Fun With Katie

Our cousin Katie has been over to play with us and hang out a couple of times this week. We miss her when she is in Ireland but love to spend time with her when she is here on breaks. We've played games, built Lego buildings, played Littlest Pet Shop, played Bakugans, played hide Alvin the Chipmunk, and Katie and I have been treated to some interesting performances by Austin and Karsen, namely the top 10 countdown on the Disney Channel which included song and dance to such hits as "Squirrels in My Pants" and "My Name is Doof and You'll Do What I Say (Whoop Whoop)." We have heard commentary on everything from suckers that taste like princesses (?) to why Austin thinks American Idol puts the little "American Idol" blue bubble over swearing contestants' mouths (because it distracts the offending contestant from saying even more bad words--of course!). At times, the dancing has become crazy violent and Austin's sensitive parts have become injured. We love it when she is home!

This girl has something to say...

A few of you may already know the big news, but Karsen would like to announce that...

she is going to be a big sister!

We are all so excited and are looking forward to late July/early August 2010 when the newest Morgan baby joins our family. We are 11 weeks along and the doctor says that so far things look great so we are thankful for that.

And this is a big motivator to sell the house and move into a bigger one!


We have had a couple of snow days this week and have been enjoying the laziness. Well, until I had to work last night. Definitely not a lazy kind of night. But the kids have had fun enjoying more time with their Christmas presents and outdoors with the snow.

Happy New Year

We've had a great in-between Christmas and New Year's week here. Karsen had a sleepover at Miss Beth's with her friend Kate, which was a blast by all accounts. The girls stayed up until "12:59" according to Kate, who is able to tell time. Miss Beth enjoyed the Hannah Montana movie very much, but didn't get to hear a lot of it due to the girls' incessant talking during it. Austin had a quiet night here (and rather enjoyed the attention!) and then the next morning when daddy went to work mommy and Austin got to have a breakfast date at McDonalds.

On Wednesday after the sleepover, both kids went to play at the Nelsons for a couple of hours while mommy cleaned a lot. We are trying to put the house up for sale in the next couple of weeks so we are tidying up and paring down and moving a lot of things into the storage area of the garage. Then the fun girls came over--cousin Katie and auntie Erin. There was much laughing, dancing, limbo-ing, playing games, and other funny things. We had plans to eat dinner out at Los Amigos, but Karsen and I had to skip out of dinner due to one of us having a huge meltdown over the limbo game. Austin enjoyed his dinner date with the lovely Erin and Katie, however, and was rewarded for his fine manners and polite demeanor with a huge gumball. Meanwhile, Karsen had her dinner of peanut butter and jelly and was in much better spirits when everyone arrived home. Twister was played, and many dance moves were shared. Warning: never ask Karsen to demonstrate "The Victor Petrenko," which she learned from aunt Erin. It is most definitely not age appropriate for either Karsen or Erin.

Twister. This game may have been more successful had Karsen not "fluffed" her way through it. However, Karsen's "fluffing" also caused many people whose faces were near to her derriere to quit the game prematurely, so maybe Karsen considered it successful.

On New Years Eve we went to uncle Gary and aunt Betty's for a fun and very well organized (by aunt Betty) euchre party. It was fun to get a chance to play with so many different people. Then we played Catchphrase until the ball dropped. The kids were very well behaved and enjoyed the company as well.

Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2010 is filled with wonderful blessings and memories!

Holly Jolly Christmas

I've been taking a blogging break to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas. We sure had a great one here at the Morgan's and hope all of our family and friends did, too.

Since Amy and Keith were busy moving on the 23rd, we got to keep Luke for the day on Wednesday and then he spent the night until Christmas Eve. Here he is with his "must-have" toy: Karsen's purse. He carried it everywhere and stuffed things into it all day.

Here are the three amigos, playing with Luke's toolbox. That was a fun activity for all, especially when it involved hiding the tools everywhere and trying to find them.

Here is Luke (note the purse) hugging/tackling Austin. That was also a favorite game. Luke was such a lovely houseguest too. He went to bed at 8 p.m. and slept until 9:30 the next morning. Aunt Kelly liked it--but kept going in to check on him the next morning in disbelief, as her children have NEVER slept that late.

The next evening, Christmas Eve, we had a nice Mexican feast at our house with mom and dad, Amy and Keith and Luke, Erin and Ken, aunt Beth and uncle Mo and Katie! It was so much fun to have everyone together and great to see Katie after 11 months. Here is some of the unwrapping fun.

Luke in the new Viking hat we got him. It was so cute!

Karsen, Luke, and Austin in their Christmas pajamas...waiting for Santa!

On Christmas Day, the kids were up about 7:30 to see what Santa had put in their stockings and left for them. Here are some stocking surprises.

Santa left Karsen a set of all seven Disney Princesses in their new dresses.

Santa left Austin a new Vulcan Nerf gun. It is very close to being bigger than he is.

Austin's big gift from mom and dad was a PSP. He likes it a lot.

