Bye-Bye Naughties

We heard that somewhere as a way to describe the decade with all these zeros (or naughts if you're British)...the eighties, the nineties, the naught-ies. And now they're almost over. What a decade it's been for me. I won't get into all that here, but whoa. Even 2009 has been a huge year for our family. Lots of blessings and accomplishments and goals met and such. It's one for the books here in the S house. We made a mental list at Thanksgiving and today I think we'll write it down.

Looking ahead to 2010 my only resolution has been to be baptized. I've been wanting to do it for quite some time but first we didn't have a church and I didn't want to go somewhere all willy-nilly. Then we found a church but I didn't want to do it pregnant. Now I'm not pregnant but you can't just pick any ol' day at our church. They do it on certain days. So, it's coming. It'll happen, just not sure when exactly yet. :)

How do you like our cute little cookies up there? A friend shared a fabulous recipe for cream cheese cookies she'd come across and I had to make them. I decided they'd be a good "base" for our "midnight" clock decorations we saw on an episode of "Max & Ruby" hee hee! Hey, I didn't know how else to be festive. These work!

Anyway, Jason is WFH (working from home) today. His truck battery was all kinds of dead last night. He got a jump to make it home but it was dead as soon as he got home and tried again. So he replaced it himself this morning but still decided to work in the basement. Haven't seen him in awhile, though.

Other than our cookie making (and beater licking...there's no eggs in the recipe):

...we've just been hanging out.

Don't really even have many pictures for you. I had to hunt back a few days to find these of the boys sledding right after Christmas:








And my amazing friend Jessica made the gang some knit hats for Christmas. I knew she was making them for Easton and Dalton...even picked out the right color gray for her to use to match E's coat. I even went to a special knitting forum and chose styles I liked but I wasn't picky. She knows how much I love surprises so she made one of each kind I'd liked...even one for Autumn and Jason!

Autumn is getting TONS of compliments on hers:


The boys haven't worn theirs out yet. Just in:


Being gangstas:


And Jessica also passed along a little hat she'd made for her daughter that she outgrew:


And speaking of Miss Autumn, she had her 4 month well-baby visit on Monday. She's continuing to do wonderfully. Here's her stats:
Weight:14 pounds 10 ounces
Height: 24.5 inches
Those are actually a little bit of a guesstimate because the cutie was so darn excited to be there that she would not hold still. She was kicking and cooing and babbling while she was on the scale so that it never fully balanced and same with the height, it's a hard one to get. But, if they're correct, she's 75th percentile for weight and 80th for height. And she's off the charts for cuteness:


She got her second round of the 3 part shots she got at her 2 month...that's 2 shots and an oral vaccine. Then as a surprise we weren't expecting at all...both boys also had two shots a piece. I was asking about flu shots and such. Dr. Groovy said that there was a flu shot clinic coming up on the 9th and I said, "that's his birthday, we're having a party instead". :) So he was like, "I'll tell you what, how would you like to do them today?" and while I knew the boys would hate it, it was a lot easier to just do it then PLUS I didn't have to have them worry about it all for days or even hours. They both hid at first and then cried and screamed when they were on my lap for the shots but overall it wasn't too bad. And Autumn cried the least of all.

Afterwards we went to Chuck E. Cheese. It wasn't too bad. :)

Anyway, Autumn is waking up so I'll leave you with my talented can-hop-on-one-foot almost 3 year old:


Talk to you next year! Be safe!!!

Here We Go....The S Family Christmas Special

Been awhile, I know. Two days were weekend so lots of family time with our new loot. One day we had doctor's appointments, one day we had a play date. So that leaves us today. And time to catch ya'll up on the happs. :)

First, back to Christmas Eve Eve. When we made gingerbread cookies. Then we decorated them:





Easton decorated one man and that mitten and was done. He just wanted to eat them so badly instead but I was mean and wouldn't let him until we were done decorating. :)

I've already discussed some of our other Christmas Eve Eve activities so we'll move onto Christmas Eve Day. It had snowed quite a bit during the night so first up on the agenda that morning was for Jason to shovel. But inside the kids and I readied ourselves for our traditional Christmas Eve brunch at Gramoo's. I love my mom's brunch. I love breakfast more than dinner and she always has all kinds of yummy things on the menu. Things I can't really make at home because my husband doesn't like them so much. Things I really shouldn't make at home because they're too bad for me. Yeah, I love her brunches. My plate wasn't big enough. :) And Aunt Robin brought the most delicious stollen you've ever had...I meant to bring some home and I'm sad that I did not.

