Christmas Card

This is the Christmas cards I sent out from our family. I glued them to a piece of cardstock so that it was two-sided. I wanted to include some things about our family because when I get cards from people that I haven't heard from in a while, I always wonder how they're doing. So this was my way of sharing a little of what we're up to. Merry Christmas!

For M & E

On Christmas evening, our family went on a walk, double stoller and all, on the river walk to see the lights. My nephews got a scooter and roller blades for Christmas and were upset when we told them they couldn't bring them. So guys, this one's for you.

Our Christmas

A big box - the best toy ever.


We had a wonderful Christmas. It's so much fun with little ones around. My sister, hubby, and all her dear children came to visit for the weekend. Z worked hard to learn how to say her oldest's name. But don't ask him. He'll say it over and over and over, again. Yesterday, I went and got Z the lowercase letters to go with the Word Whammer we got him. He knows all but about 4 of them. Tonight he showed me a 9 and said, "ee". At first, I said, "no, that's a 9." Then I looked again. That smarty pants. I also went and got him this Cranium puzzle that we had gotten our nephew. You put the puzzle together - looks like a where's Waldo scene - and there's cards that have objects for you to find in the puzzle. Then, here comes the best part in Z's opinion, you get to circle them with a dry erase marker. He loved that part. I put a few of the toys away for when he gets bored with these. We haven't done Christmas with dh's family, yet. So I haven't gotten to give MIL my scrapbook. It turned out SO awesome. I'd highly recommend Shutterfly. Well, my apologies for the dull blog. I didn't have much to say, but I hadn't blogged in a while. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too.

Don't Let Dad See This Picture

On Sunday, dh and I took the kids to a Christmas festival held at a church here in town. It was all free and we had a lot of fun. They had a "train ride," crafts, lots of food, and Z's favorite, a bounce house. He climbed up these aired-up steps all by himself and went down this tall steep slide without any hesitation. That slide had to be at a 60-70 degree angle. He was by far the youngest one going in and out of that bounce house. So brave and laughing all the way. But then when it came time to sit with Santa to take a picture, heck no! He was stuck solid, his feet glued to the floor. Would not move near that crazy bearded man. I'm not one to do Santa stuff, but it was a free picture and well, I'm a scrapbooker. I was torn between my hobby/cheap self and my convictions. My hobby won. Had I known it was going to be such a poor picture, I might not have stood in line so long waiting for them to print it. I now wish I would have brought my own camera. Ca smiled so sweetly.
I don't think Z realized what that guy was doing to his face when he was painting on it. He couldn't see in that mirror, but when he got home and daddy washed his hands, he looked in the mirror and smiled real big, "Boot-all!" He loved looking at it. After his bath, he looked in the mirror again, puzzled. "Gone, gone." It was a fun family night.

Brothers

The boys are starting to act like brothers, now. I've caught them playing together, Z being bossy (see "Retraction"), and Z trying to hurt Ca. Now, that's a sibling! Z was shaking his head at Ca, and Ca was doing it back at him. They were both laughing and having a good time. Then last night, I was dressing Z on the floor after his bath, and Ca crawled up to Z's face and starting shaking his head again at him. It's like they have their own secret game. Well, I guess it's not a secret anymore, I just told "blog world". Way to go, Mom. Ruin everything.

Retraction

Ca crawls now. He learned on Friday and is getting fast quick. The other day, I was in the kitchen and the boys were in the living room, I hear Z "Ca-ee, Ca-ee, no, Ca-ee, no, no." Ca was crawling towards the Christmas tree. Thanks big bro'.

Christmas Tag

Christmas Questions:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely paper. It's just more fun.

2. Real or Artificial Tree? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving or the day after.

4. When do you take it down? Jan. 1st or 2nd. I used to leave my snowmen out until V-day, but too many people would ask, why do you still have your Christmas stuff out? I got tired of explaining that they're winter, not Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? Can't remember what it taste like. I think I've only had it once.

6. Favorite gift received? Always like cash. Or clothes.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. Mom got it for me, I think the first year in our house. I really love it, but I'd like to get a plastic set so Z could play with it and we could talk more about the Christmas story with it.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for? my kids - they can't talk, so no complaining, yet.

