Happy New Year!

I hosted the most exciting New Years Eve party tonight!  Here are the details:

* There were 3 attendees - Me, Isaiah and Levi (the only other person invited was unable to attend as he had to work)
* We had orange slices and Kraft Mac & Cheese for dinner (I splurged - sometimes when I know it's just me and the kids eating the mac & cheese I'll make the generic brand - haha)
* We played garbage dump with the little legos and Levi's new Toy Story duplo garbage truck (Thanks Uncle Matthew!) on top of a pile of clean white clothes (that still need to be folded).  See above picture
* We danced to Go Fish Guys' new CD "Kickin' it Old School" (you should check it out, my boys love it).
* We played duck, duck, goose for a good 30 minutes straight which turned into lets chase each other around the living room until we fall down.  (This made us laugh the most all night).
* We watched the Christmas show Disney's Prep and Landing that we still have saved on the DVR (super cute!!)
* We had a snack of cheese, crackers and pineapple juice (yes, they love pineapple juice - and usually pick that over apple or orange, whatever!  they get juice like once a month -- haha, I'm that mom.) in bed AFTER we brushed our teeth (Isaiah's comment was, "This cheese tastes really funny after I just brushed my teeth") while we read our 3 stories (If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, I Can Do It, by Eric Carle, and Everyday Superhero - a book about Peter Parker being Spiderman).
* We hid from the scary monsters that were coming to get us after we finished our stories (Levi's idea) and were safe every time!  After 15 minutes of jumping around and hiding from monsters (which finally ended because Levi decided that the dinosaur on the pillow case was the monster and he said, "Monster can't get us, he's stays on the pillow"), Isaiah pretended to be a turtle with the covers, but it was time to go to bed.
* 10 minutes later Isaiah comes out to say, "if you want me to go to sleep, you need to come lay with me."  So I did.
* Now at 9:10 2 of the 3 attendees are sound asleep.
* and I'm ready to ring in the new year relaxing in bed (or more than likely sleeping!)

Happy New Year everyone!

A practically perfect Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we woke up

to a beautiful snowy yard!

so we decided to go play

and shovel

and sled

down our steps

and down the big hill 

behind Southdale Elementary school

Isaiah loved it, but had a hard time carrying his sled back up the hill

Levi had a hard time getting himself back up the hill

but it was a blast.

The playground was distracting so we played on that too. 

yes, even I was there.  

we came home to rest and relax before church at 3pm.

then it was off to Grandpa Mark and Grandma Cindy's.  

batman showed up.

and so did superman

and the good witch from The Wizard of Oz

We opened lots of presents - thank you everyone!

and rode the new scooter

and the new Jeep!

We played in the new tents

 and took lots of pictures

The kids found some candy in their stockings

and wrestled Uncle Matthew

and Uncle Josh

then we went home and left cookies and milk out for Santa...

and (the kids) were off to bed by 9:45 whew!

It was the perfect day until....

Levi woke up at 11

and 12 

and 1

and 2 

and 3 

and 4

but you won't believe it, Mark and I woke up BEFORE either child....at 7:45.

Letter to Santa.

We had our first family Christmas party last weekend (I'll post more on that later) and Levi was given a little toy puppy that has a cord with a remote with two buttons - one to make him bark and one to make him walk.  Levi loves puppies, and loved this little dog toy.  The boys were playing with it on Sunday morning when Levi was still in his crib and Isaiah went in to say goodmorning.  Unfortunately they were playing a little too rough with the little dog and the cord broke.  The puppy didn't work anymore.  Isaiah says to Levi, "It's okay Levi.  I'll write a letter to Santa and ask him to bring you a new one.  Santa will bring one for you so you can play with it again." It was so, so, so very sweet of him.  It was so completey innocent.

I told Isaiah I would help him write the letter.  He said to me, "I better make sure to ask Santa for a remote control T-Rex too."  (Remember our visit with Santa, Santa thought he should ask for a dinosaur).  I said to him, "maybe you should just ask for a T-Rex, it might be hard for Santa to make a remote control one this close to Christmas!" :) 

So here's Isaiah's letter to Santa:

It Says:

Dear Santa

Please

T-Rex

Levi

Puppy Isaiah

What a good big brother.  I sure hope Santa gets his request! :)

Another first for Levi James.

Levi had his very first experience with candy bracelets this weekend.  It took him a little bit to be comfortable with eating the candy that was a part of a bracelet that he had around his wrist.  But once he did, he was enjoying it!  He ate the whole thing except 3 pieces that got left around his arm until bath time.  

I'm not so sure that Isaiah had ever had one either because he looked so confused when I told him it was okay to eat it.  He completely devoured his too.

S.N.O.W!

We have already had hours of fun in the snow this year!  Remembering back the last few years, Isaiah really hasn't shown too much interest in playing in the snow other than painting it with colored water.  This year has been so much different!  He is so excited about playing in it, sledding in it, running around in it, even laying in it!  Levi absolutely LOVES being outside in it.  Isaiah will still complain if his hands get cold/wet or we've been out awhile (like 45 minutes!!), where as with Levi he's come in screaming just about every time because he wants to stay outside!  It's been so much fun and the snow season has just begun!!

Here are a few pictures from the first snow...

Yes, Isaiah is wearing a stocking hat and a baseball cap, it was one of those "whatever goes" moments.

How'd he get a binky outside to play??

The next big snow we went out to play as a family.  We got the sleds out and were running all around.  We were all having a blast!  I didn't remember just how much work it is to pull around a sled!  Maybe I should start pulling sleds for exercise -- I might actually lose weight that way! :)  By the end of our time outside, we were pulling the boys on some really, really rough rides and they were actually able to hang on the whole time!  I can't wait to take the kids to a huge hill this year, I think they will really like it!  

I couldn't get him moving - Isaiah was trying to help by pushing! 

Look at his rosy little cheeks!  He still didn't want to come in.  Finally hot chocolate was enough to convince him!

Isaiah's first Christmas concert!

Isaiah's preschool had a Christmas concert on December 15.  He was so excited and I was so excited for him!  There was a lot of snow and wind during the day on the 15th, I was so worried it would be cancelled, but luckily it stopped snowing and blowing and the conert was on! 

Isaiah got all dressed up and looked so handsome!

My parents, Mark, Levi and I were all there to cheer him on!  Levi got a little restless before the concert and during the story time, but he survived (and in big boy undies too!)

Here is Isaiah walking in to begin the concert - they were all carrying battery powered tea lights.  They all looked so prowd.  And looked so sweet singing "Silent Night."

It was very hard to get a good picture because the lighting was so dim and my camera doesn't have the best zoom. But here they are ringing their little jingle bells.

They sang "Away and a Manger" and then "We wish you a Merry Christmas" and then our Pastor Ed read The Christmas Story book.  It was a bit long for the kids, especially sitting up front watching the audience.  Isaiah decided to get up and move seats and lounge a little bit :)  He then got up and moved a few other times.  It was pretty funny.

After the concert, it was time for some yummy Christmas treats!  Here is Isaiah with his teacher's asssistant Mrs. Willhite.  She is so kind and nice to Isaiah and all of the kids.  I think she may have a special place in her heart for Isaiah.  She always has a big hug for him and tells me just how much she enjoys him!

Congratulations Isaiah on your first concert - job well done!