Christmas Break

If you haven't already noticed, I've taken a sort of Christmas Break. I'm trying to take my time enjoying my family. I have a full house (Adam is visiting, Meaghan is here & Ethan is here). Adam & Ethan are leaving Wednesday, so Greg & I are soaking up every minute we can.

Maybe I'll post Thursday....maybe I'll continue my little break. Ether way, it's the Holly Days! ;)

When I do return, I will have a small giveaway!

I love you all!!!

Blue Christmas, Part Deux

It was weird waking up this morning to an empty house. It's Christmas Eve. It's supposed to be filled with anticipation & excitement. Family & friends. 

Collin slept most of the day. Waking to eat & play for a little while, but his strength isn't back to 100%, so he tired quickly.

My Mom called & invited us over to her house for a bit. She knew I'd be lonely. So, we loaded up & went over there for a bit. It was nice to be with family.

My Mom is the Queen of Christmas. For realsies. How do you think I got my name? Hello!! Anyway, my point is that her house is always decked the frick out for Christmas. Can anyone say bokeh party??

I was doing laundry today. Yup. Laundry. On Christmas Eve. While putting away Collin's clothes, I happened upon an old Christmas sweater of mine. I had completely forgotten that I saved it for this Christmas. My Aunt Barb, who made Collin's Spartans shirt, made it for me when I was a little girl. I took it to my Mom's house so we could get some photos of him wearing it by her ginormous tree.

In the middle of our photo sesh, Collin decided to grow the biggest snot bubble you have ever seen!!! Seriously. It was epic. I'm thinking of contacting Guinness. The best part? It stayed on his nose until we were able to track down a tissue to wipe it away with....after we had a good, long laugh. Mom fail, FTW.

Then, we played Star Wars with the remnants of my Mom's wrapping paper rolls.

{ "Luke, I am your fathaaaaaa!!!" }

Collin was a bit more active today than he has been in the past week. I'm hopeful he will be feeling better in time for my family's Christmas. We will be celebrating on Sunday, the 26th since my sister is working tonight & I was supposed to be in LA.

I'm hoping the rest of you are snuggling with your families, watching a Christmas movie or two & going to bed with visions of sugarplums!

Merry Christmas

If I were rich, I'd send each of my followers our card this year.

Unfortunately, I'm not wealthy.

Fortunately, I have a scanner & the internet.

Merry Christmas!

Baker, Baker, Cookie Maker

Funds are tight this year. I know we aren't the only ones struggling to provide a good Christmas for their family. Instead of buying gifts for our families, this year, we decided to bake goodies for everyone. It's a great way to show you care & are thinking about them & it's also light on the wallet. Is baking for a family of 34 (yes, you read correctly, my husband's family is 34 strong...35 including myself) easy? H-E-double hockey-sticks, no!! But I did put more time & effort into these cookies than I would have any other gift from off of the store shelf.

Collin's fever is up again. Ethan is now experiencing the same symptoms. He was feeling so sick, he didn't even remember his elf gift until late this afternoon. I'm pretty sure this illness isn't from Collin's vaccines, now that I factor in these two things. I have an appointment for Collin at crack of my ass in the morning to see his pediatrician. I am not a morning person. I must seriously love this kid.

Plus, we are supposed to leave for LA tomorrow evening. Bag packing, present checking, blogging, medicine grabbing, laundry washing, dog feeding, cat feeding, window checking, door locking car loading.....& pediatrician appointment.

Way. Too. Much. To. Do.

Good thing Collin can cook.

{Chocolate covered pretzels.}

{Snickerdoodles.}

{Peanut butter cookies.}

{Rice Krispy treats.}

{Elf gift unwrapping.}

{Elf gift nomming.}

{Collin's elf gift, a wooden toy car.}

{Ethan's elf gift, a set of stamps.}

{Mama's chef.}

{"Zees is how ve stir ze sauce."}

He Should Be Here, Too

This photo is terribly out of focus. Composed all wrong. The flash is too bright. No photographer would ever take pride in such a poor quality image. It's a complete disaster.....

but not to me.

