the Baldwins of 'dino land': Blog Slacker

Our favorite part and main reason for having a blog is to share lots of pictures, stories, and videos of our kids. Lately, this hasn't been happening mostly because I haven't been keeping the camera on me like I should. I take more pics with my phone though so I included a few of those here. Though my goal is to do more blogging about the kids and what we're up to, today is not really the day I'll be catching up. Instead I just pasted my entry from the Baldwin family newsletter that covers the basics of our last month. This blog slacker will do better!!!

December was a wonderful month. Everything was a magical experience for the kids, especially Ryanna. The snow, lights on houses, Christmas preschool activities, and especially the time reading and talking about the season of giving in our own home made everyday a happy one for her. She was so excited to head to California for Christmas and asked everyday if it was time to leave. She worked extra hard to make special cards for her friends, neighbors, grandparents, and primary teachers. For some of them she practiced drawing the nativity and spent hours and hours drawing the nativity on every scap of paper in our home. She learned to write Merry Christmas on her own and usually without mistake and that too was drawn all over the house. Quinten enjoyed "decorating" the tree which meant pulling off every ornament he could reach and putting them in his truck to drive around. Sometimes he'd even try to hang them back up. He especially enjoyed driving his cars around the Christmas village and nativity. I know I should have put them up higher but they are all cheap and I decided to let the kids enjoy them instead of protect them too much. A few villagers were beheaded but no real harm done and he enjoyed pointing at baby Jesus. December was a BIG BIG month for Brian. He started working part time for the other radio station in town. It has a country music station and conservative talk/sports AM station. We feel very grateful for this part time job and its flexibility with Brian's schedule. The other BIG accomplishment is Brian finished his Masters program. So he now has a Masters in Special Education. He just told me yesterday he missed the deadline to walk in February but I am going to just make him do it the next available time. I feel it is worth recognizing and he refused to walk for his Bachelors so it will be worth doing. As far as myself I've had a few changes this month as well the most noteworthy being a new calling into the primary as chorister. I had been teaching Gospel Principles in Relief Society which I loved and learned so much from but I know I'm supposed to be in Primary at this time. Today was Ryanna's first Sunday as a sunbeam and she did great! I was worried.....really worried. But I think it helped that I was in there too. Quinten has been doing well in nursery though he struggled today since we changed from 1:00 church last Sunday to 9:00am church today. I know that overall this will be a much better time for our family but he is just adjusting. Well, we had a WONDERFUL vacation spending Christmas at Lloyd and Barbara's home and then spending a few days in Mesquite. We were worried how things would go when within the first 5 minutes of our arrival in Menifee Quinten had broke 2 Christmas decorations and knocked over a little table with some Crystal on it(that didn't break thankfully). Fortunately he was so enthralled with his Christmas presents that he didn't cause much damage to their beautiful home. Ryanna felt right at home and remembered Christmas last year. First thing we did is go visit the kitties. She also got to swim with daddy in the hot tub which she's talked about ever since we were there last year. She was so excited to give them the little kitten figurine she had picked out to give them for Christmas and really warmed up to Lloyd this year. She learned quickly that Grandpa knew how to fix her trains and would run to him whenever they had a problem. Barbara of course went above and beyond to fatten us up. I tried to slow her down but I'm not sure anyone has that ability. We enjoyed every minute spent at their home though it went very quick. We arrived Friday afternoon and left for Mesquite early Sunday afternoon. The entire drive to Mesquite the kids played with their stuffed animals from Lloyd and Barbara. Since we've been home we've read the Dr. Suess books that go with them about a dozen times. They love them. In fact, those two books plus the darling LDS books from Grandma Baldwin have been all Ryanna wants me to read, which says a lot. Thank you Grandparents!! Well I'm running out of time but I also have to say we had a great time in Mesquite. The times we can get together and just hang out seem to be the most memorable of all. Ryanna loved every minute with her cousins which we are grateful for.