Things I Learned on Christmas Vacation

As our Christmas vacation draws to a close,

I've reflected on a few things I learned these past thirteen days:

• Caleb likes to take baths (or showers)
• The kids like to play with my pillows . . . jump on them, throw them, make a mud pile out of them . . . I think I've made my bed about 50 times this vacation
• The kids love eggnog. . . Brandon bought about 3 gallons
• Caleb loves being naked
• I love to bake and because I do, I bake way too many cookies
• Brandon likes an organized and clean house even more than I do (if that's possible)
• Caleb can find any candy in the house . . . even after we've hidden it
• Sarah is a master at making up games to play in her room and then not picking it up . . . maybe that's the game
• The kids like to be pretend puppies
• Caleb loves to eat hot dogs
• I love playing Super Mario on Sarah's DS . . . thankfully she "needs" my help
• Caleb cannot steer his new John Deere tractor

And the most important thing I've learned:

It is a waste of paper to make a to-do list. . .
I only get things accomplished on the last day of vacation, such as:

• clean the storage room
• organize the linen closet
• organize the yard sale items (for a date yet to be determined)
• put away kids clothes that don't fit anymore
• do the laundry
• rearrange furniture
• hang a wine rack in the kitchen
• hang a candle holder in the basement
• check Sarah's upcoming Girl Scout schedule
• enter recipes on the computer
• embroider on Caleb's baby quilt (I know, I know, but better late than never!!)
• clean the kitchen three times (seriously, why three. . should have waited until after dinner)
• packed the diaper bag
• organized my work stuff
• gave Caleb two baths (see above listing) and Sarah one bath
• vaccumed the basement
• updated my blog

WHAT A DAY!!! 

WHAT A HUSBAND!!!

WHAT A GREAT START TO 2012!!!



Church Christmas Program

The kids were in the Sunday School Christmas program this year entitled Do You Hear What I Hear?

They were both Angels and Sarah had a speaking part.

Sara's part was to proclaim, "Fear Not! I bring you good tidings of great news to all men.  Today in the city of David a savior has been born.  He is Christ the Lord."

Here is my little Angel . . . Caleb was so cute!

The halo he is wearing also had white Christmas lights entwined;

it was beautiful!

Both of my Angels getting ready to go on stage! 

The Sunday School classes also performed The Little Drummer Boy;

each of the kids had their own drum to play along with the song.

Caleb did great in practice, but didn't feel like playing once he was on stage!

Sarah, on the other hand, loves being on stage and loved beating her drum!

 Brandon and I were joking that Caleb should have been a camel instead of an angel.

He wondered around the stage visiting with the angels, the lambs, Mary, checked in on baby Jesus several times.  Mary patiently took him back to the angels each time, but then he would just wonder off again!

After the program was over, it is a tradition in our church that all the kids get a Christmas ornament.

Caleb had a great time showing his off and swinging it around for everyone to see!

Doesn't Sarah look beautiful with her halo and gown? 

Beauty & The Beast

What a night!  What a musical! What a great time! What a great surprise!

As part of Sarah's Christmas present, Grandma LaVon bought Sarah, Lainey and me tickets

to see Beauty & the Beast at the Fox Theatre on December 23rd!

We started off the day by having lunch at 54th Street Bar and Grill!

The girls had a great time . . . fancy dinner, fancy clothes, fancy hair!

We had AWESOME seats . . . third row from the stage!

The seat also came with a Fox Club parking pass and we got to use the Fox Club

entrance and bathrooms. . . yes, the bathrooms were a definite bonus (no waiting in line)!

Sarah loved the entire musical. . . I don't think she took her eyes off the stage for a single second!

Her favorite part was all the dancing and seeing Belle dance with the Beast.

My favorite part was the Gaston musical number in the tavern - the characters were tap dancing and clinking all their mugs together - it was really cool!

Sarah and I enjoying the show . . .

I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, me or Sarah!

This is one of my favorite musicals!

 

The last time I saw Beauty & the Beast at the Fox was with Brandon which was a great memory for us . . . and now I have another great memory of my Mom, Sarah and I enjoying the same musical!

Thanks Mom (Grandma) for a great afternoon and for another wonderful memory!

Christmas Pajamas

I have been making pajamas for the kids for Christmas since Caleb was born.

Here are the 2011 pajamas:

Caleb's pajamas had a reindeer jumping Christmas lights;

Sarah's pajamas had a moose with a red sweator.

Here are the 2009 pajamas . . .

Caleb had little snowmen on his onesie and Sarah had little reindeer on her nightgown.

The 2010 pajamas: 

Sarah had snowmen on her outfit and Caleb had Mickey Mouse and the gang on his outfit.

Santa Visit

Sarah wrote a letter to Santa and thoughtfully included items requested by Caleb. . .

although at the end of the letter she told Caleb he had been naughty!

Not to fear, Santa assured Caleb he was still on the nice list!

We patiently waited to see Santa . . .

Caleb ran right up to Santa and hugged him!

He hopped right up and started talking to him about tractors!

Santa reading Sarah's thoughtful letter . . .

The kids were so good, they each got a candy cane from Santa.

Caleb loves candy canes!

See you next year Santa!

Santa Breakfast

It has become a family tradition for Grandma Susan, me, Sarah & Caleb to attend the Santa Breakfast.

It is a really fun morning and the kids enjoy going, not only to see Santa, but also to see

all the other characters at the breakfast . . .

This is the place setting for every seat:

coloring pages, a decorated doughnut and a cute Christmas ornament!

I'm sure you can tell what Caleb enjoyed the most. . .

he ate the entire doughnut!

Sarah's favorite character this year was Minnie Mouse . . .

Caleb's favorite character. . . can you guess???

Barney. . . can you believe it?  I couldn't!

I don't know when Caleb has even watched Barney . . .

maybe it was the big sparkly purple that he liked. . . .

I'm still trying to figure it out!

Of course, the best part was sitting on Santa's lap!

Sarah told Santa what she wanted for Christmas . . .

and Caleb didn't scream!  I think he was actually excited!

It's so awesome to watch their faces light up when talking to or about Santa!

Christmas Decorations

My father-in-law once asked me why I go through all the trouble to decorate our house.

After seeing all these unpacked boxes and watching the clock tick away all day,

I was kind of beginning to think the same thing. . . .

We went through a lot of work . . . inside & outside!

In the end . . it was worth it!  I love seeing the kids excited about the wonder of Christmas.

The tree was beautiful and only one ornament was broken this year. . . a little glue & all will be fine!

The other reason I love decorating so much. . . .

seeing how excited they get when looking at all the decorations!

The decorations were all up & all the boxes were put away . . .

it was time for our annual Christmas Vacation movie . . .

complete with egg nog in Santa mugs and cookies!

What a perfect way to end the evening!

I'm glad I've seen the movie so many times before,

because Caleb didn't seem to be too interested. . .

he like to sit/lay/crawl on me instead!

The next day, Sarah & I decorated her tree.

All the ornaments are from her Aunt Emily as is the tree!

Brandon & I gave her the topper last year, but we had to wait for Dad to get home to put it up!

Caleb got his own tree in his room too this year!

No ornaments, just lights but he still loves it!

Caleb's favorite decoration is the Drummer Snowman.

He carries it around by the earmuff band over it's head.

When you push the hand it plays Joy to the World and Caleb marches along!