Grace's Tae Quon Do Birthday - BIG 10!

Giant Cupcake Cake - with cookie sprinkles

Grace: Black Belt for a Day - she is holding the knife for cutting the cake

Board Breaking:

Beating up the Dad's:

Christmas Pictures

     This year we set up a 'fake' tree. I was raised with ONLY real trees. Anything else

was sacrilegious (in a joking way). We would go as a family and stand in the cold while Dad took 

hours sorting through piles of trees looking for the perfect one. My Dad also spent quite

a lot of money on trees - a lot for then and still a lot for now. I think the most expensive one 

cost around $80. That is a lot and still is.

     This year I bit the bullet and bought a $50 pre-lit tree. 

It was hard for me and for Grace - she told me "its not in the spirit of Christmas". So this

was a good time to try and help her understand that Christmas is what we make it. Also we changed 

the name of our tree...It is not a 'fake' tree. It is a 'Eternal Tree' (haha) - which is a lot better than the ones that die - right? 

Grace & Faith with American Girl Dolls and PJ's from their Grandma Hutson - Note:matching Pj's 

for their dolls - they love them!

     Below: Horse Pj's from Aunt Nancy - She didn't take them off for 3 days!  I don't mean she wore them at night for three days - I mean 3 straight days. I did get her to change her underpants though - (such a good mom - I know)  

     Just the other day she had a day off from school. She was wearing Grandma Hutson's PJ's and I asked her to please get ready for the day and change into 'clean clothes'. So 5 minutes later she came down in clean...horse...pj's! I thought I asked you to change into clean clothes, Faith? She said that she did and that these were clean. Well she was right  and she wore them all day -  I guess I need to be more specific. 

Don't Say That...It's a BAD word

So, Gulliver's Travels was pretty good except they said 'lame ass' like 20 times. So - Faith couldn't hear it and Grace really doesn't focus or hold onto that stuff. But - I was talking to a friend and the subject of 'BAD WORDS' came up. I have a different view of 'BAD WORDS' - that is to say I don't believe in BAD WORDS. There are NO bad words..and this is what we prescribe to in our house. I remember my girls being very young, they were at a playground and a kid said the dreaded F word - ya know the one....fat. The Mom was very embarrassed and said 'Honey, we don't say that word its a bad word' Huh???

Words are not bad...As far as I can tell there is NO word I would not say, but here is the key...

- There is a time for everything - 

I really believe that every word has a place and an appropriate time to use it. Words are exactly what we make them AND if we change a word or refer to it as 'The N word' well that phrase actually becomes 'The N word' cause everyone knows what you mean.

It reminds me of Harry Potter - he was not afraid to say Voldermort - others gave that word power and that made it bad. So I don't believe in bad words...sometimes things really are fat, ugly, stupid and sometimes when I watch the news i'm like , "What the Hell???"

SO TRUE...SO TRUE

On New Years Eve our family went to see Guliver's Travels. We drove 30 minutes out of our way just so we didn't have to see 3D. Faith hates - hates 3D. She will not wear the glasses and so what your left with is a Deaf kid with a headache watching a blurry screen. Forget it - My wallet doesn't like it  and My kid doesn't like it - Now just imagine going to see a movie that is IMAX AND 3D for a family of four its $60 -just to walk in the door. Movies just aren't THAT good. So when I came accross this poster I was like -

AMEN!

A song from my new favorite band. It is my fav for many reasons.

#1The name  - The Tempor Trap. Cause if you don't know that this name fits me well that means you probably still like me.

#2 Its actually quite soothing - Check out the song Sweet Disposition - you'll probably recognize it from the movie coke commercials.

#3 This video IS LIKE ME WHEN I TRY TO RUN - HAHA. I also sing along to songs like this but I do that all the time not only when exercising. :)

Christmas Party @ Kendal

Erik took the girls and our friends, Jan-Barbara and Madeline to the Kendal Elementary School Christmas Party. 

L-R: Madeline, Grace, Barbara, Erik and Faith

 Faith was covered in icing when she arrived home, all over her hair, clothes, body and her coat. 

NDDA National Deaf Dance Academy

 Today Parents were invited to attend dance class with their children. It was too adorable for words and so is the teacher (2nd picture below) Faith's age group will perform 3 numbers in the spring. 1 Ballet, 1 Hip Hop and 1 Tap -- and an ending group number - I can't wait - it's gonna be awesome. Also lastly I attached a short and very grainy preview of a hip hop number. I just showed it to Faith and she turned red and covered her face - I asked her - why so embarrassed? --Because i'm shaking my but.

Kendall Elementary @ Gallaudet

Every day, EVERY day we get a great newsletter that keeps us informed on whats happening at Kendall and on Gallaudet Campus. Faith gets to participate in awesome field trips and experiences. Below is a video and photo of the USDA coming to Kendall to teach about food safety - she came home with loads of booty' (treasures) (Our tax money China's money hard at work but thats another story for another blog - that I don't do:)  It was cool that she could participate. Look for Faith with 'Thermy' the mascot. '

Hands = L-O-V-E

Hands have a special meaning in our house. Our hands speak and yell and laugh and cry and teach and most importantly LOVE.

Sea World Trip - October

Tooth Fairy

A few days later...

Kendall's Spooktacular Halloween Party

Faith's Field Trip

Going to school at Kendall has cool perks. She goes on about 2 field trips a month!! Last year the kids went to the White House and met the Prez. This field trip was to a farm for pumpkins. It was so fun being with her friends - they are funny kids. 

OK, here's my favorite part...PIGLETS...Oh I want some! 

The kids were enthralled with the babies eating from the Mom

Apple Pick'n

Shenendoah Valley, VA...Mmmmmm Apple Pick'n & Eat'n
The girls could not believe we rode up the road (like 600 feet :) in Grandad's truck - they loved it, what kid wouldn't love it?

Ward Camp-Out

Grace and Faith LUUUV camping - we wish we could go more. While on our ward camp-out in VIRGINIA - we ran into GUESS WHO? ... My cousin Andrew Z and his wife Jamie and of course their very own little s'more - Max. How cool is that?! I didn't take picts of it BUT we roasted marshmallows and caught up - they are beautiful family.

Left: Faith talking with our great friend Karen - Glad you came Karen.

Restoring Honor Rally in Washington, DC

Thats right peeps! - We were excited to attend the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial. I have never been around so many people in my life. Many times we were pressed up against people for a mile. We were impressed by everyones behavior - calm, nice, helpful - everyone! Everyone except a few people who came to tell us how wrong we were. We were going to get to DC on the Metro but the Franconia Metro had a line (not of cars but people) one mile long. Many people turned back when they saw the line but that was not happening I didn't care what time we got there I was committed. We ended up catching a cab - squeezing with a family from Georgia who made the trip here just for the Rally. Our family is sick of 'big city life' and they were longing for it :) They paid our cab fee when we arrived - so sweet! Our only regret - we couldn't get close enough to interpreters to see them.

Grace's Yellow Belt Test

Picts of Grace earning her Yellow Belt - They require the kids to  REALLY work to earn their belts!

Our dog Sonny

New Puppy we got in May after Grace saved for a year. She is a 'Yorkie-Poo'...In case your thinking...huhh? Thats a Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle mix. She is so sweet, so fluffy, her tail never stops wagging. We love her! When we got her she was 3 lbs and is now 7 lbs...she may gain one more lb or so.

Deaf Family Picnic...So much fun!

Fourth of July 2010