Visiting Santa

I could not believe it, but I actually found a place that would give you a picture, and let you take your own picture for free with Santa. There have been a few years where I didn't get any pictures of the kids with Santa because they were too expensive.

Last year when we went to see Santa London was the only one who would willingly go and sit on his lap. This year all four kids sat with Santa, and Jacob and London actually talked to him.

London said that she wanted more ponies to play with.

Jacob asked for cars and airplanes.
Joseph said nothing, but did steal a few glances at the big guy before getting off of his lap.

Guinevere stared at me the whole time. I don't think she even realized she was sitting on someones lap. As I put her down I assured Santa that she had a dry freshly changed diaper, he gave me a little laugh at that.

Guinevere's Birthday

We recently celebrated Guinevere's 1st Birthday. I can not believe how quickly this past year has gone by. Perhaps I will be saying this forever, but it feels like just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. I am amazed at how quickly she is growing.

I love the dirty look she is giving the candle in this picture. She just stared at it for the longest time, and then right on cue for the end of the song she tried to grab it.

This is one of the only pictures that we got of her actually looking up at the camera.

She was not a big fan of the cake. She tried some of it, and sort of pushed it around on the tray, and then cried to get down.


My grandma is frequently out of town, so we were pretty excited that she was able to be here for Guinevere's first birthday. This is her with my Aunt Brenda.


It was a short, quite, simple party, but that was all right with me and the birthday girl.

Christmas Cookies

On Friday I decided to be brave and dareing by make sugar cookies with the kids all by myself. Some of you that don't know me that well probably think this is not really that big of a deal. For those of you who know me, you know that I can be quite annal about how my cookies turn out, and anything less then perfection in this area can put me in a bad mood for a few hours at least. Fearlessly I embraced the Christmas spirit and started making the cookie dough. Guinevere was the first to protest, and insisted on being able to see what was going on. Having a baby on the kitchen counter made this process much slower then I would have liked, but I pressed on.


Having plenty of open counter space and two new small rolling pins I put aprons on all the kids, let them flour there work area, and gave them each a ball of dough. My grand plan was that London and Jacob would do fairly well with minimal supervision while I worked on the other side of the counter with Joseph and the big rolling pin. The minimal supervision thing went right out the window, but with a lot of help they did manage to roll out there dough to varying thicknesses and then begin cutting out the cookies.


Joseph it turned out was not too happy that I would be helping him. He thought this was going to be more like playing playdough, where you roll it out cut out some shapes and then roll it out again. He was none too patient, and while I was on the other side of the counter he started to collect all the dough back into a ball before I was able to get the cut out shapes on to a pan to bake. After that I gave him a much smaller ball of dough and just let him have fun.


As I tried to help the kids with there dough I accidentally sat my cup of flour too close to Guinevere, who insisted on still sitting on the counter, and she promptly dumped it all over herself and the counter.

After each of the children had rolled the dough out a few times I felt that dough and my nerves could not take much more, so I sent them all to wash up while I cut out the remaining cookies.

That afternoon while Guinevere was asleep I allowed the kids to decorate the cookies how ever they wanted. I only intervened here or there when the frosting was so thick that it looked like it might break the cookie, or the sprinkles so thick that you could no longer see the cookie.

London was very proud of the cookie that she decorated to look like her. Can you all see the likeness? The huge eyes, and the two green dots in her hair as rubberbands.

Overall, everyone had a good time, and I survived with my sanity. Even though the cookies do not look perfect, and some are a little thicker then others, they still taste really good. Let this be a lesson to me that perfection is not necessary. Hopefully this posting has encouraged, not discouraged, others from making sugar cookies with there young children. Happy Baking!

Dance Recital

This is one of the clips from the dance recital that London and Jacob were in. They were showing off the basic tumbling moves they have been learning (rolling, somersaults, dog with a broken leg, and cartwheels). It is a little long, but I could not edit it.

Second Dance

This is the second clip from the dance recital.

