Winter Break

December 30, 2008, 2:54 pm

The kids are thoroughly enjoying their winter break. Noah likes staying up late and sleeping in. He's had many sleepovers at friends’ houses and had lots of friends over here. Lily still goes to bed on time, but the girl loves to sleep in. I finally wake her up at 9:00 a.m. because I'm bored.

The temperature is pretty warm today at 40 degrees, so we ventured outside. We discovered an ice rink in our backyard, and the kids had a blast "skating" around (ok, I had just as much fun). It was nice to get out of the house and get some exercise. Nathan and Uncle Jason took the kids sledding on Christmas, but I'm not that brave.

Here are some pictures of the skating fun:




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Merry Christmas from the Tacketts!

December 25, 2008, 1:58 pm

We would like to wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas. We are enjoying Christmas at home in our cozy house with lots of new games, books, and toys to enjoy. We are so blessed having Uncle Jason with us again this Christmas! (We can't remember what Christmas was like without him.)

This year I had some ideas for gifts that would require some work. I made a photo book of all the Nebraska City visits with Grandma and Grandpa Hottman--spanning from when Noah was just 2 years old and including the visit where they met Lily. I also made (with Noah and Lily's help) an album of Nathan's races in 2008. I kept the bibs with his race number and printed off pictures of his races. Noah and Lily drew pictures of Papa running, swimming, and biking. Nathan was very touched and the kids were so excited to see his reaction.

Thank you for all of the phone calls and wonderful gifts. We feel the love...



Uncle Jason!



The girls really dressed up:



New P.J.'s! Grandparents really know them well...Spongebob and Dora:



Insane after receiving Santa's gifts:

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Drago

December 23, 2008, 5:41 pm

Noah reminds me of his father. When Noah was born he was stoic. He looked around the hospital room very seriously right after birth. He has remained a quiet, thoughtful child. When we go on road trips, I have to look in the backseat to make sure Noah is still with us. Sometimes he's just staring out the window.

Noah and Nathan share the same taste in movies as well. They love Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Karate Kid. All of Noah's favorite movies are Nathan's favorite movies from childhood. A few months ago we watched all of the Rocky movies. Noah was hooked. He especially loved Rocky IV and the Russian opponent named Drago.

After watching Rocky IV, Noah started ambushing Nathan after work and attacking him Drago-style (Nathan was Rocky). I also noticed that my 8 pounds weights were moved a lot. I caught Noah "pumping iron" with my weights one day, and he informed me he was building muscles to look more like Drago. Noah started growing his hair out to look even more like Drago.

Today Noah went to get his hair professionally cut for the first time in his life. He had me print off 3 pictures of Drago--from the front, side, and back.

Here is one of the pictures:



And our very own Drago: (Watch out, Nathan!)



Drago by the fire (Noah requested this especially dramatic background):

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Our Serious Singer

December 12, 2008, 2:45 pm

Noah started talking about his winter concert at school a month ago. He was very excited about the Christmas songs he was learning in music class. He sang "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and explained that Santa Claus was actually the Dad dressed up. In the past Noah has always been serious at his concerts, so I think it's sweet that he is actually very excited inside.

Noah doesn't have a lot of clothes and certainly not dress up clothes. I get hand-me-down clothes for Lily from many different friends, but I don't get anything for Noah and he never asks for new clothes. I bought him a new shirt and dressy shoes for the concert and "made his day!"

I caught Noah singing his Christmas songs to practice. One of the songs lists all of Santa's reindeer, and he was proud that he knew all of their names by heart. A few days before the concert he told me and Nathan that his music teacher added a new song that all the kids must sing (Auld Lang Syne). Noah said, "I don't even know the words peeps! I'm just gonna move my lips!"

We had a lot of snow on the day of his concert, and the bus took an hour to get home that evening. We asked Noah of the concert was cancelled, and he told us the music teacher said it was on. We just couldn't disappoint Noah, so we got dressed up and headed out on the snowy streets. On the way there Noah asked frequently what time it was and if we would get there in time. He is truly like my Dad in many ways and already very conscientious.

Noah was serious throughout the concert but sang his heart out.

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We Wish You A Merry Christmas Season!

December 8, 2008, 10:12 pm

Per the request of our most faithful blog reader and commenter, here are some photos of the Tackett kids full of Christmas spirit. They are especially excited to have our tree up and stockings by the fire. I'm a little embarrassed to say I taught them the art of counting Christmas gifts and making piles (my pile is so pathetic). We also love to listen to Christmas music, and the kids enjoy singing along.

I just couldn't pick a favorite picture of Noah and Lily by the tree in camo p.j.'s (Lily loves her pink camo):



While Noah had a sleepover at Kale's house, we took Lily to Christmas at the library. She had her hair styled by a teenage girl and her face painted by a professional face painter. What could be better? Oh and Santa was there:



Noah and Lily will tell you that I just want one thing for Christmas...for Noah and Lily to get along for all of 2009. You think I'll get my wish??

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Lily's Conversation with Santa

December 5, 2008, 3:54 pm

Yesterday Lily picked up one of her many fake cell phones. She asked me for Santa's phone number, and I rattled off some numbers. She pressed the numbers on her phone and had the following conversation:

"Hello? Santa? Hi! This is Lily. For Christmas I'd like the Dora horse and doll. What? It takes just two steps and falls down? I still want it! Great! Thanks! Bye Santa!"

I sat there...dumbfounded.

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Tackett Kid Stories

December 2, 2008, 1:17 pm

Lily and I were coloring, and she drew a circle with a brown crayon. She then looked at me in disgust and said, "Awful! This color looks like Papa's pants! Yuck!" I asked, "You don't like Papa's brown pants?" Lily said, "No, gross!"

(Sorry Papa)

Noah has eczema and was prescribed some shampoo to apply weekly. The doctor told him to leave it on his hair for 10 minutes. He was in the bathtub, and I read the information on the bottle which said to leave the shampoo on for 5 minutes. I told Noah that 5 minutes was probably just fine, but he insisted on the full 10 minutes because, "the doctor said so."

Then I said, "Hmmmm, this shampoo is made in Israel. You don't see that too often." Noah asked what Israel is and where it is, so I told him. Then he said, "People in Israel must have my same hair problem." Later that week we were in the car listening to the radio station that plays Christmas music all month and Noah heard the singer say Israel. He said, "Hey, that's the place my shampoo is made!"

I told Lily that she would see Santa Claus at the lighting of the commons a few weekends ago, but then it was so cold out and the house was so warm so we stayed home. Lily took the disappointment quite well but has asked every day since when she can see Santa. Last weekend when the Tackett family was visiting, we went to the mall for dinner at Habaneros. Lily didn't realize we were at the mall since we were in a restaurant. She was so great that day at the movie Bolt and then at the restaurant, so I told her we could see if Santa was there.

Santa was there, and Lily couldn't wait to see him. She stood very patiently in line while attempting to tame her hair. Lily never cares about her hair, so I was tickled that she cared for Santa. She sat on his lap with her cousin Evan and posed nicely for a picture. She told him that she wants the Dora horse which is a toy that is rated as one of the worst toys ever, but of course that doesn't stop Lily from wanting it (in fact I bet it makes her want it more).

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