THE TEEPLES

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

What makes Christmas special to me…

Ryan: Looking at Christmas lights, watching ‘A Christmas Carol’, surprising my family, vacation from work, hiding presents throughout the house, communications with family, staying up late with my wife wrapping presents--even though she usually falls asleep, remembering that Christ’s birth, life and atonement are the greatest gifts that we can receive

Kristeen: Family traditions, making treats for friends and neighbors, Christmas music & movies, watching the kindness of people towards one another, re-telling ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ to our children, reading about Christ’s birth from the scriptures

Tanner (9): Getting presents, giving presents, everyone is nice and happy, going out to dinner on Christmas Eve, everyone tries to do what is right

Abby (7): Opening 1 present on Christmas Eve, hot chocolate, doing secret Santa, putting up the tree and decorating it, tracking Santa with dad on the computer, playing with new Christmas presents, remembering Jesus’ birth

Emma (3): A tree, the kid’s trees, dinner on Christmas, watching Dora Christmas, putting up decorations, hugging Keira at Christmas, building snowman, singing Jingle Bells

Keira (5 weeks): Smiling at Christmas (Emma says), having her very first Christmas, looking cute in her Christmas pictures

5 comments:

Esther K said...: What a sweet Christmas letter and blog! Congrats on the arrival of your beautiful daughter. What a miracle sweet babies are! We hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Thanks for thinking of us!

-Mark & Esther; December 16, 2008 at 8:38 PM
Maureen said...: What a fun idea...it's great to see what each of you is grateful for this Christmas. I can see that this is a special time of year for all of the Teeples!; December 17, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Mel said...: What cute kids. But you already know that! Have a great Christmas; December 17, 2008 at 5:20 PM
Kelli said...: Cute picture (I love how even Emma is sitting "like a lady" and looks so grown up! And I love the post! They are such sweet kids!; December 18, 2008 at 7:21 AM
Bridger and Cindy said...: I loved this idea for your Christmas letter!; January 4, 2009 at 6:27 PM

Teeples Kids Corner

7-6-2012 Funny things kids say Dad: "Keira, go to bed." Keira: "I don't want to go to bed." Dad: "Keira, you've already been tucked in, so go back to your bed." Keira: "Okay Fine, but you're ruining my life!"

Today while talking on her "fake" cell phone, Ryan was talking in the background. Keira commented to her "friend, sorry, that's just my dad!"

12-18-11 The Naughty List. Keira is obsessed with Christmas; mainly Rudolph and the Naughty list. We frequently threaten Emma & Keira with the Naughty list, but it isn't Santa's Naughty List--it is mine. The other morning the kids were getting ready for school and Emma was yelling about something. Keira said from the top of the stairs, "Emma, you better stop yelling or your going to be on the Naughty list." Then that night, we asked her if she was on the Naughty list, and she said "No, but Emma is." Then several days went by and now, according to Keira, "Emma isn't on the Naughty list anymore."

We are just setting these kids up for therapy...I just know it!

6-22-11 Comet We were on a family walk a few weeks ago and an airplane was flying overhead, leaving a streak of white smoke trailing downward into the sky. It looked like a falling star. Keira looked up into the sky and said, "Look Dad, its a comet." We don't know where she learned about comets--and we were surprised that she made that connection with the airplane smoke. She is a smart little girl!

1-8-11 Christmas Hat? The other morning it snowed at our house. Since we haven't had much snow this winter, Keira thought that it was Christmas again. she said, "Mom, it's snowing; we've got to get our Christmas hats! But Daddy says no!" Apparently she and dad have had this conversation before--and dad has told her that she can't get her Christmas (Santa) hat out.

10-17-10 Too Smart! (While watching a movie and laying next to Keira on the floor, the following conversation took place.) Mom: "Wow Keira, I am so tired. Are you tired too?" Keira: "No, I'm tired 5." This stems from her fixation with the number 5. Her favorite movie is "Toy story 5." Try as we might, to set her straight, "Toy Story 2" does not exist!

10-7-10 I Love You Too! Keira will be 2 next month, but she is speaking like she is 3! Her most recent phrase is a declaration of love--which from a busy almost 2 year old, is hard to come by; but when we get it, we just melt. Emma was the recipient of it the other day: Keira and I were dropping off Emma at Kindergarten and as all the kids were lining up and heading through the door, Keira yelled, very loudly, "Emma, I love you too!" There was an audible "ah" from the other moms there. She always adds the "too" at the end, even if she is the first to say it. I like to think that is is because we tell her that we love her enough, that when we are not the first ones to say it, she assumes it anyway! What a precious thing!

