It's playdough time!

Every couple of months we make a fresh batch of playdough.  The kids love to help make it!

Morgan likes to make pretend food (i.e. pancakes, cookies, pizzas, hamburgers, hotdogs, etc...).

Luke likes to make things that move (i.e. skateboards, cars, trains, planes, trucks, etc....).

When Isaac plays he likes to make volcanos and mountains and buildings.

They all like to use the letters and numbers for their names, counting and just playing!

Our family goals for 2009

1. More consistent personal scripture reading and personal prayer.

2. More quality family time/family vacations/family game nights, etc...

3. Teach the kids to cook and clean up after - Yay!

4. Less t.v. and video game time - yikes!

5. Try to speak more softly (mostly Mom and Morgan).....

6. Be more content with what we have than what we don't.

7. Seek out missionary experiences and act on them (create our family mission plan).

8. Eat healthier!

9. Exercise more consistently!

10. More date nights for Mom and Dad.

These goals are in no particular order!

Can't wait to see how we did at the end of the year.....

Potty Time!

I couldn't resist this shot!  I guess the goggles are just in case he falls in!?!?

Luke

Bedtime Routine

Our bedtime routine usually starts out pretty calm with warm baths and showers, combing hair, pajamas, I floss and brush all the kids teeth, potty break, scripture, prayer,  story time and  family council. Daddy gives the kids all piggy back rides to bed, and then somehow it turns into this!

The boys

Wrestle Mania

Missing Jazzy

Over winter break we had the privilege of taking care of the Angell's toy poodle, Jazzy.  The kids had a lot of fun with her.  Isaac and Morgan constantly fought over whose turn it was to to hold her, brush her, feed her, take her out, etc...(mind you we have a cute chocolate cockerspaniel of our own, Nephi).  So the other night I heard Morgan crying in her room, when I asked her why she was sad she told me she misses Jazzy (she was sobbing as if she had lost her best friend).  I explained to her that we could watch her again another time, but for now we have Nephi to play with.  She persisted to tell me that Nephi is too big (30lbs.) to hold and dress up and he doesn't really like to be brushed or bathed.  So I told her she could dress up the guinea pigs, Kelly and Skipper, and bathe them and brush their fur.  That seemed to bring a smile to her face and she was ready to get up and get started right away (poor pigs!).

Morgan and Jazzy

Isaac and Jazzy

Nephi and Skipper

Skipper

Kelly

The Toothfairy

the candy cane was a little bribe

Morgan lost another tooth, that makes two now.  Both times she has refused to let us pull them out.  She would rather keep her cute little baby teeth than replace them with those large, adult permanent teeth.  It was literally hanging by a thread!  I being the "mean mom", reached in and lifted it right out ( I was afraid she would swallow it in her sleep that night).  Once it was out she was totally fine with it, ready for the Toothfairy visit!  As usual, the Toothfairy was running a little late and made her visit later that morning.  It didn't matter to Morgan either way, the only disappointment was that the Toothfairy only left a dollar this time!  We explained to her that the Toothfairy leaves the amount of money she believes the tooth is worth, i.e. how hard it was to pull out, the size of the tooth, care given, etc....

Recap: Christmas 2008

Christmas fun at the Cheek's home

Isaac and Santa

Morgan and Santa

Luke and Santa

Mom helping Luke make a donut snowman

Christmas Sunday

(Dad was taking the picture - sorry Dad!)

Christmas Card

Isaac and Luke having fun with the toy soldier

Luke sampling the Gingerbread House

Our Gingerbread House

What a wonderful and blessed time of year!  Everything is so peaceful and beautiful!  Lots of fun Christmas activities!

Our Christmas was filled with joy and excitement!  On Christmas Eve, as tradition would have it, we read the story of Jesus' birth and watched Joy to the World."  The kids were very antsy with excitement!  They wanted to hurry and get to bed in anticipation of the coming morning (that only happens once a year)!  They put out their cookies they decorated for santa and milk, with care,  and hurried off to bed.  While Isaac and Morgan fell fast asleep, Luke was up running around and playing until almost 11:00.

Christmas morning the kids were up and ready at 5:30 (and were quickly sent back to bed until 7:00).  At 7:00 everyone was up and the cameras were rolling, ready to catch all the excitement!

Christmas Morning

Luke and Isaac with their batmobiles

Isaac intently reading and following the directions

Luke unloading!

Need dynamite?

Dad not following the directions!

Morgan looking pretty content