Cookies

We made Christmas cookies!  Andrew and Emily loved helping.  Their helping was mostly trying to eat dough and slapping the cookies into weird shapes.  But they were cute.

 Then the kids decorated them.  Emily kept putting more colors on them and saying, "Look, Mama!  I painting!"

Here are some cookies we made.  My favorite is my Julia Child one.  She lost an arm in the process, but I still love her.  :)

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

I LOVE Christmas.  I mean, I really love it.  I have read a lot of blog entries over the last couple of years about the commercialism and over-doing of Christmas.  I'd like to give my few words on it.

Yes, there are people who take it too far.  Taking out payday loans and using every last cent they have to make sure their loved ones have mounds of gifts under the tree.  Stressing out over family gatherings and trampling strangers in order to get a good deal.  I certainly don't advocate that kind of behavior.  But I am a big supporter of making every day during the Christmas season a magical, special day.  Remembering Christ's birth is in no way marred by the fun and magic of Santa and his little reindeer.  Maybe it's just me, but there is something amazing about seeing a child learn both about the do-gooder who brings presents to the children of the world and the Son of God who came to give us the greatest gift of all - Himself.

Here's a few things we've done so far.

We've been reading a scripture a night about the Savior's birth.  Andrew has really gotten into it and has been "reading" some on his own.  My favorite thing he said is "Heavenly Father made the to world because He loves me."

The local library had a night of pictures with Santa and games and activities.  The kids had such a fun time, and the Santa was really sweet.  I'll post those pictures when we get them.

Here we are waiting to see Santa.

Caught

While at my parents' house, my sister Amy said that it was much too quiet.  So my sister Jeanette went to find the trouble.  And....she found it.  In my parents' room.

 

Oops.

Okay, not really.  It wasn't me, believe it or not.  It was my sister's twins.  They were very thorough with nail polish, cold cream, and perfume.  Gotta love toddlers.  :)

And here was the clean-up crew.  We got a lot of it off, thankfully.  We both felt a bit high by the end of the process, but at least it looked better in the end.  :)

My brother Michael said it best.  "I feel bad thinking this, but when it happens and it isn't my kid....it makes me so happy."  HAHA.  Yep, it happens to the best of us.  :)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was really great this year!  We got to spend the weekend before with the Barnards in Salem and then on Thanksgiving day, Mike's sister and our neice came to visit.  It was great!

Watching the parades and putting together puzzles?  Oh yeah!  I am totally keeping up that tradition.  Emmie and Andrew both enjoyed it.

Mmmmmmmmm........

The spread!  Not pictured was the mounds of extra mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, turkey, and gravy.  It was all sooo tasty (if I do say so myself.)

It was Charlie's first Thanksgiving.  He loved all the attention, the rolls, and the mashed potatoes.

Emily apparently has to have a foot on the table to eat her turkey.

My kids are obsessed with decorations.  Our walls were covered all the month of November with construction paper decorations.  We made a tree and added leaves with things we were thankful for.  We weren't super diligent, so there weren't a lot, but Andrew's were the most interesting.  My favorites are 'potato' and 'all of things.'  That's what I am thankful for most right now.  All of things.

You may have to click on this picture to see it, but it is by far my favorite decoration of all time.  Andrew drew a pilgrim on the Mayflower and he's saying "Happy Thanksgiving."

These two kiddos are just so sweet!!!!

Holding hands?  Could they be any cuter?!?

Charlie had fun with his cousin Sawyer

I love this one of Mike and the kids playing at Grandma Jacobs' house.

Birthday

34 years ago today, the world was blessed with the arrival of a sweet, wonderful boy.

And everyday, I am blessed with a sweet, wonderful boy.

Happy Birthday, Mike.  I love you so much!

Storm's a Brewin'

First there was Andrew, the tiny tornado.  I thought I had my hands full with this one.  (And I DID.)  Crawling at 5 months, pulling up on things at 6 months, cruising at 7 months, walking at 10 months, and getting into any and everything he could get his hands on.  And his energy level?  It was off the Richter scale.

 Then came Emily, the huggable hurricane.  Virtually a slug for 8 months, she decided to make up for lost time from then on to make messes where messes have not gone before, leaving destruction and adorability in her path.  The main trouble with the huggable hurricane is not the destruction, but the violent tantrums that follow this terrible storm.  (But I WANT to eat my Bisquick/saliva paste off my hands...And I will.)

 But nothing...NOTHING could have prepared me for what came next.  Charlie.  The Silent Tsunami.  His may be the most dangerous storm, because you never see it coming.  And worse, sometimes you don't know it's happening for quite some time.  No trash can is safe.  No room will be left undiscovered.  No toilet will be free from splashing.  No human form will be left alone.  They are no longer human beings, but standing platforms and scratching posts for his deadly fingernails.  And to top it off, when the tsunami is caught...he will flash one of his million dollar smiles and show you the egg shells he has been smashing all over the kitchen floor.

Nothing could have prepared me for these three natural disasters, but nothing could have prepared me for the fun I have with them.  What cuties.

Nine Months

Charlie turned nine months old yesterday!  He celebrated by getting the croup on Sunday afternoon.  He is feeling better now, and it'll just take a few days for him to be back to himself.

I've apparently been bad about taking pictures of Charlie lately.  He's changing so much every day.  He has long past his newborn stage, and now he is past the little baby stage and well into "baby."  I will miss that little tiny one, but it's been fun to see his personality grow and to see more what he will look like as he gets older.

Charlie is the 3rd child, so I don't have any idea what his measurements are, and he hasn't had his 9 mo. appointment yet.  I do know he is 21 pounds, and he is definitely a handful! 

His personality shines wherever he is.  We all adore him.  I love hearing Andrew calling him (Come here, Charlie. Come on, little baby.  Come play in my room!) and Emily feeding him his bottle.  Both of the kids like to play with him and take care of him.  He is such a perfect addition to our family.

We love our Charlie!!!

Things Kids Say

These kids are killing me.

Andrew:

1.
A: Mom, thanks for fixing this soup.
Me: Oh, thanks pal.  Does it smell good?
A: *looks in the pot with a disgusted look on his face* No.  Not usually Mom.
.............Silence
A: *holds nose* Mom, what is that horrible smell?
Me:  You're lucky you've survived this long, kid.
A:  Huh?
Me: I love you.
A: Me too.

2.
Me: Our bodies are great.  I like my legs because I can jump and run, and my arms blah blah blah.
A: *Starts explaining the digestion process - a current obsession* ...my soccer-fish (esophagus) and my yarge intest-yin and my small intest-yin, and....my brain.
Me:  What about you, Emmie?
A:  She likes her heart.  Because it's so sweet.

3.
I like Charlie.  He is our babysitter, right, Mom?

Emily:

1.
Me: Em, come on over and get your diaper changed?
E: No, can't!  I can't weach it!
Me: You can't reach it?
E: No diaper change.  I just can't weach it.  I just can't.

2.
*Charlie was reaching for a toy she was holding*
No, Charlie!!  It's Emmie Me My's!

3.
Anytime we give her something, she has started saying, "Sank you da much." (Thank you very much.)

Twelve Hours

Bed head.  Oh. My.

Garfield's Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving decorations

Work

Andrew lured Charlie in his room during his rest.

I don't know if you can tell, but he was excited to see me.

"Good mo'nin', Mommy."

School

Waking up is hard to do.

Andrew, Emily, and a graham cracker help.

Dinner

Tracking calories.  Joy.

Tickles.

Bedtime.

I survived.  On to tomorrow.