The Takeover

It all started innocently enough.

Santa brought Mason a new dog bed for Christmas.  We set it outside his crate for him to get used to it.

The next morning, we woke up and saw this:

So, we kicked Shiloh off the dog bed and moved the new one inside Mason's crate.

This is what we woke up to the next morning.  Clearly, size does not matter in this battle...

We told Mason to stick up for himself and to go lay on his new dog bed.... He obliged, although I don't think he was too excited about it...

The next morning, this is what we found again....  I guess she wins!

Poor Mason.  That doesn't look too comfortable.... :)

Christmas Crafties 2010

We had lots of fun Christmas craftie projects this year.  I had many more planned than I actually accomplished, but I was pretty happy with what I actually got done.  I don't have pictures for everything, but you should get a good idea...

1.  Treats:

Of course, the ones little Max really enjoyed helping out with were baking/treat related.  In addition to doing our annual cookie bake/swap , we made a few treats at home.  One of those was friend Melanie's infamous chocolate popcorn.  The recipe is so easy, you won't believe it.  The only thing is, you need a pretty large bowl...otherwise break it up into several batches.  

Melted Chocolate Popcorn

3 bags microwave popcorn

1 bag Wilton Chocolate melts (or other brand...just don't use plain chocolate chips)

Directions:  pop popcorn, put in LARGE bowl.  Melt chocolates, pour over popcorn, stir/toss until coated.  Spread out on surface (I spread waxed paper on my kitchen table) and stir occassionally untiil chocolate has set.  EAT and ENJOY!

Little Max mostly added his cleaning expertise to the process...

I told him he looked like a green monster...that made him happy!  :)

2.  Ornaments: 

Twig Star:

 

 SO easy.  But so pretty on the tree!

Picture star: I don't have a picture of this one yet, because I actually haven't MADE them yet!  Oops!  I try to make these every year for family and close friends...and of course, one for US!

3.  Board Books:  Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of this either, but this year I made board books for Lilly and the McGrandparents.  Lilly's book is a picture book of the people she loves.  The McGrandparents got a book about Grandparents are special because...  They are fun books to read with the kids.  Little Max was always a fan of picture books (and  books in general) and loved pointing out people in pictures.  I made a few for him in his younger years, and they were always some of his favorites...

4.  Annual X-Max card scrapbook page.  I LOVE getting xmax cards every year.  I LOVE creating and coming up with a special one to send out.  So, every year, when the Christmas season is over, I go through this inner turmoil when it comes time to clean up after the holiday.  How could I throw out something so wonderful, that someone spent so much time creating and picking out the 'perfect' picture for?  Last year, I found a solution...a xmax card scrapbook page.  I pick one picture from each photo card sent to me, and create a collage out of it.  It was fun looking at last years while I made the one for this year.  I look forward to doing this project for years to come! 



What special crafties did YOU do this year??  I may need inspiration for next year...although with all the projects I wanted to do and never did...maybe that isn't such a good idea.... :)

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was very leisurely in the morning....we woke up, ate some breakfast, snuggled up under blankets on the couch and watched a few morning cartoons....

I played around a little bit more with the new camera that Santa brought me...ahem, I mean the family.  It is a pretty nice point-and-shoot crossover.  A Canon SX30IS.  It takes some pretty amazing shots straight out of the box.  Now, we just have to sit down and read the manual so we can figure out all the cool things this camera can do -- and it can do quite a LOT.  You'll see in a future post some of the great photos we got with it...bear with us, we're still learning how to use it!

Some of the Christmas decorations...

Sam playing with some of his new toys...and of course, his spoon.  He LOVES spoons as is generally carrying one around with him everywhere he goes.  Notice the bib?!  It was his FIRST Christmas!!! 

Daddy and Sam putting their heads together....

We were getting ready to leave to head out to a family Christmas party at Max's relatives house...

I couldn't hide from the camera once big Max got a hold of it.  See those wonderful slippers on my feet??  A wonderful gift from a good friend a few years ago, from Restoration Hardware.  LOVE THEM.

There was a pretty sweet set up for the kids in the basement...lots of toys and room to run around.  Everyone gathered around to play a board game...yes, they do still exist!  :)

 

Max was running around, with only a 10-15 min car nap fueling him on.  He crashed pretty hard once we got home..

