Dear Peter,

I always laugh when I think of you.  Well, laugh or shake my head and roll my eyes! Ha.  You continue to shock your Dad and I with your smarts, have us hysterically laughing one minute and then ready to scream the next.  I don't know what to do with you some days, but, truly, I can't imagine life without you; as sappy as that sounds.  

  Ever since your brother started Kindergarten you have become my wee man around the house during the day.  You ask if you can help me with house work and stay pretty close by my side for the majority of the morning.  You'll watch a couple of your favourite programmes in the morning, like 'Jake and the Neverland Pirates', and 'Bubble Guppies', then eat breakfast, and get dressed for the day all by yourself.  That's not really anything new though, because you've been so independent since you were so very wee and have really never let me help you with much of anything.

Your wee sister, Olive, is your female lookalike and it's very amusing watching the pair of you interact.  She is also stubborn and will literally wrestle you to the floor if she wants something you have.  Maybe it makes me a bad Mum for enjoying it, but hearing her scream at you the way you used to scream at Jack is quite comical.  You can make her laugh like no one else though and I hope you will become very close over the years.

You still have a very lovely relationship with wee Penelope.  You take care of her and help her with anything she needs when you notice it.  She comes to you with books and you sit with her turning the pages and making up the story.  I'm not sure when your special wee bond with her "happened", but it is one of the most  beautiful friendships I have ever seen.  Every time you kiss her wee cheek or ask me if Penelope is awake yet, I swoon over you a little more. Thanks for being such a wonderful big brother, Petey. 

Jack is your main man and best friend; although you are very fond of your Dad too.  You follow those boys out to the car every morning to stand and wave goodbye to them as they leave for work/school together; shouting and waving till the bitter end.

A few of your favourite things/people are: Henry Platt (from our ward), Ice Cream (mint choc chip), the Ninja Turtles, Baby Zoe (your cousin), Target (you love looking at the toys), Costco (you love all the free food samples), getting a free cookie at the bakery when we go to Fred Meyers, putting your church clothes on (AMAZINGLY), Sister Osborne (your nursery and now sunbeam teacher!), going to Sunbeams (you love seeing Jack in sharing time), yogurts, being invited to Joey's house,  playing Lego Batman or the Toy Story computer game with your Dad, making silly faces when I'm taking your photo, Grandma Liz's letters, and skyping with Granny McArthur.

What a fantastic wee nutcase you are, Peter.  I can't wait to see what comes your way this year; you're my favourite 3 year old.  

Squeeze hug, Mum. X

Dear Jack,

I wanted to write you another letter, hopefully this can be an annual thing, recording a little about how you are at this ripe old age of five.  Last year you started Kindergarten! I couldn't really wrap my head around the fact that you were old enough to go already.  I was feeling quite nervous about the whole thing and although you seemed a wee bit overwhelmed too, you were also so excited when I showed you your new school and we talked about all the things you would do there.  

Your teacher, Mrs. Haupt, is our Bishop's daughter in-law.  She is just so lovely, and kind.  You are very fond of her and have made great wee friends; Henry, Mason L., Christopher, Andy, and Nesta, you talk about these boys a lot!  I was so worried about how I was going to manage picking you up from school when I had your wee sisters and brother to juggle too, but you solved that problem for me after the first day of school when you told me you wanted to start riding the bus!  I was scared to let you, but we tried the very next day (only on the way home) and you have rode it ever since.  I was so proud of you.  I couldn't help but get a wee bit emotional watching you come off that bus with your big, massive backpack bouncing on your shoulders.  You are growing up so quickly. 

 Recently, your Dad and I worked with you on your numbers and now you can count to 100.  It was overwhelming for you at first and you complained that you'd never reach your goal, but you persevered and now you have set yourself another goal, but in reading. Nice job, wee guy!   

Working on an art project is still your favourite past time at home and in school.  You tell me about your art work at school and you wish I could be there to see what you're doing.  It's great to see you so passionate about something that I also love.  

You still have a very close friendship with your brother, and always shout, "Peter, I'm home!", the second you set foot in the house.  He loves you so much and misses you when you are gone.  Your favourite games to play together right now are "Jake and the Neverland Pirates"(you like to be Captain Hook), Batman (you like to be Joker or Bane), Lego Batman on the Wii and Toy Story 3 on the PS3 with your Dad and Peter.  I've noticed that you really like being the villain! Haha.  It's funny because you are generally such a gentle and sensitive wee boy.  

Your wee sisters adore you as much as Peter.  They look to you for help when they need a "footy" up on something, and follow you around like you're the Pied Piper.  I see their wee faces light up with such excitement when the school bus arrives at our house, and when they see your arms open to wrap them up in a hug.  You are the great big brother I never had, Jack!  I always wanted a big brother just like you.  

I hope we always remain close friends.  You are eager to tell me if you made any mistakes at school or if you accidentally hit someone on the playground as they ran past you.  What an honest soul you are!  You have a hard time keeping anything from me and I really really hope that also continues! haha.  

At church your teachers are again Sister Dibble and Sister Yates; you like them both very much.  And, although you still don't really care for church clothes or actually going to church that much, you always seem to have thoroughly enjoyed yourself when we see you at the end. 

Joey Stock is still your greatest friend bar Pete.  Sometimes I think you'd rather live at his house! ha.  But I'm so very glad you have such a wonderful and fun friendship with him; I love watching you two interact and laugh together.     

I love you so much, Jack, and can't tell you how proud you continue to make me.  I love being your mum! 

-Squeeze hug, Mum x 

December...late

 In December we:

Got our personalized Advent Calendars in the post from Granny McArthur...a favourite treat from her. I must make these boys pose for too many pictures; their faces are killing me! ha.

