Christmas

We had a great Christmas together as a family...can't you tell by Payton's face? Actually, this was two days after Christmas. She was SO tired from all the going and having fun. She grabbed her blanket (that she is way to attached to), put her fingers in her mouth (it's rare that her fingers are NOT in her mouth) and about feel asleep in the middle of the floor!

This is Payton with her Uncle Scott on Christmas Eve. She LOVES Uncle Scott. He gets to keep her twice a week when I work. They have a great bond and she squels when he leaves the room!

This was pretty much what Payton did all of Christmas while we opened presents. She was really into the stocking stuffers that were on the fire place, and her spilled cherrios...but not so much the presents or paper!

Preston had been asking Santa for a basketball hoop and a telescope since this summer. I guess he's been a good boy this year because Santa delivered! We've been shooting hoops together in his room the past few days! He's getting good at the slam dunk. :)

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve with Darron's family at his parents' house. Payton was already sacked out in bed by the time we opened presents. Grandma and Grandpa got the three youngest (except Payton) an activity tray, coloring books, and a big pack of Nerds candy (thanks Grandma for that one)! The kids had a great time playing together and watching Polar Express. We even let the stay up until almost 11:00! We all had a great time with our gift exchange and playing cards. It was a great night together!

I bought Preston and Darron a Nerf Dart Gun Tag game to play together. It was really cool. It came with two vests that had targets on them, two dart guns, and these safety glasses. While Darron was getting it all out, Preston started putting on his gear. I grabbed a gun and shot at him. Appearantly I'm not the best aim and shot him in the neck. Well, although they are NERF guns, I guess they still hurt. Preston started crying and complaining that it hurt. I thought he was just being whimpy (nothing new here), so I tried to show him it didn't hurt by shooting Darron in the neck. After Darron complained that it hurt and I saw I big red whelp on his neck, I felt pretty bad! Needless to say, the Nerf Dart Tag didn't turn out to be a hit just yet, but as you can see, the glasses are still cool! Oh well, a mom can try! Maybe he'll give it a try in a few months....

On Christmas Eve, Santa came for a surprise visit at Grandma and Granpa's house! Santa (Uncle Scott) was a huge hit! Preston screamed as Santa walked in and ran right up to him! When Santa asked Preston what he wanted for Christmas, Preston answered, "Um, a dolly for Payton!" Ahhh, makes a mom proud! :) Santa gave each of the little kids a gift (there are 5 teenage cousins too). Although you can't tell in the picture, Payton was actually NOT scared by Santa. She sat in his lap just fine and played with a toy and his beard (she was close to pulling off the beard and revealing Uncle Scott). Santa went to put Payton down and we decided to have Preston sit on his lap again for the picture. Payton got mad that she didn't get to crawl around and was picked up again....that's the real reason she's crying!

We've enjoyed the past few days with family and friends. We've tried to keep the "reason for the season" in mind and we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas. We hope you too, have had a wonderful Christmas. Now, time to start losing all the Holiday Weight I've put on....

Be sure to check out the new post about Preston's birthday below...

My Big Boy Turned 3!

My big boy turned 3 on Dec. 21st! I can't believe how fast these past three years have gone. Preston has grown and learned so much. I look back at his baby pictures and barely see the same baby boy any more. He is such a sweet, tendered heart little guy. He wants to please and his is just a good natured little boy. He loves so easily and truly enjoys life. We are so proud of the little boy he is! They say 3 is harder than 2, but so far we feel so blessed by our time with this little guy! This was his special birthday breakfast....scrambled eggs, biscuits, and chocolate gravy (sounds weird, but it's AWESOME)! That was always my special birthday breakfast growing up!

We gave him Cars PJ's that came with a robe that lit up on the pocket. He loved it! Payton gave him a new game (I can't remember which one...he got so many)!

His birthday was on a Sunday, but we had his party at Chuck-E-Cheese on Saturday morning (brave, I know)! I was a little nervous as this was my first "big" birthday party to give him (the previous ones had just been a small gathering at our house). Eight of his friends joined us and we had pizza, cake, and played LOTs of games! It was a perfect party....and we beat the crowd so it was great!

Preston LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Curious George. He requested a Curious George birthday cake this year. Since I am not creative in the least bit, I asked my trusted job-share teaching partner, Valerie, to make the cake this year. As you can see, she's very talented! She did an awesome job and it tasted great! The pudding in the middle was an added bonus with the kids! :)

Poor Valerie had made the cake earlier in the week and woke up early Saturday morning to do the icing. When she went to get the cake, she was surprised to see that it had been demolished (she never said, but I have a feeling her 2 year old son may have had something to do with it). So, she quickly remade the cake, decorated it, and made it to the party only about 15 minutes late! Your the best Val! :)

Preston was very spoiled for his two days of birthday celebrations. Not only did we try to make his day special, he was given many great and thoughtful gifts from friends. And to top it off, my parents (who live in Texas) had a balloon boquet and teddy bear delivered to him! He was so excited and Birthday Bear sleeps with Pres each night now! :)

