Christmas

We flew down to Texas on December 22nd and just returned tonight. The kids did pretty well on the way up there but on the way back, they were terrible. They cried and screamed throughout most of the flight. Luckily, on the last leg of the flight, B fell asleep on my shoulder. K2 finally fell asleep as we were landing. When we woke B up, he just screamed. We had too much luggage, too. I guess we need to learn to pack lighter.

Christmas was fun. I made chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, pecan pie, chocolate pie, and kisses cookies. The kids enjoyed opening their presents; paper was everywhere. We didn't make it home with all of our gifts because we ran out of room, so mom is going to mail them to us. The kids got a backpack; K2 got a ladybug and B got a penguin. I can't wait until they get to use them. Since we didn't have much room in the bags, we're going to have to buy some things up here for the kids.

K1 and I are in talks about me staying at home next year with the kids. If we stay here in Wisconsin, I'll probably stay at home with the kids and homeschool them for a few years. That's all I have for now.

Charla

16 Month Milestones

As a parent, I figured out that daily tasks must be done in many small blocks of time. I realized that I needed to update the kids' milestone as of 16 months.

Bryce update:

• Mostly wears 12 month clothes, but the 6-9 month fit him quite comfortably.
• Babbles A LOT! He says: "dada", "momma", "cat", "dog", "stop", "don't", "don't do that", "no", and a ton of other words that I can't understand yet. He will often-times look at us and tell us a story as if we're carrying on a conversation with him.
• Bites his sister and takes her toys or whatever she has that he wants. He's given her a few bruises on her back and thigh.
• Does not like to be told no and can throw a temper tantrum like nobody's business when he doesn't get his way. Very independent.
• Very heavy sleeper.
• He stops and stares when someone is dancing and/or singing on tv or in person.
• Can drink out of a straw without help.
• In size 3 diapers.
• Enjoys eating: bananas, grilled cheese, blueberries, any sort of bread products, apples, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken, turkey, cranberries, lettuce, bell peppers, onions, pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, cookies, beans, burritos, quesadillas, Pirate's Booty (puffed corn), carrots, yogurt, gold fish, kix, cheerios, cookie crisp, teddy grahams, corn, and veggie straws.
• Is not liking baby food anymore. He'll "tolerate" it sometimes, but not often.
• Having trouble drinking whole milk. We're having to give him a full breakfast in the mornings.
• Apple and fruit juices are favorites.

Kayla update:

• Usually crabby when sleepy. Less independent than Bryce and needs to be held more than he does.
• Sucks her thumb when she's tired. She must be tired a lot because some of her skin is coming off of her left thumb. Mother's intuition tells me that she's stressed out.
• She says: "dada", "momma", "dat" (for cat), "dog", "stop", "don't", "thank you", "no", "e-i-e-i-yep", and "I love you". She sings along with mommy, too!
• She dances when she hears music.
• Loves being tickled and turned upside down. Daddy thinks she'll love roller coasters when she gets bigger.
• Bites brother, mommy, and daddy.
• Is still learning to defend herself and her toys against brother.
• Usually does okay with being told no, unless she's tired.
• Can drink out of a straw by herself. She just learned this week!
• Very light sleeper.
• In size 3 diapers. We tried her in size 4 but they were still too big.
• Enjoys eating: bananas, blueberries, any sort of bread products, apples, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken, turkey, cranberries, lettuce, bell peppers, pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, beans, burritos, quesadillas, Pirate's Booty (puffed corn), carrots, yogurt, gold fish, corn, kix, cheerios, cookie crisp, and veggie straws.
• Having trouble drinking whole milk. We're having to cook a full breakfast in the mornings.
• 
  Apple and fruit juices are favorites.

Five Years

Five years ago and almost two years after our first date, K1 and I walked into the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas and got married. 16 months ago, we were blessed with the two best children. We couldn't have asked for a better family. The Lord knows exactly what we need and when. Amazing.

We woke up to about an inch (or less) of snow on the ground yesterday so we all spent the day together, curled up by a fire. After sundown, we went to a family restaurant and had dinner with the kids. This is the place where the kids had their first kids' meal and it wasn't nearly as good this time. We were disappointed. We got a good picture of K2 drinking from a straw! I'm so excited.

After we ate, we headed to Costco. I love their carts because they're made for twins. We just had to get a picture.

K1 and I desperately need a break so one of the ladies who keeps the kids during the week offered to take them for a few hours today so we could go out to eat for our anniversary. We'll be taking them up there in about an hour or so. We'll probably go to Olive Garden (where we went for our first date) and then go grocery shopping. Romantic, I know. Ha!

