It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Aaaaaand we're back. We spent Thanksgiving with Jake's family in IL this year. Javen went up last Sunday and was there without us until we arrived Wednesday night. (!!!) He had a blast and I don't think he even missed us. :) Liam and I had some great one-on-one time while Javen was playing with Papa and Grandma.

Tonight we decorated our Christmas tree as a family of four for the first time. Here's a little photo recap of what went down:

Javen got right to it. He had some practice with decorating Grandma's tree a couple days ago, so by now he's a pro.

Liam decided to take inventory of the ornament box. He also decided that he no longer needs to hold on to anything in order to stand. He pretty much stood up unassisted the entire time.

Jake and Javen discussed placement options for all the super hero ornaments.

Such a proud Dad.

Liam found a good box to chew on while he tried to figure out what Dad and Javen were up to.

"Oh! So we're putting these things ON the tree? Got it."

What a good little helper.

Liam decided to give Jake a few pointers. "Look at that spot you missed up there, Dad!"

"A little to the left..."

"Perfect!"

Laughter

Apparently I serve the funniest applesauce in town...

 
Again, I have no idea why posting videos on my blog causes a sound delay? If I could fix it, I would!

7 Things

Oh, hey Friday! Where did you come from? This week has been incredibly long and fast at the same time. Quick recap.

1. Javen and potty training = all systems are a go. He's still in pull-ups for naps and night time, but we've overcome the #2 obstacle and I don't even have to cart the frog potty with me every time we leave the house. It's wonderful!!

2. Both boys have runny noses (I think it's because of the weather, they're not actually sick). Come to find out, when I hold a tissue up to 10 month on Liam's nose, he blows! Smarty pants.

3. Still sleeping through the night. Awesome. I'm a new woman. Believe it or not, the most pleasant baby on the planet is now even happier. I didn't even know that was possible!

4. Javen is getting ready to go spend a few days with his Grandparents in IL...WITHOUT me and Jake! He's never spent the night anywhere without us before so it's a big first. He couldn't be more excited! I just don't know how Liam is going to do...going 3 whole days without his playmate/favorite person in the world. Play date anyone?

5. Word on the street is that tomorrow from 2-5pm Starbucks is having a buy one get one sale on their holiday drinks. Peppermint Mocha's for everyone!!!

6. After searching the house over for a missing sippy cup this morning, I didn't find it in any of the usual spots. I gave up the search and opened up the entertainment center to put some mindless TV on while doing the dishes. Low and behold, theTV is the newest hiding spot for sippy cups. You heard it here first.

7. Tis the season for Christmas cards. I've been working on my photos from our little shoot with the boys last weekend and Shutterfly has some cute templates this year! I've never used their site before, but I love that I can play around with customizing different cards without having to sign in or sign up for an account. It's so user friendly! (If you want to save or order your cards, you need to sign in.) I'm always a little leery of ordering photos/prints from online sources, but enough of my friends have recommended this site that I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Here are a few of my favorite designs:

Obviously, these are not photos of my children. But you get the idea. :)

They also have address labels, invites and other photo gift ideas. You can view the cards here, or just go to their homepage and explore all the options.

Right now Shutterfly is giving free shipping on orders of $30 or more if you use the coupon code SHIP30 at checkout. AND if you're a blogger, they have a promotion right now for 50 free cards. Visit the Shutterfly blog http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/ for details.

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I wasn't paid for my opinions on Shutterfly, but I will be receiving free cards for my post. Just keepin' it real. :)

Good Days

What a great weekend! We spent most of Saturday running errands and hanging out as a family. On Sunday we had a great lunch after church. I made The Pioneer Woman's green bean casserole which was AMAZING and I don't even like green bean casserole!  (I don't like bacon, so I left that part out. Jake still approved and Javen even gobbled it down!) It was pretty much gone before I even thought to take a photo, so here is what PW's looks like. Mine was similar- I used crunchy onions instead of panko bread crumbs.


Image found here

Then we headed out to a local park to do a little photo shoot with the boys. No preview of the photos today...I'm saving them for Christmas cards. :) Then it was back to the kitchen for me. This time apple pie (also from The Pioneer Woman) and dinner.

Image found here

I'm telling you, PW is batting 1000 when it comes to recipes. I have yet to try one we don't like. Maybe that's because ingredients always include lots of butter, cream and milk. I do have one tiny bone to pick with the apple pie recipe above. The ingredients didn't include cinnamon. How can you make apple pie with no cinnamon? I had to throw some in for good measure...and good pie. I decision I do not regret. :)

Today the boys and I had a great morning. Now that Liam sleeps through the night a good 10-12 hours it makes my attitude and energy during the day SO much better. After his morning nap the boys and I headed to the grocery store for a very successful trip. They were so good - such an easy and fun trip together. During their nap time I made some homemade organic chocolate syrup. All I can say, is after you make your own syrup from scratch...Hershey's is for the dogs.

