Saturday, December 25, 2010

Gingerbread houses


Years ago when I was working and the kids were at daycare they always did these gingerbread houses. This is something they still like to do each year. One candy for the house one for their mouths. They are so cute and each house has their own personalities showing through.

Andy and Sandy


I love this picture of Andy. This was at my parents the other day after gingerbread making. No matter what shows up in Andy's world he loves his bears the most of all.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas....all the gifts are open won't be long until kids are tired! Some were up at 2 telling me they couldn't sleep! Oh my....
Now our house is filled with new sounds of the new talking toys. Andrew said this was the best Christmas ever! They all seem happy and content. Funny how you work so hard and then it all goes. I love to watch their little faces and think of all this year has brought for each of them.

Enjoy your day...we think of each one of you as we celebrate Jesus's birthday and the greatest feeling in the world of giving.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Christmas

Happy Holidays to our friends and family,

Wow where has this month gone. It is really fast or I am really slow. Kids are very excited as each day on the advent tree gets open. There are no presents under the tree yet as I am waiting to make sure they stay under there and don't accidently get opened. Lots of cookies have been made so far and many parties have occured. The visit with Santa was funny. Andy was less than impressed that when you ask for a Stinky the Garbage Truck toy and he gives you a bell that it was not worth your time asking. I am pretty sure Mrs Clause did not know how to respond. We are on break now for a total of 19 days. Who's counting well I do love them home but by day 15 or so we will be ready for a schedule again. We had our first snow fall so felt more like Christmas rather than early spring. Kids loved it especially those boys. Girls I have to say spend more time wining our there than playing:) I will try to post more pictures soon...you know I have taken a lot!

Santa Visit


Monday, December 6, 2010

Tis the Season


Yesterday was the "tree" day with our good friends and families. We got the tree and the kids loved it. Beautiful weather and lots of great choices. Andrew was given the saw by his FATHER not his mother as he played the most recent tree hunter! It is just the start of all that is to come. Those two little ones just love to touch the tree so I am hoping it remains upright! There is much excitment in the house and long lists for us larger people here. We always try to ground them in the real reason of Christmas as we talk about the man in red daily:)

Trip to see Friends






A trip to Denver to see our good friends was so much fun! The funny part is you can take the kids out of the country but not the country out of the kids. You can see they do not live by a lot of people and busy streets mean nothing to them. It was funny to watch. Highlights of them outside of the best of seeing their friends was the free bus on 16th street mall. They loved this and have talked about it a lot. We all got to catch up and enjoy each other!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

One Armed Bandit

Riley Lynn has become our one armed bandit. He broke his thumb during a soccer game and is in a cast for the time being. He is amazing with it as he learns to do everything left handed. The sad side was that he had to miss his last 3 soccer games which he loved but that is the way it is. As Riley handles everything he is taking this in stride!

Katie

Ballet has started again this month and this is Katie's first time taking ballet. She is just a doll in class. I love to look at her as she always has a smile on during class. They are a bunch of cutie little girls that is for sure. She could not wait until soccer ended for ballet to start! A girl after my own heart!

Andy


I couldn't resist posting this picture of Andy. He has been running around in these glasses the past could of days. Says he is a bad guy in these???? Not so sure about that but nevertheless it makes me laugh when I see him.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Mr Getting Bigger

Andrew Xiao Tong has turned a big corner this month! He is starting to become a big boy and doing really well in school. This wasn't or hasn't been easy but all the sudden it just clicks..no more tears as I say goodbye and he is really listening to those letters coming out of his mouth. Even likes to play with Katie now and seem to be best of buds!

Brianna

Not sure I can explain this photo except this is our Brianna. She is the one who will more than likely turn all my hair grey or maybe make it fall out but at the same time be the one to buy me a wig! She loves to be silly and here she is in kindergarten enjoying her first big time school party.

Halloween and Dad


When Dad is home without Mom it is good times ahead! Brian spent one Sat creating carboard projects with the kids. Riley ended up with his knight costume and everyone else got crowns, swords, and binoculars. Now this made Brian very cool however Riley said they were not only creating they were recycling...they get that from me!:)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Oct

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I have been on there. Life is marching by. It has been a month filled with many events and emotions. As the days go by and school gets more routinue some kids are having a tougher time. Very hard as parent as we struggle daily with those emotions and our own. I have belonged to a book club for many years now and the book we are reading is about raising children in our "fast" paced society and all that this brings to our children and their lives. It has made me stop and think about this as we raise our children and the choices we help them to make. I think of my Grandparents and even my parents and what having chilren meant to them. I think that they let kids be kids more than we do today. The simplicity must have been easier in so many ways. But we have kids in 2010 so the question of the month for me is how to raise kids today in the world they live in and bring some of that simplicty of yesterday.








A trip to the pumpkin patch. For our niece and nephews birthday we headed to the pumpkin patch. It was a lot of fun and NEVER in my life have I seen as many pumpkins. Not only the pumpkins but the people...a steady stream. The kids had fun finding just the "right" pumpkin.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Riley






Soccer games....all are playing at some point on each Sat:) It was a beautiful day for soccer and so much fun! Riley really loves playing and got some good running in! Should be so tired tonight:) The younger had fun and were so cute. Brianna and a couple other kindergartners have to hold down the show as most of our team is young and not too sure about all of this. A friend of mine took all these pictures...how fun to see! The best part of soccer for our younger team is the snacks at the end:)

soccer











Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Fall or Summer??

