Enjoying the break

We are all enjoying the break (well, except Joe, who is working!). The boys play, play, play all day! The new train sets are the biggest hit. We had Megan home for a few days, and that was nice! We went to the movies with her...saw Sweeney Todd...wow, that's a great movie! Joe and I love the play, so we were a bit hesitant to see the movie, but it was good! Joe says it's his favorite movie! Johnny Depp was incredible, as well as the rest of the cast. Warning, it is a bit gory, it's about a murderous barber...but still good! Go see it!
Meg helped Joe set up his Ipod, yes, Sally, he is joining the new technology and got an Ipod for Christmas. He is so excited!
Oh, for my pregnant or to be pregnant friends, I found a new item I love! The Bella band or Tummy Sleeve (Motherhood). Basically, you put it over your non-maternity pants, which you leave unzipped or unbuttoned. It's tight, so it holds them up. Expands your wardrobe! Wow! I had some friends that wore them and swore by them. I finally realized I better get some because my pants weren't fitting me very well. I carry low. I ordered the white Bella Band on amazon, and Cindy bought me a black Tummy Sleeve, carried at the Motherhood Maternity stores. I was so happy to wear my old khakis the other day with the Tummy Sleeve...what a great invention!!!! Will save you a lot on maternity pants!
Also, did you know that a lot of baby bottles have been recalled for having a chemical in them called BPA? Well, I had to toss all my Avent and Dr. Brown's bottles! So, I need all new bottles. They recommend glass bottles, which to me sounds big and heavy, plus will they break? Especially with the "help" I anticipate my two sweeties wanting to give? Cindy says no, she doesn't think that any of her glass bottles ever broke. Oh, and this recall includes sippy cups..so check out this site, which will recommend another site, ZBaby, at the end of the article, which shows you what brands are safe or not.
Well, better go...the house still looks like a toy tornado swept through here...and I am debating whether or not to take down the Christmas stuff...love it up, but Christmas is over. :-( 361 days until Christmas...oh, wait, 362..it's a leap year in 2008!!!

Merry times continue...

We had a great Christmas! Christmas Eve is with my family. then, Christmas Day, we get up and go to Joe's parents. This year, we had to wake up our boys at 8:45....they were so tired! Santa comes to our house...not much...since they get so much from grandparents and family! Spencer got the Leap Frog My First computer that hooks up to the TV. He loves it! He has been playing our laptop for a few weeks and loves it. So we decided to get him his own! Cooper didn't get a big gift this year...he is hard to buy for! So he got some smaller things....luckily, he's 2...and doesn't care!

Then we went to Grammy and Grampy's and it is crazy time...gifts galore and kids running around! The boys had a blast and the grandkids got a motorized jeep that they of course had to go try....out in the cold! We go by my mom and dad's, since Santa makes another stop there for my boys...and then home to play and nap (Joe and Coop). Our house looks like a train depot...train parts everywhere!

Back to Grammy's for dinner and hanging out. This year it was all about the game called Rock Star, where people get to "play"musical instruments and make a band...I guess it's an XBox thing? The Greshams started it out and then Brian, Greg, Maddie, and Joe played for a long time...my hubby was the singer....I think he missed his calling...shoulda been a rock star!

But it was a very merry...and joyous...Christmas! (The boys even tried to play...future rock band?)

Pt. 3 for Jenny

a few more...yes, Coop is wearing his beloved Halloween costume...he went from church clothes to costume to diaper only...that's our Coop!

PT.2 for Jenny...more...

Christmas Eve...for Jenny

Jenny,

this post is for you...we missed you a lot this evening...don't ever do this again (not come home for Christmas!!!)

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to my blog readers! Hope your days are merry and bright! Leaving you with some images of our holiday so far...after our fire truck ride, Spence and his advent calendar, some holiday decorations, and our Christmas card displays...love getting those cards!!! :-)

Christmas traditions continues...

Enjoying our holiday season...visiting Santa, who also came to both boys' schools...driving around in pj's looking at lights (I think when they are older, we'll have a contestand award cookies to the house we like the best!)...opeing the chocolate advent calendars...singing Christmas songs (Spencer knows Rudolph and Deck the Halls now, his favorites)...watching Christmas shows on TV...just having a good time together! Tonight is one of our new favorite traditions: going down Christmas Tree Lane in Fresno on an old fashioned open air fire truck! Grampy's brother is retired from the fire station, and he gets the truck for us. We all pile in, bundled up, and go!

Can't believe Christmas is almost here!!!!

I leave you with pictures from Spencer's school party...Sitting with Santa...makign reindeer food, which stinks, I guess!

The book Santa brought him, listening to a story with Zoe (ever the ladies man!), and making his letter to Santa!

Our little actor and Christmas card rejects...

OK, check off more Christmas traditions...Spencer was in his first Christmas show! He was supposed to be in it 2 days, but he got major stage fright at dress rehearsal! He decided after all he could do it (who is he kidding? That child is a born actor!)...so for the last show today, he did it! He was one of the shepherds, and only on stage for about 3 minutes! But he was proud of himself!