9-20-10 What's Goin on? Keira is rapidly learning new phrases. Just the other morning she had woken up and came into our room and got up into our bed. We were laying there talking with her and she saw Abby peek her head in to our room. Very casually she said, "What's goin on Abby?"

3-4-10 Hot Guys Abby has come home recently telling us that kids at school are calling her "Hot." (Why does everyone like me?) Well, Ryan and I are going on a trip to NY this summer and today Abby asked me, "when you go, can you please take some pictures of some hot 8 year old guys on the beach?" Then she just giggled and giggled. I nearly died! The kids love to tease me, and they say these things to get a rise out of me! And did they ever!

1-8-10 How to Earn Money, by Tanner Teeples Tanner is trying to earn money for his 5th grade trip to "Camp Elim." As we were talking about how he could raise money I suggested that he volunteer to water peoples gardens while they were out of town, pick weeds and trash from yards to help get ready for Spring, and offer to feed and walk dogs for owners when they are on vacation, etc. To all of my great ideas, he promptly replied, "mom, I really need to something like install air-conditioning or re-build generators." (duh mom, you should know that...)

1-8-10 Cat-Like Reflexes You can learn a lot while unloading the dishwasher with Tanner. Some of our greatest conversations have occurred while working together. As we were working and talking in the kitchen, Tanner accidently knocked something off of the kitchen counter and then immediately assumed a 'Spider-man-like' position as he caught the object and casually said "whoa, it's a good thing that I have cat-like reflexes." And then he just kept working, like nothing had happened. It took all my strength not to laugh. I hadn't seen that Spiderman pose in several years! (We used to see it often) But, I will tell you this...the boy is quick!

12-27-09 CANDY CANES For her dance recital, Emma did a tap routine with canes, which had red ribbon around them to make them look like child sized candy canes. Keira and I have been taking Emma to dance this semester, and watching her practice. But I was unaware of how much Keira had learned from watching Emma. Last night, as we were taking the candy canes off the tree, Keira was standing there, and she bent down and used the candy cane like a tiny walking stick. She was copying Emma. We laughed and laughed, and couldn't believe that she remembered the dance! What a smart baby!

12-22-09 "TALKING, WALKING AND FLUSHING BABY" Keira is 13 months and has been talking like crazy since about 10 months. She is saying so many words, that I decided I better keep track of them. So here they are: Mom, Mama, Dad, Emma, Abba (Abby), "a ball" Santa, ho-ho, turkey, cookie, cocoa, okay, bye, nigh-nigh, thank you, ah-oh, no, hot, nana (for Banana), cacker (for cracker) dog, puppy, "whas at"(for what's that)...and I am sure that tomorrow she will say something new! Keira also began walking over the past few days. She takes 5 or 6 steps and then sits down. She is gaining confidence, and soon will be running I am sure. Her latest adventure is getting into the toilet, and flushing it. She will come in and open the lid and stick her hand in the water. This morning the kids left the toothpaste out and she dropped the whole tube in the toilet. I had to fish it out with salad tongs. At least the toilet had clean water in it. Well...as clean as toilet water can be, I guess!

11-28-09 "MAN STINK" On the morning after Thanksgiving, Ryan and I went shopping early. We left around 4:30 in the morning. Mom & Dad and Karlee & Will were here, so this year we went together! As we were getting ready to leave, Tanner came wandering in our room. Ryan told him that he could sleep in our bed, but to use his own blanket because he "smelled." Half awake, he proudly replied--"Dad, it's my Man Stink!"

09 KNOW YOUR COLORS (as I am fixing Abby's hair one morning before school we are looking for a bow to match when the following conversation occurred) Abby: "I don't think that matches with my shirt." Mom: "Well, you do have some pink; it's kind of a secondary color on your shirt." Abby: "Yeah, I guess pink's really not a color for Kindergartners."

10-21-09 "SPOOKIES" Keira (11 months) is really talking. When we sit her in her chair, she says, "num num." When it's time for bed, she says, "nigh-nigh." She also says "hi," "ah-oh," and "oooh" when she sees something she wants, and "was-tha" to ask what something it. She waves and points to herself and others when you ask her to identify them. She is now pulling herself up to stand, taking steps with help, and last week, we discovered she could crawl up the stairs when we found her half way up them! She is tiny-16 lbs. and 4 oz .at her last (10-6) appointment, but what she lacks in size, she makes up for in brains! Her latest cute thing is that she loves the light up jacko-lanterns in our house. Ryan asks her "where are the spookies," and she looks up at them and says "oooh!"

