Gingerbread house

We've had this Gingerbread house for awhile...well, since last Christmas. We never got around to actually doing it, and I knew we couldn't let it sit for another year. Actually everything seemed good, some of the candy is a little stale, and who knows-the gingerbread could be too. We've told Aiden we can't eat it until Christmas. And by then we'll have so many other goodies that if it's inedible-no biggie. I think it's more fun decorating than eating anyway-but I'm sure there are others who would disagree with me ;)Oh-there is that goofy grin I can never seem to get him to outgrow...

Devin's smart-he finds the good stuff and begs to have some. I actually bought those fresh in case we ran out of candy...

Daddy helped out too-especially putting the structure up a few days ago.

Oh yeah-Devin wants in on the action!

The finished product!

I knew I would never be able to make a gorgeous perfect house with kids-so I just planned on putting our initials on it and see where it went from there. Overall I think we did a pretty ok job :)

Visiting with Santa

My father belongs to a club and they have a Christmas party every year for the kids and grandkids of all the members. All the children actually get presents and there are some refreshments. Over the years the party has scaled back and there used to be entertainment, but it's still good to go. To our surprise, this year they had a Santa, Mrs. Clause, and and Elf! This is the first year that Aiden has really gotten the concept of how the whole Christmas thing works-and was excited to talk to Santa since he added a toy to his list that he already mailed him. So this was his big chance to tell Santa about it. I was nervous about Devin, because I wasn't sure if he was going to be happy sitting with Santa or not. But he did great and was pretty oblivious to it all. I think it helps to have an older brother to look to as well. Next year I fear will be the real test...when Aiden was two, that was the year he really didn't like Santa. So we'll see. For now though, I'll take it!

The other picture I have Aiden has a cute smile, but Devin's eyes are half closed...

Devin's telling Santa that he is going to take all of his brother's toys if he doesn't get the same thing ;)

Santa is telling Aiden that he has to eat nice all the time. (I prepped him to say that...so far it hasn't really helped...)

Here is Aiden's big moment to tell Santa about the Rocket ship with the aliens and Woody and Buzz he saw at the Disney store. He has been asking about that toy for the last few weeks....oy. I told him he already sent his list to Santa, and Santa is very busy and he may have to wait until next Christmas, but we'll see. And so that is what Aiden says to everyone now...that he wants this rocket ship, but "We'll See". My girlfriend Laura had a picture of her daughter last year whispering in Santa's ear, and it was so cute...I had to have Aiden do the same ;)

Micah was entertaining Devin while we had been waiting in line. Goofy boys ;)

And we tried to get a good family picture...but of course there is always one kid who doesn't smile...

Sitting on my Santa's lap :)

And here is the official mall Santa picture. We were so lucky. After we had our family portraits done with Micah's family, we went downstairs and I thought to myself...wouldn't it be great if Santa was out already? There wouldn't be much of a line, and the boys are already dressed up. It was the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so I really didn't think he would be-but lo and behold! I was so excited! There was only one other family in front of us! I was ecstatic. And we got a pretty good picture in the first few frames...done deal. No long lines for us-Merry Christmas to me :)

Decorating the Tree

As has been a tradition in my family for years, we decided to continue with our own family the picture taking of us decorating the tree. It was getting late and I had been working on the lights of our tree all evening-even running out to the store for more lights (it's a pre-lit tree and had a strand go out, and then discover than another had gone out), and wanted to get the kids to help a little putting the ornaments on. So they got to put their special ornaments on the tree plus some more. My parents have gotten us all special ornaments marking special occasions-such as their births, our wedding, Micah's graduation from Medical school...so those are what we chose to take pictures of.

Oh yes, digging in the box for all the breakable ones!

Devin enjoyed taking them off more than putting them on...probably because that's the part he can do all by himself!

