Some things that have happened

Once again I am slacking on the blog-posting. It's not intentional, it's just that life is so ... lifey. It's tough to find time to sort through my pictures and think of something semi-coherent. Instead, here are a bunch of random thoughts and things that happened.


We got suckered into a caroling hay ride from our church. Honestly, it was fun for about 30 minutes. We rode around, sang Christmas carols and got hay stuck in every piece of clothing we were wearing. Look how much fun we were having! And then the trip went on for an additional hour. It was cold. We couldn't hear the front of the wagon, so most of the carols sounded like poorly coordinated rounds and I had to work that night, so with each passing minute I grumpily saw my nap slipping away. We were all pretty grumpy when we finally got off. We learned a valuable lesson though. The lesson? Something about getting off when you have the chance I think.

Because I had to work Christmas Eve afternoon, we had lunch and opened presents before I had to leave for work at 2 pm. Opening gifts on Christmas Eve is a family tradition for us. I like it because the kids know the presents are from people who thought of them and picked out something. The kids still have their (one) Santa presents and stockings to look forward to on Christmas Day.

Adults playing with the kids toys. Classic Christmas.

Here are a few pictures of the boys looking appropriately excited about their gifts. They are still at that lovely age where they get genuinely, jump up and down excited about a gift they have been wanting. In this case, a Rainbow Loom and a Pillow Pet.

He named her Pexis

This is Gummy Bear as a sheep at the Christmas Eve service. I missed it, but got to see lots of pictures and videos.

When I got home from work very early on Christmas morning Santa came and filled the stockings.

And now for something completely different. Cheeky Monkey's school program was adorable. He's the cutest half-snowman half-puppy crossbreed I ever did see.

We went bowling a few days before Christmas. It was Plan B after we drove into and then out of the parking lot at Sesame Place. In my 5 years going to that amusement park, I have NEVER seen the parking lot so full. We told the park attendant we changed our minds. "Good call," she responded. So, bowling it was.

The lean really makes the ball go where you want it to go.

And now we're back to Christmas Eve, where the boys gave us a few decent pictures.

And my mom proved that no matter how old you are, your mom is still your mom.

Here are the boys in their Christmas jammies on Christmas morning playing with their very favorite Christmas present: Nintendo 2DSes.

We did finally make it to Sesame Place, it was just a few days after Christmas. This turned out to be the right plan. The crowded were light, the day was sunny, and we barely waited in line.

Gummy Bear decided to decorate the inside of our truck with the year (2005) in crayon on the ceiling. I was not a fan. It's still there. Good times.

And now for my favorite stocking stuffer. I have been making fun of this particular kitchen implement for neigh on a year, because, well, because I have a knife. Still, the kids think it's good fun. So there you go.

We are going to have a cold snowy winter I think. This was the temperature one morning after I got out of work. My car was also covered in 8 inches of snow and ice. We have had two major snow events already this winter, when we generally don't get started until January. After the last two years of relatively mild winters I guess we're due though.

My mom and I exchange rooster-themed gifts nearly every Christmas (it's a long story). This year, we got a rooster-shaped pancake mold.  Cock-a-doodle syrup! I don't even know what that means.

And finally, this is our new dining room table. The room formerly known as Gummy Bear's has been serving as our dining room. Our house is small, so we never really had room for a proper dining room table before, so I am so excited to have gotten this one (thanks Dad!). It's solid mango wood, no veneer. We purposely chose a table with some distress marks so that when our boys inevitably add some of their own, it will look like we did that on purpose. Hurray grown up furniture! Someday we will also shed my 12-year-old girl bedroom furniture, but these things take time, people.

And that is the last month, give or take. Gummy Bear is back in school. I had to call out for the very first time because Gummy Bear's school had some unexpected maintenance. 2014 is starting out fine. We are all healthy, all content, and all blessed with this little life. Merry Christmas everyone!