Merry January 27th!
OK, so Christmas was (more than) a month ago, but I’m finally getting around to putting up the pictures from Christmas morning. Our tree is still half-way up (don’t ask), so I suppose I’m no later with this than anything else.
The boys got new PJs from the elves on Christmas Eve, which they loved.
Santa brought Bionicles! So Fun!
And legos!
And a Cars 2 race track!
And calendars!
The boys had a lovely time opening their gifts, investigating their stockings, and playing with new toys while Mommy and Daddy slugged back some coffee. Christmas Eve is always a long night for Daddy. He didn’t get back from singing at church until 1 am, and THEN he had to wrap some gifts.
Funny story – he lost one of my presents, which I had already found. His first “hiding” spot was his underwear drawer, where I go at least once a week to Put Away Underwear. But he moved it to a different spot so he could wrap things and, in the middle of the night, he couldn’t find it. It took him all TWELVE days of Christmas to locate the gift, too.
He cracks me up.
Reading with Aunt Susie
In early December we celebrated Uncle Steve’s 60th birthday. We had dinner and went ice skating. It was lots of fun.
Before dinner, the boys read some books with Aunt Susie.
Aunt Susie is a good egg. She totally got into the dinosaur book.
The boys loved every minute of it.
Santa Matthew
Matthew is conflicted about Santa. On the one hand, he believes Santa is real. He talks about Santa as a person. He saw a picture of actual reindeer in a magazine and declared this proved the whole thing.
But he rides the bus and he talks to kids at lunch and someone has introduced the idea that Santa is fake.
So he isn’t sure, although he still pretty much is.
I’m hoping he can hang on to that magic for a few more years.
First Snow of the Year!
OK, technically it was the first snow/ice/freezing rain/sleet of the season.
But we’ll take it!
It came Friday night into Saturday morning, messing up our Pinewood Derby plans (bummer), but this meant that Daddy was home to enjoy sledding outside.
Matthew used the saucer. David used the old yellow sled we call “The Tornado.” He loved it.
He loved rolling down the hill, too.
Lucy enjoyed being outside with us. She was curious about the snow(ice/sleet/freezing rain) but not overly impressed.
She cheerfully chased after the sleds, but did NOT enjoy riding in one herself.
The boys were troopers. They spent at least an hour sledding down the hill and then marching back up, sleds in tow.
They came in for hot chocolate, had some lunch, played inside, went to the pool, and then went Back Outside For More Sledding!
It might not have been much snow(and ice), but they sure made it last.
“My First Birthday Party”
(as told by Lucy Dog)
I turned one on January 4, 2012. The People had a party for me.
I don’t know why, either. I guess it’s a “people” thing.
Whatever.
So, The Mommy, made cupcakes,
but not for me. I got some peanut butter cookies.
They were OK. Not cupcakes, though.
They sang to me.
I didn’t like it.
Some other People came over with their dogs, like Donna and Charlie.
I like Donna and Charlie.
Sara came over with her dog, CJ. He is still a puppy.
You’d never guess it.
Anyway, we played outside, and then we had snacks, and then everyone went home.
It was kind of a boring party, to tell you the truth. I got to eat some extra cookies, which was cool. The Boys got me some new toys, including a quacking duck. I love that duck. It quacks! Nuff said.
But otherwise? Meh. No games. No pinata. No party hats. Lame.
I DID get this cool snuggie, which I love,
but The People keep it up on the couch, and I have to jump up and drag it down to sleep on it.
You think they’d learn.
Mason Basketball
Grandpa’s Christmas gift was family tickets to a Mason game. We went right after New Year’s to a noon game. The good part was that everyone was wide awake. The bad part was that we tried to eat there, which meant spilling drinks not once, but twice.
The rest of the game was great fun.
Woo hoo! Basketball!
Dunk it! Dunk it!
It wasn't very full. The students were still on winter break.
David was distracting the opposing team at the free throw line. From the 127th row.
Mommy's favorite part.
We had so much fun, we’re going back at the end of the month. David is practicing his distracting skills. He’s getting better.
Bowling – For Real!
We have been bowling on the wii many times, but we have never gone to an actual bowling alley.
Until yesterday.
Grandpa had the day off from work and he suggested an outing to the bowling alley with the boys. There aren’t any duck pin alleys anymore, like when I was a kid (a million years ago), but the alleys have bumpers and ramps to make it easier for the kids.
The ball return machine was endlessly fascinating.
Towards the end, Matthew was brave enough to try actually bowling the ball himself. David stuck with the tried and true method of using the ramp.
We took a snack break between games.
David never got tired of hurling the bowling ball down the ramp.
Matthew enjoyed himself, too, but he was more dramatic when things didn’t go as planned.
Grandpa won the first game, but more importantly, I beat Steven. Sadly, we played a second game where I did not beat Steven. Bummer.
Other than that, it was a super fun outing and the boys are really excited to go again.
When You’re Tired….
David rarely naps. Sometimes, he gets very tired in the evening. Sometimes he complains about being tired during dinner, as in, too tired to eat.
The other night, he was tired and cranky and insisted he did NOT want dinner. He curled up in a ball on his chair.
and fell sound asleep.
He stayed that way, too, after I carried him up to bed.
Post Thanksgiving Beach Trip
Steven took the boys to Delaware the day after Thanksgiving for a long weekend with Grandma and Yeye. The weather was nice enough for some fun on the beach.
Looking out at the water.
Writing names in the sand
I wonder if he remembers the song we made up to learn how to spell his name?
I'm not sure it was that warm.
Looking for fancy shells with Yeye
Found a star fish!
Posing with Grandma and Yeye
One last run....
Bobcat Pride
The first badge a cub scout earns is the Bobcat badge. He (and when I say “he” I mean “his mother”) has to learn the cub scout oath, the cub scout pledge, and the meaning of a bunch of cub scout acronyms and symbols.
At the beginning of December, Matthew and his fellow Tiger Cubs participated in the pack Bobcat ceremony to receive their badges.
I'm too proud of myself to smile.
Any ceremony involving face paint has to be cool.
David was smiling the second before I took this shot.
The Bobcat badge is pinned on upside-down. You can’t turn it over until you do a good deed. Matthew wasted no time. He brought his fellow cub scout a glass of lemonade and demanded I turn the badge over Right. This. Minute.
Stay tuned for the next cub scout hurdle – the Pinewood derby.
Eek.
