Christmas

What a great Christmas!

The morning started with Paxton coming into our room to tell us that Santa wasn't there. He didn't come. I was too tired to figure out why he would say that but Ryan figured it out pretty quickly.

Something that I hadn't thought about when we were telling Paxton that Santa Claus was coming is that he didn't realize he wouldn't be there when he woke up. Ryan sent him back out to check under the tree to see if presents were there. At this point Paxton came running in to tell us he had presents and that Santa must have come and then left.

Am I the only one who didn't think of that?Paxton cherished every gift. We had to pull him away from every single present to get him to open another one. He got over this when we got to Grandma's house, but it was really sweet to watch him immediately begin playing with everything.Santa was good to us this year. Paxton got a camera in his stocking to start off. He was so stoked! He always steals my camera so I thought this would be a good idea. I got him a cheap one though so after explaining to him that he only had so many pictures to take, I swear he said "mommy, smile" and instead of taking the picture he said "click" I am still not sure how I feel about that one.Gauge got pretty into the opening of the presents. That's all he wanted to do, he was pretty good at it.Paxton got some dress up items. He can now officially be a police officer, a cowboy, a train conductor and a fire man. So can Gauge-

If you'll notice above, Santa got Paxton his princess phone. He hasn't used it once. After he got his fire man suit on and opened the princess phone he just kind of looked at it like, what the?! He does still call me Princess Mommy though, which I love!Here Paxton is giving Daddy his gift. He was so excited, he kept calling it a spotlight, but its a craftsman hat. There is a light on the bill of the hat that lights up whatever your looking at when your working on something. He loved it so much I had to get it. Paxton was really happy to give it to him! You should see it on him though...I left that dorky picture out of the blog on purpose! Its pretty nerdy! Daddy wore it for him anyway and kept the light on which made Paxton really happy.

Mommy got spoiled! Ryan really went out of his way for me this year!

Paxton thanking Daddy for his presents

After our Christmas together I crashed on the couch. Ryan got the kids bathed and ready for Grandma's so that I could sleep. At my parents house we were spoiled again! My parents never cease to spoil us. We appreciate them so much!Paxton and Katie showing Annie how big they are!

This was our first year really celebrating Christmas with Paxton and Gauge. Until now they hadn't understood what Christmas was about. Reading stories about Jesus and explaining to Paxton why we were celebrating Christmas turned out to be really special. It was also fun being up in the early morning putting the presents together and imaging how excited they would be. I was so filled with the Christmas spirit when we were putting the presents under the tree that I kept telling Ryan we needed to go outside and have "Santa" build Paxton a snowman--Ryan didn't say no but I don't think he was feeling "that" excited. It snowed that night and was a nice white Sunny day. It couldn't have been more perfect.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too!

All I want for Christmas

Well, it's Christmas time and I am hanging out at work. I really can't complain, I picked up the hours. I can say however, that everything that I ever wanted for Christmas, I have.
Aside from all of the remodeling and getting the new house that I always wanted, aside from being able to be with all my family this year (we hung out on Sunday and John and Beth are in town) and aside from a good job, Ryan being at a great school and all of the regular things that the Lord has seen fit to bless us with, I have the most wonderful family. Not only do I have a husband who couldn't be more perfect for me, I have two beautiful little boys who couldn't be happier.
I have dreampt of a time when my little kids could laugh and play together and watching them the last little while, especially the last few months has been so great! They are buddies and they hang out together like they are buddies.

*

I find them pressed up together like this all of the time! I was spying on them with this picture:

Below you will find the cheapest toy ever, they have never had so much fun. I give to you,

the cardboard box

They are helicopter pilots together
They take baths together

Paxton always asks if Gauge can take one with himand they play together on the playgroundsI am so thankful for all of my wonderful blessings this Christmas!

I hope you all have the best Christmas yet!

Congratulations

Dan graduated today-WOOHOOO!

Congratulations Dan, we are so happy for you!

4 more days

Gingerbread house time baby! Actually, its a gingerbread church. We decided to do a church because, well, that's just the kind of people we are!

