Our Family Christmas Letter ...

And on the back of the letter we had this printed:

Out of the Mouths of Babes 2009

After getting a gift from a friend, Thomas said, " I'm gonna take this, I need to go show MY girls!" (his sisters)

Thomas got all excited and ran over to the door when he saw that a bunch of "ads" came and said, " Mom, we have to go grocery shopping." Only we don't. When he sees the ads and he automatically thinks it means we're going shopping. ( our mail slot is in the door)

Katherine: "Dishes are.... a privilege. And I don't think I've earned it yet."

Katherine, " Here Thomas let me help you." Thomas, " Why will I make a mess?"
A little later... Mommy, " Go ahead, Thomas you can do it." Thomas, " No, I might MAKE a mess."

I had clothes that needed to be folded and dishes that needed to be washed, I proceeded to tell the girls that they couldn't do something or have something (I can't remember now) until they did one of these. Kaylee came back with, " I'm not folding the dishes!"

Mom said, " What are you doing? You aren't supposed to eat those yet!" Katherine said, " But Thomas said it was okay to eat them." I said, "Well don't listen to Thomas he makes things up." And almost immediately and in a normal, soft, kind voice he says, " Yeah guys don't listen to me." (While he was grabbing another strawberry out of the bowl.)

I found Katherine in the laundry room opening the bag of croutons. I asked her what she was doing and she simply said, " Being a thief."

Chris and I were trying to have a discussion and Thomas kept screaming and yelling at me to get my attention but I was trying to talk with Chris at the same time. After a while Thomas was really mad at me, and he said very loudly, "MOM, ZIP IT!" (He wanted his coat zipped)

Last night trying to get the boys to bed, I was asked by Thomas to sing a song, so I said, OK. (By the way I DON'T SING!) So I suggested Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and as I was already mostly singing it I got into the second line, and he piped up with in a somewhat annoyed voice, "Not that song, I'm a big kid!"

I decided to look in Ethan’s ear, and Thomas asked, "Does Ethan have Potatoes in his ear?" I said, " Yep, it sure looks like it" He said, " How big are they? " (Every time we go to the Dr. that’s the term the dr. uses when they look into the ear)

So Thomas was telling his dad how to get to Grandpa and Grandma’s house, and Katherine decided to interfere and try and tell him what to say. He didn't like her doing so, and said, "Hey, I'm the mapper!"

I was in my van with my two boys and we were headed to the bank close to our house. I drove past the street I wanted to turn on, and said, " Oh, I missed it" and Thomas said, "Mom, did we miss our exit?" (He must be used to living right by a freeway)

Just the other day I overheard Thomas say this about Heidi who was walking on her "tippie toes". Thomas said, " Look she's on her tippy tips!"

Katherine was asking me how many eggs I boiled. So I told her 3- dozen and then she rattled off.... that's 36. "You know Mom, now that I know my 12's (times tables) I know my dozens."

Thomas was getting upset at Heidi and screamed out while crying, " She took my cookie nut" He was holding a nutterbutter cookie that is shaped like a peanut.

Kaylee said, “ Thomas, do you want to go in Mom and Dad's room to sing songs tonight?” Thomas said, “No Kaylee!! I don't want to go in there.” Kaylee, “Why?” Thomas, “Because I fall asleep to fast in there.”

Chris said that he'd take the kids fishing tomorrow (Wednesday June 10) to Footprinter's Pond. Which is only about 5 minutes from our house. Thomas spoke up, " Can we go to the Mississippi, PLEASE!!!" Which is easily a day and half's drive for us. (He enjoyed seeing that last year)

The other night Katherine was trying to say: " It's not my fault! " But it came out "It's not my fart!"

Heidi answered the phone. On the other end: "Is your Mom there?" Heidi, "No, But do you want to talk to her?" I was right there.

Thomas said this, "Hey we did that last night, a long time ago"

During General Conference weekend this year Thomas came up to Daddy during one of the sessions with a book, and asked him to read it. Daddy then came back with, " But I can't read you a book and listen to conference at the same time." Which Thomas responded with, " Then turn it down a notch!"

Earlier today we saw three military type helicopters fly overhead, and Ethan saw them, and pointed and said "B I Joe!" (GI Joe)

The other night we went out to dinner with my parents and some of my siblings, and Katherine says to my sister, " Your daughter is a carnival!" she meant to say Carnivore.

Just last night we were driving to Chris’s parents and Wendy said, "That's a snow plu.”. And the kids and hubby were gone in laughter. Oops.

After coming home from a school carnival, the boys were with Chris. Dad, " So who's still awake?" Ethan, " Not me." Thomas, " I am!" Dad, " So who's asleep?" Ethan while pointing to Thomas, " He is!"

(In the most pathetic, I don't feel good voice possible)
Thomas, “ I don't feel good Mom. I think I'm going to be sick on Christmas. (slight pause) I think we'll have to cancel Christmas.”

Mom: "You did such a great job getting your picture taken today Ethan. And you looked so handsome!" Ethan: "You too Mom!"