I didn't take pictures of the food. I love food but I've got more than enough pictures for you than to show everything we ate! :)

After brunch we moved on to our traditional "white elephant". We call it that but we've lost some of the crazy white elephant spirit and not much gift stealing goes on. In fact, Jason and I both got pretty perfect gifts for us. If someone else had opened them, we would've stolen it from them but there was no need. No one tried to steal Frank's new moose hat:


Dalton really enjoyed having my aunt Robin draw pictures on her new MagnaDoodle:


I scored some Star Wars Play-doh and Jason scored a Ghiradelli coffee sampler. Janna helped herself to some really awesome rocket balloons that entertained us later...and then they sent them home with my family. Yay!


Jessica, Lauren, and my boys made their favorite distorted photos on the computer:


While Russell, who had to work that morning, joined us later for a saved plate of food:

(Autumn had poo'd on her clothes at this point--not to worry, she's since moved up a size in diapers after all that pooing on herself lately.)

Making my cousin Robbie hold the baby (who was getting tired) so I could pick up all the toys my kids had gotten out and pack up the boys:


And then we headed home. All 3 kids fell asleep:


We let Dalton and Autumn nap a smidge longer. Easton had some quiet time and Jason actually had to run out for some last minute shopping. He didn't get what he wanted and had to come up with a plan b but it was just as delicious as his original plan (chocolate covered almonds for my stocking since I can't have my peanut M&M's due to Autumn right now). :)

I got dinner ready so I could heat it up as soon as we got home from that evening's church service. We got dressed in a more casual version of our Christmas clothes. Well, except for Autumn...she was in her dress again. But the boys wore their vests and white button-downs untucked with jeans. So cute. We went to the wonderful candlelight service where Santa even made an appearance and all the children stayed in the service with the grown ups. It was so great. I was really glad we did that this year.

However, Easton doesn't love church. And he wasn't too excited that we were heading there mid-week. But we reminded him that Jesus is the reason we have Christmas at all and so he needed to do the church part if he wanted to do any of the rest of it. But, he's been around awhile and reminded us that "I remember when we still had presents but no church." So we had to say, "You're right, but we were wrong to do it that way." Anyway...

After church we drove home to heat up our homemade mac and cheese dinner. I wanted something that we'd all eat. Most nights I have to make the boys something other than what Jason and I eat but now's not the time to get into all of that.

While dinner heated we did our traditional "let them open one present on Christmas Eve" thing. Easton chose the one from G-ma and July:


And Dalton chose the Sponge Bob wrapped one he's been eyeing under the tree all month (from us):


Ta Da!


Then they played the freshly unwrapped Chutes & Ladders while dinner finished up:


We had a great dinner followed by Christmas treats we'd made. Before long it was time to get everything ready for Santa. We didn't hang up our stockings this year because we didn't have Autumn's until right before Christmas so we laid them out on the couch hee hee!




Then we set out some special cookies and milk for Santa:



I know so many people think of the reindeer and do fancy reindeer food or even carrots but I'd much rather munch a Christmas cookie than some carrots when I'm helping Santa out that night so I haven't brought up "What about the reindeer?" I'll wait for them to care about Santa's transportation first!

The kids headed upstairs for a bath and their Christmas jams before cuddling up for some Christmas stories (and yes, we read them the actual story of Jesus' birth again first):


Bedtime!


They did a good job going to sleep and while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads, Santas helpers got to work as well. It wasn't too bad because, with our new finished basement, we have this lovely little basement studio that we keep locked because of the very expensive music and recording equipment in there. It was a perfect place to stash Christmas presents so most things were already nearly assembled and just waiting to be moved for the big day. Seriously, all their stocking stuffers were in piles and things had price tags removed and were out of their packaging, ready to be dropped into each sock. The big stuff was also out of its boxes, fresh batteries in place just waiting to be placed under the tree because that's how Santa rolls at our house...unwrapped and ready to go.

Our children somehow only ever ask Santa for a single present (love this!!!) so we've never had them wondering which stash was theirs. They get a few things from Santa and a few things from us (which are wrapped) and it's all good, even with 3 of them this year. Autumn's was the pink pile and the boys had what they asked for!


Autumn woke to nurse right around 6:45 which was perfect. She was fed and ready to go the second the boys called at 7:00. Easton went, "CHRISTMAS!!!!!! Merry Christmas, Mommy!" and Dalton said, "Did Santa come?"

Our annual "before we head down on Christmas morning" family photo:


Easton was expecting, but still excited to see, the space shuttle he'd asked Santa for:




And each boy got a Chip or Dale as a special surprise from the Man in Red:




Dalton asked for "a airplane" and Santa delivered a somewhat disfunctional Geo-Trax High-Flyin' Airport (with plane). An elf will be picking it up and replacing it soon, we hear. I emailed the North Pole. :)


Autumn got her very first dolly. It doesn't have a hard face or hands, it's all plush:



The dolly arrived holding that little tiny bracelet you see on Autumn's wrist above. Violet-colored pearls and Swarovski crystals. Fancy.

