Decorating for Christmas

Well, it finally happened!  I no longer have to baby proof the house!  So, several more decorations made their way out of the tubs this year!! Yay! In addition to that, the kids were WAY excited to help, so I put them to work on the nativities straight away.  They also both have a small tree that they got to choose where to put.  Grace put hers in the bed room where they sleep and Cooper put his in the bathroom.  So cute.  (Also, Grace learned that the bulbs get HOT and burned her finger so badly she had a blister for several days! )  Here is some of the other fun stuff...

Christmas tree foot prints we made last year.

My cross stitch pictures from Toby and roommate Nikki  :)

Snowman nativity from Theresa  :)

Rainbow getting in the spirit with some Scami snowmen

Seasonal snowmen.... in order per Grace's request.  :)

Our musical snow globe - a hit for several years from the Paskos

Snowflake flannel sheets (WAY on clearance last year!) with fun foil snowflakes

And no holiday is complete around here without some free printables from TipJunkie!  :)

So excited that our snowmen decorations (That are all in one place) can stay up all winter!  :)

Good times this year!!!

Christmas Treats

I try to get to preschool early on the day I know the sign up sheet for the party will be out so I can get plates, napkins, doughnuts, etc - 'cause it's just easier.  :)  But for Grace's party list day, Cooper had to potty so there was no time to get to it before everyone else did.  So, treats it was!  She helped me make the cookies - one each for each kid.  Good times!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Past (2010)

This post is a mess - I admit it.  But it is too hard to reorder pictures once posted, so I apologise, but it will just have to do.  I think it appropriately captures the season, though.  Read on.... As I was trying to plan Christmas Jammies for this year, I went back to last year's blog to see what the kids wore on Christmas morning.... I couldn't find any Christmas posts!!!  What the?!  Well, as I now recall, I was in a serious funk  last year at Christmas time.  (As is evidenced by the fact that any December updates were done in February!)  Unfortunately, I missed blogging about our Christmas morning, and it also affected Tim as well, as I don't think he even wrote in our Christmas journal.  This makes me sad for last year's Christmas, but I'm so thankful we are not repeating the past this year.  So, as I use this as our family journal, I don't want to miss the good parts of last year.  So here is a brief recap of last year's Christmas - what I can remember. 

The kids got a fishing game that they challenged Grandma and Grandpa to.  :)

Our first Christmas at The Farm with Cousin Nick.

Naptimes were still big last year and it was a HOOT to find where he would give in and sleep!

There was a lot of baking.... Cooper helping with the recipe.

Grace's main request was a stuffed Santa.  I FINALLY found them the week before Christmas!

We gave the kids a camera.  We have LOTS of fun pictures of the ceiling, couch, feet, curtains, etc.  So fun to see what they see!

More nap time fun.  :)

The last two winters have been hard on me for some reason, so I decided to be proactive this year.  November was the new January for me and I hit the Y with a vengeance and started watching what I was eating.  (There was some incentive from my children who were constantly taking pictures of me from their eye level that made me look very pregnant, as well.)  And, I'm happy to report, it has worked!  I exercise 4 times a week, have cut back on carbs if I can, and allow one sweet thing a day.  I'm going to "splurge" today and tomorrow, but then I'm back at it.  This season has been so fun with the kids and we're looking forward to seeing family.

Updates of this year to come soon!!

Birthday Boy!

We delivered Christmas cookies to one of Tim's classes for his birthday.  He finished up his review while the kids played on the desks, and then some snuggle time with Dad for a bit while watching some of the movie he was showing.  Back home that night we went out for dinner and then had monster cookies with frosting!  Happy Birthday to the best dad ever!

Packed 'Em Up

In a pre Christmas purge and organize last week, I packed up the pull ups and rags. 

Wait, what?!?! 

Cooper gave up his rags last month when we told him big boys don't need them.  Moot continued to need them for about a week, and then he, too, was over them.  "That was easy."  So we also tried sleeping in big boy underware.... and it worked!  Thankfully he still likes me to sing to him when I snuggle with him at bedtime, but he is no doubt NOT a baby anymore. *Tear.  *Sniff.  But he's still my baby.  *Sniff.

Wacky Wednesday

Once a month the kid's preschool hosts a Wacky Wednesday night for families.  We made ornaments with them and then the kids put on an impromptu Christmas Pageant for us.  Grace was the inn keeper and Cooper was the inn keeper's brother.  :) 

For the Love of Hot Chocolate

From scratch, none the less.... and with marshmallows.  :)

The First Snow

This year's First Snow....

~Started around 12:45 - I know this because the kids were arguing about it snowing... it had just started to change from rain to snow, and Grace was mad that Cooper was saying it was snowing.  *Sigh

~Was not going to be played in by us... too damp; too cold.  But after my friend said, "Why Not?" I decided she was right!  So off we went.  Grace noticed right away, "Mom - it takes longer to get ready to go out in the winter than in the summer!"  So smart.  

~Was beautiful.

~Piled up quickly!

~Caused our first school delay!  Yay!

~Inspired this FB post:    "Tell me again why we don't all live in Arizona? I propose we all pack it up and move out there.... I'm sure they have plenty of room. All I'm saying is that children who could once get themselves dressed and in the car are now rendered completely helpless by socks, shoes, hats, gloves, zippers, and car seats. And it's not even DECEMBER! However, I did enjoy hearing them giggle when they heard The Chipmunks sing for the first time on the radio today. :) But, I'm sure they have The Chipmunks in Arizona."

~Yielded these beautiful pictures and 1/2 and hour of fun for the kids! 

(Sorry, but I've kept the best one back for Christmas cards!  I'll post "the one" later for Christmas wishes:) )

You are FABULOUS!

Happy Birthday to Aunt TaTa! 

I made a yummy sugar free trifle with excellent directions from Christine!  :)  However, instead of beef sauteed with peas and onions, I used pizza burgers.... ok not really.  ;)  ("Friends" reference)

Christmas Pictures

We met Nick and Laura at the Honeywell Center to attempt some Christmas pictures.  Not too bad this year!  :)  The Center is AMAZING!  And, as always, the out takes are just as good as "the one"!

And after pictures, the kids got to paint a Christmas ornament at Make it Your Own open house.  We love that place!