Decorated our widest and tallest tree yet!  Jack says he wants to go bigger next year, but I'm not sure that would even be possible.

 Went to Zoo Lights for for the first time. We rode the train and had a great time with some friends that came along with us.  Too bad it was so completely freezing that night, but at least it wasn't raining! 

Visited with Santa at Ryan's work Christmas party.  Santa was trying to be funny and crack jokes about each of the kids names; some of our's included "Say Hi to Popeye for me", and "See you at the top of the beanstalk."  Jack actually burst out laughing when he heard what Santa said; the evidence is in his face in the pic below! 

Took a family picture by the Christmas tree at the Work party...this was the best of the many attempts!

  Had our first snow fall of the year; it was sad that it only lasted for a day.  Jack had the day off school, which always cracks me up after the weather we had in Utah and there were never very many snow days.  The twins and I stayed inside to watch as the boys headed out, but they only lasted about a half hour of so.  

 Made Sugar cookies from a nice easy recipe Grandma Liz gave me.  We then made some more when Grandma was here spending Christmas with us. 

 Attempted some more family pictures on the Sunday before Christmas...it's a difficult task with these wee ones.  The girls were wearing lovely wee Christmas smocks borrowed from a friend.

 Drove around looking at Christmas lights (which is a Harris family tradition) on Christmas Eve after the Shepherd's dinner I put together (one of our relatively new tradition's that I stole from a lady in our ward).  We set a sheet out on the floor to eat a picnic style dinner of meats, cheeses, bread, crackers and hummus dips; it's completely delicious and everyone thoroughly enjoys the experience.    

Opened Christmas P.J's and set out our homemade cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and his Reindeer.  Jack couldn't contain his excitement the following morning when he ran straight to the plate to see if the goods had been eaten.

 (In the pic below he's grabbing the plate for the 3rd or 4th time to show someone else in the family that Santa had REALLY been!  We had a lot of gifts under the tree...there were 15 total in our house!)

 Watched our wee ones excitedly unwrap their gifts from friends, family, and Santa.  This is Penelope's new wee facial expression that she tends to do a lot...it's pretty cute. 

 Devoured a tasty Christmas feast of Ham, roast potatoes, and lots of other goodness.  I managed to burn myself pretty badly on the wrist about 10 minutes before dinner was ready....I guess that was my way of getting out of having to do any more work! haha.  No, it did hurt like made and I had myself a wee cry for a moment or two, but the dinner was a great success and I was so happy with how it all turned out.  The Christmas crackers always add that extra feel of home for me.  At first no one had theirs hats on, but soon enough everyone was wearing one. 

 Gathered the wee cousins together for a picture by the tree!

 Listened to a bit of screaming from dear Olive, who wanted everything she couldn't have! 

 Let the boys finally eat their chocolate names from the advent calendars..they were mega happy about that!

And finally,  smothered these two wee lovelies with kisses because they were as gorgeous as can be in the matching p.j's from Grandma and Grandpa Harris.  It was a brillso Christmas!

November...late

Extremely quick recap of some of our November via some pictures of the wee ones.  My New Year's Resolution is to really make good use of this nice new laptop that I waited in a very long queue for on Black Friday and then gave to myself for Christmas! Ha! 

The twins are 15 months in these pics and have become great wee pals for the most part.  There is, of course, the occasional brief disagreement over who will get a certain toy, but unfortunately, Olive being the older and bossier of the two, she tends to win more often than not...when I'm not watching.  

I'm told I shouldn't have them on a bottle anymore and I will get them off it soon, but for now, it's making my life easier to still give them their milk in it before their nap and at bed time.  When I give them a wee dry snack in a bowl during the day the pair of them always march straight to the bottom stair outside the kitchen and sit there for a good 10 mins chatting nonsense to each other as they eat....it's wonderful to watch.

My wee Penelope Anne is very much a mummy's girl.  But she went through a wee phase there when she was quite attached to Ryan instead.  I really quite enjoyed the break from the clingyness and, who doesn't love watching their lovely baby snuggle into Dad?

Jack was absent from school on the first picture day at his school because of a small asthma attack at home due to a terrible cough.  So when picture re-takes came around I took a few pics of him at home before he left...what a handsome wee chap he is!  His picture turned out cute, but with his same wee forced smile he usually has! ha.

The babies love peas of every shape and size and Olive can frequently be caught nicking Penelope's when her's are all gone.  What a change it is having children who really love veggies....the boys weren't nearly as fond; it was all fruit with them.

Jack and Peter are still really keen on any kind of art project; Jack in particular is getting so into drawing and is great!  Here they are working on painting clay piggie banks.  The thing I loved most about this day was that Jack immediately searched our house high and low for any money he could find lying around, shoved it in his bank, and then asked me if we had enough now to go to Scotland.  It makes me so happy to know he's got such a deep love for Scotland already and for all his family there.

Peter is very excited to go visit Granny and Grandpa McArthur this summer too.  Here he is with his beloved 'Jake and the Neverland Pirates' toys that Granny had sent over.  They are spoiled rotten, even from afar!

Jack finished football, thank the heavens!  Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed getting him involved in it and he made a lot of new friends, and enjoyed the practices (not so much the actual matches), but it was really difficult juggling the other 3 wee ones for that hour in the evenings while we waited for Jack.  Next year will be much easier, if he still wants to play again that is.

The twins are huge 'Peppa Pig' fans...taking after their brothers, and cousins in Scotland too.  My mum sent them a lovely Peppa and George, which they carry around a lot as well as their beloved blankies.  All of my kids have had a special blanket and toy they've been really attached too.

And lastly, the wee twinners looking cute in matching attire at church one Sunday, another of them in their favourite spot on the step with their snack, and a pic of the 'Book Wreath' I made that took blooming ages to make, but looks so pretty in my living room now that it's finally done!