After we've seen and briefly enjoyed the unwrapped Santa stuff we move onto our stockings. They were my favorite part of Christmas gifts when I was younger and I think Santa does a pretty good job for my kiddos too. We try not to do too much candy in stockings and this year was certainly no exception. Easton was trying to get a head start:











(Dalton was sitting closest to me, can you tell?) :)

In the midst of his stocking-ing, Dalton stopped to check out Blitz's stocking for him:


Happy Christmas girl:


Dalton showing Autumn the Woody lollipop he got:


In their stockings was both the inflatable light saber you see here and the robotic Hexbug you also see Easton attacking:


Good morning to his girl:


Stockings always were my favorite part of Christmas, and even though I very much wanted these wiper blades, it's a tad less exciting than I remember stockings being. :)


Jason snuggling the stuffed llama in his stocking:


She was trying to put her paci in herself!


We decided to skip breakfast because no one really cared and Autumn was fading fast so we rushed to open up all her stuff real fast before she had to go down for a nap. A purty pink teether from her pen pal Aaron:


The little Santa doll that Dalton wanted to get (and got) for her:




"Time for a nap with my pretty new headband!"


"...and my new soft friends from my brothers." The Santa from Dalton, of course and the little worm that Easton picked out for her at his school store...precious!


The rest of us moseyed on with our gifts after that. I don't know what J was looking at/opening here but I just liked catching his natural smile:


One of my favorite moments of the morning, when Easton opened his new Batman Leapster game and proceeded to leap into my arms thanking me profusely:


He wasted NO time checking it out:


Can you believe Jason didn't have an acceptable Saints hat till now?


Opening the two presents Easton picked out for me at his school store--a beautiful "#1 Mom" bracelet and a little "gold" ring with a blue stone (his favorite color) "so that I will always remember him":




Jason's turn. If they had a Saints option at his Colorado store, I know Easton would've gone with that...instead he had to go with J's second favorite NFL team:

I just love the thought Easton puts into his little gifts.

Dalton loving his new Handy Manny book from The Alabamaws:


And Easton excited to open some new Star Wars toys...but can you see the little tears on his cheeks?

Poor guy. We had to make him stop enjoying his new Batman game to finish up some gift opening with us. I hate that he got so sad and love that he was enjoying his gift so much without being all greedy looking for the next gift, but still...he was holding us up after awhile.

Enjoying a small sliver of the single piece of chocolate in his stocking:


Once everything was opened we just hung out and enjoyed out stuff. I made gingerbread pancakes for breakfast while Dalton did some of his new Mickey paint with water:




And Jason amazed Easton with tricks from E's new magic set:


Before long the pancakes were done so we stuck candles in all of them and sang "Happy Birthday" to our Reason for the Season:


Our big Christmas gift this year is a DSLR camera. But I didn't decide exactly which one I wanted before Christmas so Jason borrowed the fancy camera from work to help me with my decision so I could play with it a bit and see what kinds of things I might be looking for in a DSLR. I took some of Autumn's with it for her 4 month shoot on Christmas Eve...and then played around with it some more on Christmas. Even in manual, go me!


And the pretty ornament my sister Jessica painted for us. Except it says our whole last name and 2009 on the bottom:


The lovely ornament Easton made us at school:


What it feels like to be a present under our tree. :)


More of J's magic:


And E's amazement:




Teaching E a trick:


And Dalton worked on his new Yo Gabba Gabba puzzle from Autumn:

Oh yeah, but his feetsies were looking cute and distracting me from the puzzling going on behind in the background there. :)

Getting mad that I'm taking pictures:




So he moved on to magic too:


Then I moved back to my regular camera and we all got ready to head down to Grammy's house for Christmas dinner:




I took the first pictures of my new glasses on the way:


And trying to show the pink on the inside and the stripes on the edges:


Autumn in her Christmas best being held by LaVerne:


Easton playing his beloved Batman game joined by Lauren and Dalton:


Aunt Jess brought Janna's rocket balloons (they had not yet given them to us) and boy did that keep everyone entertained for awhile after dinner:






We were having so much fun we almost forgot we had more gifts to open!








"Is that my boyfriends car pulling up?"


Yes, it was!


Then it was on to all the camera and posing silliness you saw on my glasses post. :)


With my sisters:












Having too much fun...


Janna too!


Showing off our gifts from Jess and Janna:




Janna having to show me how I'll wear my new scarf:


Me being "Miss Miraculous" according to Lauren:


Autumn showing off her ensemble before it's time to change into her jammies:


Easton, who has already switched to his p.j.'s, using "The Force" on Russell:


In her jams now:


Then we headed home. Easton actually stayed awake but the other two conked out before long. Easton scored a new hard (non inflatable) light saber and was having too much fun with it on the way home to sleep, the cutie. He said it and his space shuttle were his favorite Christmas gifts. Before he'd fallen asleep Dalton said his new "Toy Story friends" were his favorites.

It was a very wonderful Christmas. We are very very blessed and so thankful we live near at least some family members to celebrate the day with.