Christmas 1, 2, and 3

We celebrated Christmas three times over the weekend.  On Sunday morning, we had a nice morning at home with our family of four.  Gimli, our elf on a shelf, had previously talked to Santa and told him we were heading out of town.  So, Santa said he would come to our house a few days early.  Santa brought Buddy a moose (and a giraffe) and Punky got a Tinkerbell doll and a Hello Kitty brush (that surprisingly doesn't hurt her hair!).

When you ask Buddy to show you his "beautiful smile", this is what you get!

We are able to skimp on the Christmas presents again this year. We got the kids only three gifts each. I wonder when they will realize we could do better! We finished the morning with homemade caramel rolls and bacon- definitely our new Christmas tradition!

On Christmas Eve, we went to church with Grandma, Auntie and Ryan. Punky and Buddy are used to going to Sunday school and the nursery, so sitting through an entire church service was a little difficult for them.  Candles were passed out and lit at the end of the service during "Silent Night".  That was quite the adventure with a 2 and 3 year old!  Buddy wanted to hold a candle, but we wouldn't let him.  I carefully had to wrestled a lit candle away from him and pry his fingers from mine.  Punky did pretty good at holding her own candle.  Although we later noticed that her purple headband somehow melted a bit! 

After church, we went to Great Grandma Margene's house for dinner.  Their traditional meal consists of lutefisk, meat balls, mashed potatoes, cranberries, lefse and salads.  Punky only ate two bites of cranberries and Buddy didn't do much better.  Surprisingly, their empty stomachs did not lead to any meltdowns that night.  They had a fun time opening gifts and seeing family!

Great Grandparents

Great Great Grandma

The next morning we opened presents with Grandma Trudi, Grandpa Scott, Amber and Ryan. Punky got her Pop the Pig game and Buddy got a few more animals (a panda, two alpacas, and a kangaroo!). They were spoiled, but not so much that we'll have to move to a bigger house. :)





We missed Uncle Sean and Hilary this year. Punky and Buddy really enjoyed the gifts they sent.





This weekend we travel to SD to celebrate Christmas with Grandma Debbie, Grandpa Max and Auntie Shannon and her family. It is always a little sad not to get to spend Christmas with everyone you love. But, I am also glad for a few days for Punky and Buddy to recuperate!

I lub it!

This past week has been pretty busy.  It feels like I blinked and now here we are four days away from Christmas!  Last Saturday we headed to Maynard for a Christmas celebration with some of Daddy's grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  We usually only see his cousins on this side of the family once a year, so it is always a day we look forward to.  We eat a big meal, the adults play a present-swapping game and the kids open a present too.  Before this day, I think Punky and Buddy had forgotten that there were presents involved at Christmas.  It didn't take long for Punky to remember and already she is expecting a present every.where.we.go.  Um, no, that is not how it works!  As Buddy ripped open the paper and took out a shoebox he exclaimed, "I LUB IT!" without checking the contents inside.  Too cute!

Four Generations

We didn't spend the weekend at Grandma's because Punky's church school class was singing two songs at church on Sunday.  The first was Away in the Manger and the second was a super cute Christmas song with animal sounds and actions.  Punky and her BFFs were front and center and did so well!  They sang along and did a great job remembering the actions.  It is hard for me to think that next year, the girls will be bigger and be in the back row and Buddy will be one of the littlest ones standing in the front row.



Today we attended a Christmas party at daycare.  After nap time, all the kids gathered together and waited for Santa's arrival.  Santa told a few jokes (very awkward with 2 and 3 year olds!) and then the kids took turns sitting on his lap.  Again, Buddy asked for a moose and Punky asked for the Pop the Pig game.  Afterward, Bobbi asked the kids to form a circle and sing Jingle Bells for Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Everyone participated and Punky was by far the loudest.  About three verses in, everyone realized that the kids only knew one verse and were singing it on repeat.  After six or seven rounds, we had to cut them off because they didn't know how to end the song!  Afterward, Santa asked if Punky had an off switch.  Nope.





We ended the party with a small gift exchange while Bobbi read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  It was another fun day that ended in overtired kids.  We're going to have to work on taking naps next week!     

Let it snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

Derek and I woke up this morning to Punky yelling from her bedroom:
"Mommy!  Daddy!  It's wake-up time!"

and then:
"Woooooooow!!!"

and then:
"Buddy, it's Christmas!"

The first snowfall of the season is always very exciting, especially as a kid.  After we reassured Punky that it was unfortunately not Christmas yet, we promised Punky and Buddy we'd play outside later on in the morning.  

