And the Winner is...

well, we'll get to that in a minute. :)

First, thanks to all who played along. It was fun to see the responses on the returned quizzes. We had people drop off papers, email answers, blog comment entries... so many ways to keep in touch.

So, go ahead and check your work... the correct answers are written in red below -


Lots of surprises for Jason this year, but which one of these was NOT one of them:
a) Falling through the ceiling
b) Having so much fun at a Taylor Swift concert
c) Wendy now loves vegetables (Come on, did you really think this would ever happen?!?)
d) Realizing that driving a minivan, while a blow to man’s ego, really isn’t all that bad

An expensive kid, Owen managed to break:
a) Our laptop
b) Our motion-sensored trash can (twice!)
c) Several toys
d) 4 Christmas ornaments
e) All of the above (Sad, but unfortunately true!)

Wendy & Jason love Craigslist! Which of the following amazing and practically free finds did they not score from Craigslist?
a) a patio set (practically begging for refurbishing!)
b) roof rack for our van (ready for abuse!)
c) washer & dryer (potential communicable diseases and all!)
d) new BBQ grill

The kids’ official bedtime is what?
a) 7:30
b) 8:30
c) 9:30
d) What bedtime?

That said, what time do the kids actually go to bed on most nights?
a) 7:30
b) 8:30
c) 9:30
d) What bedtime? (We plan to work on this...)

After selling our house, we found ourselves homeless for a spell. How did we feel about packing up and living with Grandma & Papa Thompson for a while?
a) Grateful
b) Grateful
c) Grateful
d) Grateful

When was Baby Addison was born?
a) The Fourth of July
b) Father’s Day
c) Her birthday
d) Both b & c

We stopped writing this quiz midway through because:
a) it’s X-Factor elimination night!
b) Christmas carolers are here!
c) we had to stop Owen from eating out of Hailey’s dog bowl (although we had quite a few people guess "c" as the correct answer...)

What event occurred exactly one week after Addison was born?
a) We moved to our new house (although some one pointed out that it was technically only 6 days after Addie's birth, not 7 full days)
b) Jason started a new job
c) Wendy learned that grocery shopping with three kids in the cart leaves no room for, well…groceries

Avery’s first time to California; Owen’s first plane ride; Addison’s first dip in the Pacific Ocean; Jason’s first lovely sister. All these are thanks to what?
a) Uncle Nathan and Aunt Melissa getting hitched
b) Winning the lottery and genetic science

Jason avoided Facebook again this year. What does he tell people who ask him why he’s not on Facebook?
a) I believe in real friends
b) I can’t stand the unfriending
c) It’s far too complicated, I’ll just tweet

Wendy and the kids fill many days with:
a) Playing at the park
b) Art projects
c) Reading books
d) Playdates with friends
e) Picking up. Picking up again. And picking up some more.
f) All of the above

What do you think of the quiz so far? (This was a gimme... we won't force you to like our idea)
a) Whose dumb idea was this, anyway?
b) This is fun!
c) A prize? Really?

How was Jason the biggest pain in the butt this year?
a) Insisting we all wake up by 7am on Saturdays
b) Getting rid of cable TV
c) Giving Wendy weekly progesterone shots while she was pregnant – in the caboose! (Glad this won't be included in next year's quiz!)

Owen’s got a lot to say these days. His current favorite expression is?
a) Jus kimming! (“Just kidding”)
b) Mamma told that! (as in “Mom told me that I could, so there!”)
c) I do it!
d) Actually, no. (as in, “Yes, I’ll eat broccoli. Actually, no. I won’t.”)

Which of the following is not something Wendy would like to find more time to do?
a) Organize and alphabetize our DVDs (Really? Why would I spend precious time doing something that will be destroyed within moments?) :)
b) Design landscaping for back yard
c) Play more piano
d) Take more photos
e) Start kickboxing again

And now... drum roll, please...

