Christmas Fun

We had such a wonderful Christmas. I think it may have been one of the best ones ever.

Okay, okay. I say that every year. But this Christmas just seemed especially wonderful to me. This year, more than I believe I ever have been, I am just so thankful to God for this season. Thankful for what this season means. Thankful for all the 'things' God has blessed our family with. Christmas day just reflected that for me all around--spending time with my hubby and my boys, my mom, and my extended family; opening gifts that really seemed to have some actual thought behind them; playing games and laughing like crazy; it was just all around a wonderful day.

We woke up to the boys--Colin in particular--whispering (sort-of) in their room: "I think it's Christmas....yeah, it's Christmas!" All three of them came and snuggled in our bed for a few short minutes, and then the gift bug bit and they all wanted to go and see what Mommy and Daddy had put under the tree.

Cameron got his favorite movie--The Fox and the Hound!

(*Yay for library book/video sales!*)
Ethan got Wall-E

(*Yay for $15 off at CVS!*)
Colin got one of his new favorite "big-boy" movies--National Treasure! He is really into watching non-cartoon movies, and this one was a real hit with him when we watched it a couple of months ago. He got both the first and the second one.

(*Yay for Family Video selling their used movies for $7!*)

This is his, "Heeeeeyyyyy....I got the Treasure Movie!!!" look.
Ah, a new tradition--hide one gift that is meant for all three boys at the top of the bookshelf, and keep them guessing as to what it is until all the other presents are opened.

It drove them crazy, but they loved it!

The gift? A four-lane racing speedway!

It was immediately out of the package and put to use.

After the boys opened their gifts, we headed into the kitchen to bake some fresh Christmas cookies for my 89-year-old Grandma. She used to make these cookies for me every Christmas when I was a little girl. Of course, she let me help; and she let me think that I was doing most of the work. They always have been and always will be my very favorite cookies, and now I have the privilege of baking them for her.

And, of course, letting the boys help.

And letting them think they were doing most of the work.

Rolling out the dough

Adding the icing and the sprinkles
A little while later, my mom came over and we all opened gifts together.

Ethan's new ginormous dump truck. His whole entire body can actually fit inside the dump part! You just gotta love Tonka.

Mommy's new Bare Escentuals! (I heart BE)

The boys all generously helped me open my presents. Ethan, in particular, was so much fun to watch. Last year, he was a bit young to be too into all the gift opening, but this year, it was all he cared about! Not the items inside, mind you....just the opening part. This kid simply wanted to rip paper! It was so cute.
A new sweatshirt from my mom

Me and my boys. I love this picture.
Shane and his new duds from my mom

Colin digging literally all the way under the tree for Grandma's present

Grandma liked her gift!

Then it was off to my Aunt's/Grandma's house for more family time.

The boys got a VSmile VMotion and 2 games from Granny--they were so excited!

(Our very first gaming system....oh, boy. Here we go.)
My big boy and my sweet cousin Haley--she's more like a sister to me!

Trouble with a capital T!

All the big boys in one spot, most likely plotting an attack of some nature

Me and my mom

All in all, as I said, it was a wonderful day. I just love, love, love Christmas!

How could someone possibly be this dumb?

Someone needs to track this person down and beat them senseless. Or, maybe I should say that someone should beat some sense into them. Yes, yes....that would be much more accurate.

A real, honest-to-goodness Craigslist posting:

CAT FOUND!!

"I found this guy the other day on my back porch. I tried feeding him and it turns out that he is not very friendly because i think he may be scared. Not quite sure the breed but I am assuming he is part Siamese. I have him in a crate because he is not really house broken. If he is yours please reply."

I've said it before and I'll say it again. You just can NOT make this stuff up. This has to be a joke, right? Right?

Typical Cameron

Out of Cameron's mouth

said to Colin

when Colin was doing something that Cameron apparently didn't care for:

"Colin, stop that. You're making me annoying."

Music from Christmas Eve

This year, I had the privilege of directing the children's choir at our church for the Christmas program. The kids did so well! They sang four songs and recited several different verses; there were also a few different speaking parts.

Colin recited Luke 2:11--"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

(Oh my goodness, it was so cute and he did soooooo good! *Ahem*.)

The favorite song of all the children (including my own) by far was this one--"Go, Tell It on the Mountain." Here is a small snippet of it from the program. When it goes into the second chorus, you can actually hear Colin if you know his voice and listen for him! Both boys really sang out well and did a great job.