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday, Dec. 16th, was mine and Darron's 8 year anniversary! We actually celebrated this past weekend and had a wonderful time. I am so upset with myself though, because I totally forgot my camera! So, I'll just have to tell you about our incredible weekend and leave the pictures up to your imagination!
We are fortunate to live 45 minutes away for a gorgeous hotel/ski slopes. It is pretty expensive though, so we only go about once a year (for our anniversary). Anyways, we left Saturday morning for the Alyeska Hotel and skiied all day (it was SOOOO cold....one of the coldest days of the year of course...about 10 for the high). After skiing all day, we hit the hot tub for awhile to warm up then headed to our room to clean up for dinner. Girdwood is a tiny town with minimal eating choices, but we decided to forgoe the normal restaurant and try a new one that had been recommended to us....BIG MISTAKE! The food was average and the service was terrible. So, we left and went to our tried and true favorite, the Doubly Musky, for dessert. After a chocolatey dessert, we headed back to the hotel. Sleeping in Sunday morning was WONDERFUL and enjoying a nice breakfast that I didn't cook was very enjoyable as well. We were able to get a late check-out so we went back to our room and just layed around watching tv and relaxing before heading back home. It was so nice to get away together and enjoy time as just a married couple with no kids desiring our attention. We love skiing together (eventhough D is MUCH faster than I am) and our ski slopes are amazing. When your at the top of the mountain, you can look down over the inlet and you're surrounded by mountains and water. It is so beautifu...again...sorry I forgot my camera!
In honor of our 8 years together, here is a list of 8 things I LOVE about my hubby (in no particular order):
1) I love that he's a man of God seeking to better himself each day
2) He adores our children and is a hands-on, fun daddy! He is so good to them!
3) I find it so sexy that he can build and fix ANYTHING on his own. Did you know he has added a room onto our house and he's been building a family cabin for the past several years? He's amazing! Friends and family are always coming to him for help with building/fix it projects.
4) He tells me I'm beautiful all of the time...even when I don't feel so beautiful.
5) He is so fun to be around. Darron has the magnetic personality that draws people to him and makes people feel so comfortable. Laughter is the main sound you hear when D is around.
6) He takes care of our family financially and tries to minimalize the stress I feel. He provides for us and wants the best for us.
7) He just gets better and better looking with age!
8) He appreciates me by helping me around the house, cooking (he's better than I am), and noticing all the work I do to keep our house clean and family organized.

I am so thankful for the 8 years we've had together already, and I am so excited to spend my life with him. Thank you Darron for being you, for loving the Lord, and for loving me! I love you!

Finally....I can upload pictures again! Wahoo! I love this picture. Preston had put his "special" game on the chair so Payton couldn't get to it. She climbed up the step and pulled herself up to his level and started playing with him. He was happy though and let her join in. :)
We got about 12 inches of snow over the weekend. It was beautiful. I LOVE snow (just not the cold). Preston likes to help daddy clear off the driveway, because in his words "it's a lot of work for daddy and he needs help." So, while Darron snow blows the drive, Pres likes to shovel. He has always gotten frustrated with the big shovels though "because they don't work right." I found this shovel at Toys'R Us the other day and gave him and early Christmas Present. With a huge surprised face he said, "Ohhhhh, thanks mom!" He loved getting to help with a working shovel! :)
My sister-in-law takes her daughter to the Nutcracker Ballet every year. However, she surprised her husband with a trip and they were out of town. So, I had the honors of taking Brookelynn ( 6 1/2). We got all dressed up, had a nice Italian dinner, and went to the Ballet downtown. It was a great, much needed date night together. This is a picture of us in a downtown park. It is so beautiful with the fresh snow and lights. We had a great night together.
Thanksgiving was at our house this year. Darron cooks the Turkey every year. Doesn't it look yummy? It was! I'm only in this picture because they told me to be....I really had no part in cooking it except clearing a spot in the fridge for it! Notice the Cowboy gear!! Go Cowboys!! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving together with family and friends!
This is a back view of the first picture. I LOVE this picture! They are so cute and sweet together (most of the time)! Notice the bright red boxer briefs Preston is sporting...so cute!
We love Sushi....love it! Some friends from church came over a couple of weeks ago and taught us (actually Darron....I was busy being a mom) how to make Sushi. This was the final product...before we gobbled it! Go Ricky and Darron! It was SOOOO delicious!
My cute little Honey Pot and Tigger at Halloween. Payton was only in her costume long enough for pictures because she couldn't crawl in it. Preston wore his for several weeks leading up to Halloween! And the next several nights after Halloween he kept asking to go Trick-or-Treating because "it's dark outside mom."
The pumpkin Darron and Pres carved together....it came in 2nd place for our Pumpkin Carving Contest at the Halloween Party we threw....
Digging out the seeds together and getting all sticky! It really is a lot of work for a few seeds to roast...but well worth it once a year!

So there ya go....some updated pictures! Thanks for checking in all those who do! I love reading your blogs and keepin' in touch. Be sure to leave a message so I know you stopped by!

What is going on here??

Okay, so I finally sat down to add pictures and I still can't!! Can anyone help me? I'm trying to add pictures and it lokos like it's working, and then it says it can't find the page or something.....if you want to see pictures of cute kids...I"m gonna need some help here! :)