2 Down 2 to Go

We are half way done with our family Christmas's. They have been fun and it is kind of nice to have them spread out a little bit so the new toys have a chance to get played with before the next round comes:) Christmas Eve we went to church and then my mom, dad and brother came over for supper and we played some rousing games on the Wii Fit. Each of the boys got to open one present from Grandma and Grandpa and we TRIED to get a few pictures of the boys in front of the tree with their cute Christmas sweaters(notice the bribe I am handing to Ty in the first picture). On Christmas morning we opened gifts at our house with just our little family and had homemade cinnamon rolls and "Gabe coffee"(hot chocolate) Ty was pretty indifferent to the present opening at first and even tried to eat one of his presents but eventually he decided it was pretty fun to rip the paper and got more into the action. After we were all dressed and ready to go we headed over to my parents house and opened presents with them. Gabe enjoyed helping pass out the presents and would help anyone out with the opening if they needed it. Ty once again would squeal with delight when he was ripping the wrapping paper and then discovered swimming in the paper was pretty fun too. The rest of the day was spent eating lunch and then playing a few games while the Ty napped and Gabe was preoccupied with his new Geo-Trax and Pirate Ship. That evening we picked Em up from the airport. Saturday we had Carl's family Christmas at Andrea and Alan's house. The kids enjoyed opening more presents and we had a great lunch. The cousins also enjoyed playing on Clark's new gator. We were able to get in some more Wii Fit time as well. New Years Day we celebrate Christmas with the Mawdsley's and Saturday Christmas with the Angus'. We hope everyone had a blessed Christmas. See you again in 2009!

Baby it's Cold Outside

Brrr...is it cold enough for everyone? I have the feeling this is going to be a long winter(which I am really not looking forward to) This past week we were already feeling very cooped up in the house so Gabe and I went outside to play in the snow for a short while. Gabe was bummed it was not the sticky stuff so we could make a snowman but he did get in several snow angels while we were out. As well as tried out the snowflakes falling to make sure they tasted good(he disagreed with Lucy December snowflakes are not too early) It was just too cold to stay out very long and once his poor wrists starting hurting(from the snow getting in between his mittens and coat) it was time to head in. This week will be full of finishing up the baking, wrapping gifts, attending family Christmas's and most of all reflecting on the King who came as a baby to save us all. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Countdown

Number of Days until Christmas-8

Number of times we have watched The Grinch-4000(okay I may be exaggerating)

Number of cinnamon rolls made-6 dozen

Number of ornaments broken-2 including this unfortunate casualty today
Watching your little boy dance to the Christmas Music(or any music really)--well see for yourself it is truly priceless

Deck The Halls

I finally caved today. Gabe has been eying this music box decoration at Target since way before Thanksgiving and today I finally caved and bought it. It is classic Pooh which is one of the reasons I didn't really want to buy it, I am not a big Disney Character fan but it is kind of cool. It looks like a Christmas present but when you push the button the lid comes up and the classic pooh characters circle around a snowman in the middle with Christmas Trees and Lights doing on inside as well. Each time the lid comes up it plays a different Christmas song. I have not heard it stop playing since we got home. Normally I am not a push over to buy things just because Gabe really likes it but I remember very vividly growing up two very special Christmas decorations I looked forward to seeing every year. At my Grandma's house there was this angel that rotated and played music when you wound it up, thinking back on it it is really an ugly angel but I loved it and would sit and watch it turn and play many times each Christmas season. At our house it was countdown to Christmas calendar. It had a mouse that you moved from pocket to pocket each day that passed. I remember trying to beat my brother to it each morning so I could move the mouse. Thinking about these things made me want to have something like that for our kids. Something that each year they are excited to see come out of the storage boxes. Do any of you have a memory of your favorite Christmas decoration I would love to read about them, leave me a comment.

Random Thoughts

We have been keeping busy around here. This past weekend we went up to the tree farm again to help out. It was soooo much colder this time it was hard to have the boys outside, much to Gabe's dismay. I baked a batch of sugar cookies this week since I am using a new recipe this year and wanted to try them out before making a big batch later with the boys. I think they were a hit.
Ty seemed to really enjoy them and after eating all of his tried to steal his brothers. We have also been enjoying listening to Christmas music. Gabe loves Rockin Around the Christmas Tree and often requests it. Ty just loves anything he can dance to. I think we have set a new record for the number of times watching the Grinch in one day. Gabe loves it and I can't complain too much since it is one of my favorites. I have been trying to get pictures of the boys in front of the Christmas tree every now and again but so far have been rather unsuccessful at any super cute shots. I will keep trying.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

