Lilliana (11), Leilani (9), Lafai (6) and Danny (35). 
Esaias loved this birthday party too! He loves taking a bath, so swimming was like a giant bath! The water was so warm it was really like a bath!CHRISTMAS EVE
Christmas eve brought out the best and the funny in all of us. This is Lilli sporting her new thigh high socks from Clayton. She ended rolling up some jammie pants in order to get them on and have herself modest enough to show them off. It was really quite funny. She was also wearing her new cute hat (if that's what you call it.) that I bought her from the Food and Gift Festival. All the girls got one.
Tristan was too cute and funny, when he opened is ever wanted pillow pet, exclaiming, " I always wanted one of these...I saw it on TV." So for the rest of Christmas eve through Christmas night when the Sandoval children received a pillow pet, you could hear the reciting of the jingle from the TV commercial..." It's a pillow, it's a pet, it's a pillow-pet." (You have to be careful about what your kids watch on TV...they take it all in!)
Here's Jose on Christmas with his new pillow pet. After the craziness of Christmas was over, Jose and Erica got to spend a day with us at our house. We had lots of fun playing at the park, and sharing all our new Christmas gifts. The kids do really well together.
Here's beautiful Leilani sporting her new hat. Leilani always makes us laugh. I won't publish where she thinks Yankee Doodle puts a feather...but it's not in a hat. But I will share one of the best...did you know that Rudolph the Reindeer had a shiny nose, you could even say it "blows." LOL-she rocks!
Esaias even had a little smile and enthusiasm left in him. He had been sick for weeks. He was not a happy baby on Christmas. He only wanted his mommy. Thank goodness we went to the doctor's after Christmas and he got put on antibiotics, which seemed to do the trick right away. I didn't even realize that babies could get sinus infections. He even is recovering from a black eye, that we think happened from the pressure in his sinus'. Poor thing. But he has been much happier again. He's working on crawling, standing, moving from laying on the floor to sitting. He is a mover! And he loves getting to the dog and pulling on his ears! Yes, Gandalf...No, Esaias is not intimidated at all!
Here's what Esaias thinks of the pillow pet! Yes, he got the same one as Tristan, thank goodness. Tristan might have been okay sharing (letting him lay on it), but eating it and soaking it with baby slobber; Tristan was definitely not okay with that!
Christmas Day, Santa brings the favorite gift, the Nintendo DS. This is my compromise to gaming systems. This way I can take them away if need be. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much it required the kids to read. Anything that tricks Marina into practicing reading is a great thing!
This is my favorite gift, the 2 older children getting along and happy and excited to give each other gifts. They were very pleased with their ability to pick out something that each would like. Good thing they didn't have to keep it a secret long (3 days), I don't think they would have held out for much longer.NEW YEARS EVE gave us a chance to dress up and hit the town.
Actually Danny and I did the out on the town, but the kids had fun sporting some of there new threads, especially their hats, to Grandma & Grandpa Mortensen's house. My mom watched them so we could have dinner with our friends Jeannie and Evan. We ate at Rodizio and had some great adult time.
We were still able to make it home early enough to have Tristan spend the night with us again, and ring in the New Year at midnight. We even got in Addison's slide show presentation of his mission in Madagascar. Tell me that isn't cool! We made it back to Mortensen's for our traditional New Years Breakfast.
I braided Marina's hair to wear with her new hat. Isn't it cute!Not to be forgotten: Favorite events of Winter Break by the Sandoval's
- Danny says, "Going out with Mom on New Years Eve"
- Isaac say, "I can't choose just one....Do I have too?...then opening my Nintendo DS...Do I have to choose just one?"
- Marina says, "The birthday swimming party."
- Vycci says, "Dinner with Dad. Listening to my kids play their piano songs at Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas dinner, and at their piano recital. I was so proud."
- Isaac says, "Mom you broke the rules, that's 2 things!"
- So as long as I broke the rules...I'd like to add, "Listening to Marina sing Silent Night at church on Sunday, and on Christmas Eve..loud enough for us to hear her sweet voice above everyone elses."
- I agree with Isaac...too many wonderful events and things to choose. Again Happy Holidays to everyone!