After our impromptu photo shoot under the Christmas tree, Collin was exploring & touching various ornaments on our tree. He happened upon an ornament & hesitated. He wanted a closer look at this blue, square frame with a photo inside of it. He held it in his hand a moment, examining the curves & grooves, looking at the photo inside & then, with one quick tug, pulled it off of the tree.

It was our ornament that held a photo of Liam. The one we look at each year & with a heavy heart, hang on our tree. The one that...when I hung up this year...made me wonder what beautifully wrapped things would be waiting for Liam under our tree on Christmas morning & what our home would look like after two boys had ripped through all of the packaging. What shrieks we would have heard as our older son woke to see a tree filled with gifts from Santa & an overflowing stocking.

"He should be here," I thought as I was taking pictures of Collin & Ethan under our tree.

....& then he was. He was right there in that picture frame, starting back at me.

Telling me, "Mama, I am here."

Elf Visits: Night One

Elf visits couldn't be coming at a better time, what with the sick baby & constant shushing to Ethan during his first day visiting us. We are total bummers.

Don't know what elf visits are?!?!

One Christmas, Santa's elves visited me for the last seven days before the Big Guy came on the 25th. They would leave a small gift on my nightstand for me to wake up to in the morning. I remember excitedly anticipating my little surprises & how completely stoked it made me for Christmas Day. It is one of my favorite memories & now that I have Collin, I want this to be a tradition for him. So, I had a chat with the elves..who by the way, are fantastic gift wrappers....& they were totally down with making a daily stop at my house. Technically, the elves are starting six days before Christmas, but that's because Ethan came really late last night & because Collin is still too small to really care that the elves jipped him of a day.

A Christmas Story is the elves' fave Christmas movie evaaarr! Didn't you know this?

Collin's Christmas night light. A necessity.

Sweet dreams! Stay tuned in tomorrow to see what the elves left for Collin & Ethan.

Santa Video for Collin

Santa totes sent a video to Collin. I have connections.

Collin's Santa Video

Mom points.

Santa Claus

Collin totally rocked his visit with Santa this year. He was still just a ball of new baby last year & I was petrified to let him be on Santa's germy lap for too long, so I was really looking forward to this year. Especially since last year's Santa was a total hack. This year totally made up for it. This wasn't one of Santa's elves at all. This was the real Santa. I'm convinced of it. Because kids don't cry on the lap of the real Santa Claus. Collin was a champ & I fully expected him to ask Santa for the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle...but he didn't. Instead he stared at the sweet old man & smirked at him while Mama took her pictures.

For comparison, last year's Santa visit.

I know.



Magical Forest

We totes got to go to the North Pole today. Okay...maybe it was just the Magical Forest, but it's just like the North Pole. At least, that's what I always thought growing up.

When my parents moved out here from Michigan, my Mom was determined to start her own traditions with us. We were away from our entire family, but she'd be damned if she didn't create happy, lasting Christmas memories with us...& she succeeded.

One of my favorite traditions was Magical Forest. When I was a little girl, my Mom would load us kids up & take us through the gorgeous maze of twinkle lights & never ending displays of Christmas scenes. We would ooh & ahh at all of the decorations & trees. Then, she would buy us each a hot cocoa & usually a funnel cake. I would fall asleep those nights dreaming of wandering the North Pole with Santa's elves & in a state of pure Christmas bliss.

This is something I hope to give to Collin. I am looking forward to taking him & with each passing year, watching him grow to love this tradition. Hopefully, he will take after his Mama & never grow out of it. Seriously, who is too old for Santa? Certainly not I.

The North Pole! Eeeee!!!

I love this place. No, seriously. Love it.

A failed attempt, but I tried.

A total accident, but I love it. He is so my child.

My Prince Charming. We were waiting for Santa.

Moose...or is it meeses? Or mooses?

More fun decor! I told you this place rules.

We decided to let him out to wander. He was hypnotized by the lights.

...& then he took off as fast as he could, but not before removing the ridiculous hat Mama had him in.

Seriously, Moooom.

Liam was there, too.

One, final family shot. Dorktastic.