Christmas 2012

We loved being able to spend time with both friends and family over the Christmas holiday.  My dad was able to join us for a few days at Christmas and we ate lots of good food and had great company with friends for dinner.

Our 2012 Christmas card

Erik's 1st Christmas!

Opening stockings

Opening presents

Papa came to visit for a few days over Christmas.

The kids had fun playing with new and and some old toys over the holiday break.
The girls have loved playing Mario Kart on the Wii.

Erik & Papa Clinger

Papa & the kids.
They sure loved being able to spend time with each other.

Hermit Crab's

Mrs. Orndorff's first grade class has a class pet, 3 actually, hermit crabs.  Raquel took a liking to them last year in kindergarten and wanted to be in Mrs. Orndorff's 1st grade class just because of the crabs.  Well she ended up in class of choice and has been loving being able to play and see them almost everyday.  The little pets needed a home for the holiday's and Mrs. Orndorff chose Raquel to take them home for almost 3 weeks and care for them. Raquel loved having the hermit crabs in her bedroom. She did a great job feeding, watering and playing with them.

Santa Breakfast

The kids had fun at the Santa breakfast at Raquel's school.  I think Erik ate the most but the kids enjoyed seeing Santa and making a craft.

Author's Celebration!

Raquel's first grade class had an Author's Celebration. The kids all wrote stories and read them for their classmates and parents.  The whole family was able to go and help celebrate Raquel and her story. Raquel wrote about her yoga class she took and she did a great job writing and reading her story.  

Our author Raquel and her classmates.

We were giving a whole book about the authors.
The kids wrote them by themselves and some were pretty hilarious.

Raquel's story

Sugar & A Haircut

We made homemade gingerbread houses this year and the kids had lots of fun decorating and eating their houses.

Natalya again got a hold of the scissors and gave herself another haircut.  This time she took big sections out of her bangs and sides of her hair. Its going to take months to grow back but I think maybe she understands not to cut hair now but I guess time will tell.

Marcus

Marcus enjoys doing everything his sisters do, including getting his hair done.  He did his hair himself and was so proud.

4 years old

Natalya turned 4 years old.  It finally came after months and months of her asking if she was 4 yet.  I even bought her a shirt that says I'm 4.  She had a fun birthday and party with lots of friends.  Marcus, Erik and I joined Natalya at her school to help sing and celebrate her birthday. Natalya was so good and helped include her little brother in all the fun.  On her birthday we had a My Little Pony party for her. We even made our own My Little Pony pinata.  Natalya had fun making, painting and decorating her pink pinata.
She is getting to be a big girl and can spell her name and Raquel's and is working on the rest of the family. She is still working on her swimming and is almost there. Natalya likes to know what is going on and will always ask Why and where are we going. Everything happens yesterday or last year even if is was 2 seconds ago or 4 months or last week. Here favorite song to sing is Little bunny fu fu and she calls the fairy god mother the fairy mother. Her favorite pizza is macaroni (pepperoni) and cheese and her favorite friend is Raquelly. Natalya loves school and her preschool teacher calls her a bright and cheerful girl with the most infectious giggle.  We love our little happy 4 year old Natalya!

I asked Natalya what some of her favorites are and here are her answers:

Food: Broccoli, Carrots

Treat: Candy & vanilla ice cream

Toys: Barbies

Color: Yellow, Pink & Purple and Green

Movie: Kid shows, Busy Town

Day of the Week: My Birthday

Activity: Playing on the swing set

Place: At the Park

What do you want to be when you grow up: Bus Driver

I wish: When I'm 4

I dream: about when my birthday comes up

Vacation: on a plane to Grandma's house

Best day: When I have friends over

Our loving and caring 4 yr. old.

Helping make her pony pinata.

Painting with dad.

Natalya's finished pinata.

Singing Happy Birthday at her school

Enjoying a birthday snack at school.

The birthday girl and her cake.

Family Pictures

Our 2012 Family Pictures!