Sam was having an unusual afternoon...he spent about 1/2 hour crying...all at once...which I think is more crying than I've heard from him in the past month.  Too much stimulation, perhaps?  I whispered in his ear that it was OK...his big brother did the same thing at HIS first Christmas...so maybe it is just a rite of passage.  Thankfully he was back to his normal jovial self the next day...which was good, because we had EVEN MORE adventures planned!  :)  Stay tuned!

Christmas Eve

This year, we drove to MN to spend Christmas with Max's side of the family.  What was normally a 5-6 hour drive took us almost 8 hours because of weather, traffic and accidents.  Other than the time on the road, the trip was actually pretty pleasant.  Sam slept most of the way...and when he was awake, he entertained himself quietly....making us laugh quite a bit.  Little Max was so excited to see the McGrandparents, he actually didn't nap...which is extremely rare for him...and even rarer that he didn't fall asleep in the car -- he almost ALWAYS falls asleep in the car.  Despite the lack of sleep, he was still in a jovial mood for the rest of the evening until bedtime.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with the McGrandparents and Max's brother Fran, wife Denyce and daughter Lilly.  We ate a monstrously HUGE lasagna that Denyce made (I don't think I've EVER seen a lasagna this large in my life...delicious though) opened a slew of presents and then collapsed for the night.  :)

The McGrandparents and Lilly.  Hard to get a non-fuzzy picture of a moving child...

Apparently, it is also hard to get pictures of adults HOLDING moving and wiggling children...

Meh.  Between the two pictures I think we've got everyone looking at the camera...

LOVE these boys.  LOVE them.  I am so glad God chose to put THEM in my life.

SO much to LOVE.

I mean, just look at that FACE!!

We got only one picture of the family....I wish Fran would've taken more.  Apparently "please take our picture" was taken quite literally...as in ONE picture and not multiple.  Oh well.

Lilly turned one in November -- the week after little Max's birthday -- look how BIG she's getting!!  And quite the little personality too!

The McGrandparents gave lil Max a turtle shell and some shed deer antlers.  He wasn't quite sure what to make of them at first, so I showed him what they were for...

And then I promptly took them away from him after a near eye-poking out incident.  Probably not the best gift for a three year old to PLAY with...but for looking at instead.

Tearing into the gifts...lots to tear into!

This picture makes my heart swell!

The McGrandparents also gave Max this awesome M&D dinosaur puzzle.  He immediately wanted to put it together. This kid amazes me with his puzzle making skills -- he can put together a puzzle he's never done before all by himself!

Doesn't she have the most beautiful eyes?

Aww...even more beautiful with that beautiful smile!

The purging has begun....

This load was taken to Goodwill today.

Good riddance!

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The Christmas Miracle of 2010

This year, I was worried that the spirit of Christmas was gone...so many people rushing around buying presents, being rude, making snarky comments.... it was sucking the life out of me and making the season so much less enjoyable.

Until the following story touched my life...

It all started with a group of girlfriends banding together and deciding to do 'something nice' for a friend in need.  Never mind we all live in different cities...and that some of us had never met each other 'in person'...

Because of the kindness of random strangers, and the spirit of Christmas, we were able to gift a friend in need with a $300 de-mousing service (generously donated by Rainbow Pest Experts in Minneapolis, MN) AS WELL AS with a $300 Visa gift card.

The following story is so remarkable, I don't know where to even begin... It all started when we decided that we wanted to do something nice for our said "friend in need" (hereby referred to as FIN).  We hemmed and hawed about what we could do that would be useful as well as needed: a housecleaning, a handyman, a spa gift certificate… Finally, since we knew about the rodent battles that ensued at FIN's house, we settled on getting a gift that could keep on giving – an EXTERMINATOR.

I googled pest companies in the Minneapolis area, and Rainbow Pest Experts came up – I thought, great! A locally owned small company – this is someone we should support. So I called them up and asked if they could do gift certificates - that we had a FIN who was going through a rough time during the holiday season, and that we wanted to do something nice for her.  I was directed to talk to Mike, so I told him of this wonderful plan that us girls had: we wanted to send our FIN a mouse in a mouse trap with a gift certificate tucked underneath for an exterminator to come in and take care of her mouse problem. I explained to him that we were all friends who had met through the Internet because we all had children born in Nov 2007, and we just wanted to help out a good friend who was going through a rough time during the Christmas season. Mike told me that they most definitely could do gift certificates and that he needed to check on something and get back to me.  The story must have inspired him, because he called me back and told me that Rainbow Pest Experts wanted to do the service for FREE– and that we should give our FIN the money we had collected so that she could have some pampering for herself!! I was in shock, in tears (as I am now writing this) and so amazed that the Christmas spirit did, in fact, still exist. 
Mike went out and put this together:

Oh my word, isn't it great!??!  Mike ROCKS!

