Twas the Night Before Christmas

On Christmas Eve, we went to the Carroll's for a yummy dinner, presents, and had a great time enjoying each other's company. Brent's mom had ordered a honey baked ham, so earlier in the day Brent went to pick it up. This is one of my favorites, it is so good! She fixed tons of delicious sides and a carrot cake to die for! YUM!! Food is sooooo good this time of year!!! When we first got there, the boys of course had to go on quick tractor rides on the farm....while D and I were in the kitchen cooking dinner and munching on appetizers! After dinner, we opened presents and had a ball watching Owen on his new tractor. Owen is so funny and we all just loved watching him get so excited about his presents. I love seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child....the excitement and joy that children express truly amazes me. Afterwards, we put O in his Santa sleeper and headed back to K-ville where Santa and Mrs. Claus had to work their magic ;-) We had so much fun....Christmas is such a wonderful time of year!

Feeling a little festive

Loving his new tractor that Mimi and Papa got him for Christmas

Opening presents

Our Little family


Mimi and Papa love Owen so much!

Cheerios and books

Cheerios and books...not together...but these are the two things that Owen really loves. He has always snacked on Cheerios and this morning I decided to give him milk and cheerios together and he loved it....he had a little trouble at first, but really did an amazing job scooping up the milk and cheerios without making too big of a mess. Usually if he gets anything on his hands he has a fit....this morning he was so fascinated by the cheerios in the milk I think he could have cared less.

He also loves to read! This makes me very happy, I hope that he always loves to read! He loves to get books, sit in our lap, and have us read to him....once he starts he will go through every single book in the basket....we love reading to him...funny how he always likes to start doing this loooong routine right before he goes to bed....kind of smart if you ask me! ha!

FOL Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa was WILD....not wild in a bad way....just trying to contain an almost 2 year old from running over to Santa every time you let him down or take your eyes off of him....whew...Owen loves, loves, loves, Santa! This makes me very happy because last year he would not even look at him. He loves to not only look at Santa, but he also enjoys sitting in his lap and would probably stay with him for the rest of the day if we would let him. He is hilarious when he sees Santa.... he shouts "Anta caus" and claps his hands and runs over to him. When we were waiting in line (which was long) he was so excited that he seriously could not contain himself. I tried to explain to him that we have to wait our turn....well let's just say he's 2...Brent ended up having to walk around with him while I waited in line and when his turn got closer they joined me. You should have seen his face...he was so proud when he finally got to sit on his lap...he had this "everybody look at me grin" on his face....it was precious...I could just eat him up! Afterwards we had to distract him through art work and food because if we took our eyes off of him for a split second he would dart over to Santa...which really wasn't a bad thing...it was just that other kids needed to have their turns and I don't think they wanted this random 2 year old in their picture! ha! Anyway, we left shortly after and dropped by a local train depot and took some pics....Owen loves trains....hummmm wonder what Santa has in store?

Family portrait with Santa & Mrs. Claus

Owen feeling very special sitting in Santa's lap.

FOL Christmas Play

Last Wednesday, Owen had his very first Christmas play at school. It was so incredibly cute! The play consisted of a story of the birth of Christ told through each class performing it through songs. Owen's class was the last class to come out....they came in the sanctuary pushing a birthday cake with birthday hats on! So cute! When they got to the end of the aisle they all started singing happy birthday to Jesus. All the other kids were sitting down....up popped Owen and he started dancing....I am not trying to brag (but I can because he's my child right?), but he did an awesome, awesome job!!! He started to squeal and at the end he shouted YAY and clapped over and over....of course the audience was eating it up! He was so cute and I am so very proud of him. Afterwards we went to the fellowship hall and enjoyed cookies and punch....have I ever mentioned to you how much this kid LOVES cookies....He will definitely enjoy all the tasty treats this Christmas...haha! Anyway, we packed it up and headed home...Owen was just so wound up and happy....I truly think that he was proud of himself :-) Such a cute, cute age....why can't we just put on the freeze button!

Owen getting geared up for his performance

Clapping and dancing (sorry the pic is a bit blurry...it was hard to focus b/c of the lighting)

Owen's class entering in

Deck the Halls

This past weekend, we decorated our family Christmas tree. Last year we bought an artificial tree and I really enjoy having it because we can put it up early and not have to worry about it drying out. However, I do miss the smell of a fresh tree in our house...I love that smell. We got all the ornaments up after Owen went to bed...figured decorating a Christmas tree and chasing a toddler around...well...trying to keep him from tearing them all down would be a bit of a challenge. The next morning when he came downstairs we were going to video tape his reaction....it turned out to be more of a reaction from us because he went right for the tree and immediately starting pulling at the ornaments. However, since we have thought him to be "easy" with the tree and we gave him several ornaments that he is allowed to touch that are located at the bottom of the tree, he is doing very well with it. I can now even go in the next room knowing that he will not attack the tree and have it down and the ornaments all over the place! He loves our Christmas tree....he gets very excited every morning when he comes and wants it "on..on" Such a fun age...he LOVES Christmas!

O Christmas Tree

O's ornament he made at Lunch with Santa

Christmas Parade

This past Sunday, we bundled up and headed out the the K-ville Christmas parade. Brrrr it was so cold outside!!!! Owen was super excited because he got to see trucks (lots of them) tractors, and of course Santa! We missed the fire trucks....I think he was okay with that...he loved watching all the kids dance and all the festive floats that went by. I packed O some hot chocolate milk to warm him up and I couldn't believe that he wouldn't touch it! ha! Anyway, we enjoyed watching O have such a good time. I will have to admit that I don't think that I have ever been so glad to get back to our car and cut on the HEAT!! We made a quick stop by Sheetz to get coffee and drove around until we all thawed out!

Lots of tractors of course

Owen is so excited...snug as a bug in his stroller....usually he is not a big fan of the stroller...it was so cold I don't think he cared!

making his tractor sound as he sees them

and of course Santa at the end...moments before our mad dash to the car! ha!

Lunch with Santa

This past Saturday one of my great friends, Beth, invited us to her church for Lunch with Santa. It was so much fun! I was a bit nervous about how Owen would react to Santa, but to my surprise he loved him!!! I was the one that was about to cry. My shy little boy who used to be so scared of strangers sat in Santa's lap....I seriously think he would have stayed there all day! He told him over and over that he wanted a cho cho and a fire truck....It was so sweet and so incredibly cute. They had a variety of soups, sandwichs, and cookies....Owen loved Beth's potato soup...he made several arts and crafts, and ran around and played with all the other kids. The kids were super wound up because it was SNOWING....what a perfect way to spend Saturday...snow, friends, and Santa! What a fun and special day!

All the kiddo's checking out the snow! They were super excited!

Owen and his friend Blaze

Telling Santa he wants a "fire truck"


and choo choo

doing arts with mommy

So Thankful

THANKFUL

Thanksgiving this year took a bit of a twist....I am learning that with kids, you really never know what could happen. Two weeks before Thanksgiving, we all had this nasty stomach virus...poor Owen had it worse...and we didn't get sick nearly as much as he did. Thanksgiving....we had somewhat of a repeat...mainly just colds and fever...thank goodness we are now all on the mends. Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect back and give thanks. I am so very thankful for my family, health, wonderful husband, my opportunity to stay at home, my beautiful son, and most of all thankful for all of God's blessings that he has givien me that some times I feel like I take for granted. Luckily we were able to meet and have a late Thanksgiving and we all enjoyed yummy food and stuffed ourselves until we couldn't eat anymore. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good..."
[Psalm 100:4, 5a]