Finishing up 2013

Here are some straggler pictures I found.

It was a semi-warm day, so I took all three boys to the zoo. By myself. Bring it on.

They had the lights on for the holidays.

These are the fathead posters the boys got for Christmas. Our walls are textured, so they don't stick, so we just left them on the original backing and use them as huge posters right now.

Hangin with the bros.

Misc December

Sad how I'm just lumping all these pictures into a "Misc" catagory, instead of dedicating a post on the story. But I guess that's what happens sometimes. It's not my season to have theme-specific blog posts.
Of course, there are a lot of pictures. Some are just for family history.

Our Elf on the Shelf. They named him "Bouncy."

Time for sledding! I have a video of this below.

I love how rosy his cheeks get when he's cold!

This was a favorite hiding place. He did surprisingly well at leaving the ornaments alone.

I love catching these moments.

Hahah. Where's Donovan?

He wanted his picture taken with his baby brother.

I love this frog chair. He's growing to love it as well.

Pinata at the church party! I love that they brought in this Mexican Christmas tradition.

Glue a marshmallow to a fake snowman? Yah right, Mom.

The most obnoxious toy we have ever received in a happy meal. They have since disappeared. One was dropped through a hole on the back porch, not retrievable. The rabbits will enjoy it, I'm sure. The other was a victim to Mom.

He caught Dad making faces behind him. Lol. D likes to take selfies.

Hide and Seek!

"Mom! Look! Lava!"

I love how they laugh together. I wish they would dress for the season, though.

Flying a rocket.

Mommy's little helpers!

Checking out the gingerbread house. Weighing the consequences of eating the candy. He didn't. I'm proud of him. He drives me crazy with standing on the chair right next to that fireplace, though.

Random picture by Justin of normal everyday life.

And some life captured on video:

A Seed and a Nose

This is how our evening began. I thought I was being so fun by having a picnic and a movie for dinner. Justin was working, so I was trying to entertain myself as well as the boys.

Then Donovan approached me with his finger up his nose. I asked if he needed a tissue. His response: "Popcort(n). Seed. Nose. Stuck. Popcort(n). Seed. Nose. Stuck."
My thoughts: Oh please don't be telling me what I think you are telling me!
What do I do? I called my mom. I am not grown up enough to know what to do when my child has a seed stuck up his nose.
I looked inside, I saw it, I can't get it out with a nose sucker. So I called some of my young women to come babysit while I take this cute little rascal to the hospital.

He was thrilled to have his own bed. And to be eating fruit snacks.

 The next five hours were spent trying to get the little teeny seed out of his cute little nose. It took three doctors, three nurses, five hours, and two doses of "special K" to get it out. (Special K, aka Ketamine, is a drug that made him feel good and not care that they were digging in his nose. They don't administer it to adults, I don't know why. But he was hallucinating rabbits going into tunnels while he had it in his system)

I asked him to show me his sticker. This is what he showed me.

But this is what I meant. Poor little guy.

 So glad it's over! Let's hope the lesson was learned by ALL my kids.

Christmas 2013

I know I'm skipping a few months, I'll go back and post what I've missed. I just need to post this so I feel like I'm closer to family. For some reason it makes me feel like we're not so far away when I know my family is watching my kids go down the stairs and open their presents, even if they are watching the day after from the other side of the country.
Weston slept through the Christmas morning festivities. We all had a rough night on Christmas Eve, and it wasn't even because we were wide awake with anticipation for the following morning. Justin got pretty sick from work and it spread through our family. Donovan was up all night upset and not feeling well. So, oddly, nobody really slept that night except Weston. But that didn't stop us from having a great Christmas morning celebration! D felt better and better as the morning went on.
I am so grateful to have this little family! I'm so grateful that Justin was home to celebrate the birth of our Savior with the family!
I'm so grateful for all those who sent us gifts. We are rich with family, friends, and love. Thank you so much!

Merry Christmas!!!

Justin had to work the evening of Christmas Eve, so I did the Santa prep in a single-mom style. It was a bit chaotic, but we got it done. And the boys went to bed an hour later than normal, which ended up not making much of a difference since we were up all night with a sick Donovan anyway.

We made cookies for Santa, but the boys got to eat one of them.

I let him sprinkle from the tub. He got my attention by yelling "I wuv spwinkles!" And this is what was on his plate.

And poor Weston. This is what happens when I'm trying to get dinner on the table. I just wasn't quick enough to get him into bed.

Justin came home in time to help set up for the next morning. I'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

The scarf was from my mom & dad. The knives (yay!) from Santa.

Gift from my Mom & Dad.

And here are most of the presents. The Fatheads are pictures for the boys' room of figher jets and astronauts.

Sharing his new toys

I tried to get one of Weston with the tree after he woke up, but he was so wiggly, it was always blurry.

And I was playing around with my camera. I wish this one wasn't so overexposed, but isn't he so cute?!

He had a nice first Christmas!

I had planned a really nice breakfast and dinner for Christmas, but with how things turned out with everyone sick and sleep-deprived, we had cereal for breakfast and chinese take-out for dinner. But you know what? Everyone was just as happy as they would have been with the homemade goodies. My gingerbread and sugar cookies were so nice and soft when I made them. Then I put them into a tupperware overnight and they got REALLY soft and all stuck together, making them too ugly to give away to anyone. But it was a lesson learned and they still taste really good.
In the afternoon Mason wanted to watch a movie, and I suggested the cartoon about the birth of Jesus, just to remind us of the real meaning of Christmas. And then he said "Mom, I don't want to watch a church movie, I want to watch a Christmas movie!" [Sigh] I'm sure it's not the last time the true meaning of the holiday will be buried, we just have to make sure we keep uncovering it. We got out a wooden nativity set (we bought it last year in Hawaii), read Luke 2, and let the boys play with the figures while I read.

And that was our Christmas celebration this year.