And Off He Goes!

It has been a long January. The kids got sick right after the New Year and then of course I got sick with whatever they had! No fun! How can you avoid getting sick when the kids cough and snot and saliva all over you! Its inevitable! But my cold lasted over 2 weeks. I have been feeling so so so awful. Counting down the minutes until Dave would come home at night so I could just go to bed! But now we are all healthy - let's stay that way.

On a happier note, last Saturday, January 16, 2009, Grayson turned 1. I can't believe how fast this year has gone. I have to say I have said many many times over this past year, I can't wait until Grayson is 1. He was not an easy baby for me especially for the first 6 months especially compared to Jack. I just was not prepared for it and knew that once he was bigger he'd be happier. And is he ever. He is so happy and loves to play. His favorite time of day is after Jack goes to bed and we get to play just him and me for a while! He is so funny and cracks us up. And Jack is amazed every time he walks. Jack will say..."look mom, look, he's walking". He still prefers to hold on to walls or crawl but he definitely walks around quite a bit lately.

Grayson's birthday was a quiet one! No big party. But we still had lots of fun. We invited a family over who have a son Jack's age and a baby a few months younger than Grayson (both boys). I made a Mexican Fiesta with Shredded Chicken Soft Tacos, Chips, Guac and nuggets and fries (okay the fries were for the kids and not Mexican!). We ate, opened presents and just hung out. It was quiet, but fun.

Since its a new year, I put Jack into some new activities. He takes a swimming class (all by himself - no mom). He has lots of fun, although last week he wanted me to swim with him in his class and wouldn`t let me go. But after a few minutes he was fine and was off swimming like a fish. Its so fun to watch him in his own class. Grayson and I get to swim and play while Jack takes his lesson. Grayson loves to swim too. I have to say swimming is one of our family`s favorite activities. We go swimming quite a bit (waterslides, baby pools, wave pools), we love it.

Jack is also in an indoor hockey class. This is a hilarious class. They really teach the boys to play hockey. They start out with stretching and a running game warm up and then they practice different stick handling and puck handling drills and then the boys split up into 2 teams and play hockey. It`s hilarious because the dads who bring their boys are so into the game. They are yelling when the boys have the puck `go go go, take it to the net` or whatever hockey dad`s yell. Then there are the boys who just stand there running but not usually in the direction of the puck just running around...Jack falls into that category. He is just too sweet and soft to push kids away and steel the puck. Jack loves it. Dave got Jack some indoor hockey sticks so they practice downstairs in the basement.

That`s what we`ve been up to the past couple weeks!

Enjoy the video and pics!

(dad and grayson - hang out time!)

(We made donuts and donut holes.

Jack loved making them and eating them! So easy to make!)


(The boys looking very eagerly at Grayson`s new birthday toy)

(Brothers!)

More Christmas Activities

In terms of our 25 days of Christmas activities things went a little wonky this last week as I was sick for the first part of the week and then the boys caught the cold the last part of the week and are still getting over the runny nose, cough, cold. But we pushed through and tried to do somethings. Not many pictures were taken but here is what we did.

Day 8 - Letter to Santa. Well we attempted this. Jack was not too interested, perhaps when he can write it will be more fun. He drew on the page for a few seconds and then was done and I didn't push the activity. So poor Santa will have no letter from the boys but at least the boys saw Santa at the mall!

Day 9 - Make a Christmas Craft. What we actually did: Drove in a snow storm to Cross Iron Mall to see cousins and Grandma. Played there for the afternoon. Drove Home in a Blizzard. Left the mall at 3:30 and arrived home at 8 p.m. due to traffic.....THAT WAS FUN! NOT!

Day 10 - Make cards for cousins. We did start these but Jack was more interested in putting the stickers and stuff in his coloring book than what I had planned so we went with that!

As you can see the week wasn't going as planned! But I knew all 25 days would not get accomplished!

Day 11: Shop for a toy for Grayson. On Friday morning we ventured out to Zellers where Jack was to pick out a toy to give to Grayson for Christmas. He was more interested in playing with toys then getting something for Grayson but he did eventually pick something out for Grayson which he was excited about! Although we did not leave the store without Jack having a tantrum and lying down on the floor by the enterance not wanting to leave. But I am pretty used to that! I think I bribed with him McDonalds if he would get up! What a great mom eh?!

Day 12: Make Gingerbread House. Okay well we didn't actually get that done but we did make a christmas craft for a couple of his cousins which Jack was very into and had fun and grayson was happy to hang out and watch! (see pics below).

Day 13: Nativity Lesson. Well I wasn't able to get the nativity for this lesson but that was okay we had the missionaries come over and give a little lesson on what the meaning of all the Christmas things are like the meaning of the tree, candy cane, presents, star, etc. Jack was actually pretty interested and listened well.

Day 14: Christmas Mom and Tots: Today we just went to the church and played with his nursery friends. Jack did not end up going to bed until midnight last night and woke up at 7:30 so I was a little terrified to see how he would behave at the play group but he had fun. Only melt down was that he didn't want to leave. But he was so tired and needed bed! He fell fast asleep as soon as he got home - so did Grayson. Love the afternoon naps!

I promise more fun things are planned for this and next week.......and I will take pics but that summarizes this last week.

Birthday Party and Christmas Day 7

Christmas Day 7: Visit Santa at the Mall

Today, we got bundled up and trekked to the mall even though it was freezing outside. Jack was very exicted to see Santa and tell him what he wanted for Christmas. Grayson on the other hand was not so excited to see Santa, as you can see from the photo. But I think this is a typical Santa photo. Surprisingly Jack smiled so easily not like family photos the other day where he cried the whole time. Grayson is just at that phase where all he wants is his mom no one else.

