I Am Thankful

We had a wonderful relaxing Thanksgiving weekend.  We headed out Tuesday evening for the long drive to St. George.  Trust me - if you don't think that is a long drive - head down with my two kids!  We arrived around 11pm - and hit the sack.

We spent the weekend with my wonderful in-laws.  My mother-in-law pampers us with great meals, playing with the kids, and I barely have to lift a finger....what could be better?  My father in law runs around after my kids the whole weekend.  I am sure he is grateful for a little peace right about now.

The kids and I hit a few quilt stores and took an afternoon nap on Wednesday while Mike and his parents golfed.  I love that it was 70 degrees!  As soon as they got home my MIL shooed us out the door for a little alone time.  That evening we began making our Thanksgiving feast - and what a feast it was!

Thanksgiving was low key - with a great meal - yams are my favorite - fruit salad was Jake's.  It couldn't have been nicer.  The morning was spent watching a little football, making crete paper chains, Christmas trees and mini ornaments with Grandma, a little soccer on the patio, and a nibble here and there of a great turkey.

After our feast we headed out in the wonderful weather to a little park with the kids.  I am so grateful for what a cute relationship my kids have with their grandparents.  Every morning I would hear Sam fly down the stairs looking for "Pappe" as he calls Grandpa.  Or Jake crawling into bed with Grandma on Friday for a little nap.  I love watching their individual relationships grow.

We came home and visited with Mikes brother Steve and his wife Patty and they brought over McKinley their little grand daughter.  Jake was in heaven!  Sam pulled her hair once - but loved her every other minute she was there.  She is so cute.

We hit up the Twilight movie on Friday which was great!  I can't get her red eyes out of my head at night! I also got a little shopping in that morning.  I am almost done with the shopping!

We had such a wonderful weekend and I am so lucky to have great in-laws that I love so much and are so good to us.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

4th of July Celebration

My family got together for our annual 4th of July BBQ.  I have to say the food was amazing.  My mom wanted to do something a little different.  We normally just grill up some hamburgers or steaks.  This year we did grilled salmon.  It was so good.  I got the recipe here  -- TRY IT, you won't be sorry.  We had cesar salad made by Melanie which was delicious.  She also brought a great bean/tomato/italiany chip dip that I will be getting the recipe for. 

Inspired by my cousin Marta, I decided to copy their family tradition and make a flag cake of my own.  I had never made a red velvet cake before, but I impressed myself.  I decided to go with a cream cheese frosting instead of the traditional red velvet frosting.  Love their idea of dying the coconut.  That Marta sure is clever.  

This year I bought some sparklers for Jake to try out.  He thought they were fun.  We'll have to do it again for the 24th.

We had our annual fireworks show put on by Tyler.  Its more fun for me to watch my kids these days then the actual fireworks.  Jake loved them and Sam didn't look away.

Whit and Jake watching the show

Sam crawling EVERYWHERE!

Can anyone tell me what Grama is doing behind Jake?  No idea....

Me smothering Sam

My 2 boys....aren't they the cutest?

Thanks mom and dad for a great night!

4th of July

This holiday weekend has been a fun, family party filled event!  I have always loved the 4th of July for the fireworks and BBQ's.  Too bad I haven't seen any fireworks yet, but we've sure eaten a lot!

Saturday we spent the day in the pool with the kids.  Jake is turning into quite the swimmer and I'm happy to report that Sam is beginning to like the sun and was happy spending the day outside.

Saturday night we went to a BBQ with the Latimer family.  We all hadn't gotten together in awhile and it was fun to see everyone.  Jake had fun playing with the dogs and running around the big back yard.
The kids were so warn out when we got home they went straight to sleep.  Mike and I actually had time to watch a movie.  It's been awhile since we've done that!

Sunday we spent the day swimming and eating with Jason and Whitney.  They make the best guacamole and garden burgers.  The didn't sleep well all day cause they didn't want to miss out on any quality time with Whitney.  So they both went to sleep at 7:30 last night!  Mike and I actually watched another movie.  Twice in a weekend.....that is a new record.

We are off tonight for another BBQ at my family's house.  I've forgotten my camera all weekend I'll try to remember it tonight!

This is what the summer is all about...swimming, sun, food, and fun!

Happy Easter

We had a fun Easter Saturday.  My mom and dad hosted a brunch/Easter Egg Hunt.  Since Jake is the only grandchild of the right age in the state he is the center of attention.

Grama and Grandpa hide Easter eggs all over the house for Jake to find and we all followed him around to watch.  After he found each egg he would say "is it over yet?"  or "am I done?"  or "that's a great egg."  It was pretty funny to watch.

