Happy New Year!

Yes, I know my wishes are late.  (Based on our calendar for January, February, and the start of March, I'm doing pretty well to get this posted today, thankyoueversomuch.)  I do hope you're having a great start to 2012 and that you have a wonderful year!

On New Year's Eve we went to "Gracias" for dinner, and the boys wore their fireworks t-shirts.  (This is the best picture I got of the boys together.  P was a bit disappointed with this choice of photo because Bowie, his "baby girl octopus" isn't looking at the camera.  Sorry, buddy,  Now maybe you can get a slight sense of what taking your picture is like!)

That night, we put the boys to bed and hosted a party for the 5th through 8th graders from our church.  We had one last year, and it was a hit!  Everyone arrives at eight, our boys are asleep, and then we do a short Bible study, hang out, watch the ball drop, watch a movie, and go to sleep.  This year we added "Story Time with Kay Kay" (our next door neighbor) and noisemakers/poppers on her driveway at midnight.  She invited us over, we watched the ball drop through her living room window, she came out and celebrated with us, and P and C were able to sleep through it.

Remember how I said that our boys went to sleep before the older kids' party started?  Well, this year, P did not fall asleep before the "big kids" arrived... so I allowed him to get back out of bed for a few Wii games and story time on the condition that he go straight to sleep when I said it was time to go.

Our party guests were gracious and welcomed P right into their game of "Let's Dance 3".  P went to bed just like he was supposed to when it was time (despite the noisy visitors!), and then Sunday morning we all got up, got ready, and walked to church for breakfast and the service.

Our 2012 is off to a great (and busy) start!

Shark Attack!

I hope the title of this post didn't alarm you!  I just wanted to showcase C's love of costumes.  (This is the shark costume P wore this past Halloween.  Now C wears it around the house.  And to the store.  And anywhere else we'll let him wear it.  Which is a lot of places.)

A Family Trip to Sagebrush Steakhouse {captured by P on camera}

P's "Important Things and Places"

P not only took pictures of his family and friends, he also took lots of photos around our house.  These are just a few of his "important things".

This is the Christmas pillowcase I made for P this past Christmas.  He chose the fabric because it had a train.

This photo captures the boys' upstairs toy shelf and P's new Lego sorter.

My parents bought P a toy kitchen right before he turned two (when C was born).  I'm not surprised it made it into P's photo gallery, because the boys both cook up all kinds of food in the kitchen!  Cupcakes are the current specialty, but soup is usually a popular item too.

P made sure to capture his room in a photo as well.  The "important" part, anyway - you can't see his bed, but you can see his "other stuff" and the "place on the floor where the tiny legos get spreaded out" when he's building.

P took this photo for C.  It's his favorite blanket.  Aunt Chris made it for him when he was born, and he loves it!  P explained that he thought C would want a photo of his important things, too.  I love how considerate my boys are of one another... well, when they aren't wrestling each other to the ground.  They really do love each other, and I love watching their relationship grow and develop!

I'm enjoying P's LeapPad camera as much as he is!  It gives me an opportunity to look at things through his eyes camera lens and "see what he sees".

"Some of my Friends" {a guest post by P}

"This year I got a LeapPad for Christmas.  I like it so much!  An' one thing 'bout it is that it has a camera.  So I was practicin' pictures an' I took some of my friends.  Here they are, an' I'll tell you 'bout them!

These are me.  I pushed the button, and that's how you get a picture of yourself.  I took four.

This is Tiffany.  I said, 'Say Cheese!  I'm takin' your picture please!'

This is Mommy.  I took it so we'd have a picture of her at our house.

I took Poppa Fred when we were at the house.  My house, not his house.  He lives not with me, so I needed a picture.

In this one I got Tiffany and John and Tucker.  It's a picture of their whole fam'ly together.  An' maybe if they want they can copy it and put it up on the wall at their house.

An' I took Grandma and C's picture so I would have their pictures, too.  I wanted C's picture even though he lives with me 'cause if we are on a trip I still could see what he looks like.