On our way home from the grocery store I stopped by Starbucks to get a Peppermint Mocha (my Starbucks vice). As we pulled into the drive-thru lane Javen pipes up from the back seat, "Mama! I need a Mocha, pweeeeease? Mocha, Mom!"

Just to clarify, I have never given this child a coffee drink in any shape or form. Also, my usual Starbucks intake is 1 drink a month. When it comes to Peppermint Mochas...I fall weak at the knees. Especailly when it's cold out. I think I've had 4 this month already.

Tis the season?

Ok, I guess I'll show you one photo from our Christmas card shoot yesterday. Only because this one isn't going on the card.

I think.

If you get this photo in the mail, just act like you haven't seen it before, Ok? Thanks.

PB Knock Off Christmas Ornament Wreath

I was flipping through the new Pottery Barn Christmas catalogue when I came across this wreath:

It's $79. Yikes.

So I decided to take matters into my own hands. I ended up with this for less than $20! Believe it or not, it only took about half an hour to assemble.

I started with a plain wreath from Target. It was on sale for $12 and some change.

Then I gathered my ornaments. I chose different shades and sizes of green. Some from Target dollar section, some from Hobby Lobby 50% off.

I attached them to the wreath using ornament hooks. (Those were free from our stash of Christmas decorations in the attic. I think they originally cost 99 cents for the entire pack.) Just wrap each hook around a branch a few times to make sure it won't fall off. (That's right, you don't even need a glue gun to make this beauty. Booya.)

The finished product again:

Once I hung it on the door I fluffed some of the branches and moved some of them around until I liked the way everything was laying. When I tried to close the storm door I found that my wreath was too big to fit between my two doors. I guess this one will be hanging inside and it's back to the drawing board as to what will adorn the front door. I think I'm up for the task. I love a good wreath challenge!

Linking up!

49

Have you seen the new Best Buy commercial? A young mother walks up to the Geek Squad counter with one baby on her hip, holding her toddler's hand, carrying a diaper bag and lap top. The Geek Squad Guy (GSG) asks how he can help her. She smiles one of those exhausted, desperate smiles and says "My little helper decided to remove a few keys from my lap top. I have the Black Tie protection plan. Can you help?"

The GSG's eyes get really big as he looks down at her lap top. One of his associates comes to his side, looks at the computer and the baggie full of computer keys, looks at her, then looks at the toddler. The toddler looks the man in the eye and says, "Mommy's 'puter bwoken. I bwoke her 'puter. It's a no-no."

GSG #2 doubles over in laughter. He can barely speak. He stands up straight to talk to the young mother, but opens his mouth only to double over in laughter again.

"49" she says. "He removed 49 keys."

Only, this is not an actual Best Buy commercial. It just felt like one.

The GSG's were really funny and sweet about the whole thing, and pretty sympathetic as they had little boys of their own. Even though I'm pretty sure my protection plan doesn't cover toddler destruction, they still fixed it for free.

49 keys. 49.

Oh Javen.

"I sorry, Mama. I sorry. Daddy fix it?"

Food. It's What's for Dinner.

Liam has never really liked baby food and I've tried it in all forms and flavors (homemade and store bought.) After he had the stomach bug he refused anything except breast milk and cheerios. So I just quit trying with the baby food and now he is eating whatever we eat. (In addition to breast feeding. I have a feeling weaning this one in a few months is going to be tough.)

It's WONDERFUL. He's like a bottomless pit. I think his favorite so far is pumpkin pie...though he did enjoy that spaghetti last night...

And guess what? Last night...he slept through the night and I slept till 8 AM. (Well, Javen was in bed with me around 7, but Jake put Caillou on the computer so he was a happy camper.)

Cue the hallelujah chorus.

I even made muffins for breakfast to celebrate. The 3 of us chowed down on the same breakfast. I LOVE not having to prepare separate meals anymore. All 4 of us eat the same foods at the same time. (Ok, obviously Liam can't  have everything we eat, but most foods work out.)

BTW...My friend Amanda just wrote a great post on baby food that you should give a read if you're in the baby food phase of life. She hit the nail on the head.

In other news, while I was doing dishes yesterday morning during Liam's nap, I looked up to find Javen playing working? in the living room. It was too cute not to grab my camera. I tried really hard not to let him know I was snapping his photo.

But he caught me.

Oh Naptime

It's naptime. My floors are so clean you could eat off of them. (But if you do, I'll kick your behind for messing up my clean floors. No, wait, I won't. As soon as Javen and Liam are awake they'll be spilling and eating off my clean floors. Why did I just clean my floors again?)