We begin with honorable mentions~

First person to return quiz?
Carmen Pynn

The only people who actually paid $.44 to mail responses?
Grandpa George Pynn, Bridget and Tymon Johns

The person who made up their own answers to the most number of questions?
Amber McAllister

The people who turned in their answers just in the nick of time?
Alyssa Mackelprang, Heidi Jarman, and Kari Perry

The couple with the most correct answers?
Larry and Velma Thompson

But, you didn't have to have the right answer to enter the drawing!

So, without further adieu, the winner is...

Matt and Kim Fairbanks!!

Are You Game?

We hope that your new year is off to a FABULOUS start!

This year, we were debating whether to write a letter to stick in our Christmas cards or not. We didn't do anything that grand or exciting, so who wants to read a boring list of the ordinary things I've done this year? Not me! Then Jason came up with the idea of sharing our year's highlights in the form of a quiz - to make it at least a little more exciting. And with the chance to win a prize? That makes it quite exciting, right?

The idea is that if you complete the quiz and return the answers in some way (email, phone, blog comment, etc) then you are eligible to have your name entered in a random drawing. We will pull out one winning name on January 13th and send them a prize. You don't even have to have the correct answers to be entered! It's worth a shot, right? :)

So, if you haven't played along yet, feel free to try your hand at the questions below...

We will post the correct answers and winner's name right here on the blog on January 14th!

Begin ~
Lots of surprises for Jason this year, but which one of these was not one of them:
a) Falling through the ceiling
b) Having so much fun at a Taylor Swift concert
c) Wendy now loves vegetables
d) Realizing that driving a minivan, while a blow to man’s ego, really isn’t all that bad

An expensive kid, Owen managed to break:
a) Our laptop
b) Our motion-sensored trash can (twice!)
c) Several toys
d) 4 Christmas ornaments
e) All of the above

Wendy & Jason love Craigslist! Which of the following amazing and practically free finds did they not score from Craigslist?
a) a patio set (practically begging for refurbishing!)
b) roof rack for our van (ready for abuse!)
c) washer & dryer (potential communicable diseases and all!)
d) new BBQ grill

The kids’ official bedtime is what?
a) 7:30
b) 8:30
c) 9:30
d) What bedtime?

That said, what time do the kids actually go to bed on most nights?
a) 7:30
b) 8:30
c) 9:30
d) What bedtime?

After selling our house, we found ourselves homeless for a spell. How did we feel about packing up and living with Grandma & Papa Thompson for a while?
a) Grateful
b) Grateful
c) Grateful

When was Baby Addison was born?
a) The Fourth of July
b) Father’s Day
c) Her birthday
d) Both b & c

We stopped writing this quiz midway through because:
a) it’s X-Factor elimination night!
b) Christmas carolers are here!
c) we had to stop Owen from eating out of Hailey’s dog bowl

What event occurred exactly one week after Addison was born?
a) We moved to our new house
b) Jason started a new job
c) Wendy learned that grocery shopping with three kids in the cart leaves no room for, well…groceries

Avery’s first time to California; Owen’s first plane ride; Addison’s first dip in the Pacific Ocean; Jason’s first lovely sister. All these are thanks to what?
a) Uncle Nathan and Aunt Melissa getting hitched
b) Winning the lottery and genetic science

Jason avoided Facebook again this year. What does he tell people who ask him why he’s not on Facebook?
a) I believe in real friends
b) I can’t stand the unfriending
c) It’s far too complicated, I’ll just tweet

Wendy and the kids fill many days with:
a) Playing at the park
b) Art projects
c) Reading books
d) Playdates with friends
e) Picking up. Picking up again. And picking up some more.
f) All of the above

What do you think of the quiz so far?
a) Whose dumb idea was this, anyway?
b) This is fun!
c) A prize? Really?

How was Jason the biggest pain in the butt this year?
a) Insisting we all wake up by 7am on Saturdays
b) Getting rid of cable TV
c) Giving Wendy weekly progesterone shots while she was pregnant – in the caboose!

