Next year they are just getting the empty box...

Monkey see...
Monkey do...

and they thought I couldn't see them...Next year...no presents, just the empty totes!

Santa at the Mall

The day before Christmas Eve we headed out to the mall to visit Santa. Parker fully understands that this isn't the real Santa, but a helper of Santa's. This is the guy who will let Santa know what you would like for Christmas.

He went right up to him and said hey Santa, do you like my new Christmas jammies? He had been at a jammy/pizza party at daycare all day and that is what he wore to see Santa.

He told this Santa that he wanted some pretend puppies and Emmitt wanted some lions. Pretend ones, not real ones. Emmitt wouldn't come near Santa, he stood on the sidelines. When he thought I wasn't looking he would try to eat snow from the floor of the mall that people had tracked in with their boots!

As we were leaving Emmitt gave the big guy a wave goodbye. Santa came down the hall to give him a treat and gladly took it from him.

Until next year....

Sledding on the back nine

We decided to spend Christmas Eve morning at the golf course. It couldn't have been better. We had just gotten a ton of new snow, new sleds and a family to go down the hill with.

Shelby enjoyed hanging out with Emmitt and sledding down the hill with her cousins and aunties.
Emmitt wasn't too sure about going down the hill. I took him on my lap once and that was plenty for him. He got whitewashed on the way down and screamed until he was back under cover in the gazebo.

Nick had some great moves on the snowboard and a great face plant in the snowbank.

Tammy thought it would be fun to try to go down the hill on her belly. Well she hit the "ramp" and caught some air. She did a complete flip in the air and landed on her back. We knew she was okay when she came up white faced and laughing.Soon Scott followed and caught some air at the ramp. I'm still laughing at that one.Oh, Tracey came down and flipped off the ramp. I look at this picture and cannot figure out what angle her leg is at.Then to two sisters thought they would take the Monster sled down the hill together. Well of course they hit the ramp and crashed.

Nick's face plant off the hill via the snowboard.

By the time lunch rolled around we still had to walk the 1/2 mile back out of the course to the gate and our vehicles. Emmitt was beyond down and ready to go home.Uncle Scott pulled the boys out as we all followed carrying the sleds...what a fun morning.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Merry Christmas to All and to All Goodnight!

Sprinkles, frosting, & more sprinkles

We decorated sugar cookies this weekend and I still have frosting and sprinkles throughout my house! What a blast though. Emmitt actually knew what to do this year with decorating the cookies. Each cookie he started to put frosting on, he ended up eating the whole thing. Not to mention the bowl of sugar frosting. He would repeatedly say no more everytime I busted him with a cookie in his mouth.

Parker insisted on decorating an angel first and wanted it to be pink. Then he got the sprinkles out and wow! lots of sprinkles were used.

The boys were actually licking all the frosting off the little knives and redipping...we only fed them to family so no big deal.

Parker told Emmitt that the frosting on his chin made him look like Santa. Whenever Emmitt hears the word Santa he ho, hos. Only 2 hos, not 3. Way cute.

Angels we have heard!

Parker had his Christmas program yesterday at church. Last year he did not say a word. This year, he sang loud enough that we all heard him.

Apparently at practice last week he sang so loud that the little girl next to him stomped off mad and crying. He did manage to tone it down a bit to sing nicely during the program.
We were a bit surprised that he learned all 3 songs: Away in a Manger, Silent Night and Joy to the World. It was a cute program and he definitely likes to be up in front of people. I foresee some acting in his future!

22 Months and he has escaped...

At 22 months you officially escaped from your crib and forced mommy and daddy to make you a big boy. We had been putting that off for as long as possible. But last week I got the call from Stephie at daycare asking if you crawl out of your crib at home. You had been crawling out of the playpen at her house. I said no. You hadn't even tried. The very next morning I see you at the bottom of the stairs smiling the biggest smile. You were so proud of yourself for crawling out of the crib and surprising all of us. Friday night-the first night routine after you had crawled out-I put you back into your crib 15 or more times. I would put you in, say goodnight, close the door and by the time I got back in bed you were standing at my door! I tried to stay mad at the fact that it was going to be a long night but I couldn't help but laugh at your expression when you were standing at the doorway. You would just smile and say hi. By 10:30 I gave in and let you fall asleep with me in my bed.
Saturday night we drove around looking at Christmas lights in our jammies and when you fell asleep in the car we just transferred you into the crib. We sort of cheated, but I was not going to go through a repeat of Friday night.
Sunday morning we made it official and turned your baby crib into a big boy bed. Daddy and I thought back and discussed the pros and many cons of when we did this with your brother. It was months of him sleeping on the floor, in front of the gate and never sleeping in his big boy bed. But when we put you to bed last night you stayed in your bed! You just kept saying pillow. blankie.lion. I let you jump around and play in the crib one last time before converting it. You and your brother had fun jumping and climbing. You were so excited to see the side rail go and the new little rail get put on. I am not sure what I was expecting but when you still decided to get out of the bed any way but normal, I can't say I was really surprised.That is just your personality. You do things for show and to see what kind of reaction you can get out of us. You definitely like the spotlight and enjoy performing. You have been saying more words every day. Your vocabulary has exploded in just a few short weeks. Your favorites are naming peoples clothing. mitten.hat.coat.boots. You have really grown up in many ways the last couple of months. I can't believe in 2 shorts months you will be two years old! Where has my baby gone?

Vegas Virgin

So my hubby still continues to surprise me...he was approached by the Ruds to go to Vegas. He has been approached for the last 3 years to go to Vegas and always says no. But not this time. He says "why not?". At first I thought he was talking about just going with some guys, but no, he wants to go as a couple. Just him and I! Of course we would be with the Ruds, but kid free. A quick trip-Friday to Monday. So today, I booked a weekend trip to Vegas. I think I am still a little in shock about how on-a-whim this whole thing is...but super excited. The tickets and hotel are super cheap. I never buy anything in Vegas but food and drinks, so I am sure this isn't going to be cheap after we are done. I don't love Vegas but he is a Vegas Virgin and I plan to show him how much fun it can be! I had a blast one of the first times I ever went to Vegas. It was actually a Curves trip, but I wasn't working it. I took my sister Debs-another Vegas Virgin-and we hardly slept and saw everything in Vegas! We even won some money. We still laugh about the dorky $5 sunglasses we bought in Vegas. Bear and Rich do gamble so I will really get to see that side of Vegas that I don't normally see. Hope to take in a show while we are there...can't wait!
I may even catch Davina while she is still in Vegas...she is always on my list when I am out there.

Exhausted...

I am exhausted! Who knew a weekend away from the kids, shopping (literally) until we dropped, sleeping in (sort of) and a ton of laughing could wear a person out! Me and 3 girls, Erin, Lisa and Regan-took a weekend away to get ALL of our Christmas shopping done. We made it a girls weekend too (of course). We all needed the weekend away and fully deserved every minute of it! I think we can all say we are done or almost done with our shopping. A few of us went overboard and fully admit it. But what a blast! We ate out, enjoyed great food, had a few drinks, laughed until we cried and spent 3 days/2 nights-alone! Meanwhile the daddies all got to bond with the babes. It's nice for the dads and kids to be together alone too-they need their daddy time. Now it's back to the real world...I did not get enough sleep last night-which 8 hours usually does the trick for most people, I don't think there is enough coffee to get me through the day...but I am going to put on a smile, hum some Nick Nagurski Christmas music and do it!