A Visit with Nana & Papa Rock

Because our holidays get so hectic, we decided this year not to go to Lumberton (to see my grandparents) on Christmas morning for several reasons. One, we wanted our kids tradition to be home on Christmas day, and two, by the time Christmas morning comes, we are so worn out from traveling so many different places, that we are just fried!
But we didn't want to give up our visiting time with my grandparents, so we visited them the weekend before Christmas instead! It was a nice relaxed time & the boys got to play outside & eat a yummy fried chicken lunch.

The Christmas Whirlwind!

Well, i figured after almost 2 weeks, it was time to update posts on our Christmas holiday. We go to so many places for Christmas that i have been dreading updating this blog on it all! I just knew it would take FOREVER! So i will just split it up (& dramatically simplify!).

Our first stop on our christmas whirlwind was to Mike's Farm. We go here every year & it has become a tradition we love. They have a great family style restaurant with yummy country cooking. And they have a lighted hayride (which is why we really go!). Jackson loves this & this is the first year that Eli really got into it all. He talked throughout the entire LONG hayride, pointing & oohing & ahhing!

Grandaddy & Grandma Tee always go with us to Mike's Farm...
Can you just hear him aahing over the lights??
It took a little convincing, but Jackson sat with Santa....
I truly couldn't believe that Eli sat with Santa (in fact, he went BEFORE Jackson!)
Waiting on the hayride.....

The Greatest Gift!

I have turned into such a sap! I guess that is what happens when you become a mom! Every time i go to Jackson's preschool & he does something so simple (but so cute to me), like sing a song with his classmates, or play the handbells like in an earlier post, & i just tear up & cry! Just hearing his teacher say at the holiday party, "Thank you all so much for sharing your little ones with us, we have enjoyed them so much this year!" I cried. Seriously, i need to get a grip! (But she said it so sincerely!)

On to the point of this post.....

Today, the teachers presented a gift (from Jackson) to the parents. And let me tell you, i waited all of about 10 seconds after getting into the car before opening it, even though it was to both Mommy & Daddy! (Sorry, babe, it was to you too, but i just couldn't wait! And i knew if i called, you would say, "Go ahead, that's fine!") And you guessed it.... i teared up & cried! It was the sweetest little calendar & each month has my child's handprint making some sort of picture & they paired it with a scripture. So i took a picture of each month, just so i could share it all with YOU!

Here is the cover...

Here is January...

February...

March...

April...

May...

June...

July...

August...

September...

October...

November...

December...

Now, have you seen anything this cute, unique, or special in a long time? I certainly haven't!

Cookie Bliss

Last weekend, the boys were invited to a cookie decorating party! What a great idea my friend, Meredith had! She baked some cookies, laid out some colored icing, & some sprinkles, invited her little girl, Hailee's friends, & voila! You have lots of happy, sugared up kids! The boys were so excited that they were going to a party for the sole purpose of decorating cookies- because they KNEW that meant that i was going to let them eat them! Yes, i let them eat LOTS of cookies (i think 4 a peice to be exact (gasp!). Jackson took his time decorating each one differently....
But Eli was more interested in eating them as fast as possible (i guess before i changed my mind?!) He would spread some icing on, but didn't take too much time in getting down to business. Here is our littlest hostess, Hailee. She & Eli are 8 weeks apart in age (she is older). I have been such good friends with her Mommy, Meredith, since my years at Meredith College! Thanks so much for inviting us, girls!

Where's Lola?

Anyone see Lola? She is officially our cat, because EVERY cat i have ever had likes this particular hiding spot....

Look closer.....

There she is! And let me tell you... she might have been "hiding" & trying to relax back there, but don't think for a second she got any peace just because she was behind some presents!

In fact, poor Theresa's present ended up like this......

Because we all know, Eli just loves her so much, he physically can't give her any peace & quiet! And the presents became insignificant in his attempt to get to her, no matter what the cost! So, sorry Theresa- your present was the cost- but it didn't damage what's on the inside!

Gingerbread Houses, Preschool Style

Today I went to Jackson's preschool for a little holiday party/gingerbread decorating party. It was a lot of fun! The kids sang a little song & played handbells for us. Then we went over to the gym where it was set up all nice for our pizza dinner (jackson's absolute favorite food). After the pizza, we got to decorate gingerbread houses. It was a really cute way of doing it! They gave each parent/kid pair an empty milk carton, a small cup of icing, & a baggie of mixed candies etc. The carton was the "base" to work around with the gingerbread (aka graham crackers) so we started out with the base to the house & went from there. I think we both enjoyed ourselves, even though Jackson pretty much told ME where to put the candy, etc while he snacked on the candy. But that works for me i guess since i am such a perfectionist!

