The wonder of Christmas

Tis the season....

Well, we did a quick trip to the beach to see the Northside Park light show that we all love. We were there for only 12 hours, squeezed into a week night. Although you guys were a bit out of sorts, it was worth it!

One of the best parts of going there is seeing Santa. But neither of you were interested? Not sure why. But you passed on sitting on his lap, much to my dismay.

I sure hope we see him again sometime soon so you have a chance to sit and tell him what you want.

Here are a few pictures from our quick overnight adventure.

Tree decorating

What fun.

Christmas Traditions!

Well, Christmas is coming!

We have some made some fun family traditions here that make the season so much fun. You guys make it so much more magical! The elves arrived right after Thanksgiving so they have been here about a week. It was a fun day when they came - of course, your excitement was off the charts. You have lots of questions this year about them. Your biggest question is why do they look different than our other friends elves. Well, when I was a kid, we were the only ones that had Elves visit at Christmas. Now days, there are so many other families lucky enough to have them too (Thanks to Elf on the Shelf). So, it would only make sense that our Elves look a little older because THEY ARE older. They have been coming to us since I was a baby - so naturally, they are getting up there in age. These other elves are younger - Santa has a new set of Elves coming out these days. That explains it, right?

I'm not sure that the elves are helping much on the "behavior" front. Although when you remember, you're on your best behavior but you need a lot of reminders! Right COLE? Hopefully you won't have a stocking full of COAL on Christmas. Perhaps Santa needs to have a personal word with you before this is all said and done? We're working on it right little man?



Our Christmas book basket is out too. You got to pick your first book yesterday, December 1. You alternate days opening a book each day. All of the books are Christmas books. We all love this tradition - guaranteed good books and daily reading time. Sometimes it's a fight (of course) over who gets to open that day but otherwise, it's a hit.




When I was going through the books to wrap this year, there were about half of them that you have grown out of. It breaks my heart to cycle these out but time to move on to "big kid" books. I gave these away to a family with smaller children. I know they will enjoy them all as much as you guys did. I sure will miss them.

 

Our new advent calendar that I made for you this year, has little cards in each day. Some are activities to do together at home, others are charity related. 

 

 

The first one for Dec 1 was to "Read Twas the Night Before Christmas". 

 

 

As it happens, our TTNBC book is one that Mimi gave you guys a few years ago. And it's a recorded voice book that she is reading. It's one of my most treasured gifts that she has ever given to you and you love it too.  So, we changed the batteries that had run out since last year and off you went.  You both layed down together and listened to Mimi read you the book. 

 

 

We have a lot of decorating to finish up today, including the tree. You are very excited, JD, to help with the tree and get all of the ornaments out. For the first time, I think you are remembering old ornaments from years past and this is becoming more fun for you.  I love that. We'll do the tree as a family today - and enjoy each and every ornament as it comes out of the box and goes on the tree.  And then, our next advent calendar card:

 



We'll fit that in somewhere between football games....right Daddy?

 

Love, Mommy

Crossbow

Your latest creation, a crossbow out of paper, duct tape and elastic...

The biggest issue is that you were using it to shoot beads ALL OVER the house. We are now on a bead hunt.

Donuts for Dad

This week is donuts for Dad at school. JD, you are really excited!

Dowwnus for Dads, yume to eit!
Donuts for Dads, yummy to eat!

Anything?

This speaks for itself. JD, we will be saving this for later!

Thanksgiving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving is an understatement. My heart is full today.  There's no better feeling.  We have spent the last few days preparing for today - we have a small group this year which is nice. Although, I do miss having more of our family here to celebrate together.  We're going to have us and the Grandparents - some nice quality time.

JD, you are proud today (not unusual) because you helped to decorate our dinner table. We have homemade placemats, placecards and napkin rings.  It was a joy doing this with you and I just love that our table is so "homemade".  I wouldn't want it any other way.  It's the best table yet.

I have some alone time this morning to reflect a little bit on this thankful day and when I went back to my blog 6 years ago, I fell apart.   It was 6 years ago TODAY that we finally had you both home from the hospital.  I remember so vividly that year just telling our family that I didn't care at all about thanksgiving dinner or any of the holiday hoopla - I just wanted the day at home with my babies. And we got it. We pushed so hard to get out of there by Thanksgiving.  Having you boys reunited (JD, you were already home) and our family under one roof for the first time was a feeling I will never ever forget.  Every thanksgiving for forever, I will go back to that day and smile (and cry, I'm sure).

We have made our "I'm Thankful For...." lists.
Here's what you guys are thankful for this year:

JD:
My life
For everything you and Daddy do for me
My Family
My cousins
My Grandparents
Our house
My toys
Mommy, Daddy & Cole
Having my family over for Thanksgiving

Cole:
My Family
TV
My stuffed animals, blanket & toys
My brother
My friends
My cousins

I am looking forward to a wonderful day with all of you today. I am blessed beyond measure and don't know how I got so lucky.  You guys are my everything. I can't wait to cozy up on the couch and watch the Macy's day parade together....you make me so proud and happy.

Love,
Mommy

Kiss Room

JD, this was your latest art that I found on our bedroom door. My, you are smarter than we thought....

Door Decor

October 2012

JD's Spider Trap

"caution, you will get trapped by the spider"

We had an extra large cardboard box and this is what it turned into!

My Family, through Cole's Eyes

Rules....

This is the latest sign that JD has posted on his bedroom door:

JD, the craft boy

A boy after my own heart. The last few months, your creativity has really blossomed. When I ask what you would like to do in your free time, you always say "crafts Mom". Each and every afternoon, you disappear down to our office and start working on some sort of drawing or project. Its so awesome! You seem to have brainstorm ideas at odd times and then you have to race down to do them. Immediately. I am saving all of them - from brown bag hand puppets to signs for your bedroom door.