And a week later, we sent a little envelope to our FIN with a $300 visa gift card inside. 

She was touched, and amazed and astounded....just as each of us that contributed to her gift were.  I love retelling the story...every time I do, I get little chills down my spine.  What a WONDERFUL and UNEXPECTED gift.  A what a WONDERFUL reminder that the SPIRIT of CHRISTMAS is still alive and present.

Merry Christmas to ALL!  And THANK YOU, Rainbow Pest Experts!

Searching for the true meaning of Christmas

It seems every year people get caught up in the 'spirit' of Christmas...buying presents, making cookies, etc.  Every year, I get caught up in the same whirlwind, and when the entire holiday season is over, I look back and find that I have been stepping further and further away from the true meaning of Christmas.

It is so easy to think about all the things you want (or think you NEED), to make Christmas wish lists to give to family and friends...but the season really isn't about the giving and the getting, is it?  So what IS it about?

As my boys grow older, I find myself struggling to get them to understand the true meaning of Christmas -- that Jesus was born on this day and that he later gave his life for us.  That seems to be a pretty deep message for a three year old and an 8-month old to understand.  Presents are MUCH easier to 'get'.  I can relate to that...  So, each year I try to plant a few more seeds of hope in them.  And each year I get rewarded with more and more little messages of hope.

This year, Max seems very interested in baby Jesus -- and likes to point him out in nativity scenes, in our Golden Book 'The Christmas Story' and when we sing the 'Christmas Song'.  That makes me happy.  I think that's great progress for a 3 year old....

He also likes to talk about how God is in everything, or how God made everything.  In fact, when I told him that Mom and Dad "made" him...he corrected us and said, "No, Mom. GOD made me."  LOL.  He's right, though!

On our way home from Christmas with Max's side of the family, we were driving home in the dark and little Max looked up at the moon from the back seat.  All of a sudden from the back seat we heard "Daddy, does the moon have brains?" Daddy answered: "No, buddy.  There are no brains in the moon...it's just one big rock."  Silence.  A few seconds later "It's not just rock, daddy....GOD is in the moon too..." 

Yes little guy, yes he is....

We are lucky that the boys go to a Christian-based daycare so a lot of what they learn in the classroom focuses around God...prayers before meals, chapel on Wednesdays, etc.  But it is just as important to instill those values at home...you can't leave it all up to the teachers....  So, I am curious how other's have been trying to instill the true meaning of Christmas in family at home. What are your tricks? Your secrets? Any crafties that you do to help bring the message home?

2011 New Year's "Resolutions"

Resolution

res·o·lu·tion [rez-uh-loo-shuhn]

–noun

a resolve or firm determination to do something.

 

This year, I want to make my New Year's Resolution(s) something more of a set of goals, a "thirty before thirty" type of list...although I am past 30 now, and thirty things would seem like an awful lot to keep track of anyways....

So, with it being 2011, I figured I would pick 11 "resolutions".  It was not an easy thing to do -- I can't imagine having to pick more!!  You can follow along and keep track of me in the side bar to see how I do, I will be crossing off my resolutions as I accomplish them!

1. Lose those last pesky 10 lbs. -- I am back to less than my pre-pregnancy weight with Sam, but I'd like to lose the last pesky 10 lbs that seem to be holding on to my body and firm up a bit.  I know when you are breast-feeding your body holds on to some fat reserves, so that may well be the culprit...

2.  Run a full 5K race -- the last one I did I had to walk a small portion of it.  I'd like to do another 5K race and actually run the whole thing -- regardless of how fast or slow I go.  I would also like to continue running 5Ks after that initial race...instead of finding out I am pregnant!  LOL.  It was a very welcome pregnancy, but it put my running on hold for awhile....

3.  Move-- more on this one later :)

4.  Re-learn how to sew -- I might need to upgrade my sewing machine to properly accomplish this one...but I used to know how to sew, and my mother sure tried to teach me many a time....

5. Relearn how to knit --   I learned from my good friend Jenni before little Max came along, and I have forgotten how to do it since.