Life is moving along for all of us Prichards. I realized as I went to post that I haven't really taken any pictures recently. That will all change as we have all started fall activities. All 4 are at least signed up on a soccer team...does that mean we will all play I have no idea:) I am coaching Andy, Katie and Brianna's team. I have never played soccer but a friend and I figured we could figure out this young team. Think we were right as most of the time we are just trying to keep people in line or convince them that they too will get a chance to kick the ball! School is good and we are settling into a routine. Four o'clock is a crazy time as everyone needs some help with something but all is good!

I will have pictures soon. It is my turn to leave a little this weekend as I am having a scrapbooking retreat. Hoping for some time to really work on my albums!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Fridays off












Four day weeks at school mean we can do some fun activities on Fridays! This past week we got to go with our cousins to the Children's museum. It was a fun day for all. Here are a couple of shots from our time there!



Andy and Katie



Back to preschool for Andy and Katie. They are going 2 mornings a week and having fun so far. We did not have any tears the first day which I was so thankful for. Katie eats up school and just comes home singing and telling me about her friends! Andy finds school a little confining for his busy little body but he is growing and changing as he learns more and more how to be part of the school group. He is funny as he is in charge of carrying Katies water in for her and little jobs to apparently help her out! Kind of funny to watch. This house is very weird for those few hours everyone is gone. But I have my list of "to do's" that have been on the back burner for awhile so time flies before I pick up these 2 cuties!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

School has started. This is Briannas kindergarten year. She is such a big girl and doing very well. We had a lot of tears on the days leading up to the start but she is settling in well and loving school. Her main worry was how she would get and give hugs in the day. She is our little girl with the biggest heart. Riley has started 3rd grade and is doing well. He is Mr Serious and spent a good amount of time getting that desk just right. You can tell he is moving up at school the the "bigger" man on campus. Cute to see as he brings home his planner for us to see! Next week the other two start...glad they are split...can only say good bye to a couple kids per week!

School has started!




Thursday, August 12, 2010

Happy 4th Katie and Andy

A day of birthday for out 2 little ones! So very excited they are! The day started with a trip to the dentist ok not so bright on my part but that is the way it was. Then on to Mcd's for lunch. A huge deal around here. How funny they were there! Then on to nap to prepare for our fine dining dinner of hot dogs and mac and cheese. She choose the dogs him the mac n cheese. On to presents and no one will ever be able to come close to Andy's enthusiasm! Katie opens hers and takes it all in and then gave us kisses! Our favorite part watching their coming home videos. Always makes me cry. Their birth Moms are always in my heart more heavily this day. They are 2 of a kind. One quite and reserved and the other very energetic and busy! So funny they are and we love them so! Happy Birthday!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

12 Years of Marriage Today

Today Brian and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. That is so hard to believe. We always watch our marriage video with the kids . How funny is that. They are totally bored and I am sure just want it to be over...but hey it is good for them. Now I am noticing that the video is getting grainier and grainier! We are very blessed in our marriage and family. I am very lucky to call Brian my husband and friend. So on to the next year to see what it holds!

Family Reunion


A Houghton Family Reunion this weekend! Oh how much fun we had! Lots of great memories created!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Co Vacation





Hiking in Ouray was so much fun! They all did very well. This was at the last waterfall that we hiked to!
Brianna and Riley with the friends they have known from the time they were born. They always have so much fun playing and just take over where they left off!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Staycation

Time for family vacation.

This year a trip around CO. They kept advertising a Staycation so that is what we decided to do. Now on our second night in Ouray our children are finally asleep. It is beautiful down here and a very fun little town to be in. Came here years ago for our 1st anniversary and many times after to visit. We took the kids swimming in the hot springs for a long time today. Perfect temp and just the right height for the little ones to touch. Loved that! Bunch of fish we have on our hands. Then a late dinner and now some sleep before hiking.

To say it has been easy so far would be a lie. 6 of us in a room with all trying to go to sleep and Brian and I not really liking 8 bedtime has been tough to adjust to but better today. Thought I was loosing my mind yesterday. They had come off some big events so just needed some fun in the sun to wear them out! I do have to say they are pretty cute as they sleep and dream of the mountains and water!

CO Vacation







Monday, July 5, 2010

Brianna turned 6 on Friday. We had a full weekend of birthday celebrations and Brianna loved to shine in her moment the whole time. Brianna is amazing and we love her overflowing personality. If you are feeling short on hugs she is always ready and needs a lot of lovin in a day. When asked what she wanted to do for her party right away she said she wanted it at her Aunt Tam and Uncle Shane's house. It was pretty cute and they lived up to all her expectations. Brianna on her birthday wanted to know if it hurt to have a baby...well what could I say! Kind of funny though she told me it doesn't matter as she is going to adopt all her kids! Ok so all those hugs will be put to good use!

Brianna tuns 6




Wednesday, June 30, 2010


n There are those of us in our family that play baseball and those of us who want to. Andy can't wait to get out there it seems or at least be in the action. He sits in the dugout and cheers for his Daddy ( the coach!) It is pretty funny to hear. Riley has done well with Brian coaching and Riley seems to like it. As for the girls and I we just watch or some of us (Bri) find a new friend at each game. She is quit the social butterfly. Baseball and swimming lessons are over tomorrow. Sad that this summer is just whipping by but looking forward to vacation very soon ---no real cooking for Mom for a week! Yeah:)

Nope it is not Halloween just a normal day

Our kids love to dress up and that they do daily. We always seem to have 2 princesses around a couple of star wars guys! But at least it is a chance to get all 4 of them together. Pretty funny kids they are !

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Looking back at our boy!


 
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