I should preface these photos by acknowledging that my kid's winter gear this year is not picture perfect.  Heck, It doesn't even match.  Maybe it was because of the lack of snow last year, but I procrastinated buying appropriate winter clothing for the kid's this year.  Now I am wondering if there is even any winter gear left at the stores.  I bought Punky's winter coat online this year and it isn't as warm as I had hoped.  Luckily, Great Aunt Traci found a cute warm down coat from Baby Gap at a garage sale this summer and bought it for us.  Punky doesn't have coordinating snow pants because I couldn't find the perfect shade of pink to coordinate with her not warm enough coat.  So, a pair of black garage sale snow pants that Traci picked up for Buddy to wear next year does the trick.  Buddy only has knit mittens, not any waterproof ones.  So he got to wear a pair of Punky's pink mittens.  Luckily neither kid knows the difference.  It's just their mama who is bummed that they aren't matchy matchy.  I should just convert these photos to black and white.     

Buddy had a hard time standing up

Snow Angel

Catching snowflakes on her tongue

Buddy was most interested in eating snow

Tis the Season

This weekend was chock full of Christmas related fun!  On Saturday afternoon, we took Punky and Buddy downtown to see Santaland at Macy's, visit Santa and watch the Holidazzle Parade.  It was a full day, but we had a great time with only a few meltdowns (supper never seems to be easy these days).  Macy's Christmas display hasn't changed in the past few years, but I hadn't been in years and Daddy, Punky and Buddy had never been, so we didn't mind the repeat decorations.  We waited in line for close to 30 minutes and tried our hardest to keep Buddy from running around.  He was very good while going through the displays because he was intent on finding reindeer and other animals.





The line to see Santa went very quickly (we think there were at least 4 different Santas behind the closed curtains).  Last year, Buddy was scared to sit on Santa's lap, so I wasn't sure how he would react.  But, there wasn't a hint of fear in Buddy's eyes this year!  Punky and Buddy climbed right on Santa's lap.  Punky asked for the Pop the Pig game and Buddy asked for a moose.  Santa gave a chuckle at Buddy's request and told Buddy he would give him a stuffed moose or a toy moose.  I think he thought Buddy was asking for the real thing!



The weather on Saturday night was nearly perfect for watching a parade outdoors.  In December.  In Minnesota.  We all wore hats and mittens, but both kids shed them by the end of the parade.  Punky sat on Daddy's shoulders for the first few floats.





Buddy was too wound up to watch the parade from the back row.  He invented a little game where he put his hat on his head and tried walking around without being able to see.  It was hilarious and kept him occupied!







Soon, a nice group of gentlemen asked us if we wanted to sneak up in front of them.  Punky and Buddy ended up with front row seats while Daddy and I stood behind them.  Buddy got frightened by one of the floats (the witch from Hansel and Gretl) so I had to hold him part way through the parade. 

On Sunday after naptime, we decorated our Christmas tree.  We didn't put on any glass balls, and our special ornaments are up high. We gave Punky and Buddy (mostly Buddy) a strict lecture on how we should not touch the tree or the ornaments (or instruments as Punky called them)... We'll see how that goes.





I enjoy making traditions and creating memories like these.  It is so much fun to see the joy and wonder of Christmas through the eyes of children.

Pet Store

While Punky is at preschool two mornings a week, Buddy and I get to spend one-on-one time with each other.  Most mornings we do errands.  I have found it is much easier to unbuckle one kid's car seat, hold one kid's hand through the parking lot, put one kid into the cart, listen to one kid's pleas for the "toy section"  or "cookies", walk one kid back through the parking lot and buckle one kid back into the car seat while I unload our purchases.  Buddy enjoys our time together as much as I do too.  After I pry him away from the toys in Punky's preschool classroom, he immediately asks for one thing-  "PET STORE!"  Because this is our time together, I don't mind squeezing in a 20 minute trip.  We usually end up going once a week.

Thanksgiving and Cookies

We spent the weekend at Grandma Trudi and Grandpa Scott's house.  We left early Thursday morning and did not get home until Sunday late afternoon.  It was a long time to be gone.  Four days of no naps for Buddy and not sleeping in our own beds was difficult.  There were more and more meltdowns as the days went on.  It was a fun weekend nonetheless!

