Christmas Dresses

Gifts from Grandma Heidi to the granddaughters included beautiful matching dresses.

Tay, Kaylee, & Ashlee

Squeeky Clean Boys

Ashton loved crawling around in the shower with his big brother. Carter couldn't stop laughing at him.

He is such a marshmallow baby. I love it.


Carter is truly talented at armpit noise making. No joking.

Chef Tay

Taylor is at such a fun age. Three year olds are just busy, aren't they?! She loves to be in the kitchen with me. Mostly she plays in the junk drawer and draws all over my receipts but she is becoming more and more interested in cooking. Tay loves squishing home made pizza dough and playing in the flour bin. A new favorite is "washing dishes". The funny part of it is that she gets mad at me for rewashing them or putting them in the dishwasher after she has "washed" them.

Windows

I have fond memories when Carter was this age, peering out our long windows in our Richmond apartment, together waiting for Daddy to come home from law school. Our house has the same type of floor length windows that Taylor, and now Ashton love too.

I'll never tire of looking into these eyes.

December Visit from Grandma Rhonda

Grandma Rhonda came to town in December. She came to help me find some sanity before the holidays. My to do list was rather ambitious but we were able to tackle some big projects! You know your mom loves you when she scrubs your nasty refrigerator, does loads and loads of laundry, makes you meals, bakes your kids delicious Christmas cookies while also listening to all of your problems....we love and appreciate you Mom! Here are some pictures from her visit...

Master cookie makers.

Master waffle makers.
A master cheerio eater.
...

Carter demonstrating a "Nephite pose" before our church "Christmas in America's" party. Don't you love the look on Tay's face!

We went to see the Washington D.C. Temple Christmas lights with Grandma & our friends the Holmgrens. It was cold that night but good times were had!

Flash Back: Carter's 6th Birthday

We rang in the 6th year of Carter's life by bowling with Grandma & Grandpa Hilton and Uncle Jeff. Then it was time for birthday gifts and the orange cake that Carter requested. Yum!

Trying Something New

Today I did something I have wanted to do for a while....I tried sushi. I think there are only four words to describe my experience.

Never again my friends.

Random Post

Yep I STILL ask Carter to take naps (I feel like I have been saying this for 3 years longer than most). He seriously needs them a couple of times a week. Well yesterday was a "nap day" so today was quiet time. Carter kept choosing noisy activities...piano playing, truck crashing, etc. as what he wanted to do for quiet time and I said "nope" to each one. I kept suggesting legos or book reading and other equally quiet pursuits until I finally said, "Carter just stay in your room and do some thing that doesn't wake up Tay!" That was 2 hours ago...I haven't heard a peep. Can I get a hallelujah?! My 6 year old chose to take a nap today. Sweet silence!

I have a bezillion pictures to post from our Christmas/Hilton Family Reunion...here is a teaser of my little present climber. We were constantly finding Ashton on top of presents and under the tree.

Let it Snow!

We are expected to receive up to 20 inches of snow today. Already there are about 10 inches on the ground. Carter has already been out to play and soon Tay and Drew will head out as well to join him. Sledding, shoveling the drive way, throwing snowballs, and drinking hot chocolate are on today's agenda. Carter is so excited...he has been up since 3 a.m. We tried several times to get him to stay in his bed...after a while we gave up. Magic is falling from the sky and he doesn't want to miss any of it. This is suppose to be the biggest storm of the decade. It is beautiful outside and I am crossing my fingers that we have our first white Christmas since living in Virginia.

Post Edit: Carter & Tay played hard in our blizzard.

Carter didn't even complain when the bitter cold & wind did this to his face. The time outside was worth it I suppose.

Ashton and I stayed cozy and warm, perched from our front window.

My Taylor

I was in an other world reading a few moments ago....Tay needed to tell me something and I wasn't paying attention....I could hear her but I wasn't listening. I was trying to finish the last paragraph of an article and I was slightly distracted by the sound of a certain 10 month old through the baby monitor...he is playing instead of sleeping again. Tay got right up to my ear and started talking quietly, almost whispering to tell me what she had to say. Then she kissed my cheek with a big smack of her lips after wards.....she had my attention.

I should try that technique on Carter.

Taylor finally came to me last night and asked me some thing I have waiting forever to hear...

T: Mom, will you put piggy tales in?
M: Sure Tay. Do you really want them in?
T: Yes. All three piggy tales.

She is again sporting her three piggy tales again this morning. I couldn't be more proud.

Family Pow Wow

Carter, Tay, and I were talking the other day about family meetings. I was trying to explain that a family council is the same as a family meeting and since Carter learned about Native Americans at school last month, I tried to use an Indian chief circle as an example of a council of people who make decisions together....

M: Carter, remember Indians?
C: Yes
M: You know how you had a pow wow at school and everyone sat in a circle and talked about really important stuff?
C: Yes
M: So, that is an Indian circle right? You had a meeting...
C: (very impatient and frustrated....like he's told me this a hundred times) Mom. I don't know anything about Indians! You have to talk to Smera about that.

Smera lives down the street from us. She's in Carter's kindergartner class...she is Indian....as in...her family is from India.

I couldn't help but giggle at Carter. Then I re explained everything using the words Native American and had we had a lovely pow wow. In our little family meeting we discussed having a media free week before Christmas. I then had to explain that in some family meetings there are no votes....the Chief decides.

Then Carter proceeded to karate chop me with his lightning fast 6 year old arm blades.

And then I had to explain to him that Indians...I mean Native Americans didn't karate chop their enemies.

My kids are going to grow up to be very culturally diverse.

I Never Thought

Six years ago when I was busy snuggling my newborn... it never crossed my mind that I would eventually be saying things like...

"If you shoot the Christmas tree one more time...." or

"If you shoot your sister one more time..." or

"If you make that noise one more time..." or

"STOP BURPING!"

In other news...Ashton is pulling up on furniture and crawling up the stairs. And Tay is starting to wear clothes again.

Ashton BaDashton

Ashton's first experience with laughing gas....

just kidding...it was actually a breathing treatment. This virus has really kicked our Hilton bums.

Carter's Birthday Interview

What is your name? Carter Hilton

How old are you today? 6

What do you want for your birthday? A ds and a long dart gun that shoots really far.

What kind of cake did we make for your special night? An orange candy cake.

What is your favorite food? Spinach raviolis, corn on the cob, and watermelon…..

What is your favorite treat? Ice cream

What is your favorite color? Orange

What do you like to do? Play outside

What is something you are good at? Riding my bike and doing wheelies

What is something you would like to learn how to do? Shoot a tall basketball hoop (I think he means shoot a basket in a tall hoop)

What is your favorite movie? Ice Age

What is your favorite Primary song? Popcorn Popping

What do you want to be when you grow up? An army person

What is your favorite family activity? Movie night

What do you like most about Church? The sacrament (mom’s interpretation…eating the bread and water)

Where do you want to serve your mission? Where my cousins live.

What do you love most about Taylor? She’s really silly.

What do you love most about Ashton: That he can crawl.

What do you love most about Mommy? That she let’s me play out side.

What do you love most about Daddy? He takes me to the bus stop or school.

Carter, what makes you happy? When I get to go to Grandma Heidi’s house.

Happy Birthday Carter

Carter Andrew is 6 years old today!

Today Carter's kindergarten teacher asked
him what he is grateful for....he said "my dad".