8-16-09 A PRETTY COOL LOGO Tanner is very much into Logos. He draws them for the comic books he writes, or virtually anything he is working on. The other day as we were driving home, we were talking about church, and I could hear the kids in the back of the car. Tanner said "Our church has a pretty cool logo...for a church." We laughed, because we had never really thought of that, but it IS a cool LOGO, and it says a lot about what we believe, especially in recent years, as the church changed the logo to make Christ's name the center of it.Thanks Tanner, for making us pay attention to small, but important details.

8-11-09 FAST SUNDAY (Emma's sunbeam teacher's account to me, of what happend in class last week) Emma: "Sister Lee, what time is it?" Sister Lee: "It's almost time to go."Emma: "What, but we just got here!" Sister Lee: "I know, the time went by really fast." Emma: "Well, that's because it's FAST Sunday!"

8-5-09 HOLLYWOOD BOUND (conversation while doing the dishes) Emma: Mom, did you know that if you sing really good you go to Hollywood? Mom: Where did you learn about Hollywood? Emma: On American Idol. Mom: Do you want to go to Hollywood? Emma: Well, not unless you go with me.

6-18-09 WHERE'S MY AGENT? Sometimes we will hear this question from Tanner, who is determined to believe that HE should be a Disney kid. He asks us why his songs weren't on the radio (he writes them frequently) and why he is not on TV. I calmly told him that it was because I loved him too much to throw him into that, and besides that, he needed an agent. The next thing out of his mouth is: "so why haven't you gotten me an agent?!"

6-12-09 THUMBELINA (the kids were telling me about a new Barbie movie, Thumbelina) Abby: Mom, did you know that Thumbelina is so kind, and sweet, and would never do anything to hurt anyone. She is like...Jesus!

6-10-09 MESSY ROOM (after Emma had scattered ALL her books on the floor) I asked the kids to clean their rooms, and Emma's side of the room was particularly bad, as she had thrown all of her books on the floor. After a few minutes, I asked her if she was done putting them away, and she said that she was. I thanked her for doing her job and went to check her room. Well...her books were indeed put away, but they were put away under her bed. And not only that, they were just shoved under there with no attempt to hide them whatsoever! All I could do was laugh, and tell her that even though she had put them away, she had to put them away where they actually go! Silly me--to give such incomplete directions to a 3 year old!

5-22-09 BOY FRIENDS (as Emma is contemplating relationships...)Emma: "Mom, are there going to be boys in my pre-school class? I hate boys." Mom: "Emma, we don't hate anyone. Besides, you have friends that you play with that are boys." Emma: "No, I don't like them anymore. Abby hates boys too." Mom: "What about Tanner? He is your friend. And dad? Daddy is my friend." Emma: "No, dad is NOT your friend, he is your...Honey!"

5-13-09 ARE YOU COOL? Tanner is consumed with 'coolness.' All the kids at school are talking about being a "Jock", or a "Nerd," and yet it's a compliment to be a "PIG" or a "JERK." Tanner and Abby staged a joke, with a fake conflict, where Tanner was calling Abby a PIG, and rather than me getting mad, as he hoped I would, I just told him that was so nice of him to call Abby a "Pretty Intelligent Girl." And then he called himself a JERK, and I said, "What, a Junior Educated Rich Kid?" This was too much for them! They did not expect that I would know these acronymns. Suddenly I am cool! (But I may have undid that while teaching Abby the Old McDonalds song..."Big Mac, Fillet-o-fish, Quarter pounder, french fries...you remember the hand actions right??)

5-12-09 ALMA OR ELMO This morning as we were reading scriptures, Ryan was talking to the kids about Alma. He asked them if they remembered Alma, and Emma promptly replied, "Yes, Elmo's world," and then broke out into the theme song...."La La La La, Elmo's world." Well, at least she is likening the scriptures unto herself--and I bet none of us will ever forget Alma!

5-9-09 NICE MOMMY This morning, Abby had a friend over to play. We decided to make cookies and I let the girls help. I overheard Abby say to her friend, "Isn't my mom so nice?" I guess it doesn't take much, but it made me smile to think that sometimes I get it right!

5-7-09 OH CRAP (as Emma is looking for something) Emma: "Mom, where is my little turtle, Tiny Tim?" Mom: "In the green bin with all the stuffed animals." Emma: "With the crap?" Mom: "What?!" (worried that I have set a bad example) Emma: "With my pink Crap?" Mom: (with relief) "Oh, you mean your pink crab!"

5-5-09 QUESTIONS FROM EMMA (talking about her little friend) Emma: "Why can't 'Sweet Aspen Lee' be my sister... Keira is too little to play with." Mom: "I can't handle any more girls in our family, or boys for that matter." Emma: "But what about Aspen, she is so sweet. She could be my sister." Mom: "Well if I could handle any more, 'Sweet Aspen Lee' would be it."

