My Favorite Boys

The boys were very helpful with cutting down some small trees and cedars, while I helped Patrick with putting up the fence. They did a great job of helping us start a fire to stay warm and clear out brush. They paused to take a little break and snuggle up with there favorite big pup.

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate

Before Christmas, I had bought all the ingredients to make hot chocolate, hoping that on or right around Christmas we'd make some. We usually just buy the nestle mix and call it a day. But for something special I thought it might be fun. Until the past couple days the highs have been in the 60's and 70's so we weren't really feeling the need for hot chocolate. But today was COLD, about 42! and wanting to savor the last precious moments of everyone being home from school and work, I made it a point to mix it up as soon as I got out of bed. 

Patrick spent the day outside {brr} putting up a fence around a cave that has a pretty steep drop-off. It's been on the to do list for awhile, but you know how that goes. Will and Jack went fishing with Lane, Ella and Uncle Clinton at a pond just behind the house {brr again} and Sam and I stayed inside for most of the morning putting away Christmas decorations. We went out to help burn some brush Patrick had cleared out around the cave once the temperature had about reached the high.

The hot chocolate was waaaay too rich for me, but the kids loved it! They got to have a cup sometime around lunch and then after dinner that's what they chose for dessert. I must say it tasted better after several hours than it did when it was first "done." But still not a fan. I'll have to look for another recipe for special hot chocolate, I guess. I also made homemade whipped cream to top it off and that was delicious!

New Bed

I had been waiting and waiting for our bed to arrive. I ordered from Joss & Main and it took it's sweet time to get here. Almost 6 weeks.  It took me forever to make a decision and stick with it...what's new? So I was so anxious for it to get here and for Patrick to put it together. I'm trying to get as much done furniture/home-wise before the baby arrives. I'm starting to feel the need to nest, but not so much in getting a room ready for baby, but getting my house ready for baby.


Anyway, I LOVE LOVE IT!!

This little stinker climbed up in my arms and fell asleep (not complaining, lovin' the big almost 3 year old snuggles!) So wouldn't you know he was the first one to get to try it out. Lucky Duck!

Movie Night

The boys got the movie Inside Out for Christmas. So we invited the Blatter's over for a movie night. We made popcorn, and I tried to get rid of lots of our Christmas candy. Ella was a big help. She came and sat in my lap for a while during the movie, and I let her eat all she wanted. :) The movie was really cute and we had a fun night visiting and playing.

Christmas Morning

Will woke up bright and early Christmas morning. Patrick and I painfully pulled ourselves from bed. We had only had about 3 hours of sleep. One of these days we are going to stop waiting till the last minute. We told Will he could look through his stocking and what Santa had brought, but that he had to wait for everyone else to wake up first. Jack woke up next followed by Sam. Love getting to witness a child's excitement. Mom and Brett came over and visited with us for a little while that afternoon. It was a nice, easy-going, beautiful Christmas day.

Sam's new ride

Snuggling on Cooper's new bed

 POKEMON!! This kid is obssessed. I would have never imagined we would get such a great reaction from this book. 

 Our little scientist loves all things STEM. Magnetic building blocks for him.

 After first unwrapping the box, he said, " A BOX!!" 

 He got even more excited when he realized there was a Transformer Rescue Bot in there. He took the rest of the day opening his presents. He was so excited with just this one. It was cute after he had opened it, he found the rescue bots he already owns and played with them. I heard him saying, "We're best friends." Adorable.

Outer Space Book

Electric Scooters

Sam finally finished opening his presents around 5:30. We would ask him if he wanted to open another one and he would say, no. His big brothers couldn't take not knowing what was in those presents anymore and finally convinced him to open them up.

Tornados? In December?

We have had some crazy warm weather this December, but tornado warnings a few days before Christmas is just ludicrous. We had some strong storm fronts that moved through tonight and we grabbed the kids out of their beds and shoved them in the closet. Remarkably they slept, but we did hear the occasional elbow, leg, or head hit the wall. Kinda cracked us up. And thankfully it just rained really hard and that was it.

Christmas Magic

Gingerbread Houses with Jack

One of my favorite Kindergarten traditions is making Gingerbread Houses. I was able to do this with Will when he was in kindergarten and was so happy that I'd be able to do it with Jack too. He had his own ideas of how to decorate it, and went along with a few of my suggestions. One of my favorite additions he made was to build a fire pit out of fruit loops just outside the house.

I love getting to spend one on one time with my boys, and it happens way less than what I'd like. He convinced me (shock shock) to check him out and let him come home early after we were done. Love this little firecracker.

How Do You Spell Exhausted?

I guess he got tired (literally) of waiting for me to come and tuck him in...poor thing. 

Sunday Morning Struggle

Only 3 more Sundays of 1 o'clock church! Sam has been battling an ear infection, pink eye, and cough. After his cough medicine this morning, he went up to his room and stayed there. He had closed his door and fallen asleep right in font of it.

Baby Laurel

Sam and I were picking up a few things from the pharmacy one night when we walked by a few toys. Sam spotted this and insisted we get it for Baby Laurel. I asked him if he'd changed our mind and decided our baby was a girl now. He said, "Nope, that's Baby Luke." 

Dentist

Samuel had his first dentist appointment today. He did such a good job! He laid up there and let the hygienist clean his teeth like such a big boy.

Tie Blankets

Every Christmas I try and think of ways to remind and encourage our boys to think about others,  and especially about those who are struggling with either health or financial obstacles. This year I was so excited to learn of an opportunity to help some homeless children in our area that Will and Jack could physically be able to do something. A local charity hosted an event where kids could tie fleece blankets that would be distributed to homeless children. The boys learned a new skill and had fun playing and working with other kids in our community.