We've been doing Christmas related things for awhile now but now it truly does feel like the Christmas season is here. The past few weeks we have been busy making wreaths for Clarks Christmas Conifers. We went several week nights and put our kids to bed at Andrea and Alan's while we cut boughs and made wreaths to take up to the shop. We headed to Algona on Tuesday with no more space left in our jeep, it is always amazing to me how much stuff you need for a family of 4. Anyway we arrived Tuesday evening and Wednesday we were busy getting the shop ready and getting tree's decorated(Ty just lounged around). Thursday we were able to spend Thanksgiving with my mom's family and then back out the the tree farm where we let the boys pick out our upstairs Christmas tree(on the top landing so you can see it from the big arched window) Gabe and Ty had fun running around in the trees and Gabe loved every tree so with some presuasion from mom and dad we finally settled on one to cut down. As you can see it was a group effort to haul it back to the shop. At the shop we always take pictures of everyone who buys a tree and put it up on our board and then add them to our scrap books each year. This is the first year we are included! Usually we just get our tree from the shop and forget to take our picture but this year since we cut one and got one from the shop we actually remembered to do it(Ty was none too happy to be pulled away from playing with something and Gabe is just a goober). Gabe loved being a helper and watched as they shook our tree and then Gabe pulled it through the netting. He got lots of practice doing this all weekend. My mom and dad took Ty home with them Thursday afternoon to stay through the weekend since 3 grandkids 3 and under and trying to keep up with cookies and cider in the shop is a big task for Grandma Nancy. Friday our busy open house weekend began and we were quite busy all 3 weekend days. We were hoping we had enough wreaths for the demand(a good problem) and will be making a few more to take up with us again this weekend. Gabe loved helping at the tree farm and even helped Grandpa Matt decorate their Christmas tree. He also loved "swimming" in their tub with lots of bubbles thanks to the whirlpool jets. When we got home Sunday evening we were happy to see Ty and very excited to sleep in our own beds. We got our Christmas tree up and the house all decorated the beginning of this week and are already making many Christmas memories, I'm sure I will never forget my littlest boy dancing his heart out to Rockin Around the Christmas Tree or my bigger boy's eyes when he saw Carl bring our Christmas tree in the house. We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and if you are up in the Algona area this weekend and haven't already purchased your lovely REAL Christmas tree or wreath stop on out to Clarks Christmas Conifers:)

Out of the Mouths of Gabes Take 2

I haven't blogged about any cute Gabeism's lately so I thought I would take a few minutes to do it so I don't forget. Sorry I don't have any pictures to post with this one. Life has consisted of wreath making and more wreath making the past few weeks so I haven't taken any new pictures.
1. Yesterday Gabe was telling us about the movie, Bolt, he went to see with Grandma and Grandpa on Friday he says "The girl on Bolt got fired" we couldn't quite understand the Bolt part of the sentence so I kept trying to guess what he was saying, he kept laughing at me and said no mommy, you're funny and then would repeat what he said again. Finally we figured out that he was saying Bolt so we said Oh the girl on Bolt got fired, you mean like from her job. He had a somewhat confused look on his face and said "no hot stuff got on her and there was fire all over her" that's when we figured out he meant got burned, but said fired.
2. This morning we were making banana bread and he wanted to beat the eggs, I told him no Mommy needed to do that because if you accidentally get raw egg on you, you could get sick, he said well how do you not get it on you. I told him it was because I was super mommy, to which he replied no mom you are just regular mommy, I said oh so I'm not a super mommy, he told me no you are just regular mommy but there is nothing wrong with being regular:)
3. Most nights when we sit down to supper Gabe tells me "Mommy you're a good cooker" and not to leave Daddy out he will tell Carl "Daddy you're a good griller"
4. Gabe is a backseat driver. He always tells us to stop and stop signs/lights, to not hit parked cars, etc. He often times tell Carl "Cawl you a crazy driver" I don't know why he calls him Carl in that instance but he usually does.
5. Gabe is a typical 3 year old boy and many times can be found with a finger up his nose. I tell him to quit picking his nose and his response is generally "but Mom I have to get the big booger up there"
I'm sure there are more but those are the ones I can think of right now. I often times go too long without writing stuff like this down and then inevitably forget. What are some of your favorite kid quotes-leave me a comment:)

Christmas Photo Flops

I am copying my friend Emily and posting our Christmas photo flops. It did not go well, in fact I'm not sure we actually got a picture I want to use for our Christmas cards and we may be using some cute ones we got this fall instead, you'll have to check your mail box to see:)