6. Re-do the blog -- make it a little more funky and fun -- no more explanation neeeded.

7. Teach little Max to read - this goal might be a bit lofty, but my mom says I was reading by the time I was three, so I figure I can't be TOO off base.  Little Max can already identify all his letters and numbers.  He can spell his name, Mom, Dad, Dog, Cat, etc.  He can even pick out his name on a picture from a wall full of pictures with other names on it.  So, I figure that is already reading to some degree...

8. Make at least one homemade/handmade crafty a month -- I have so many ideas that I have a binder started.  I need to whittle away at that binder and start making some magic!

9. Blog at least once a week -- I've been pretty good about this in the past, but with far-away family watching the blog to see how the boys are doing, I need to be better about updating it more frequently...and not just with stuff about the boys -- I want to update it with more stuff about LIFE. 

10. Purge the house one room at a time -- one room each month.  (and STOP buying new stuff to replace what I've purged just *because* it is 'on sale')

and

11.  **Breathe** -- this goal/resolution is dual-purpose.  It is also my Word of the Year.  My word last year was **appreciate**.  I think I did a pretty good job sticking with it throughout the year.  I definitely had my challenges -- but that's the whole idea of picking a word, isn't it?  So you are aware and thoughtful about your everyday choices, right?

Anyways -- this year I am doing something a little different from what I did last year in regards to resolutions.  And that's OK.  It's always good to try doing something a different way once in awhile.

6 months of phone photos

I've found I've been using my cell phone to take pictures more frequently -- the ease of having it around to catch those everyday moments is obvious!

I put together this slideshow of all the photos in my phone from June - December -- WOW!  It was so much fun to go back in time over the past 6 months.  We really truly do live a blessed life -- look at all the fun things we get to do and see!!

8 months

Can you believe Sam is 8 MONTHS old already?  Yeah, neither can I!!  It is amazing how fast time has just flown by, and this little tiny newborn has grown and filled out into this personality filled little boy.

 

Sam is rarely without a smile on his face -- he is very laid back and go-with-the-flow, which works quite well with a three year old around.  :)

He has been sitting like a champ for a while now, and is starting to lunge forward almost into a hands-knee position.  Lil Max didn't crawl until he was closer to 10 months old, so this will be interesting if he starts to crawl soon -- I'll have to get more vigilant about actually child-proofing the house.  The task is just much more daunting with a three year old's toys everywhere -- and its not easy to explain why he has to keep certain toys in his room....

The solids bandwagon was met with little resistance, and Sam has plunged full force into self-feeding.  In fact, he much prefers feeding himself (I think we just don't feed him FAST enough for his liking...).  He shovels handfuls of cheerios, puffs, banana chunks, etc. into his mouth like crazy.  He's also mastered the sippy cup (one handed) and enjoys taking a nice swig of water or breast milk after stuffing his cheekers full of treats.  The kid is a hoot to watch eat.

He's also getting quite vocal -- saying mama and dada and lots of other combinations of syllables.  He enjoys talking to himself quite a bit, and I swear he is sometimes holding a conversation with himself.  He especially likes it when we play games with his mouth and lips -- making him make silly noises.  He has taken now to doing this himself -- by shoving his entire fist in and out of his mouth.  It never fails to make us laugh.

He also enjoys banging on things to make lots of fun new noises.  This is usually accompanied by some pretty rhythmic head "shaking".  I'd like to think he's saying "no", but I know better.  He does it at some pretty funny times though...and it makes him laugh while he's doing it...what can I say, he's a self entertainer!

He's  been an angel when it comes to sleeping (although I always curse myself when I type these things out).  He goes down easily around 6:30-7pm and has been sleeping through until around 5:30-6 am -- if we have to go to work, this is perfect timing, and I can usually get him to go back down for another 1/2 hour or so before I wake him to get dressed.  On a weekend day, he goes back down and usually buys us until 7-7:30.  He seems to be following suit to his older brother on liking 12 hours of night time sleep.  His naps have also started getting much more predictable -- he takes 2 a day for me at home -- usually around 10 and 2.  (Daycare is another story).  He usually goes down easily (kicks himself into sleepy land) and sleeps for 1.5-2 hours each nap.  I have no complaints in the sleep category.  It must be that soft velour crib sheet he has...I wish they made those in King size.... :)

This child seriously amazes me everyday with his go with the flow attitude.  Lil Max was pretty much an angel at this age also, but NOTHING like this.  I always say that I don't know what I did to deserve this little angel, but if I did I'd be rich!