And then of course it would not be Christmas without the ornament casualty of the year. I remember how upset my own mother got when we would accidentally break one of her ornaments. Now I know how that feels...
Devin grabbed an ornament off the tree that Aiden had put on-too low-and I was planning on moving up after they went to bed. I was standing by the couch with the camera still in hand as we had just finished taking pictures. There were boxes in between us and I had no direct route to get to him. But I specifically remember the look on Devin's face when he saw this ornament and grabbed it. It was a look of "aaaaahhhh!" the ball of all balls, and I'm going to bounce it like every ball should be bounced! I saw it happening before it happened and it was all in slow motion. Me reaching out-screaming NOOOOOOO!!!!-and Devin just all wrapped up in how perfect this ball was and that he was going to throw it down even if it killed him...and sure enough:

Ugh. My beautiful, hand painted from the inside, gift from my mother-in-law, ornament in a million pieces that is in no way salvageable :( Oh well...no one was hurt, and there are worse things than a broken ornament. I still love my Goobotz :)

Christmas lights

I was so excited to have our Christmas lights up this year :) Last year it got cold too fast, and we were incredibly busy, so we never got the lights up. I was able to put the garland up myself, but not our beautiful snowflake lights. As many of you know, Micah and I got married on New Years Eve and our wedding was snowflake themed...so it's become my "thing" now. I found some snowflake twinkling lights a few years ago, and the big snowflakes to go with them. Then my dad found the twinkling icicle lights we used at our reception and gave them to us-so this is the first year we put those up as well.
For the record, Micah HATES getting up on the roof, for anything. Obviously he sees a lot of injuries from people falling off roofs and ladders, and his career depends on his hands...so I totally understand that. And every year we do this-I tell him that when we finally are making some decent money, we will hire someone to do this for us and he'll never have to worry about it again. Ironically enough, we had just had a dinner meeting with some financial advisers the evening before and they discussed disability insurance. The joke of the day was that Micah should have gotten some while he had the chance! Thankfully nothing happened, and everyone was safe. Uncle Dan had come out to babysit for us the night before, and since it was incredibly nice out-we grabbed the opportunity to get the lights up and have a little help.

My brave and wonderful husband who does many things to appease me :)

Uncle Danno lending a helping hand :)

Aiden had to help too. He went back and forth from playing in his Jumpy Jumpy for the last time and getting his tools to help with the lights.

Devin apparently wanted to play golf ;)

It's all coming together!

My snowflakes!

It's so pretty :) The icicle lights and the snowflakes on top all twinkle...and I think we are the only house in the neighborhood with twinkle icicle lights :)

It's been really windy these past few days, so a few snowflakes have flipped up on the roof...and I need to fix the lights on the garland-but I'll wait until the temperature gets above 11 degrees!
Thank you honey for putting our lights up this year! And Uncle Danno for helping out!!

4 Thanksgivings

I have a lot of catching up to do! And part of the reason is because we have been so busy, hence the 4 Thanksgivings :) The weekend before Thanksgiving my mother-in-law had hers that I already posted about. Then on the Wednesday before, Aiden had "Feast Day" at his preschool, and Grammy and Kiki drove out to celebrate with us. On Thanksgiving Day we went to my Cousin Anne's for dinner, and we just wrapped up the festivities at my Mom's this past weekend. Needless to say, we are a little turkeyed out...but we enjoyed every single one of them-and I loved not having to worry about dinners for a few days with all the leftovers :) Here are some pictures of us stuffing our faces.

Feast Day-also the day we had to take Devin in to the doctor for Croup-poor little guy.

Sick or not-he's still a goober!

My little Indian :)

This is a rare picture! Aiden is one of the pickiest eaters I've met...and sooooooo slow. He chews forever. He has learned that he doesn't have much of a choice and needs to eat what we give him-and he does. It just takes him forever. But I have picture proof now that he eats!

My cousin Anne is waving in the corner with the rest of the family all around. It's been great getting to know this side of my family better, and we love that they open their homes to us during the holidays when we can't be with our own families.

This was the best picture I could get of my cousin Tina...she apparently blinks in over 90% of pictures!

The "kiddie" table :)

I had to try and get Brian's face in the picture.

And finally Thanksgiving at my parent's house. My Aunt Judy from Australia was in town so that's why they waited so she could come. Too bad my sister Lauren could not be there since she moved to Colorado-but she was in our thoughts and we're looking forward to seeing her in a week when she comes in for an early Christmas ;)

Daddy took a pictures so I could be in it.

The boys were just wiped out!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone ;) Hope you had an enjoyable holiday and counted all your blessings...we sure have! Now the countdown to Christmas has begun...