This is Chelsea.  She was babysittin' an' I said, 'I have a camera.  I can take your picture,'  She said I could and she smiled.

An' that's some of my pictures I took.  Have a good day!"

Is it Halloween?

What's better than playing with your new Christmas gifts?  Playing with your new Christmas gifts while wearing your Halloween costume!  (And getting your older brother to wear the costume you were afraid to wear in October!)

Christmas Day 2011!

Our Christmas was wonderful!

The boys woke up and went downstairs to find that Santa had jostled our gate in front of the fireplace when he entered.  P was especially amused.

We had fun visiting with family.  Aunt Tiffany helped C open some gifts.  One of his favorites was "Cinnalella".  He loved on her and carried her around the house.  He's in a mermaid phase right now, so before long he asked me to make her a "mermaid costume".

I helped P open some gifts...

...but (as you'd expect) he was able to do most of his own present opening.

P asked for some Squinkies for Christmas.  Santa left some Cars themed Squinkies in his stocking, and some Little Mermaid ones in C's stocking.  As you can see from this photo, those suckers are TINY!

We were truly blessed this Christmas not with only gifts, but also - and more importantly - with time with family and friends.  I hope each of you were as blessed as our family was!

Christmas Eve

We had a busy day on Christmas Eve!  The boys wrote letters to Santa to leave with his cookies and milk.

We headed to church, and when we got home the boys put on their pjs and headed outside to leave reindeer food (which P had made at school) on the front lawn.

P and C carefully selected some of the cookies they had decorated to leave for Santa on his cookie plate.

We carried everything downstairs and laid it on the window ledge closest to the fireplace.

P and C drifted off to sleep within 15 minutes of being put to bed, and were rested for Christmas morning!

Biltmore House at Christmastime

While my sister and brother-in-law and parents were visiting, we took a day trip to see the Biltmore at Christmastime.  Admittedly, the boys weren't as crazy about the "castle" as they were about the taffy they were eating while some of us were wine tasting... but it was still a fun day!

Christmas cookie decorating

The boys were eager to help Grandma Paige, Aunt Tiffany and I decorate cookies for Christmas this year!

At the start of the activity, the boys were wearing t-shirts...

...but we quickly realized that red icing and white shirts was quite a risk!

We had a blast decorating!  (I love things clean and orderly, but I don't mind a mess if it's for a good reason.  Fun is a GREAT reason for lots of messes!)

a ride on The Polar Express

This year our family has joined a dinner club with several other families with preschool aged children.  In December, our hosts took the kids for a ride on The Polar Express!

The kids wore their pajamas to dinner, and after they decorated sugar cookies and ate them for dessert, the kids got into seats on the "train" and listened as Pastor Sally read Chris Van Allsburg's Christmas classic.

While they were "riding," hot chocolate was served!

The house was next to a park with Christmas lights, and the kids went to the porch and looked out at the "North Pole" on their "train ride".  As we left at the end of a wonderful night of fellowship with friends, C pointed to the decorations and said, "Mommy, do you see the North Pole?  It's SO bee-u-ful!"  It was adorable!

Parents' Week at dance class

The studio where P takes dance encourages parents to wait for their children in the lobby or away from the studio altogether.  In the youngest classes, we only see our kids dance twice a year - at the recital in May, and at Parents' Week in December, when we are invited into the studio to watch a typical class.  Only parents are expected to attend, so we got a sitter for C and Daddy A and I headed to the studio with P the weekend before Christmas Eve.

As you might imagine, P really enjoys this "train dance".

The students showed us some fancy footwork at the barre.

There was some creative movement in the circle, and then we saw how flexible everyone was!

P was worn out and ready to lay down when Ms. Melody said it was time to stretch out!

Once of the benefits of dance class is strengthening motor skills and coordination.  Before students in our state go to Kindergarten, they are supposed to be able to skip.  P demonstrated his jumping and skipping skills.

Ms. Melody ended class with a Christmas treat.  Everyone was excited about that!

Here's P making his "cheese face"and showing off his red Santa slap bracelet from Ms. Melody!

We are all excited about the recital in May!