Grocery Store Grumps

The above picture pretty much summarized our trip to the grocery store today. I know it's hard to imagine these sweet little boys being anything less then perfect angels but our shopping experience today was definately a challenge. First of all grocery shopping is just not my favorite thing to do with the boys anyway. I try to go to Fareway since it's cheaper but sometimes I have to go to Hy-Vee when I know I need something that Fareway is not going to have. Multiple stops is not a good option with a 3 year old and a 15 month old so we ended up at Hy_vee today. Gabe was very happy about this as he loves the carts that are race cars, firetrucks, school buses, etc. He likes that they have steering wheels and he can "drive" them. Ty usually enjoys this option too as he loves to use the steering wheels as well. I should have known our trip was not going to be pleasant when Ty fell asleep from our house to the store(it is not far at all). When we got to the store it was lunch time so I got a regular cart and wheeled the boys into the deli side so we could eat some lunch. We stop first at the chinese counter for some sesame chicken for Gabe. We get it and I put it in our cart and tell Gabe to be very careful where he moves now since we have food in the back of our cart. He then not even 2 seconds after I say it proceeds to knock my purse directly into his sesame chicken. Oh-well we wheel over to pay and get our drinks and salad bar and there is a huge line, in the mean time Ty spys the food on the salad bar and proceeds to have a red-headed moment, in this case screaming as loud as he can to let his impatience and hunger be known. Finally we get to the front of the line and I get cups for our drinks which Gabe proceeds to pick up and snoz all over(he has a runny nose and a real fetish with putting everything in or by his mouth) The lovely older lady running the check out then starts talking to Ty and Gabe, Oh what's the matter little guy, are you hungry, what do you like to eat, your a big boy, etc. etc. etc. I have no problem with people talking to my kids but when there is a huge line waiting behind us and I have a one year old screaming in my cart it is not the time to carry on a conversation. Finally we maneuver away and go through the salad bar to get my and Ty's lunch. Ty in the meantime gets super hungry since we are right next to the food and I practically have to hold him down to keep him in the cart seat and not jumping out onto the salad bar. We get our food get to a table, get Ty in his highchair with his milk and I go and get Gabe's and my drink. Lunch went pretty smoothly until Ty decided he had had enough and was no longer going to sit in the highchair. Once again red headed moment ensues. We finish go out and get the blue car with two steering wheels and our grocery adventure begins. We do pretty well for the first part or our list but then about half way through Ty decides to start to stand up in the cart and stick his head out the window, I sit him back down several times and then Gabe decides to grab Ty's steering wheel. Ty does not like this, you probably know what he does. This happens a few times. Ty apparently is tired of Gabe touching his steering wheel so he decides to pull Gabe's hair. This is not an uncommon occurrence either, Ty is a hair puller, he even pulls his own, I don't get it but he does it. So Gabe screams of course and I bend down and and take care of the situation. We continue on and Ty decides it is time to try out his wrestling moves in the shopping cart. He pretty much dives on top of Gabe as we are walking past the eggs, I see an older lady look into my cart with a look of disdain on her face and say and I quote "Oh he's a little devil" Not with a smile or look of encouragement , just pure disgust that a 15 month old would be attacking his brother in a store, the nerve of some people's kids. That in itself drives me crazy, I can't imagine that there ever was a child who didn't at one time or another do something they shouldn't have in a public place, especially a toddler but I guess she must have had perfect children, maybe I should have asked her for advice. Anyway we get that straightened out and finish getting our last few items. In the bread aisle Ty decided to once again attack his brother so he was removed from his seat in the car and put into the child seat in the actual cart, this did not make him happy. We finally made our way to the check out where Ty continued to express his displeasure while I unloaded the groceries onto the belt. The older lady checking us out informed me that he must be tired and I should get him home for a nap. Hmmm that thought hadn't crossed my mind at all in the last 30 or so minutes. I thanked her and Gabe was sure to tell all the employees to have a good day on our way out and we finally got into the car. Once home the boys were promptly taken upstairs and put down for a naps. Over and over again I had to keep reminding myself of Psalm 127:3 Children are a blessing of the Lord...and then I would remember a sign a friend of ours has in her house..Lord, give me the patience to deal with my blessings, oh isn't it the truth. The great thing about kids is that they don't hold a grudge and all was soon forgiven.

It's in His Kiss

Ty is such a kissy little guy. He is almost always willing to give you a big wet one on your cheek anytime you request it. The other day he was more the willing to give Bree many good bye kisses. We thought it was pretty cute so of course had to capture the moment on camera.

and this was the scene at our house today...lots and lots of kids:)