{what's gonna work.... team work!}{Working on his roof}{The finished product!}

Here is the video of the handbells with their music teacher, Ms. Ginny... once you listen a little, you can deciper the song....

It was "away in a manger."

This past weekend we headed out to the Garner Christmas Parade. The boys cousin, Leah was on a float for her dance studio. It was very cold!! We bundled up though & the boys really enjoyed it.

Eli would dance to the marching bands as they passed by "bobbing" his hiney!

And then we were excited to see Becca in the parade too, walking with the "YMCA" bus. Here Jackson is getting some cousing Becca love.... (he said this was his favorite part of the parade!)And of course, everyone was throwing out candy! I wasn't expecting this & the boys gathered up a whole "gift bag" of candy! It was like halloween all over!The boys waved to Santa as he passed..... what would a christmas parade be like without the big man himself? Eli kept calling the reindeer, "horses!" Surprise, i know!

Grandma got runover by a reindeer

So, Randy & i got a chance to participate in a christmas party where you dress up like a christmas carol. This was the result....

Randy was "grandma" & I was a reindeer. I forgot to put powder in Randy's hair to make it look white, but i think we still got the point across!

The facial hair leaves a bit to be desired on Grandma's face, but i personally like the jingle bell in her hair. And this was just crazy. This was a game we all played in teams of 4. We had to designate one "leader" for the group & immediately everyone chose a MAN. And this is what they ended up looking like! The object of the game was to get 6 ballons blown up & 3 stuffed into each leg of pantyhose & then on your head like antlers. The first one to complete was the winner. We came in second.Ho Ho Ho!

"I fought the law & the LAW won!"

Okay, so here is the story-

Today Eli was so incredibly fussy. He hasn't been sleeping well for weeks & i had drug him around to 2 different grocery stores to hit the different sales. He was tired, he was grumpy, he didn't want to share the (newly picked this morning) library books in the car, he didn't want to stay in his car seat, he wanted to kick the seat, wanted to throw his snack all over the car & he DIDN'T want to go to bed, even though he OBVIOUSLY needed to. So he was crying & melting down in the bedroom because he didn't want to nap. So he started the "tactics." He wanted his blankie- so we got the blankie. He wanted the mini christmas tree plugged in, so we plugged it in. He wanted a new blankie, so we got a new blankie. But he still wouldn't stay in his bed. He kept getting out & i would put him back & get firm. THEN, he wanted to rock. I draw the line here. I know my children are only little once, but i can't do the rocking thing. If i rock them to sleep, they need to be rocked every night. My kids are not kids that can take an inch as an inch. THey take an inch & then beg for a mile the next time. So NO ROCKING before bed. I will rock you & cuddle when you get up. Eli has just started asking for this in the past few weeks, so i think it is just a tactic. So as he was melting down in the bedroom/hallway area, i was locking myself in my bedroom (for HIS safety) & about to meltdown myself. Finally, i decided i was going to ignore him. He was screaming, kicking & really tantruming, but i decided that i didn't care. He could do that but he wasn't going to get what he wanted out of it: My attention, or Rocking! No kidding, after an hour & 15 minutes of this mess, this is what i found.

And i felt VICTORIOUS!I know this post probably sounds terrible to those of you who do not have strong willed children. But trust me, my kids know just what buttons to push & today i decided that i didn't have the energy. The button broke.

Even Lola came to check out how it got so quiet!

So, i took him & put him in his bed.... and the rest was history....

....well, for 3 hours anyway. Until he woke up & dinner wasn't ready. Then another meltdown started just in time for Daddy to come home. Oh the joys of the toddler years!

O Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving Weekend we put our tree up for the holidays. I am not a huge fan of change (i can hear rebecca laughing as i type this) but this year we got our first artificial tree. I really love the smell of the house around the holidays when the fresh tree is up, so this will be a "test" year to see how i handle it! It wasn't an expensive tree, so if all else fails, we can go back to a real one next year! The boys loved decorating it & poor Eli just couldn't get them on the tree, so he started just laying them across the branches! But honestly, Jackson put ALL of his in one area so we had to go back & fix both of their "work" once they went to bed.
Even Lola likes the tree! She sits & watches the ornaments (i guess hoping one will move so she can pounce!) And one night i got up in the middle of the night to hit the bathroom & i found her playing with an ornament she had drug in there! Sneaky little kitty! She looks huge in this picture, but she really isn't THAT big yet, our tree is just THAT skinny! I like it that skinny though!