The Most Wonderful Time of Year

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Birthdays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! A very busy December has led me to be remiss in updating the blog during the most eventful time of year!



I was quite busy with my jewelry business and James went to Romania for a week for a job interview the second week in December. The boys both had birthdays and we were snowed in at Grandma and Grandad's house over Christmas.

Thanksgiving Dinner, 2009

Now that everything has slowed down and we can pause to reflect and find December was a wonderful month filled with a lot of love and happiness.



We started December by putting up our "pre-lit" and by pre-lit I mean half the lights didn't work the day we first put it up 2 years ago. This is the last year for our artificial, and now that the kids are not crawling sleepless babies anymore, we decided next year we will go back to decorating a live tree.



Evan and Drew had a lot of fun decorating the tree, and seeing all their own special ornaments.



We started out the month with Evan's birthday, he turned 5 years old!



Grandma Earlene and Phil were so nice to drive all the way from Hickory to come to Evan's birthday party at the Little Gym.



Evan's friends and preschool classmates came and enjoyed pizza and cake.



Evan was quite excited to have his first birthday with a lot of friends out of our house.



Drew enjoyed the cake very much and was the subject of curiosity regarding his eating techniques.



I thought I might have to end up performing the heimlich maneuver but Drew eventually choked it down.



The last days of preschool included Evan's Christmas play where he dressed up as a shepherd.



Doesn't he make the cutest little bedouin? Evan was outstanding, singing and performing choreographed movements to songs. He was so excited to see me there and could barely contain himself. This play was particularly touching for me because it his last year of preschool.



I stopped by Drew's Christmas Party and was lucky enough to see him singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.





The second day at my parents' house we found ourselves in a big snow storm, and when it was all said and done, we were left with several inches of snow. The kids had a blast.





Grandma was prepared and had the sled ready to go. Both boys could have probably done this all day.





We all got a lot of exercise.



The boys helped build their first snow man.





Large quantities of hot chocolate and marshmallows were consumed after all their outdoor sojourns.



After many days of anticipating Santa, and many questions from Evan, we all greeted Christmas morning. Evan was fascinated with the idea of Santa, why does he not use a rocket ship instead of a sleigh? What does he do at houses which don't have chimneys? Who lives with him at the North Pole? Why does he have elves?... all which were very fun to answer.















After the snow started to melt and the driveway was plowed, the boys enjoyed the rollar coaster Grandma got just for them. They both tired themselves out on this one and Evan declared it was just as fun as sledding.













We all went out to dinner the night before Drew's birthday (and also the day we were heading back home). Drew chose Chili's and here Grandad is teaching him how to do a proper "cheese" smile.



We came back to the house for cake and presents, and Drew was delighted to be the subject of the "Happy Birthday to You" serenade.




Happy 3rd Birthday Drew!



The beginning of the month was rather like a guantlet with James being gone during one of the most busy times of year, and by the end of the month, we were all very tired. We are at home and rested up now, and ready to start this wonderful new year. The boys go back to preschool tomorrow, and we all couldn't be happier. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and New Year!

Halloween Jack O Lanterns

Small update of our Halloween Jack O Lanterns. We carved them on Sunday and the kids watched. I carved the 2 on the inside, the one on the inside left is mine, and inside right is Drew's. James carved his on the very left, and Evan's on the very right. Happy Halloween! I will post Halloween Trick or Treating photos after Halloween.

Grandma's Visit

Well, we aren't done with the visit yet, as tomorrow I think we will be headed to the Pumpkin Patch, but so far we have had a lot of fun with Grandma's visit. Thursday was raining so we headed down to the Marbles Museum and met a friend. Today after preschool, we went to the NC State Fair and ate and rode our way though the whole place, a couple times. Mom was keen on finding the latest NC State Fair food feature, chocolate covered bacon. Alas amongst the many food vendors, we never did spot it. James couldn't make it today as he was busily working away but Mom Evan and Drew and I packed many things in between all of us, including corn dogs, hot dogs, cinnamon roll, onion rings, ice cream, caramel apples and candy apples.

First I will bring you a few fun things form the beginning of the week and those were the boys learning the reaction they get when they make faces at the dinner table.



And then Evan makes a pretty good face too



Then we have our little Hulk. Don't make him mad, or he will start painting himself green!!!



This is down at Marbles Childrens' museum where they can explore and interact with everything in the place. A lot of fun.

Stage Hands:


Pirate captain:


Then Evan led us on a safari, mining treasure and Drew delivered some sort of treasure packages.



We talked about, proportionally, what the world would be like to be on if tow gigantic little boys came along to play with it and spun it around. We decided that we would flatten or fly of the earth just like that.



The boys then cooperated, impressively so, to rebuild an igloo.



Our next stop on Friday after noon, at the NC State Fair, was the railroad where Evan was insistent on being the engineer. He had to have the front car, and he got it, luckily, after another little boy changed his mind. Drew climbed right up in.



Next, the boys wanted to ride the dump trucks, and they did, Drew with abandon, and Evan with precaution.



By some twist in the cautious winds we were able to convince, then provoke, then force Evan up onto a Pony ride, all the while with my reminders that Grandma paid FIVE BUCKS for this ride and he is getting on the pony! I asked him which pony he wanted on and Evan yelled, "Nobody Pony!' No such luck. I chose Creamy pony. Evan sat up there afraid, and white lipped, but towards the end he relaxed a but as he realized the pony wasn't going much of anywhere but that circuitous route.



Evan was done after that because he had tried too many things, so Drew, while he was on inch under the required height, was allowed come on with me by the graces of a kind carnie. He loved it, yelling UP and DOWN as many times as you can imagine. Drew loved the view as well. A couple who was sat across from us I am sure enjoyed it too as they were young kids looking for some time alone. wink wink. But the girl was kind enough to take a very nice picture of Drew and me.



We stopped by to see all the bunny contest winners and to get our monthly required cute over load of bouncy bunny lips and walked down the aisles admiring all the fluffy bunnys. The boys were more fascinated with the pellets under the cages.



Then the boys enjoyed some Candy Apple for the first time. It started like this, and it ended up with them looking like enraged and starving vampire spawn rudely awakened from their nightly feast.



And lastly, another Barrel Monster Sighting