Of course, I didn't take ANY photos of anything Thanksgiving related.  Blog fail.  We were at a potluck, family reunion-type get together for Thanksgiving.  On Friday, Grandma and I did a little shopping in the morning.  That afternoon, we started our annual Christmas cookie baking.  We typically make a couple of batches of spritz cookies along with peanut blossoms, ginger ball cookies, rolo pretzels and almond-bark pretzels.  This year we added two recipes passed down by Daddy's Great Grandma Irene.  The first was sour cream cookies that were rolled out and cut out with cookie cutters.  It took Daddy and Uncle Sean a couple dozen cookies to figure out the correct thickness and crispiness that they remembered from when they were kids.  I think they finally got it, but it may take another year to perfect it.  Hilary and I had fun decorating all the cookies, but Derek and his siblings reminded us that Great Grandma Irene only dusted them with sugar.  The second recipe was rosettes which were a fried cookie type of thing.  They tasted good but didn't turn out quite right.  This recipe will probably take a few years to perfect.  But we are so thankful that we were able to continue the tradition of baking Christmas cookies, especially now that we have some of the recipes Derek remembers as a kid.

Rolling Peanut Blossoms in sugar

Don't touch!

Spritz Cookies

Rolo Pretzels- my favorite!

Great-Great-Grandma Irene's Rosettes

We all headed to Daddy's favorite restaurant, Budger's, for supper on Friday night.  Punky and Buddy weren't so sure about going beforehand, but as we were leaving Buddy said "Bugzers iz yummy."  I think if we lived closer, Budger's would be our new Chipotle.

We played cards every night after the kids went to sleep.  We stayed up until midnight or later.  So.much.fun!  And on Saturday, Daddy and I got to sneak away for a movie.   It was a great weekend! 

Gymnastics Wrap-Up

Punky's last day of gymnastics was yesterday.  Parents were allowed to watch only the first and last class.  Nine weeks ago, I wondered how much Punky would improve from the first class.  It's hard to say, but I definitely think she had a lot of fun!

Beam

Bars

Forward Roll

At the end of class, each kid got to tell the class their favorite activity (beam, bars, jumps, rolls, etc.) and then perform that activity for the parents.  Punky chose the beam!

All on her own!

 I think we'll try to sign up for another session of gymnastics.  Buddy might even enjoy it too! 

Short Post

I have no pictures and no cute stories from our weekend.  But, our annual girl's weekend is one I look forward to all year long and have enjoyed for the last 10 years or so.  It doesn't feel right to not document it.  Unfortunately, I had to work on Saturday, so my participation in girl's weekend was cut short. 

Grandma Debbie came on Thursday afternoon and picked the kids up at daycare while I was at work.  I got to sneak in a haircut before heading home that evening.  I was so thankful to have Grandma's help while Daddy was out of town hunting for the long weekend.

Friday was Grandma's birthday.  We celebrated with a little shopping, lunch at Panera, and cupcakes.  An old friend from high school was passing through town, so we spent the evening catching up with her and meeting her two kids.  Punky and Buddy were happy to meet new friends, as always.

Auntie Shannon, Abby and Leah came late that night.  I had to work all day Saturday, but everyone else headed to the MOA.  They did a little shopping, rode a few rides, got "tattoos" (face painting) and visited the rock-a-dile at Rainforest Cafe (he's still scary).  We made supper at our house after I got back from work and we watched a movie after the kids went to bed.  On Sunday, we slept in and went out to lunch before the Iowans headed home.  Grandma stuck around another day and I tried to get her to help me reorganize the kid's stuff.  She wasn't having it.  :)  It was nice having a full house while Daddy was gone for a change, but I am also looking forward to getting back into our regular routine.

Rainbow Fish

With two kids in daycare part-time and one kid in preschool two days a week, our house has become overrun with crafts.  Every few weeks, I sort through the pile and keep only my favorite projects.  This time of year, especially, I am keeping projects to use as holiday decorations in the following years.

A few weeks ago at daycare, the theme of the week was the letter F.  The kids read the story "Rainbow Fish" and were supposed to color a picture of a rainbow fish.

Punky's Picture

When I picked the kids up from daycare, our daycare provider, Bobbi, told me that Buddy was not interested in doing the project that day.  He kept leaving the table to play with animals.  (Who would've guessed?)  Bobbi kept directing him back to the craft table with the rest of the kids and told him it was time to color.  Bobbi told me he was angry and said "NO!".  When she checked back on Buddy a few minutes later, she found he had scribbled his entire "Rainbow Fish" picture with a black crayon.  I guess Buddy told her!

Buddy's "Rainbow Fish"