Ryan drew the long windows on the side of our building, Paxton decorated.
It went something like this:

1 for the gingerbread house

1, 2 for me

1 for the gingerbread house

1, 2, 3 for me

It actually turned out all right. That icing was pretty hard to work with though. I just bought one of those kits to put together and the icing doesn't really stick. I tried my hardest to make it look like the picture on the box too, with the icicles hanging and the little decorations above the windows, but I think they give you the non stick icing so that yours can't look as good. I think we did a pretty good job anyway, with Pax as the decorator. He did especially well on the roof!

I know Paxton loves the little Christmas activities, but I think he is beginning to wonder if Santa is really going to ever come. I think were pretty much guaranteed he's going to visit us though right?! I mean, we made a CHURCH for crying out loud!

Christmas is coming

We finally got out to see Santa Claus. At my work they had a cute little Christmas party for the children. Santa came and then we were all able to watch a movie in the mall theatre. I have been promising Paxton that he would see Santa for some time now so he was pretty excited.

*

When we got to the theatre there was no line because we arrived a little bit early. Paxton had quite a bit of time to sit and chat with the jolley fella. He told him he wanted a jack-in-the-box and a soccar ball and he told him he was a good boy. We put Gauge on Santa's lap too but that didn't work out too well for Gauge or for Santa so I only have a picture with Paxton and Santa Claus. After we saw Santa we met up with the other kids and went in to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was a really cute show, but I don't think the boys are ready for the big time movies yet, especially when its just mommy watching them both. Gauge couldn't sit still. He does the whole arching of the back thing to get away from me and he would just let out these outrageously loud yells, so we ended up walking around and sitting on the stairs in the isle. After awhile Paxton just started walking out of the theater. He wanted to be with mommy and I wasn't sitting with him so he didn't really care to hang out anymore. I quickly grabbed my bag and follwed him.To my surprise we had a better time. We went to the play area and the boys had the place to themselves. It was early in the morning and no one was around yet. We ran around until they were pretty tired out and then we realized that the other Santa was there, and the train was running as well. We quickly went up to where Santa was, had an extra long ride on the train because no one else was there and then Paxton sat and spoke with This Santa for an extra long time as well. He couldn't get enough.

This time his list consisted of a jack-in-the-box, a princess cell phone, and he promised Santa cookies for when he came to our house. Santa told me that he likes sugar cookies in case your all wondering. I didn't have the heart to tell him how my last sugar cookies turned out.

Gauge wasn't too happy about Santa's lap this time either, but he sat there long enough for a picture. I had such a good time with my boys. The day went perfectly. It was a nice way to introduce Paxton to Santa, and to find out that my son wants a "princess phone"

Nice Surprise

What a bunch of hotties huh?!

So I am sitting here at work, minding my own business. It gets kind of slow and I find a minute to look at some blogs. I turn to JPs blog to find this guy staring back at me. What a nice surprise!

I am so lucky! (well, for me the one on the right. Christi gets the hottie on the left)Sorry to steal your photos jp, I just never get to see pictures like this otherwise.

Stuck in the house

Well, we received another big snow. It is so beautiful outside! But what do you do while your stuck in the house? You go "swimming" You get a Christmas tree. This year we decided to do a fake one. I decided that I was in no mood to find a tree, trim it, put the lights on backwards like I somehow ALWAYS do and then decorate. So the solution was a pre-lit tree. I am in love!

The boys try to be helpful. This guy, is why we got the fakey... If you can't see it, thats Ryan sleeping on the couch :) He does a lot so I can't give him too hard a time. We decorated the house, well the mantle. I still can't get myself to hang anything up on my new walls. You play dress up. Paxton has been Santa Claus a lot, a detective, a cop, Buzz Lightyear, Spiderman, Super Why and Super Man; they dress the same. We color or "draw" And you attempt to make Sugar cookies for Christmas

Give me a break, it was my first time! I crack up every time I see these!
I know I've been complaining about the sickness, but its been some nice time together. I really appreciate all of your notes of comfort and Jennifer, I am so glad your checking in on us. We miss you! Heidi-you too! I found that comment from you and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!