One day the boys wanted to cook hot dogs outside in the firepit. They tried, but the wood was too wet, so they cooked them over the stove. Did you know a German butcher, Charles Feltman, opened up the first Coney Island hot dog stand in Brooklyn in 1874?

ECHOES FROM THE LUNCH WAGON
“‘Tis dogs’ delight to bark and bite,”
Thus does the adage run.
But I delight to bite the dog
When placed inside a bun.

Here is Ethan’s imitation of a Hot Dog

Around Halloween, Ethan & I went to Patterson Farms. We got pumpkins, went on a hay ride, fed the animals, played checkers on the porch, and went to the playground. Ethan kept his distance with the animals, especially the goats, who kept putting their heads through the fence.

Ethan’s preschool put on a program for Christmas. They dressed up as angels. Ethan is on the bottom row, first one on the left. They were so adorable! Rob and I watched the program. We didn’t think Ethan would sing or do the hand motions, but he surprised everyone (even the teachers) when he knew all the words and every hand motion. He was the best one up there (I’m a little biased though). He kept looking at us knowing he was being filmed. I think he was playing to the camera. After the program we had cookies. Ethan had two big sugar cookies and on the way home threw up in the car–too much sugar. It was a good lesson, because now when we tell him he’ll get sick if he eats too many cookies, he believes us.

For Christmas Ethan got some weights so he can get super strong like his brothers. Mommy likes to use them too.

Now he can take on his bigger brothers. Here he is defeating Ben in a wrestling match.

We had one snow day this year in February. The kids got the day off of school (even though we hardly got an inch) and started going outside about 7:00 am. We found a great hill in a neighbor’s backyard, borrowed some sleds (coming from Arizona we didn’t have any), and spent the morning sleding, making snow angels, and throwing snowballs. Here’s some pictures of Gordon in the snow:

Later this month, the boys decided they wanted to make some money by selling hot chocolate outside. It would have been great except they didn’t start until 5:00 pm and by then it started to get dark…they made $1.75.

For the Christmas concert, the fourth grade choir played their recorders. They played Ding Dong Merrily On High and Hark the Herald Angels. All the kids wore jeans, white t-shirs and santa hats. You know what I loved? The fact that the school calls it a “Christmas” program and they sang songs about Christ’s birth. The schools in Arizona and Oregon wouldn’t let the kids sing anything about Jesus. It was like it used to be when I was a kid–simple and no worries about who’s going to be offended by celebrating Christmas—ahhh. OK, off my soapbox now.

Ben’s birthday was February 12. We had two celebrations. The first was on the 3rd for him and his friends. We went to the Ringling Bros. Circus in Charlotte. We let him invite two friends since we all went and we couldn’t fit more in our car. He invited a boy named Spencer and a girl named Lea. He got Star Wars figures, a book and a Nerf Dart game.
On his birthday he had his favorite food–Pizza, shrimp, mandrin oranges (I threw in broccoli), and smoothies. I made Paula Dean’s poundcake–way too rich, nobody could finish one piece. He got a book and crystal kit (from grandma & grandpa), $20 (from grandma & grandpa Muhlestein), a Lego castle, Lord of the Rings figures, a butterfly habitat, and a scripture case.

Also some big news if you hadn’t already noticed—Ben got glasses!

Nicholas turned 12 in November and received the Priesthood. We got him a suit to pass the sacrament. Doesn’t he look dapper?

He is also now a Boy Scout. In December the scouts went winter camping at Stone Mountain. It is a real mountain made of stone. Here are some sweet pictures….real sweet.

Nick is in the blue thermal shirt on the far left. Now that Rob is the Scout Master, he and Nick go to all the campouts (at least I get to stay home and sleep in my soft warm bed)–I enjoy being a girl.