Cameron is sitting in the front row (in black, with a tie, mind you) and Colin is behind him to the right in a gray sweater. The boys' cousin, Mason, is next to Colin in the red sweater. Enjoy!

I love Mr. Postman

He brought me lots of Christmas cards this year, which I love....but Tuesday, he also brought me this mysterious box....

"Who could this be from?" I thought to myself....and then I saw the return label.

Julie!!

Oh my goodness....a gift from one of my favorite bloggie friends.

What could it be?
Oooh, something in bubble wrap. That means it must be good...

And, when I got it out, this is what I found: 2 very cool tall Starbucks mugs (which have inside meaning between the two of us) and my all time favorite drink--Peppermint Hot Chocolate!--with a note that said:

"Dev--since we may never get to go together in real life....Merry Christmas!"

Thanks a million Julie--what an awesome gift. I love it!

So, when am I treating you to Starbucks in real life?!?

Christmas Wishes

From our family

to yours....

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Food can't do that....or can it?

Most families, I'm sure, have a word for "passing gas."

Ours is "pooter."

It's been our word since I was a little girl. Shane doesn't really care for it *grin* but it is better than the alternatives: fluff....putz....toot....etc.

So, today at lunch, Colin asked me to make one of his favorites--Triscuits with melted cheese.

I used a different kind of cheese than I normally do, 'cause we were out of the other kind....and this new cheese did some odd things in the microwave. I took the plate of crackers out, and the cheese was bubbling and popping all over the place. Odd, to me, because it hadn't even been in there very long.

I set the plate down in front of Colin, and we both watched.

Suddenly, one of the bubbles popped and made a pssssss sound.

And Colin pointed at the Triscuit and, as seriously as someone could be, he said,

"Mom. This Triscuit just pootered."

Olivia turns ONE!

Happy Birthday sweet Olivia....

Uncle Shane, Auntie Dev, Colin, Cameron and Ethan all send giant kisses for you!

We love you!

Mommy vs. Daddy

Every kid does it at some point.

But Cameron hasn't yet....that is, until last night.

We were all sitting together--all five of us, on the couch, lined up this way: Daddy on one end, then Colin, Ethan, and Mommy, and then Cameron on the opposite end--watching a movie together as a family. The boys love when we do this--they call it a "family movie."

The family movie of choice last night, by the way, was KungFu Panda.

We were all sitting and watching, when all of a sudden Cameron excitedly shouted to Shane (and I'm thinking to myself, "Goodness, he's on the other end of the couch, Cami, not on the other end of the house.....):

"Daddy!? Can I have some popcorn?"

And Shane replied,

"No, Cameron....we just ate dinner. Just sit and watch the movie."

To which, Cameron looked up at me with big, sad blue eyes and frowned.

Then, he leaned over, put his little arm around my neck and pulled me in close for what I thought was a cuddly little hug....until he put his lips directly on my ear and whispered,

"Mommy....can I have some popcorn?"

Little sneak.

And so it begins....

Christmas at Thanksgiving

Our family does "Christmas at Thanksgiving", like many families do. Here was our present opening session, in pictures!

Reese, smiling at the thought of some goodies coming her way!
Everyone gathering around, watching Cameron open his choo-choo set

Pretty sure he loved it!

Reese modeling her new PJ's

Callen got a new light-up noise-maker of some sort :-)

And Karie was thinking, "Oh great, something else that needs batteries...."

Olivia's new outfit and Veggie Tale movie

Cameron's new "my first scooter" from Grandma and Grandpa.

And, did you know that scooters are not necessarily an outdoor toy? Cameron has officially convinced me of it. He can ride up and down our hallway at the speed of light. (We just won't talk about the little nicks and dents he is leaving in Daddy's new drywall....)

And, Grandma and Grandpa were wise enough to purchase the matching CARS helmet and elbow pads. I'm pretty certain, knowing my sweet and generally not-so-gentle son (think bull in a China shop), that those safety items will be more heavily used than the actual scooter


E's new GIANT bulldozer (this is a great gift for a boy around 2, if you still have some shopping to do!) that he can be found pushing all over the house at any given time during the day

Oh, yes....and Grandma and Grandpa have officially turned Colin into a gamer with this wonderful Vtech Vsmile Cyber Pocket. He LOVES this thing! I love it too, 'cause he doesn't realize that he is learning while he is playing--I'm sneaky like that

Thanksgiving week always comes and goes so quickly, but it is the most wonderful time!