Zoo

Back before Thanksgiving, I made a trip to the zoo with all five kids. Luckily I went with another mom who only has one child, so I managed to keep my sanity, and all five of the children. I took only two pictures on our outing.

The first is of a goose standing on one leg. I guess she has been spending too much time with the flamingos that she shares her enclosure with. It was just too funny of a picture to pass up, and this was still early in our zoo adventure.


The second was of my two babies. When ever I take the two of them out I always have people stop and ask me if they are twins. Don't they just look so cute. They spent the majority of there awake time at the zoo fighting over each others pacifiers.


I wish that I had gotten a picture of them both asleep in the stroller, but by that time I was so frazzled that there was no way I was taking the camera out again. Jacob and Joseph were both complaining that they were tired and wanted to ride in the stroller. London had the bright idea that she could just hold one of the babies on her lap while she rode in the stroller. If they had not both been sleeping this might have been a viable solution. As it was I ended up trading off packing one boy while the other whined at my side about how tired he was. I told London that she was too heavy and would just have to walk. Needless to say I got a really good work out in at the zoo.

Our Honorable Ancestors

In observance of Veterans Day this week I wanted to remember our ancestors who served in the military. Some participated in historically notable wars while others fought in wars that are now often forgotten in history. These brave men chose to fight for their convictions, protecting their families and fellow countrymen so that we may enjoy our land and our freedom.

Our Honorable Ancestors:

• John Bronson (born about 1600 in , , England - died before 28 Nov 1680 in Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut, New England). He served in the military during the Pequot War in 1637.
• James Polly Brown (born on 22 Apr 1803 in Taylorsville, Spencer, Kentucky, USA - died on 6 Nov 1871 in Rockville, Kane, Utah, USA). He served in the military during the Mexican War (Mormon Battalion) in 1846.
• Robert H. Brown (born on 11 May 1832 in Greenville, Floyd, Indiana, USA - died on 14 Mar 1877 in Orderville, Kane, Utah, USA). He served in the military during the Mexican War in 1846.
• John Campbell (born on 6 Feb 1761 in , Bedford, Virginia, USA - died on 14 May 1847 in Jackson, Preble, Ohio, USA). He served in the military Captain R. Adams' company, Colonel Lynch's Virginia regiment in Jun 1778 in , , Virginia, USA. Served 3 months as a private guarding lead mines in Virginia. He served in the military Captain James Dickson's company, Colonel Williams' Virginia regiment in Feb 1781 in , , Virginia, USA. Served as a private in the battle of Wetzell's Mills and battle of Quilford Court House. Served for 6 months. He served in the military Captain Beard's company, Colonel Trigg's Virginia regiment in Aug 1781 in , , Virginia, USA. Served two months. Marched to Yorktown, and was there until after the surrender of Cornwallis.
• Louis Albert Campbell (born on 20 May 1923 in Joycoy, Baca, Colorado, USA - died on 14 Nov 1991 in Layton, Davis, Utah, USA). He served in the military during the as a Sergeant in the US Army Air Corps on 20 Feb 1943.
• Ralph John Campbell (born on 11 Jan 1893 in Emporia, Lyon, Kansas, USA - died on 6 Oct 1982 in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, USA). He served in the military U. S. Army Private in 1918 in , , France.
• Balser Dishong (born in 1835 in , , Pennsylvania, USA - died on 15 Sep 1864 in Andersonville, Macon, Georgia, USA). He served in the military during the Civil War in 1863.
• Robert Henry Drake (born on 28 Apr 1836 in , Holmes, Ohio, USA - died on 2 Sep 1922 in Sharon, Woodward, Oklahoma, USA). He served in the military Cavalry during the Civil War – Confederate in , , Missouri, USA.
• Thomas Flinn (born about 1730 in , Prince George, Virginia, English Colony - died about 1783 in , Surry, North Carolina, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War from 1774 to 1782.
• Isaiah Curry Guymon (born on 27 May 1753 in , , North Carolina, English Colony - died after Oct 1819 in Dalton, Stokes, North Carolina, USA). He served in the military Revolutionary War.
• Ashbel Hopkins (born in Stockbridge, Berkshire, Massachusetts, New England – died in 1793 in Pittsford, Ontario, New York, USA). He served in the military Revolutionary War.
• Nehemiah Hopkins (born on 14 Apr 1730 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, New England - died about 1814 in Crown Point, Essex, New York, USA). He served in the military during the Indian War. He also served in the military during the Revolutionary War.
• John Hulet (born on 16 Sep 1716 in Killingly, New London, Connecticut, New England – died after 1771). He served in the military during the French and Indian War.
• Sylvanus Hulet (born on 7 Nov 1758 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut, New England - died on 10 Nov 1824 in Nelson, Portage, Ohio, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War in 1779.
• Jacob Hans Keller (born on 22 Jun 1837 in Schwellbrunn, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland - died on 5 Oct 1892 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, USA). He served in the military Utah Indian Wars on 1 May 1867 in Manti, Sanpete, Utah, USA.
• Robert King (born on 15 Jan 1736 in Englishtown, Monmouth, New Jersey, New England - died on 6 Jan 1806 in , Sumner, Tennessee, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War.
• William Marion McGinty (born on 21 Sep 1837 in , Hancock, Georgia, USA - died on 27 Sep 1911 in Aspermont, Stonewall, Texas, USA). He served in the military Civil War - Confederate.
• John C. McManus (born on 12 Mar 1787 in , Franklin, Pennsylvania, USA - died on 29 Dec 1852, buried in , Preble, Ohio, USA). He served in the military during the War of 1812.
• Nicholas Olmstead (born in 1612 in , , England - died on 31 Aug 1684 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, New England). He served in the military during the Pequot war as a soldier in 1637. He also served in the military during King Philip's War.
• Simeon Parmelee (born on 3 Aug 1741 in Durham, New Haven, Connecticut, New England - died on 3 May 1820 in Westford, Chittenden, Vermont, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War in 1777.
• Peter Polley (born before 1748 in , , Virginia, English Colony - died before 13 Feb 1818 in , Shelby, Kentucky, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War in 1777.
• Seth Putnam (born on 9 Aug 1754 in Charlestown, New Hampshire, New England - died on 10 Feb 1848 in Middlesex, Washington, Vermont, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War in 1777.
• Frederick Reasor. He served in the military Revolutionary War.
• Michael Reasor Sr. (born about 1735 – died about 1824 in , Washington, Virginia, USA). He served in the military during the served in Lord Dunmore's War on 24 Oct 1774.
• Michael Reasor (born on 3 Feb 1760 in Winchester, Frederick, Virginia, USA - died on 11 Jul 1843 in Little Mount, Spencer, Kentucky, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War from 1 May 1777 to 1779.
• Ebenezer Sears (born in 1754). He served in the military Revolutionary War.
• John Seymour (born on 24 Nov 1726 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, New England - died on 5 Feb 1809 in West Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, USA). He served in the military during the Served in the Revolutionary War in Sep 1777.
• Dr. Bertram Oliver Swinehart (born on 21 Jul 1881). He served in the military during World War I as First Lieutenant.
• George Swinehart (born on 4 May 1841 in , Richland, Ohio, USA - died on 20 Nov 1916). He served in the military during the American Civil War 7 Aug 1862 to 5 Aug 1865.
• George P. Swinehart Jr. (born on 7 Apr 1886 in , , Illinois, USA). He served in the military during World War I.
• Azariah Tutthill (born in 1724 in Oysterponds, Suffolk, New York, New England - died on 20 Dec 1804 in Rocky Point, Suffolk, New York, USA). He served in the military during the Revolutionary War.

If you would like to know more about these honorable men and how you are related to them I will gladly send you their known history. Each of these men is more then a name, more than a soldier, each is our father.

-Rob Brown