Here is Karsen with her big gift from mom and dad--a Just Like Me American Girl doll. It has Karsen's brown straight medium length hair, medium skin, and brown eyes. She immediately changed it into the soccer outfit and cleats we bought her to go with it and she has been an excellent traveling companion over the last few days.

Then we went to a yummy Christmas dinner at uncle Gary and aunt Betty's house. Here is Grandma Purvis with the kids and the birdhouse Austin made and painted for Grandma.

Kalli giving her new dog kisses.

Then it was on to Grandma and Papa Hall's for a little more Christmas...

Austin dressed up like a Star Wars character with his new mask and laser gun.

Karsen and mommy enjoyed building a Lego house with her new set of pink Legos.

And mommy enjoyed staying warm in her new Colts Snuggie!

After a long weekend at work, we had a fun Monday as well. We went to aunt Beth and uncle Mo's for a pizza dinner and to see them and Katie of course. It was SO nice to catch up, and we are looking forward to seeing a lot of Katie while she is home for almost all of January!

Karsen is going to have a sleepover with her friend Kate at her teacher Miss Beth's house tonight--that was a great vacation surprise! My friend Lisa (Kate's mom) is Miss Beth's niece, and Kate has been wanting to have a sleepover with Karsen for quite some time. Miss Beth kindly invited both girls over this evening to play and stay, and then tomorrow morning they are planning to play in the snow. Karsen and Kate are very excited and planning to annoy surprise Miss Beth with the Hannah Montana movie and their dance moves to the lovely songs that accompany it. Also, I forgot to take a picture, but thanks to Grandma and Papa Beneker, Karsen has been practicing the High School Musical dance moves and getting pretty good at some of the steps.

Karsen's Christmas Open House

Today at school Karsen's class hosted a Christmas open house. Since auntie Amy has not yet been to see Karsen's classroom, she and Luke came along to visit the classroom with me.

We viewed all of the beautiful decorations that the kindergarteners had made, the candy canes, stockings, Christmas trees, and stars.

Here are Karsen and Carrington enjoying some tasty snacks the kindergarteners helped prepare and set out. We ate graham crackers with frosting and sprinkles, a friendship mix with Cheerios, peanuts, pretzels, and M&M's, and Hershey Kisses and milk.


Here are some of Karsen's good friends: Dillon, Graham, and Carrington.



And here is Karsen with the lady who does it all: her kindergarten teacher, Miss Beth. The attendees all got a bead and pipe cleaner wreath ornament for our trees at home or a homemade Christmas card, and the parents received their kindergarten cookbook of the children's favorite recipes. Karsen picked peanut butter and jelly, and her recipe was very follow-able. I'm not sure if she sees me make this often for Austin's lunchbox, or why exactly she picked that, but I'm glad she didn't say "Hamburger--Drive to Burger King and they are already made" as a few kids in her class did. Can't pull anything over on these kids!!

We also got to play some games with auntie Amy when she came back to our house, and Karsen definitely won "Memory." Luke amazed us by pointing to a picture of Austin, and saying proudly, "Austin!" Luke also very much enjoyed the salsa at Los Amigos.

Speaking of Austin, he did not make it down the hallway to the kindergarten open house, even though his classmates Sarah and Natalie came to support their brothers. Apparently sacrificing gym and/or recess was too much for him, but Karsen (who also loves her gym and recess) was very understanding.

Westwood Christmas Program

Tonight was the Westwood Christmas program. Let me say, the Morgan's were two of the cutest, most participating singers and dancers in their respective groups. We tried to take a few pictures at the program, but were kind of far back to get any good shots. Both kids did all the motions and sang with gusto! They also danced quite well. Papa Jay said he would take the credit for the great dancing skills :)

This is a very blurry picture, partly due to the fact that the kindergarteners were waving red and green shimmery streamers around as they sang. Karsen is in the green dress in the middle.


Here is Austin on the end of the first riser singing with the 1st and 2nd graders.

After the performances by the kindergarteners and the combined 1st/2nd graders, the older kids did a musical "Santa Going Green." Here is our cousin Makayla...she was an evergreen tree and had a big speaking part and even a duet in front of that huge crowd! She was great!

We have also decorated our tree at home, and of course hung the stockings for Santa. Or, as Karsen randomly calls the stockings, the "beanstalks."

The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

Total cuteness...a sweet picture of Graham and Karsen at Graham's birthday sleepover.

We are recovering from our busy Thanksgiving weekend with a busy week at school (so far). Austin has had a spelling test and science test. I helped Karsen's class decorate their room with handmade crafts today for Christmas. Whew! Were we busy! We painted candy canes, made invitations for their open house, made sequined Christmas trees, and glittered up some construction paper angels. Both kids are busy practicing for their Christmas program Monday night. Austin knows the songs well, but Karsen (?) not so much. Or at all. But she has wanted to sing the Johnny Appleseed song (Oh the Lord's been good to me...) over and over.

Hopefully Friday will be the Christmas tree decorating day here at our house. Austin and Karsen are very ready!!