So, the kids decorated cookies last weeked. I said that I would upload photos, so here they are.

The aftermath

I wrote her name on the tray and she was smearing it in.

He just couldn't wait until we had the icing before eating the cookie.

She didn't care much for the cookie but she loved making a mess!

He loves cookies: icing or not.

K1's parents sent a couple of gifts for the kids. We let them open them yesterday since we won't be here for Christmas. We figured they might like seeing pictures of the kids opening their presents. B got a farmer tractor and K2 got two baby dolls. K2 didn't seem interested in the dolls until B started playing with them. I see a sensitive man in the making!

The next two weeks, I will be a stay-at-home mom and I plan to enjoy every second. I fed the kids on Friday after we got back from the school and B started making a tower out of his banana pieces. Perhaps, he will be an engineer like his daddy (always trying to figure out how things fit together.)

Off to give two dirty children a bath and then headed to Olive Garden.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

The temperatures finally dropped to the lowest I have ever experienced: nine degrees last night and the night before. We ran to the store last night to get some things for decorating cookies and we put the kids in their beanies and mittens.

Since we're going back to Texas for Christmas, we bought travel booster chairs. They look like chairs you would set up in the backyard, so we set them up in the living room so they had a place to sit alongside us. I love these chairs! We purchased them for just under $15 from Amazon. Notice the toychest that we got for $5. I love it too. What can I say? I'm a bargain shopper. :)

B loves Phoenix and Phoenix loves him. I love his little dinosaur pajamas. :)

K2 carries things around the house in her mouth...including washcloths.

B has learned how to balance himself really well. This month, he learned that he can use his walker to balance himself and get a book off the book shelf. Not only was he balancing on the walker, but the walker was in the toybox. That is talent.

We put up the Christmas tree last weekend. The kids did their best to help. B even broke an ornament that just wasn't up to par for us.



Putting the garland on the tree (well, I'm trying to put the garland up and they're trying to take it off.) :)



Putting B's ornament on the tree.

Putting K2's ornament on the tree.

Finding the perfect spot for the ornament.

Picking ornaments to put on the tree.





Inspecting the ornaments for perfection.



We'll decorate some cookies this afternoon. Pics will be posted later.

Charla



Countdown to Christmas!

Christmas is almost here! We put up the tree on Sunday. I made some cookies this week and I'll make some icing tomorrow evening so we can decorate cookies. Yes, we're going to let the kids in on the fun. I want to start a tradition where we bake and decorate cookies together around the holidays. I started it last year, even though the kids couldn't participate.

We're excited about going to Texas for the holidays. We got the kids travel booster chairs for Grandma's house. They look more like a lawn chair, but it straps on to the chair and has a buckle inside to strap them in while they eat. It's pretty neat. The kids like sitting in it on the floor in the living room. So cute. I really want to get them a mini sitting chair for the living room that looks like our recliners, but those may have to wait. They're about $80 for one.

I have gotten pretty good at hitting the stores with mounds of coupons and getting stuff for next to nothing. Although, moving to a different state and not keeping up with clipping coupons didn't help. Nevertheless, I purchased some toothpaste, body wash, etc. on sale, with coupons, so I was able to get some for a friend of mine and his soldiers overseas. (Is it possible for shopping to be a talent?) I had some parents drop some donations by my classroom today, too. So, we'll be mailing that out to him on Monday. I hope that it makes it to them by Christmas! I'm impatient.

Charla

Kids' Meals

About three nights ago, B fell on a box and cut his eyelid. The next day at the babysitter's house, he fell (she wasn't sure on what) and ended up with a circular cut above his other eye with a blue bruise. This picture was taken right after they happened, so his right eye is even more blue now.

Tonight, we went to a restaurant that has free kids' meals (yes, our life consists of searching for places where our kids can eat free.) B had grilled cheese and fruit, K2 had quesadillas with sour cream and hot sauce for dipping. K1 dipped a couple of pieces in the hot sauce so she followed. By the end of dinner, she was covered in sour cream. B is drinking out of a straw now. K2 is still learning how.



Notice the blue eyelid :(

When I met K1, I was going to the gym and working out for about an hour and a half 5-6 days a week. There's a 24 hour gym down the street and I was thinking of joining so that I had some time by myself and I could work on me for a change. Maybe this will be my Christmas present to myself this year. I wonder if K1 will go for it. :)

K1 took this picture of me and B. He loves brushing his teeth.

That's all for tonight. Maybe tomorrow we'll make Christmas cookies, listen to some music and put up the tree. Grading papers can wait.

Good night,

Charla