Sydney's Turns 7!

Sydney turned 7 this month! In my head, I still think we have "little" kids. Yet it is amazing how big they seem to me lately.

The one thing Sydney had been wanting for her birthday was a new bike. I kept thinking her old one was still fine. After all, it was only a couple of years old. The other day, however, I saw her riding it in the cul-de-sac. The seat has been raised as high as it would go but she looked like a giant on it! So when Jay and I went bike-shopping we opted for a much bigger one. We over estimated, however, how big it needed to be and ended up having to exchange this one for little smaller one. It is very girly and she loves it.

Fortunately for Sydney, the weather has been fairly mild lately and she has been able to go out and ride the last couple of days.

Sydney has been planning to go ice skating on her birthday since last year. I wasn't too thrilled about ice skating in the middle of the winter but she had her heart set on it. She invited a couple friends from school and Dresden and Logan, of course, and we all set off for the Olympic Oval. Thanks to Shannon, Larry and Nana for helping keep the kids all together and in (more or less) one piece.

Dresden seems to be thinking what Larry had been saying the whole afternoon, "I wonder how much practice you have to put in in order to start enjoying this." I know he was joking but my tailbone is still very sore from the one and only fall I took (and it only took one to end the activity for me). Actually Dresden and Collin seemed take to ice skating pretty quickly. They were old pros. It didn't take them long before they were cruising around the track.

Rachel, the instructor, ended up being one of my old students from my first year teaching here. She was showing the kids (and adults) how to stand, skate, fall without injury, etc.

Falling with grace...

In the birthday room waiting to open presents and eat our treats. Left to right: Justin, me, Collin, Dresden, Larry, Logan, Sydney, Lauren, Emily, Savannah. Other than the cupcakes, the treats were provided for us: huge ice cream sandwiches and the thickest, sweetest hot chocolate I have EVER tasted! And just in time to drop the kids off at home...

The girls:

Later that night...

We had family over for dinner. Sydney wanted her favorite, lasagna, so that is what I fixed. Carlee and Soupie watching Syd open her gifts.

Grandma and Grandpa were able to be there. Grandpa has been doing pretty good lately.

Sydney's chocolate cake (made by me). Ooops! There were eight candles.

The little girls. It is nice to see Sydney and Tayler playing together. Syd usually opts to play with the boys but Tayler is getting a little bit older now. She looks so cute (and grown-up) in her glasses.

Carlee and Tayler on the drums! Sydney's favorite instrument too. Musical talent runs in the family??? Maybe the three girls can start their own band.

Sydney's actual birthday night:

I had PTC on her birthday for the second year in a row! Jay took the kids out to dinner earlier in the evening and when I got home that night, we were able to open some presents.

Sydney likes our presents but she thinks that money is pretty cool, too. That way she can go shopping and pick out what she would really like. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma!

Jay's Birthday and Joan's Visit

We were so lucky to have Grandma Jo come visit us for a week in January. We really missed seeing her at Christmas so we were glad she was able to come up to Salt Lake (and even in the winter)!


Jay about to blow out his candles:

Mike, Nicole and Family Visit

I don't know why we didn't get any pictures of Cole this time around. Maybe because he was such a busy guy he was all over the house. We loved being able to see our family from California!

Burritos

Every once in a while, Jay and I get in the mood to make a ton of burritos and freeze them. They are easy to grab and take to school for lunch. This time we made over 100! Yum!!!

Christmas Morning

The wee hours of the morning, before any creatures were stirring...


Collin and Sydney opened their stocking presents first: I don't think Collin was as excited about the umbrella as Sydney :-)



Mom's favorite presents (homemade ornaments from Collin and Sydney):

Sydney has been asking for a bathrobe for a long time now. She finally has one (and feels very grown up, too).

Collin love's his Chicago Bear's football!

This was what we thought the kids would be really excited about: Opening the envelope that revealed that we would be swimming with dolphins and sealions on our trip. We were more excited than they were (at least until they actually got to do it). Looking back, they are really glad they got that for Christmas.

Some funny faces:

Christmas Eve 2009 With Nana and Papa

Carlee reads "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to all of the cousins. Soupy seems mezmorized.

Nana enjoying her oldest grandchild reading to all the grand children for a change.

Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ellen stopped by to enjoy a great dinner and to watch the kids open their presents.

Brandt taking pictures of people taking pictures. John wanting to go to bed. He seems a little tuckered out over all of the festivities.

Collin opening up his PJ's from Nana and Papa!

Sydney gets her chance for the Christmas Eve PJ's.

The crew in their Christmas PJ's. Carlee is missing????

Christmas 2009 Part 1 All I want is what Dresden got......I think......NO!!!!!

Wow! What a wonderful Christmas it was for our family. Every year there are suprises and heart felt moments with the kids. This year was no different. The suprise of the year for Collin and Sydney is how enthralled they are with the battery-powered toothbrushs they got for stocking stuffers. It is going to cost us a molar and a wisdom tooth, instead of an arm and a leg to keep the brushes full of batteries since they have brushed their teeth about once an hour.

Sydney also received a bathrobe from Mom and Dad. She has lined up baths for a week. She can't wait to get into the new robe. The other item Sydney wanted so badly was an umbrella. I think if we would have just stuck with those two items Sydney would have thought she had the best Christmas ever. Sydney also received French Coach DS game to help with her French, a digitial camera, and some cash. She may need to go out and buy shampoo and soap with as many baths as she has planned.