 

We also colored eggs yesterday with Whit and Jason.

Jake left them in his and Sam's baskets and this morning woke up to find all his eggs had been hidden!  He didn't have any time to look for them because he was too excited about the robot the Easter Bunny had left him.  Nothing else in his basket has even been looked at.  Not even the chocolate eggs he's been begging me for everyday!

Other then Jake having a very bad cold and fever, its been a pretty fun weekend.  Good food, fun family times, and eggs of all types!

Thanks mom and dad for a great hunt and breakfast!

Happy New Year

A new year, a new beginning. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday week.

Christmas was fun for us this year with a new baby along with a 2 year old who is getting the hang of Christmas and presents and the whole Santa thing. I will post some pictures of our day sometime soon. As we've taken down Christmas this week Jake keeps asking "Mom, do you miss Christmastime?" It's pretty cute to have this little sidekick that I can have little conversations with. When I climb up to take something down on a stool or standing on a table, "be careful mom, I don't want you to fall mom, I can help you mom" as he climbs up and holds onto my legs. Already very protective over his mom, and I love it! ANYWAYS....Christmas was great. Family, food, good times. It was a great few days overall.

New Years Eve we had my family over to play games. We played bowling and tennis on the Wii. I'll have to get video and post it. How fun it was to watch my mom and dad play. It was a fun family party that I think we'll have to turn into a monthly tradition.

As for ringing in the New Year, we didn't see the ball drop, didn't hear neighbors screaming and yelling outside for we were in bed by 9:30 with the kids. Yes that is how exciting our life is right now, but when the baby goes to sleep at 9, so do we! Its the longest period of time he sleeps without waking up and we have to take advantage of it! Sam actually went 7 hours that night. It was a New Years wish come true.

This year I'm trying to come up with some resolutions that I can actually keep. I'll post them so that I have them in writing and something to keep me on track with them. One resolution I will be trying to keep is blogging more regularly. Hopefully life will start getting back to normal as I get a handle on life with 2 kids.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year....get your own resolutions posted!

Gingerbread House

Earlier this month, Grama Polly brought over this gingerbread house for Jake. All month long Jake has been climbing up to take a closer look at the house.

Some days, I'll come out from changing the baby and find the pretzel fence is no longer in tact. Or the door has somehow fallen off. Occasionally Jake will appear with a red mouth that he got from sucking on a red candy or two.

A few mornings ago, it was very quiet out in the kitchen and when I came out this is what I found....



He was actually sitting up on the table, but by the time I got the camera he had seen me and was trying to make a quick and innocent get away.

Christmas Nativity

This year we braved the cold, set out with a 10 day old baby and went where all doctors begged me not to go with a new little one....a FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY!

The Bagley's (my mom's side of the family) has a Christmas party every year. Although we had decided not to attend this year, my Aunt Marty put together a night of holiday fun and Jake had a part! She had a nativity planned with costumes, lines, background scenery, a choir, the whole nine yards. There was no way, new baby and all, that I was going to miss my little Jake in his debut role as the cow. His line was "Let my manager be his bed." With the help of Whitney (Jake's BFF) he did wonderfully. (I'll have to figure out how to load the video one of these days). I may be a little bias, but I do believe he may be the greatest two year old nativity cow EVER! I was so proud of my little cow.

Thanks Marty for a great party.

Hot Chocolate and Toast

Last year I bought a hot chocoloate maker. I was a little sketchy about it at first, but my sister in law told me how much they loved theirs, so I thought what the heck.

We have used the hot chocolate make many times. It is great at frothing right before you pour it. I grew up with hot chocolate and toast as a Sunday night meal now and then on cold winter nights. This is a tradition I have carried on with my family. Jake asks me daily to make hot chocolate in the hot chocolate maker. (We made wassil the other night and he asked if there was a hot wassil maker.)

Buttered toast dipped in hot chocolate for breakfast or a late night snack, nothing better!

I ran across this hot chocolate idea at this blog here
and thought it was a great idea.

Pomegranates

There were two of these sold in a package.

I ate one whole bowl with a spoon. Is that weird? Love this season with the holidays coming and pomegranates in stores now! I say spend the extra money and get the big bowls of already extracted seeds. Makes life so much easier.

Happy Halloween

Jake was Squirt the turtle from Finding Nemo. I think he looked pretty dang cute. He loves to say "Trick or Treat" and was all about the "kids" coming to the house. Ran to the door everytime he heard the doorbell.

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!