Breakfast From the North Pole

What a surprise to wake up to this spread bright and early this morning.  Jingle and Belle are back and they brought their usual snow covered doughnuts and hot chocolate...Christmas Oreos and cupcakes too!

 

Jingle and Belle sure to spoil these two!  Both kiddos received a festive Christmas headband to wear this season and a Christmas watch too...along with some Christmas candy and goodies from the North Pole.  Jingle is excited to play with Ayden's trucks again and Belle is so proud of Allie's new tumbling skills she's learned recently.  We are looking forward to seeing all the fun these two little elves have this season in the Hammerick house!

Gingerbread Villages

Gingerbread houses happened before Thanksgiving this year...it was the only day we could all get together.  Ethan, Leighton, Allie and Ayden created a whimsical gingerbread village for their gingerbread men.  I think more frosting was consumed than used for the house!

Allie designed her house herself and wanted it to not have a roof so she could decorate the inside.  

Ayden decided he wanted two houses and two of everything else this year.

New Skill Alert! Back Handspring!

Allie Girl is on FIRE!  She's moving right on up the tumbling ladder.  Allie LOVES working with her tumbling coach, Coach Tommie...and aims to prove her abilities!  Way to go!!  So proud of her!

Witches and Farmers

This year Allie wanted to be her favorite Harry Potter character...Hermione Granger.  Complete with a stick wand and Gryffindor tie and scarf, she looked just like her!

Ayden has been obsessed with tractors lately so we created the perfect tractor for him to ride in!  He received a lot of compliments throughout the Halloween season on his farmer costume.

The kids wore their costumes at the school's Spooktacular and we went trick-or-treating at a nearby shopping mall the weekend before.  Halloween night weather was much more pleasant than past spooky years.  We trick-or-treated throughout our neighborhood with Austin and Carson and made if farther than ever before.  The kids still loved passing out candy as much as trick-or-treating for it.

Picking Pumpkins

We canceled ukulele...and picked our fall pumpkins!  A perfectly warm and not-at-all crowded evening at Three Cedars Farm.

We took a hayride to the patch and found our family carving pumpkin...and the kids each found a little pumpkin of their own.

Ayden LOVED riding on the tractor bikes.  The nursery rhyme stories and animals kept them entertained as well as the yummy dinner...doughnuts, caramel apples and cider.

Our Star, Allie!

Ayden is FIVE

Ayden is curious, LOUD and so snuggly.  He loves trucks, cars, planes and anything he can drive or fly around the house making engine sounds.  He enjoys playing outside, swimming and riding his bike.  Ayden started "real" school recently and loves it.  He comes home singing songs and repeating moments of his day.  Ayden plays tennis and takes swim lessons.  His favorite foods are Gogurt, fruit snacks, apple juice, watermelon,and apples and Nutella.

Ayden celebrated a few weeks ago with a SPLASH BASH at Heritage Park's splash pad with his friends and family.  He enjoyed pizza and cupcakes and playing in the water with squirt guns.  He received Lego's, board games and water balloons as gifts.

This morning Ayden's elf showed up for with a birthday surprise!  A brand new basketball!  We apparently have houseguests for the next couple days...

Ayden had a fabulous day at school too.  His teacher brought him cupcakes and ate lunch with him...he even invited Allie too! For dinner Ayden requested Olga's snackers and Menchie's frozen yogurt.

We are halfway to DOUBLE DIGITS!