December Activities

We had a busy December and a nice long family Christmas Break since Jason was able to get over a week off of work. Although we were all sick at various times throughout Christmas, we still managed to do a few fun activities.

We visited the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo. It was hard to get good pictures in the dark, but we went on a warm evening and enjoyed seeing all the light displays. Ethan's favorite part was dancing to the musical light show on the pond.

We saw a fun children's theatre production of The Shoemaker and the Elves at the library. It was very well done with all the parts done by just four actors. We all enjoyed it!

Ethan enjoyed playing with his Fisher Price nativity set. He liked to set all the animals and people around baby Jesus and eventually started adding his own stuffed animals and toys to the mix.

I took a picture of me pregnant at 30 weeks. This baby girl will be here before we know it.

Right before Christmas we went to see a Holiday Train display at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Ethan liked seeing the trains and playing with a wooden toy train set. He also liked seeing the Reindeer puppets sing and talk to the boys and girls.

On Christmas Eve day we visited the Creation Museum. It's a museum dedicated to the creation of the world and showing how the word's view differs from God's view of the creation. It was well done. We were also able to see a planetarium show there about the Christmas Star that was very interesting as well. The museum also had a petting zoo outside with donkeys, a camel, cow, goats, wallabies, etc. Since it was over 60 degrees outside we didn't even have to wear jackets. Ethan loved petting them and feeding them and it was fun to see him get so excited about it.

These llamas were inside the museum, but we also fed live ones outside at the petting zoo.

They actually had lots of dinosaurs at the creation museum and Ethan really liked those too. 

First Christmas Eve at our new house

Christmas morning opening gifts

Christmas Day 2015

After Christmas we also did some fun activities. Jason and I got a babysitter so we could go see the new Star Wars movie in the theatre and went out to eat at the Olive Garden, one of my favorite restaurants. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed the movie, food, and time with Jason! We also took a day trip to Indianapolis to visit the new temple there. It's really beautiful inside and out! Jason and I took turns watching Ethan while the other one went inside to do ordinances.

Indianapolis, Indiana Temple

Other December activities including making and delivering Christmas cookies to neighbors, playing games with friends, eating good food, sleeping in when possible, and taking care of a few home improvement projects.

We bought a large area carpet rug to put downstairs in the unfinished basement to give us another play area in the house.

I also put together this wall cabinet for our master bathroom to give us a little more storage room in there.

Thanksgiving weekend

We had a fun Thanksgiving weekend. Andy and Kimra and their three boys drove from Illinois to stay with us for a few days. Of course we spent Thanksgiving cooking, baking, and eating yummy food. The boys went to the park, watched football, and had fun playing together. The weather was so nice that we went for a walk after the big meal to a nearby wooded area that had a rope swing, teeter totter, and nature walk. After pie and more playing we put all the boys to bed and we played a game of Settlers of Catan.

Our Thanksgiving Feast

Kimra and I showing our pregnant tummies. We're both having girls due about a week apart.

The Rope Swing

A pond and nature walk near our house

Game night!

Friday we ventured into Cincinnati and visited the Bengals stadium. We looked through their gift shop and were able to see through some windows into the stadium. The players were actually down on the field warming up for a game they had in a couple days. One of Grant’s favorite teams right now is the Bengals, so that really made his day. 

Players warming up at Bengals stadium

Ethan showing off his Bengal spirit

After the shop we played on the toys at Riverfront Park. The weather was so nice again and it was great to be outside before winter comes.

Drew and Mack were having fun pretending to "kick" Jason on the swing.

That evening after dinner we watched the movie Inside Out and ate popcorn until it was time to put the boys down for bed. We stayed up late talking and telling stories.

Saturday we were sad to say good-bye. We had a great time and are so glad they came to visit us. Ethan loved playing with his cousins and still talks about them 7lln by name. I’m so glad we live within driving distance of each other!

Halloween and some November Pictures

For Halloween Ethan was a Train Conductor

 Ethan really liked trick-or-treating from door to door on our neighborhood street this year. He was just old enough to kind of get it. We have a very active neighborhood community and there were lots of people out trick-or-treating between 6-8PM which is the set time for trick-or-treating here. Ethan loved seeing all the outside decorations--jack-o'lanterns, ghosts on trees, etc. He also saw a mom and dad completely decked out in Elmo and Cookie Monster costumes and afterwards Ethan kept saying "Elmo go?" and looking for them.