So a funny thing happened this morning. Liam and I were working on some photos on the computer like this one:

Javen was playing quietly with his toys. Except that he wasn't really playing quietly with his toys. He was stripping down naked, putting Daddy's flip flops on and sneaking out the front door. I caught him stark naked in the driveway when I heard the front door slam. I quickly ran outside to retrieve him and our conversation went a little something like this:

Me: (Trying SO hard to choke back the laughter) Javen? What are you doing, bud?

Javen: I go to store, Mama!

Me: Why are you going to the store? And where are your clothes? (I'm crying at this point because I just can't keep back the laughter)

Javen: I go to store Mama. I need stickers. My stickers all gone!

Me: But you're naked!

Javen: Yeah?

Me: And you're not supposed to go outside without asking Mommy first.

Javen: I sorry Mama, I sorry. I go to store and get stickers?

Me: No bud, you have to come inside and get dressed. (Snicker snicker)

In other news what is up with the whole daylight savings thing? WORST IDEA EVER. I received a nice reminder email from the preschool program at church telling us not to forget to set back the clocks. It read:

Don't Forget!!!

Daylight Saving Time ENDS Saturday night.

Be sure to set your clocks BACK one hour before going to bed Saturday..or you will be VERY EARLY for church!

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep.

Yeah, because our little ones are really going to let us take advantage of the "extra hour".
Ha. Haha. Hahaha.
Good one.

My Joy(s)

I've never met a happier baby. Never.

Even on my most frustrating, long and tiring days- all he has to do is flash me that toothy grin and those baby blues and in that instant the world around me melts away...

And that big brother of his? Don't even get me started. That's a whole other post entirely.

My boys. My joys.

The Face

Here's the face I was talking about earlier. He's trying so hard not to smile...little goober!

I Have Funny Kids

The boys have been up to some cute stuff.

First of all there's Buzz and Alvin (imaginary cat and blue pig that now live with us.)

Secondly, Liam has been saying his own version of Javen's name for quite a while (maybe a couple months) but only in the past few weeks have I picked up on it. He calls Javen "JJ". It's completely un-prompted from us. It's adorable how excited he gets when Javen plays with him or walks in the room and Liam says it over and over with the biggest smiles for his brother. Best buds, for sure.

Oh, and the face. How could I forget the face? Liam's become really expressive over the past few weeks and he has this one look that cracks us up every time. He makes it when he wants to smile or thinks something is funny but tries his best to hide his amusement. And seeing as I just put him down for his morning nap, I'll have to get the photo later.

In the mean time, here's this one from a couple weeks ago of my happy lil fella.

In other funny kid news. Javen's newest obsession is Target. It's a daily request from him that we go. I love how he always asks Liam if he's interested as well. The conversation usually goes something like this:

J: Wanna go Target Weeum? Target?!

L: JJ!! JJ!!

J: Pway wif toys at Target, Weeum? Wets go, Weeum!

L: JJ! JJ!

J: Mom, wets go Target. Pwease?

Me: Ok, bud. Let's pick up your toys and go potty first.

J: Cwean up! Cwean up! Come on, Weeum. Pick up you toys. Go Target!

L: JJ! JJ!

Excuse me while I go get dressed. I have a feeling that when Liam wakes up, we may have to make a trip to Target....

Bugged

After one day home with healthy kids, the stomach bug claimed it's next victim yesterday evening: me. Jake was leaving work and going to vote when I called him and told him to skip the voting and get home pronto. As he walked in the door and got hugs from the boys I bee lined it for the bathroom.

I'm really bummed we didn't get to vote, but there was no possible way I was leaving this house! Jake has been such a wonderful husband/father today. I've been in bed ALL day long feeling to weak to even lift my head and he's been downstairs with the kiddos having a Daddy day.

It's a 24 hour bug, so I should be up and running in the morning.

Now that our travels and days of puking are over I'm hoping to get back on track with my blog posts. I still have this gorgeous new floor to show off (though I'm still on the hunt for the perfect rug). And I have to introduce you to Alvin, the imaginary blue pig that is best friends with Buzz (Javen's imaginary black cat).

Never a dull moment around here.

Deep Breath

These past 5 days are the biggest blur of a "weekend" I've ever known.

Long story short:
Beautiful wedding waaay up North. (Congrats Q&A!)

BOTH boys caught the stomach bug going around in northern IL. LOTS of puking. Not so much ring bearer-ing.

Hate being so helpless to make my boys feel better.

So much for taking a billion photos as I had planned.

Very little sleep for this Mama and Daddy.

Wouldn't have survived without the help of Grandma, Papa and Aunt Monica.

Total round trip hours in the car: 20+

So happy to be home with two healthy kids.
If I never get thrown up on again, it will be too soon.

 ::shudder::

I'd like to sleep for a year, please?