Christmas visit

Today we had a little Christmas party for the playgroup at the church. We had a cookie exchange, ate snacks, made christmas cards and a little Santa craft. Then there was a special visit from Mrs. Claus, who read them a story and brought a little treat from Santa.

I was happily surprised that Hayden would sit on her lap to tell her what he wanted for Christmas: Angry birds and Buzz and Woody.

Josh slept through the whole thing, so Hayden had the attention all on him today.

He looks like such a big boy in this picture. Where is his little baby face?

Imagery

Sawyer: "Your eyes are greenish-darkish."

Mom: "Ya, they're hazel."

Sawyer: "They're kinda like goose poop."

While taking a bath the other day Hayden commented on the old bar of soap he was using:

"It's kind of old and smooshy...like grandpa."

Baby smiles

It's brief, but it's there.

Baby blessing

Yesterday was Josh's baby blessing at church. He wore the same kind of romper that his brothers both wore. Sawyer wore white and Hayden wore a navy blue one. So it was perfect that we had this baby blue romper for our last boy.
We had our home teachers (Aaron Jacobson and Rob Tupper) and our Bishop (Todd Herget) in the circle.
Kent gave a beautiful blessing. They were wonderful blessings of body, mind, and spirit: to have a healthy body, an intelligent mind, and a faithful spirit that will always seek the Lord. Dad even got a little choked up. We love this little baby.

Just something I wanted to remember about the chuch meeting today, and since I don't keep any other journal, I have to write it here:

At the end of fast and testimony meeting our stake president (President Dave Checketts) got up to share a message. Recently he was at a prominent New Yorkers funeral when a friend of the deceased, Sandy, walked up to President Checketts. Sandy, was a loud and gregarious man. While talking to Pres. Checketts he loudly proclaimed that "The Book of Mormon" Broadway play was the funniest thing he had ever seen. People all around were looking and listening. Pres. Checketts equally loudly proclaimed that "the Book of Mormon is a sacred text and a second witness of Jesus Christ", not a play. During that same funeral Mayor Bloomberg was talking to Pres. Checketts and told him that he had seen "The Book of Mormon" play and found it to be "blasphemous". Mayor Bloomberg told him that if there was a play like that about his religion (Jewish) there would be lawsuits and it would be shut down. We were all given a little blue copy of the Book of Mormon to read. He challenged us to take it with us wherever we go and pull it out and read it...on the train, on the subway, at the doctor's office. So that when people see it they might correlate it with the broadway play they've heard about and ask questions, and it will open doors to conversations about what the Book of Mormon really is.

I've already had a couple people correlate my religion to the broadway play and talk about it with me. I haven't seen the play so I haven't exactly known how to respond to people. I love Pres. Checketts answer to the comments about the Book of Mormon play. The Book of Mormon is a sacred text and a second witness of Jesus Christ...not a play.

Compo Beach

This afternoon I took the three oldest kids (while baby Josh stayed home with Dad) to Compo Beach in Westport. I was reluctant to go during the summer because it costs $20 for non-residents to park there. It's free after Labor Day. I think it may be worth it this summer though. It was a fun little beach with nice sandy areas, a big playground, and vendors (in the summer). It's about 30 minutes from our house.

It was a bit chilly (in the 40's-ish) but we felt fine in our jackets. There wasn't too much wind coming off the water either.

The kids begged me to let them take off their socks and shoes. McKinley said she loves to feel the sand on her feet. Yes, I let them.

McKinley built little sand buildings and then a rock building. Such a pretty girl.

Sawyer wanted to race in the sand and then be fake-tackled and fall into the sand. I told him he could throw rocks into the ocean, but could not get in it. You don't know how exhausting the conversation I had with him was about the many reasons I would not let them go in the ocean today. He even insisted that he would be fine with getting hypothermia and going to the hospital. That's why I'm in charge and he's not. He did sneak his toes in though before he got busted.

There was a battle fought on this beach and near it on April 28, 1777 between the British and Americans. Here is the memorial of the battle fought here. The objects on both sides are the back views of cannons.

Hayden spent his time building a sand castle. I made everyone come with me to a little rocky archipelago. It all looked very New England and beautiful. I love the water and beaches.

the other ones

I noticed the blog is a little baby heavy. I do have other kids, I promise.
I took Hayden to playgroup at the Children's Museum Wednesday, and it was actually picture worthy, but I left my camera card at home. So if I can figure out how to get it off my crappy little phone I will.
In the meantime, here are some pictures from the tree hunting expedition of the other kids in my life.

8 weeks old

He's getting so big!

This morning he was giving out smiles when I talked to him. I need to take a video of it when Kent's phone gets back in town. He is such a sweet baby!