Special Events with the cousins

I swiped the computer from the kids and posted several times.

So while we've been watching my nephew and nieces, there have been a couple fun things to do.  Wednesday night we went to a Christmas-tree lighting hosted by the housing facility.  I didn't actually take a picture of the tree, being too enamored of the Navy Brass ensemble.

Sorry, it was hard to get a good picture.  But you can also see the Marine Corps serviceman ready to collect for Toys for Tots.  When Delaney saw him, she exclaimed, "You look like my daddy!  He wears that too."

They also had a Santa come and hand out age-appropriate loot for the kids.  Santa sippy cups for the toddlers, cute pen and paper sets for the next set (Callie and Delaney) and recorders for Joshua and Marian.  I'm sure I should be happy the kids are happy, but recorders should be listed under torture, not toys. 

Nachos and hot dogs were served, but Camden's only interest was the cookies.  I love how he's just happy hanging out with his cousins and watching all the activity.

I did take him to see Santa and Camden behaved rather predictably to sitting on a stranger's lap.

I love how he is clutching the cookie and candy cane so fiercely and yet, so unhappily!

Fortunately, the water-works and volume decreased significantly once he was restored to the proper person.  And he has almost calmed enough to care about the cookie.

Today we encouraged the kids to clean the house, by holding out a double lure - no screen time til the chores are done AND we would go to a cool park.  I thought that some of them would sleep in, but no!  When I got up at seven, everybody was awake but Rylee.  Callie informed me she and Marian had already cleaned their room, except for vacuuming.  Sweet!  After breakfast, Joshy and Marian and Callie got to serious work.  I wish I had pictures.  Marian vacuumed and wiped baseboards.  The three of the worked together to beat the rugs and sweep and mop the upstairs areas.  Joshy even cleaned the front door.  I am so impressed with how hard they worked.  We were all done by nine.

So we went to this nifty park that a friend told us about.  It was more geared to the older kids, but Rylee had no trouble finding fun either.

This was a popular item for Rylee and Camden both - it rocked very well. 

Mom and I were very impressed that Rylee scaled this wall, no trouble, no fear.  At the top, Rylee exclaimed, "I did it!  I climbed!"

The park had several variations of this sort of spinning top toy.  I like this picture because you can actually see Marian smiling.  

Everybody but Rylee is swinging around here.  Marian and Joshua were great at keeping the spinning motion going. 

Grandma helped Camden get into the spinning, as well.  As you can see, Camden liked it.  He gave a cute laugh every time he spun around.

Not the best picture of Callie (she isn't a snotty kid), but it shows how cool the park is.  

Here is Marian in her favorite place - Up.