a glimpse around our home this December...

I always said that I wanted a separate mid-size tree for our kids to have one day to hang non-breakable ornaments on. (They have miniature ones for their rooms, but Clay and I decided it best to not put any ornaments on them this year because we know Cooper would swallow them all --or try to. Therefore, the tiny trees are sitting in their bedrooms not getting much use this year. Parker is keeping his homemade paper chain on his, which makes it fun!) A tree that they could touch and feel without my worrying of breakable ornaments and small fragments of those ornaments going into little mouths. :) Welcome to 2012! The year I went and bought a mid-size tree, 2 strands of colored lights and a few kid-friendly ornaments to start their collection. This is their tree and they can do whatever they please with it. :) I can't even express how excited I was to show them their special evergreen and have them decorate it (which took all of 15 minutes...maybe.) In their matching aqua blue Christmas pjs, just before bedtime one evening, our upstairs became a magical place.

Early morning picture taken downstairs just after first snowstorm of season passed through. The snowplows were working on our roads and provided easy entertainment for my two for a good 20 minutes!! Cooper was so enthralled, as a matter of fact, that I was able to run upstairs and get breakfast on the table without him even noticing...and this was a very good thing. Usually, I can't take two steps upstairs or he freaks out and runs to me with outstretched arms yelling, "Hep, Hep Mama!!! Up Peas! Up Peas!!!!!" (for "Help, Help Mama!"). Cute? Yes. Exhausting? Yes. Yes. :)
(Totally not happy with the way blogger cuts off this picture on the right side. Yuck.)

Snow-capped trees everywhere you look. Love.

 

Oatmeal and string cheese is the breakfast of choice these days for our little mr. mr. and myself. Parker has been preferring sausage biscuits and fruit or an eggs, toast and fruit combination. (Notice how Cooper has two cups next to him. Sooo, he steals Parker's food and drink all. the. time. It is actually not even funny anymore. Parker really gets upset about it and has to move waaaay over in his chair and faces the other direction --with his back to Cooper--just to try and keep Cooper's little greedy hands away from his grub. What does our youngest do? Well, he climbs of course...on top of the bar area over to Parker's food....where I then have to scoop him up and put him back in his own chair. Cooper is our little grazer so as soon as our little man is done with his portion of breakfast, Cooper makes a beeling for his plate and moves it over to his side to enjoy whatever is left.)

And people wonder why I make such a HUGE deal over getting to eat a meal without my kids and their gummy little hands all up in my food!! Earlier in the month, I had a Christmas charity event for missions to go to and found that although I had food prepared for the kids, I was totally out of time to grab anything for myself. I flew out of the kitchen, made it out of the neighborhood, and caught sight of the local Wendy's sign....Oh. Happy.Day!!! I know that people driving next to me looked at me like I was a drunk silly fool. Every bite I took of that Chicken Cheese Sandwich was taken with a smile. I even blared the music a little louder just because I could. ;)

One of the reasons we love the month of December: arriving home to packages on our front porch. I get animated when we get fun mail, like Christmas cards, thinking of you cards, favorite magazines; so, when I see packages on the front porch, I practically leap out of the front seat of our car to get them inside (after I've looked to see who they are from and where they came from...for some reason that part is important. I always look at that first).

Our elf friend, Jack, (I believe that is to be his final name...we kept asking Parker last year and this year what he wanted to name him and after nothing for almost two Christmas seasons, he finally told us Jack. Not Mistletoe, not Jingle, but Jack. Ok, Jack it is!) :) has been paying us daily visits. His first day of the season, he greeted us by eating the rest of our cookies that were out in the kitchen and then leaving the boys a little note to say hello and to be good for he would be watching and reporting to Santa. Parker was SO excited. Since then, he has met us casually on living room wreaths, the deer's antlers, and even blending in as some of the decor on my downstairs shelving. More than a few times, we have caught him doing sneaky little elf activities like drinking straight from the syrup bottle and taking a marshmallow bath in one of my kitchen bowls, but I forgive him quickly because he actually does a pretty job of cleaning up after himself.

Parker decided to color a picture for Santa and asked Jack to carry it back with him to the North Pole and deliver it to the Big Guy. I am sure it brought an easy smile to Santa's jolly face. I must note; however, that this picture was drawn after a particular naughty day of Parker's, where Clay and I made sure to tell him that he had certainly gone down some notches on the "Good" list for that behavior. I think Parker was trying to earn some "Good" points back. :)

 

Jack likes to read. I am glad. So do we.

Parker had his school program this week..so stinkin' cute. Is there anything sweeter than hearing little voices singing about Jesus? Nope. Parker had been going around the house for the last several months singing, "Christmas cookies and holiday hearts...that is how the Holiday starts..."

Parker assembled his treats for his friends at school. He wrote his name on each little red tag while I punched holes in the tag and helped tie the ribbon onto the candy cane. He worked so hard at this and was so excited to take them to his class this Wednesday. Unfortunately, he came down with strep throat (which we tested positive for tonight) so he had to miss his Celebration of Jesus' Birthday party at school mid-week and I just had to drop off the goods to the teachers. The kids still enjoyed the treats though and Parker is now on an antibiotic to help him get better soon! Tis the Season! :)