Playing hide-and-seek in the curtains

Towel toga, courtesy of Dad. :)

Helping dad put up the Christmas tree

Cleaning up some sticky residue on our basement floor. A "simple" project that lasted 5 days and cost over $50 to fix. The smile is only for the picture. We weren't smiling the rest of the time. :)

Some October Fun

Here are some of the fun things we've been up to around here in October.

We bought our first lawnmower so we could finally get the lawn moved. Yay for craigslist for helping us find a good one!

Ethan and I just enjoying a beautiful day outside, kicking the soccer ball in our very our yard! :)

When I tried to water the lawn, it only took minutes for Ethan to discover the joy of running through the sprinklers. :)

My sister Kristilyn and her daughter Amelia came out to visit us in Kentucky during their Fall Break. It was fun to have them here and it gave Kristilyn a vacation from taking care of her other four children over the weekend.

We had a fun time at Cincinnati Zoo! Our favorite memory was watching the lions and their cubs play/fight. It was very interesting and fun to watch.

Walking the tightrope on the Jungle Walk

Visiting the gorillas

Ethan and me at the Zoo. I'm 20 weeks pregnant, can't you tell? :)

We also enjoyed the library storytime and toys.

And we visited Kinman Farms on Saturday. Ethan loved playing in the corn!

Kinman Farms also had outdoor games, entertainment, and a corn maze

And of course, a tractor ride :)

Kinman Farm pumpkin patch

We visited our nearby elementary school a few times and Ethan learned to swing on his tummy.

Jason and I also went to my 20 week ultrasound. We found out we're having a girl this time and we're very excited! This is especially newsworthy for the Burninghams where the boy cousins currently outnumber the girl cousins 13-3.

The Big Move!

It's official! We now own a home!....With all the benefits and new responsibilities that it entails! The benefits for us include a garage to park our cars, no downstairs neighbors so we can jump and dance as much as we want, a yard and basement for Ethan to play in, and an extra bedroom for visitors and a new baby. The new responsibilities part has already included trips to Lowes and Home Depot for rakes, shovels, ladders, a lawnmower, hedge trimmers, etc. The reality of of home ownership is still sinking in, but we're making it our own and loving it.

The arrangements for closing got a little stressful there at the end, but it eventually worked out after many texts and phone calls and a delayed meeting time. Fortunately, we had plenty of help with packing and getting our stuff moved which was a great blessing for us. Jason's parents flew in the Wednesday night before and worked every day dawn till we couldn't stay awake anymore! It's a good thing Ethan was there to provide the fun and entertainment. :) We had about 20 people from our ward show up to load the truck on Saturday morning. We had so much help that people did a lot of standing and talking, but I don't think people minded too much. We also had 5 people from the Hebron ward help us unload. They were so efficient that we were finished an hour later when 4 more people came to help. I'm also very grateful to Nancy and later Mike for taking care of Ethan a lot of the day so we could get things moved and settled. That was SUPER helpful for me! That evening we were able to take a break and go out for dinner at Applebee's. It was really yummy and Ethan had a blast eating and then playing with his food. :)

Loading up the truck

Our unloading crew at the house

Enjoying a nice dinner at Applebee's after the move

Sunday was a relaxing day at church in our new ward and people were very friendly to us. I think we finally got around to playing a few games together in the evening.

Sunday morning before church

Monday Jason and his Dad made a big trip to Lowes and then spent the rest of the morning digging in our backyard and trying to re-grade the dirt and grass to redirect the water from washing out under the patio. It was hot and dirty work! After a quick lunch and shower Jason's parents were off to the airport to fly home. And Ethan kept asking the next day for Grandma and Grandpa... He definitely misses them!

Digging up the backyard

Grandpa and Grandma Burningham with Ethan

Before the move I had one last Relief Society Meeting with our ward where we got to paint. It was such a fun and relaxing night!

We also got to visit Daddy at work and eat lunch with him.