Owen’s got a lot to say these days. His current favorite expression is?
a) Jus kimming! (“Just kidding”)
b) Mamma told that! (as in “Mom told me that I could, so there!”)
c) I do it!
d) Actually, no. (as in, “Yes, I’ll eat broccoli. Actually, no. I won’t.”)

Which of the following is not something Wendy would like to find more time to do?
a) Organize and alphabetize our DVDs
b) Design landscaping for back yard
c) Play more piano
d) Take more photos
e) Start kickboxing again


Pencils down!
Now all you have to do is get this back to us by January 13th. We don’t care how you do it (drop it off, mail it back, email answers, call with your guesses), but if we get it by the deadline - you’re in! A random winner will be drawn for a prize.

The winner – and correct answers – will be posted on Wendy’s blog, pynnsplace.blogspot.com, on January 14th! Good luck!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning was filled with sleepy eyes on some...
and excited eyes on others!
Stockings and a few gifts before church...
and the rest to be opened later (after a tasty breakfast of chocolate drinks and donuts).
Gifts that were delicious (yes, we are kinda cheap)...
gifts that were oh-so-comfy...
and even gifts that surprised! (What cute little babe on her first Christmas!)
There were things for very sweet big brothers... magical Daddies (Jason opening his new magic trick set from the whole family)...and, of course, there were things for princesses! We celebrated together...
and loved our time together.
We had a very fun-filled Christmas at our house. Unfortunately, Avery was the first to come down with a sickness about 4 days before Christmas. With her fever of 104, we weren't able to visit and play with some of our family in town as much as we would have liked to. Owen and Addie came down with runny noses and yucky coughs on Christmas weekend, and Jason and I were enjoying the bug closer to New Years. We still enjoyed spending time as a family and singing Christmas songs around the house.

We went to see Santa, passed out treats to friends, mailed out Christmas cards, made homemade gifts for family, lots of baking, and plenty of shopping - it was a busy month! But, the best parts were spending time with our extended family, giving thoughtful gifts to those around us, and talking about the birth of Christ each and every day. Although it can't be captured in pictures, we really tried to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Even Owen seemed to understand this year, which made everything more fun.

We hope your Christmas season was filled with family, friends, fun, and - most importantly - the spirit of Christ.

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year! We LOVE Christmas at our house. My goal this year is to have all of our "preparations" done by December 18th this year - 1 week before Christmas. It always seems that we are racing around like crazy right up until 4 AM on Christmas morning. That creates for a stressful holiday season. Our motto is simplify!

That being said, there are just some traditions that you gotta do, right? :) Here's a few of the things that have been going on around our house...

Countdown to Christmas~

This year we began a new tradition. I love children's books, and since the kids are getting a little older we began a Countdown to Christmas with nighttime stories. I wrapped up 24 of our favorite Christmas stories. At the first of the month, we began choosing 1 book each night to unwrap and read at bedtime. Some of the books were more Santa-ish, but more than half were all about the birth of Jesus. The kids loved unwrapping a gift each night. And the best part was - all it took was a roll of wrapping paper and an hour of my time! I'm looking forward to doing this again next year!



Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree ~

This year we branched out (ha, ha, ha) and tried a new kind of tree. A friend told us about a local blueberry farm that had Christmas trees for sale. It was not publicized, so no one really new about it. They just had some gorgeous Noble Fir trees that they were thinning out, so they were selling them to passerbys who happened to drive on this back road. We got a 10 foot tree for a fantastic deal. We'd never tried a Noble Fir, but it was so cheap that we figured, "Why not try it this year?" Even though we didn't get the whole go-out-in-the-woods-and-chop-down-your-own-tree experience, we were very happy. The night we went to get it was cold and super foggy (hence the spots on our photos below). We were out there with headlamps on our heads. It was a fun family outing.

Addie was a perfectly patient and happy little tree hunter.

Decorating the Tree~

The kids were super excited to decorate the tree this year. They were very "helpful". At least 5 ornaments were broken within a 30 second period... oh well. We had a good time putting all the unbreakable ones on the bottom half of the tree. :)

Jason helping Avery reach the top.