We are getting some beautiful Christmas cards in the mail...one of my favorite things of the season...and I am always behind in sending mine out! I want that perfect picture...that elusive family photo...hard to get with my wiggly 2-year-old! I took some today by the tree, Cooper actually smiled, but Spencer was making a weird face...needless to say, none of these worked out...I did turn in my order today with another photo, so look for our card in your mailbox in a few days! :-)

Joe and I went to a dinner last night with a bunch of couples. It was nice to get out! Nice to be served and have my own drink and my own food, and not share with two curious little guys. We had an ornament exchange. Joe ended up with a turkey ornament, a turkey in camo, holding a gun. Very interesting...and very popular with the guys. Yes, it is on our tree. Our tree, asI have written about before, is a menagerie of ornaments andI wouldn't have it any other way! The boys' first ornaments, my baby ornaments, homemade ornaments, ones that students have given me, joke ornaments, our first Christmas together ornaments....love it! :-)

Gingerbread house builders

Today we decorated a gingerbread house! It was our first time as a family. It was a lot of fun, though Coop wasn't into it that much. He decorated it a little, then left the table with a bag of candy! Spencer had a great time. We even listened to Christmas music the whole time! I didn't mention that our Coop is the family DJ. He likes to put on the music. Last night while we were decorating the tree, we tried to listen to our Christmas music, but Coop changed it to the Ramones. Nothing like the Ramones to put you in the holiday spirit! Ha! Coop's favorites: Wiggles, Laurie Berkner, Ramones, the Killers, a mix CD I made for Spencer...

Hope you are enjoying your holiday!

We have a tree!

Finally we got our tree! I was so gung ho about decorating this year...but got lazy...and tired...didn't really want to drag out the boxes from the garage, but today was finally D-Day...and we got the tree. It was fun! We picked it out really quickly, though Spencer fell in love with a tall tree, and he really was sure it was the perfect one! Also took some pics at the lot with Grammy & Grampy.

Other than that, we're doing fine. Busy...busy with school, pre-school, life...Joe convinced me to host a Pampered Chef party this week b/c he really wants some new knives...he's the cook in the family. So, if you like Pampered Chef and want to come, or place an order online...let me know! :-)

ditched my work party tonight...oops...but wanted to go to church and hang with my family more. Had to get the tree decorated. I am posting a pic of Joe and me holding the traditional first ornaments to go on the tree...the ones our moms bought us for our first Christmas together. Every year put those up first, as well as take a picture of each other putting those up. Spencer took this picture...it's a little blurry, but you get the picture...hahaha...get the picture! Cracking myself up at 11:40 PM...better go to bed!

Congrats to my cousin Scott and his wife on their brand new little girl, Mirabella...she's being adopted into a wonderful family and two parents who are ecstatic to be parents finally! Yay!

cleaning, anyone??

Short posting...ladies, here's a good guide to cleaning...I plan to print out and check off weekly/monthly. Need to get a cleaning routine down...

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/web/pdf/0505/cleaning_chart.pdf

It's in pdf form....

Hello

Hope you are enjoying your weekend! We are! It's December...the most time wonderful of the year! So excited to make this an awesome season. Joe and I made a list of the things we want to do this Christmas. Make a gingerbread house, take the boys out Christmas lights looking (in Pj's), make an advent wreath (doing this morning!), etc...Hopefully we are getting our tree today or soon..itching to decorate! I bought the boys the advent calendars that have little chocolate pieces in them, like the ones we had as kids. I really wanted the Pottery Barn one, but by the time I went to order it, it was sold out. Must buy early next year!
Yesterday, had another garage sale...you know, I am not a garage sale fan, never go to them, but after de-cluttering, I hate just throwing away. Plus, there was some good stuff, stuff I had been holding onto for some reason...but I started reading Peter Walsh's book It's All Too Much, and he "helped" me see the reasons we hold onto stuff and why we don't need to. Like, the things previous students have given me...don't match my home decor, but I keep b/c that child gave to me. Do I really need it? Or the shake maker? I might use it someday, but really, making shakes in the blender is just as easy...so out it goes! If you like to save stuff, I recommend his book! (He's always on Oprah, and on that TV show Clean Sweep). Anyway, the garage sale was a success..though it was freezing!!! We set up a little heater out there...it helped! Maddie was sweet enough to help and help out with the boys. They adore their Maddie. Spencer, I have a feeling, thinks his baby sister is going to come out a Maddie...an 11 year old big sister!
Speaking of baby, this pregnancy is moving right along. Almost 6 months already. She is kicking a lot, though baby girls are softer than baby boys! My boys were already beating my insides at this time! :-) She sleeps all day...and kicks all night....and let me tell you, the 3rd pregnancy is definitely rougher...I already can't bend over and have achy legs at night. Sleeping at night is not fun. I wake up a lot and toss and turn. I think we have picked a name...I'll tell you when we decide. Joe and I like different names....
Better go get my boys ready...we are making advent wreaths at church this morning! Have a great day!
Sorry no pics to share...haven't taken any in a while!