Deep Thoughts...on Dinner

I'm fairly certain that I am looking forward to the day

when my dinner (or lunch, for that matter...)

will consist of more than

the scraps

from my three boys' plates.

My dinner will be more than

the food that they decided

they 'just did not feel like eating on this particular evening'.*

(*Yes, that came straight from Colin's mouth)

And I'm also quite certain that

the afore-mentioned dinner

will actually be more than barely luke-warm;

it will be piping,

burn-my-mouth

hot.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Thanksgiving Fun--Children's Museum

I only have a couple of pics from our adventure to the Navy Pier Children's Museum

(my camera battery died--boo)

but they were cute and I wanted to post them!

By the way....the word adventure was not a stretch, as we "lost" Colin

two different times.

First time ever that I was really, really scared that he might be really, really gone....

Yikes.

Not a good feeling.

But we "found" him again (twice)

and all was well.

On to the pictures!

Cameron sharing his love of all things dinosaur with Uncle Alan

Do you hear what I hear, E?

Fire safety--that is the cutest fireman/firedog I've ever seen!

Colin--the only one of our boys old enough to climb this massive rope tunnel

it was huge, and he loved every minute of it (I swear this child is part monkey)

Ethan checking out the ambulance with Uncle Roger and Luke

Next up....opening up some early Christmas presents!

My Navtivity

I've always, always wanted a Nativity scene.

I never really saw one I loved (that was within my budget, anyway--holy schnikees are those things expensive!!), but this was one I really liked--and, being that I am a former candle lady myself and had mucho gift certificates left over from my time in PartyLite Land....

I decided to cash in some of those certificates and get this (not-so-cheap) set (for free--YAY).

Now that it is out of the box and lit up every night, I really do love it! It is is much prettier than the catalog--or even the pictures here--show!

In the day.....

and at night

My favorite piece, and the reason this holiday is so amazingly wonderful!


Thank you, Jesus, for giving us the most wonderful reason to celebrate at this time of year!!

I feel so loved when....

Cameron climbs into my bed in the morning,

and worms his way inbetween snuggles with Shane and me.

And he says,

"I love you Daddy."

Awwwwwwww.....

And then he says,

"I like you Mommy."

Great.

*The funniest thing I've read all day*

(From this post by Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer)

On shopping for organic flannel for a hankie she wanted to make for her sister-in-law for Christmas and finding it was very expensive....

"Anyway, I felt a little intellectually dishonest shopping for organic stuff, being, as I am, a fan of Velveeta."

I'm dying. Dying.

Is that as funny to you as it is to me?

Laugh of the Day

I needed a laugh this afternoon--and this provided it! Enjoy!

*****************************************************************************************************************

Little Carol came into the kitchen where her mother was making dinner. Her birthday was coming up and she thought this was a good time to tell her mother what she wanted.

"Mom, I want a bike for my birthday."

Now, Little Carol was a bit of a troublemaker. She was always getting into trouble at school and at home. Carol's mother asked her if she thought she deserved to get a bike for her birthday. Little Carol, of course, thought she did. Carol's mother, being a Christian woman, wanted her to reflect on her behavior over the last year, and write a letter to God and tell Him why she deserved a bike for her birthday. Little Carol stomped up the steps to her room and sat down to write God a letter.

LETTER 1:

Dear Jesus:

I have been a very good girl this year and I would like a bike for my birthday. I want a red one.

Your friend, Carol

Carol knew this wasn't true. She had not been a very good girl this year, so she tore up the letter and started over.

Letter 2:

Dear Jesus:

This is your friend Carol. I have been a pretty good girl this year, and I would like a red bike for my birthday.

Thank you, Carol

Carol knew this wasn't true either. She tore up the letter and started again.

LETTER 3:

Dear Jesus:

I know I haven't been a good girl this year. I am very sorry. I will be a good girl if you just send me a red bike for my birthday.

Thank you, Carol

Carol knew, even if it was true, this letter was not going to get her a bike. By now, she was very upset. She went downstairs and told her mother she wanted to go to church. Carol's mother thought her plan had worked because Carol looked very sad.

"Just be home in time for dinner," her mother said.

Carol walked down the street to the church and up to the altar. She looked around to see if anyone was there. She picked up a statue of the Virgin Mary, slipped it under her jacket and ran out of the church, down the street, into her house, and up to her room. She shut the door, sat down and was finally able to write her letter to God.

LETTER 4:

Dear Jesus:

I GOT YOUR MAMA. IF YOU WANT TO SEE HER AGAIN, SEND THE BIKE.

Signed, You know who