Here are a couple recent ones. The "Members only" sign went on the sunroom door. The prayer sign is my favorite. You came upstairs with an extra large sign that you had written "we can pray" on. Then you asked Daddy and I if we had some prayers to add. Which we did.

I love your creativity my love. And I love to do your projects with you. Its our special time together, which I treasure so much.

Pit stop

On our afternoon bike ride, we stopped at the dock for a rest. We even got some sillies out. I love these afternoons with you guys!

Picture Day...nightmare

I am sure this is just the first if 12 long years of fights over picture day outfits. I think this might be one of the battles I need to choose not to fight.

In an effort to minimize the fight in the morning, we picked out the clothes last night; everything fit and all agreed on the outfits.

Silly me. Suddenly this morning none of it fit and it was the worst outfit EVER. REALLY? You would have thought I was making them wear a 3 piece suit! It was just a rugby shirt and khakis! And I didn't even ask them to wear nice shoes (I said sneakers since it was PE day)!

Not the best way to start the week off. Cole, you yelled, screamed, threw your clothes and cried for 30+ minutes. JD, you grumbled but humored me. Thank you for that. It was painful.

School pictures are the worst anyway. I only buy them for posterity; and they cost a ridiculous fortune for crummy posed pictures.

I had an a-ha moment this morning. Next time, you guys can wear whatever you wish. It will make for better pictures anyway since you will be happy with your clothes. And I am sure the outfits will give us a good laugh someday.

I am choosing my battles and this is not one I am going to fight again. I hope I remember this next year!

SOCKS!

Cole, your sock routine is going to put me in an early grave. Your Dad and I have been laughing (and pleading for you to hurry up and to be more reasonable) for a few weeks about this and it's time for me to get this down in writing because someday you won't believe me when I tell you....

If there is a day when you have PE or soccer practice, you have to put socks (and non-flip flop types) on your feet. You are so used to flip flops from summer that this has been an incredible adjustment for you.  Ridiculous as this may sound.

You will not wear "high socks" unless it's with your shin guards, which leaves only "low socks" which are going to be freezing come winter. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Nonetheless, just picking out socks is AT LEAST, a 20 minute event.  You sit in your closet and pull apart every.single.pair of socks that are in there - searching for the perfect pair. I have absolutely no idea what your sock criteria are - whenever I ask, you get belligerent.  It makes you angry, to the point of tears, almost every time.  And it frustrates me because I have to go behind you and re-match the socks.

When you finally arrive at a pair that seem to work, you have to inspect them for any threads that might be dangling - and then we have to cut them.  With scissors.  BEFORE you will put on any shoes.  It's kinda like the tag thing - you demand cutting out any and all tags from clothes, including underwear, if you are going to wear them.

Back to the socks.  After we have made it over the sock on the feet hurdle, we have to start getting shoes on. This is almost as bad, since the socks usually bunch up in your shoes or slip down or whatever. It's just never right. We put on and take off your shoes about 3 times before they fit perfect. It's CRAZY!

Suffice to say, that we start getting shoes and socks on at least 30 minutes before we have to go anywhere.  And usually, that's the exact amount of time you need, without a minute to spare.

What gives? What is the sock issue? I wish I knew so I could help. Instead, I get frustrated, try to laugh, and do a lot of disciplining of your brother during this time as he continuously harrasses you about how long it takes for you to get your socks on....

Good times. Good times.

Fall Soccer

You guys are loving fall soccer! You have a fun team and great coaches. Coach Michael and Casey are awesome. Both of you have taken to the game and seem to enjoy every minute on the field. Daddy and I are so proud of you. GO BOOMERANGS!

Never forgotten

I just love that when the kids doodle and draw (and other things), they always remember Calvin...JD did this today and it warmed my heart.

Your first day of school- TOGETHER!

And what a difference a day makes! You guys literally RAN to the bus today. You couldn't wait to go to school. It was awesome to watch.

Cole's first day of Kindergarten!

You did it Cole! You did it!

Our photo session was a struggle. You tried very hard NOT to smile but I got a couple of half smiles out of you. You just hated that I was making a big deal out of you...but we had to have a few pictures!

It wasn't easy for you this morning. But you dug deep and got on that bus. When you got up this morning, you were seemingly excited and kind of goofy. A couple of times, you disappeared up to your room alone but came out when I called you. I knew you were nervous but you were acting like you were ok. When we left the house for the bus stop, you finally said "Mom, I'm not riding the bus you know". We continued our trek and by the time we were at the bus stop, you were side tracked.

The bus came after about 10 minutes and you willingly took my hand as I walked you to the bus door. Then, you crumbled to the ground and cried that you couldn't go. You sat on the road in a heap. It broke my heart. You were scared. Of the bus.

I was able to pick you up and your bus driver let me bring you on. I put you in your seat and kissed you goodbye. I had to leave you in tears. As I watched the bus go down our street with my scared boy on it, I knew you were going to be just fine. I called on Calvin to give you a little extra help. I think he did.

The day went soooo slow! I couldn't wait to see you get off of that bus. And when you did, you had that cute little smirk on your face and I knew you loved it. You even said that the bus was your favorite part. You were a chatterbox about your day.

I am so proud of you for making this HUGE milestone and pushing through something that was so hard and scary for you. This new milestone will serve you well later in life. You might always remember this day.

I love you so crazy much and have never been so proud. I can't wait to watch you learn and blossom in school. You have so much to look forward to. We are with you every step love bug. You are going to crush Kindergarten. Love you buddy!