Collin, on the other hand, has been begging for a football for what seems like months. He finally got his Chicago Bears Nerf football. He also got some music downloads for his DS that Dad has not been able to figure out as of yet. Santa brought him Wii Resort Sports which Mom and Dad really like. He also got books and some cash for some game shopping.

The best part of Christmas for Collin started Christmas Eve. He handed a package from under the tree to his cousin, Dresden, that everyone expected would be the yearly PJ's from Nana and Papa. However, Collin handed him the package which was meant for Christmas morning. To everyone's disbelief including Nana's, Dresden received a Star Wars DS game instead of the PJ's. This game was very high on both Collin and Dresden's wish list. Collin coming to grips with the odds or the potential that he may or may not get this game depending on Nana's shopping habits was very perplexing to him.

Of course, Nana and Papa had planned to give Collin the same game, but they wanted to play a little Christmas/April fools trick on him first. They wrapped a bogus game (Baby's First Steps) and gave it to Collin when they came to our house Christmas morning. You can tell by Collin's reaction in the video that he was not happy with this development. Nana quickly told Collin it was a joke. Collin was relieved to find that Nana and Papa's shopping habits are consistant with the two oldest boys of the family. By the way Nana, he has only put the game down to brush his teeth today.

Pictures are to follow in Part II of Christmas 09.

Sydney and Logan, Christmas Eve 2009

These two know the real meaning of Christmas-getting stuff from Santa! Merry Christmas to our two blog followers.

The basketball season is officially underway. Collin and Sydney started their Junior Jazz careers tonight. Both of them had a lot of fun. Collin took about 7 shots but didn't make any. Sydney took one shot which went in and out. I think the parents had more fun than the kids, however. Both Collin and Sydney like their new teammates and COACH!

Collin and Sydney Start Basktball

Collin and Sydney started off with a victory tonight. The final score was 8-4 and there was plenty of fun for both teams and parents. I thought soccer was chaos. Collin shot about 8 times and Sydney had one good look at the basket but it didn't go in. They both had a lot of fun and they really like their new teammates.

Sydney Throws a Snowy Touchdown!!!!!

I know, it is hard to believe that the Rudel's have jumped into the 21st Century - actually putting video on the internet! WOW! We picked up a cheap flip camera on Amazon the other day. Other than observing the Sabbath (that is for you Donna) we were bored and decided to take the camera for a spin. Sydney ended up throwing a touchdown to Collin. The two of them make a pretty good team. They both start basketball on Wednesday night. That will be interesting? I bet Mike and Nikki are jealous of the beautiful weather we're having at 25 degrees (and yes, that's Farenheit). I feel for you guys were it's sunny and 65.

Collin and the cat

We have a cat who has never been officially named. She has been called all sorts of names, though nothing has really stuck. She is usually just referred to as "the cat" and she doesn't seem to mind.

I think of her as Collin's cat because he is always trying to make her a bed out of a box or something up in his bunk and she loves to sleep with him, at least for the first part of the night. (The rest of the night she is sleeping on my feet!)

This picture we took one night as Jay and I were getting ready to go to bed. Our cat doesn't usually cuddle with anyone. She will sit on your lap occasionally and let you pet her but nothing much more than that. Here she was letting Collin cuddle with her under the blankets. She was sleeping too until I went back out for the camera and woke her up. We thought this was so cute!

Halloween 2009

This year we managed to get a jump on the costume buying and had the costumes purchased more than a month in advance. We usually wait until the week of and have to settle for whatever is left on the racks. But this year the kids got to be exactly what they wanted: Sydney was a "bride" and Collin was Darth Vader again-though in a new costume because the old one didn't fit anymore. Funny the things they wanted to be. Of course none of MY suggestions interested them.

I tried to get Sydney to tell everyone she was the "run-away bride" but she didn't like that. At least she wore the shoes I set out for her instead of the fake plastic dress-up ones she had planned on wearing.

Playing around.

Sydney as the bride of Darth Vader.

Ready with their bags to get as much candy as their little arms can carry.

Collin: Are you done taking pictures yet Mom!!!

Collin earns his purple belt

Collin tested for his purple belt back in Taekwondo in October. He also earned a trophy this time because he had all five of his stripes at the time of testing.

Last time he tested, we didn't know he had to have all his stripes to receive the trophy and he ended up being one short of getting it. Now we know better. The stripes he earns are based on reaching his character development goals (i.e. reading and completing book reports, treating self and family with respect, etc.) so we love that he has to work towards these goals. He was so proud to finally get the trophy this time!

I got to help hold the board this time. Breaking the board is such a small part of the whole testing thing. But to the kids, it is definitely the best part!

Getting ready...

Collin using his breaking technique and me squinting because I'm thinking he might actually kick me instead of the board... (Nice face, Nat)

Recieving the trophy, at last...

Master Kim and the other coaches and students.

Collin's Baptism

Yes, Collin was baptized back in September. Mom is so good about keeping her blog up to date so she has already beat me to posting the good pictures. We have been busy with school and, well, life I guess. Nothing really in particular. Updating the blog just always seems to be last on a really long "to do" list.

Collin turned 8 in August, started 2nd grade and was baptized in September. A very exciting time for the family. We were able to have Dad baptize him and most everyone was there, except California, Colorado and Arizona family, of course.

It is hard to believe Collin is growing up so fast. We are so proud of the person he is becoming. He loves school - especially his teacher, Mrs. Tanner and reading. He would read for hours at night if we would let him. He works hard at Taekwondo and is going to start basketball with Sydney soon. His teachers and his friend's parents always tell us how polite and helpful he is.