Owen, trying to be very careful as he adds an ornament.

Admiring our work

I love this ornament. I gave it to Jason as a Christmas gift the first year we had Avery.

This is the view that the presents have sitting under our tree.

Christmas Eve is here...

A Gingerbread Neighborhood

A few years ago, Avery and I invited over a few friends to make Gingerbread Houses together. We used to do a Gingerbread House Day when I taught 1st grade, and it is one of my favorite memories. And the fact that we love candy and frosting around this house, makes the tradition a continuing favorite. We didn't do our annual house building party last year (having just sold our house, teaching preschool, and being pregnant), so we were so excited to have a few people over again this year!

The gingerbread houses were actually made out of graham crackers, but it's not about the house anyways, right? I made 18 houses the night before, and then a bunch of friends showed up, with candy in hand, to decorate! It was a little crazy, but very fun. Including all the moms, siblings, and participants, we had at least 30 people here to party with. We watched some Rudolph, decorated our homes, and taste-tested a lot of treats. We had a few friends who couldn't make it due to conflicting Kindergarten schedules or preschool parties... I am sad to think that next year our schedules will become even trickier. So glad that we could make the time for happy little memories like this!

Only a portion of the candy supplies and frosting

A little Rudolph to entertain those who are waiting

This is where the magic happens

So happy to know all these fun Moms who like to play along

Serious concentration

Avery, taste-testing a possible decoration

More creations...

Owen, next to the finished houses

Avery with her finished product (love the face on the side)

A few of the kids with their homes

Leavenworth Lights

The first weekend of December, we took a fun family trip over the mountains to a little town called Leavenworth. The whole place was transformed into a Bavarian Village a few decades ago, and it is the perfect setting for a Christmas celebration. Each weekend in December, they have a tree lighting ceremony where they light up not only the trees, but all the little shops in the downtown plaza. Jas and I had gone 6 years ago, before we had kids, but it was fun to go back this year.

Our great friends, the Kleins, came with us to see the festivities. We love getting together with their family, and we don't get to see each other as much as we would like. It was a very quick trip during a busy time of year, but we're so glad that we had the chance to go.

We spent Friday night at a hotel in Wenatchee, the next town over. Jason had to work all day, so we didn't even get over there until 8 PM. The kids were so excited to sleep in the big beds and stare at the trains out the window. Then, in the morning, we went out to breakfast and headed to Leavenworth.

We walked through shops, got a bite to eat, and people watched. It was very busy with at least a couple thousand people milling around this tiny town square. We had bundled ourselves up really well, but it was surprisingly not too cold. Until the sun went down, and then all of a sudden the freezing set in. As we were waiting for the tree lighting ceremony to start, poor Owen begin to feel the drain of the no-nap-day. With his mittens dangling from his little hands and his hat pulled down tight on his head, he kept saying to me, "I so cold, Momma. Go car. I so cold."

It really was a beautiful sight when they lit all the trees and buildings. People were singing and it certainly felt like Christmastime. With our heater turned on full blast and a little peppermint hot chocolate from McDonald's, we headed home in a very comfortable fashion. It was a fun weekend that the kids are still talking about! We love this time of year!

Gettin' ready for bed

Checking out the train tracks in the morning

Coming into the town of Leavenworth

Owen meeting Santa for the first time this year...
last year he screamed, this year he was brave.

Meeting Rudolph (and the Grinch behind Monique)

Owen found this tractor puzzle that he was in LOVE with,
unfortunately it was too expensive to take home.

He just had to go inside to check it out.

All of us meeting Santa later in the day (Avery had to work up her courage).

These boys are so cute! Parker and Collin loved to hang with Addie.

Addie was such a great baby as we wandered through town.

The main square getting ready to be lit.

The shops

Our family, waiting for the lights

Our whole group

The largest tree all decked out... just waiting for the lights!

The Lights!

Downtown