4-23-09 FIANCE' (As Emma is watching TV) Emma: "Mom, we have to watch "Wow Wow Wubzy," because Fiance' is going to be on there." Mom: "Who is that?" Emma: "You know, it's Fiance'!" Mom: Okay...(still not sure who Fiance' is.) Mom: (a few days later, finally figured it out) "It's "Beyonce!"

4-13-09 SCIENCE FAIR! Tanner: (less than excited, after a long few days of work on his project) "Are we almost doonnee?" Mom & Dad: "Yes, and if we hadn't helped you, you would be doing this all yourself." Tanner: "Oh yeah, well next year I will be building a Hydrolic Generator for the Science Fair!"

4-7-09 MOM OR BEETHOVEN! Abby: (after practicing her piano this morning) "Practicing the piano isn't really that hard if you just do it." Mom: "You know, if you practice a lot you can get even better and be an amazing pianist." Abby: "Yeah, like you, or Beethoven." Mom: "Yes, like me or Beethoven." (Oh, the joys of having your children believe in you)

4-2-09 SMART KID! (As Emma is stacking some blocks) Emma: "Mom, does this look like the "Eiffel Tower?" Mom: yes, it does, but where did you learn about the Eiffel Tower?" Emma: "From Jesus. Jesus made the Eiffel Tower."

4-1-09 APRIL FOOLS DAY The pranks were a bit hit this morning, as Tanner and Abby each tried to outsmart the other. Switching out the insides of cereal boxes, hiding the diapers, and rearranging eachother's things, all brought immense amounts of joy to our kids. Now...if I could only think of something REALLY good to get them back!

3-20-09 GREEN MILK! Several days ago, on St. Patrick's day morning, Ryan and the kids pulled a trick on me by coloring our milk green. Emma is learning all the holiday lingo in our house, like "Leprechaun," as well. When I found the milk at breakfast that morning and acted surprised, Ryan asked Emma, "Who Colored our milk green?" Emma replied: "The Racoons did it."

3-14-09 TANNER'S "BACK-UPS"-Tanner came home from school today and started telling me about all of his "Back-ups." After a few minutes into the conversation, I asked him what he was talking about. He said that he likes a few girls, and if "any of them say no (to what? I ask) I go to my back-up list." Now, Ryan and I have told him that it is more fun to have LOTS of friends that are girls-not just one, but I didn't know he would take it so literally!

3-5-09 SWEET NAME CALLING-Amidst spoiled behavior, Emma has redeemed herself by calling me Mommy sweetie-pie, or sweetheart. I told her that I liked it when she did that, so she keeps doing it!

2-24-09 WORD SEARCH MANIA-For Christmas we gave Grandma Teeples a word search book in her stocking. Much to our delight, she spent many hours during her vacation doing those puzzles. Well, recently she informed us that she only has about 40 puzzles to complete until she is done. This morning I commented to Emma that we had better get her another word search booklet. Emma's response was "Oh, not again!"

2-20-09 WHAT A SUCKER-As Emma & I were making cookies today and enjoying a quiet afternoon. Keira had been asleep for about 3 hours when all of the sudden we heard a funny noise. It took us a minute to realize that Keira was awake and sucking on her fingers so loudly that we could hear it in the baby monitor!

2-20-09 APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE-(as the kids are talking about the upcoming school book fair) Abby: There's a book called "Sassy;" I don't know if I am comfortable saying that word. Tanner: I want to get this book, but it says "shoot." Abby: yeah, that's not a good word. Emma: But what about Chutes and Ladders?

Abby: "Dad, I am writing this book, and I don't know if I feel comfortable with it." Dad: "Well, what is this book about?" Abby: "The title is 'One Word, Called Death.' " Dad: "Oh"

Emma: "I'm not the little one anymore; Keira's the little one, and I'm the big sister."

Mom: "Tanner, did you wash your hair in the shower?" Tanner: "No, I got out because the shower smelled so bad--like soap."

Abby: (annoyed at her popularity) "Everyone at school always says 'hi' to me in the hallways. Mom: Well, why don't you say 'hi' back to them? Abby: (speaking fast & fervently) "Mom, don't you know it's 'hands to side, arms to self, lips zipped, slow speed, single file, smile!" Mom: Oh

Emma: "Mom, I'm 'keepin on' Keira for you." (short for Keeping an eye on)

Mom: Emma, go and wash your hands; they stink! Emma: I don't want to wash my hands. Dad: Emma, what do your hands smell like? Emma: Bad Coconuts!

Abby (reflecting on her book-see above comment): Remember my book "One Word called Death?" Tanner: Yeah Abby, that contains violence; it's against Mormons!