Jack is totally getting into our Christmas countdown. Every morning he starts off with a chocolate from his advent calendar and then asks where the envelope is. So that is nice that its not just me enjoying it.

Jack turns 3!

Jack is now a BIG BOY! As I repeatedly tell him. Big boys dont whine or fight and they listen to their moms! I think he had a good birthday. I hope he did anyway. He got to spend it with grandparents, lots of cousins and a NEW cousin!!!! (Jody you know what I am talking about!!!shocker!!!) Auntie Lisa made him a cake which was very impressive and it was a lot of playing and having fun! In the morning Jack woke up to balloons at his table for breakfast and presents. He got a submarine which he was eyeing at Walmart for a long time and he was so excited to get it!

I am so grateful for Jack in our family. He is really just a good boy! What an easy easy baby he was. Just played and slept and didnt really fuss! Loves to play! Loves his brother! Loves to sing. We sing all the time as we drive around town doing errands. We love him!

25 Days of Christmas.

So I thought I'd do something fun with Jack and Grayson this year or maybe it will turn out to just be fun for me but we'll see how it goes. We are doing an activity advent. There are so many ideas out there to do this but this is what I came up with. Something easy for me to put together. I came up with 25 activities for me and the boys to do each day for 25 days! I put each activity in an envelope and then in this vase I had. Each day, Jack takes out the envelope for that day and there is an activity listed inside. Things like bake cookies, visit Santa, write a letter to Santa, buy a toy to give away, etc. Hopefully, I will capture lots of those activities on film and post them here. So is what we did for December 1 and 2, 2009.

December 1 - Put up the Christmas Tree and Decorate.

Today, December 2 - was nothing too Christmasy - it was to go to the church mom and tots group christmas party. Jack was very excited to find out he got to go to the church and play!

Jack is getting very excited for Christmas - it makes me so happy - the other day we were walking through Michaels and i could here him singing "Santa Claus is coming to town" The Polar Express movie has really got him excited for Christmas. All he wanted to do while setting up the Christmas tree besides sit in the tree box (he loved that - it was his train) was play with the bells and he wanted me to be Santa and I would give him the FIRST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS. So cute! Grayson - well all he wanted to do was tear the tree down. Our tree is very light and pretty small. He could easily with one hand pull that tree down so after the kids went to bed we had to baricade the tree. Ottoman, exercauser and toy bin are now surrounding the tree - it seems to work!

Off to wake the kids from naps - or else they'll never go to bed tonight!

Robin.

This Is What Happens When Your Not Looking...

The other day I was getting dressed for the day and Jack asked to play with my mascara. He wanted to use it as a wand. So I went ahead and gave it to him to play with. I then mistakenly went downstairs for a while and left him alone up there to play. Later he started calling me and came downstairs for me to see this......

What a mug shot eh?!!! so funny. I don't even know how he knew there was make-up in there to use as I NEVER wear mascara but he had gotten it open and thought he'd color his eyebrows. So cute! I said "Can I take your picture" and he was very willing. He was very proud of his job!

Lots going on around here - we have been super busy lately with photobooth. Getting ready for Christmas. Getting ready for Jack to turn 3 - I can't believe it. This Thursday he turns 3. Now its time for potty training!

robin.

Grayson - 10 months

Okay, I wrote out a whole bunch of cute info about Grayson but some how my text was deleted....now I am to lazy to retype and I have to run so you are left with some cute pics of Grayson and Jack.

(Grayson, I found him sneaking juice from jack's cup he found on the floor - his favorite hobby is to track down jack's cups and sip from them - he knows he was caught here!)

(Jack loves loves to drag Grayson by the feet - I know sounds mean but Grayson loves it and Jack is gentle - or tries to be - I keep telling Jack that soon Grayson will be as big as he is and will be able to get back at Jack!)

Halloween 2009

Halloween was a busy week for us. We had a play group Halloween party. Jack had so much fun. It is the first Halloween he was totally into. Last year I remember he didn't want to get his costume on and go out trick or treating but this year he was all into and knew exactly what it was all about. We practice trick or treating in our closet door the weeks coming up to Halloween. So we had a play group party, a Ward party that was truly AMAZING! and then Halloween night. Jack went trick or treating with his neighbor friend.

Our Halloween day started very early. Dave went at 5 a.m. to get in line for the H1N1 vaccine shot. Doors opened at 8:30. People slept over night just to be early in line. I got there with the kids at 9:30 a.m. and we still waited until 11:30 until we got in and everyone got their shots. After the shots we went to Toys R Us as I promised Jack and new toy train for being brave and getting his shots. Really he had no idea what we were standing in line for. He sat down, got poked, looked at the lady like what did you do to me (not happy) and then the next second was like okay lets get out of here - he wasn't fazed at all! After the shots it was Toys R Us, McDonalds, Missionaries and then trick or treating. Sadly we only got like 4 kids at our door and I had candy for 100 so I made Dave take all the left over candy to work or destroy it as I didn't want to eat any more of it! Jack has pretty much forgotten about his candy (which secretly makes me happy - he does not need the extra sugar. These days he is soooo emotional!

Anyway, we are gearing up for a busy November with photobooth taking up all our weekends which is sad but also very GOOD!

Here are some pics of Batman and Penguin below.