10. Worst Christmas gift you've ever received? stuff I don't need and just takes up a lot of space. We have a small house and I hate junk.

11. Do you have a favorite ornament on your tree? Every year, I love getting out my ornaments. "Oh, I love this one." then another. "oooooh, this is my favorite." then another "I forgot about this one." Maybe my favorite are these ones that are picture frames that I put our yearly Christmas pictures in. Love Christmas photos.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Maybe - You've Got Mail. I'm a Meg fan.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually the week before, but this year, we went in mid-Nov.
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14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes. Junk I don't need that takes up space in our small house.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? spiced desserts/drinks. Ones that smell like Christmas. Gingerbread latte.

16. Clear or colored lights on the tree? Clear.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Love this song: "I love the winter weather, when the two of us can get together. There's nothin' sweeter or finer, when it's nice and cold when I get home. My baby closer to me. Collect the kisses that are due me. I love the winter weather, when I've got my love to keep me warm." Really, I love most Christmas songs, but they can all be done badly. SOmetimes I pull out the music in the summer just for fun.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Stay home, mostly.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? no

20. Angel or star on top of the tree? Used to have an angel, but new tree is smaller and it looked funny up there. Now I have a bow.

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Both.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? lost focus of the meaning of it.

23. Does Santa leave gifts wrapped or unwrapped? Hmmm - You know Santa's not real, right?

24. Do you leave cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve? See #23

25. What is your favorite Christmas memory? It's all good.

I tag Meems and Delightful Amor

More Bullets

-Ca has learned to pull up on things. I lowered his bed just in time. Tuesday morning, when I went to get him, he was SCREAMING (usually, he just cries). He was standing up. I had just lowered the crib the day before. When I looked at his face, he had blood on it. His first bloody accident. I'm assuming when he was trying to get up, he busted his lip or something. He's not yet crawling, but can get to a standing position. Weird, eh? He did military crawl, yesterday, though.
-We went to our new gym, yesterday. It's nice! The nursery has a big play gym with a tube slide and everything. TV's on all the treadmills, smoothie shop, and even workout equipment (hee hee).
-I'm almost done with my scrapbook for my MIL. I had to design a cover for it. Ok, so I didn't HAVE to, but since shutterfly presented me with that option, I felt obligated.
-Ca keeps scratching his nose - right by his eye. He's had several different scratch marks in the same spot for a few weeks now. I clip his nails all the time. Maybe I should put mittens on him. Now, that's a good way to make a baby mad. Take away his fingers.
-Loving the Christmas season - really need to go shopping, though. We do have presents under the tree. Impressed? Well, get this - the paper matches the tree, oooooo - so pretty. Thanks for the idea, A.
-Ca has fallen down like 4 times since I've been typing. Poor guy.
-Z has learned his numbers, now. Not exactly sure how. oh, that rhymed. Last night I pulled down the mat numbers (I had put them up cuz he was getting the letters/numbers comfused), and he knew all of them. I think it's from his toy laptop. There's a game that ask you to find a number and shows a picture of it. So he can find them by looking at the picture, but it turns out, he doesn't need to picture, now. Smarty pants. Now, if I can just get him potty trained.
-Gave up on potty training. A., watchout, you might get another kindergartener that's not potty trained.
-I taught Z how to say Ernie by explaining that it's the "r" sound followed by "knee". He had been saying "owie". Then he says, "ERRR- owie". Now, he really concentrates when saying it and is really pronounced. "ERRR-nee". Cute.

Time's a Ticking

For those of you interested in me making you Christmas photocards, time is running out. I don't know what day is the last day to mail cards so that they'll get there before Christmas - I suppose that depends on where you are sending them, but I'm sure there isn't a whole lot of time. I'd need up to a week depending on how busy I get to make your card, so if you wanted one, you need to get a picture to me, soon. Just to note, I haven't started on my own, yet, either. We tried to do pictures this weekend, but weather didn't permit. Hopefully, I can get some good pictures this weekend.

Should Be Cleaning

Ca's somewhat happy, and dh and Z are gone. Instead of cleaning the house, I'm tweaking these pages. I decided to post them so that I'd just quit.