Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve began with Malcolm, our elf that has been with us since Thanksgiving, leaving to go back to the North Pole. However, before he left, he filled our stockings and left the boys a note by the fireplace. He told them they had both made the good list, but that Santa watches all year so they should always listen to Mommy and Daddy. Malcolm left us all sorts of goodies and didn't even forget the dogs. They received bones and new treats! He did, however, play a trick on Mac and Daddy. He put coal in their stockings, but this time it was chocolate coal! We had a fun morning going through our stockings.

We then went down to Mo and Papa's house for the rest of Christmas Eve. Tommy and Papa had been feeding the reindeer in the woods all fall. They needed to have lots of food for their trip on Christmas Eve. So when Tommy and Papa went out on Christmas Eve to feed the reindeer one more time, there were gifts waiting for them! The reindeer wanted to thank Tommy for keeping their tummy's full!

Tommy and my parents kept track of Santa all night on the norad tracker on the computer. Tommy thought this was so cool. He even started to rush us home because he knew he had to be asleep before Santa came to his house. Tommy also instructed Chris to go through a red light because he needed to get home! Christmas Eve was truly magical.

The stockings filled by Malcolm

The note Malcolm left the boys

Tommy looking through his stocking

AJ going through his stocking

Tommy giving Molly her treats

AJ giving Mac his bone

Chocolate coal for Mac and Daddy!

Enjoying their treats!

The presents from the reindeer

Merry Christmas Kara

Kara is taking a well deserved nap on the couch so I briefly took over her blog. I just wanted to say Thank You Kara for orchestrating one of the most amazing holidays I have ever seen. Kara’s goal was to make this Christmas perfect and magical for the boys, and she’s been focusing on it ever since Thanksgiving. She succeeded with impressive attention to every small detail, from coal in Daddy’s stocking on St. Nicholas Day, to letters from Malcolm the Elf on Christmas Eve morning, to reindeer tracks and special reindeer gifts on Christmas Eve night. Christmas morning was perfect. There was so much “Christmas magic” in this house that I thought these little boys' heads were going to explode. A few times, during especially exciting surprises, we saw Tommy gulping for air, as if he had to remind himself to breathe because he was too excited and he thought he would forget. Thanks again Kar for working so hard and making everything so wonderful. Your efforts didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated. Tommy, AJ and I are very lucky. Can’t wait to see what kind of magic you create next year…

Merry Christmas!

From our home to yours, we wish you all a very merry Christmas!

Last Minute Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes

So if you are like me, you may have put off baking until the last minute. I hate baking. Actually I don't hate it, I love the idea of it, but then when I get in the kitchen and have to measure and wait for things, I just get impatient. I enjoy cooking so much, but I'm just not a baker.

About a week ago, Tommy and I did make cut out sugar cookies and decorated them. But for some reason I felt like we needed more cookies. So I found two easy, virtually no bake recipes, and they are so delicious. Plus you won't be in the kitchen all day either. So if you have if you have a party or Christmas cookie exchange these are great to take with you and everyone will love them!

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

Ingredients:

A box of cornflakes
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butterscotch chips
Red and green sugar (just for decoration)


Directions:

Lay down a sheet of wax paper and cover with a layer of cornflakes. With a double boiler, melt the peanut butter and butterscotch chips. Once melted spread all over the cornflakes. Sprinkle with sugar. Let cool. Once the mixture has cooled, you can break them off just like bark. So simple, and so delicious! The best part is when you start to break them off, sometimes just a bit of the bark comes off, not big enough to count as a cookie, so you must eat it, so good!

The next recipe I recently had at a MOMS Club night out. It's called cracker bark. It is the perfect amount of sweet mixed in with saltiness. Delicious and easy!

Cracker Bark

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 sleeves saltine crackers

12 oz. chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)

Toffee chips (this is the for the topping, you could use any sort of candy bar you like, we like heath.)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with tin foil. Layer each cookie sheet with a sleeve of crackers. This acts as the crust. Boil the butter and brown sugar together. Drizzle and spread the hot sugar mixture of the crackers. Bake in oven for 8 minutes. After removing from oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over bubbling crackers. Once the chocolate chips have soften, spread over crackers. Top with candy pieces. Place in freezer until hard. Then break to desired pieces. Enjoy!!

St. Joe Snowmen!

After a visit to Santa we walked around a bit to look at a few of the snowmen. We didn't see to many of them because it was so cold when we were down there! We plan on going back soon to look at them and walk the lighted bluff, so stay tuned for more photos of the snowmen!

Santa!

We took the boys down to St. Joe to meet Santa. Santa has his own little house in the downtown. Tommy was very brave and sat on Santa's lap. AJ, who never has stranger danger, wanted nothing to do with Santa. Chris held him so we could get a picture of the boys with Santa.

Tommy keeps asking Santa for different things...things Santa had no idea about before! So we had to explain to Tommy that he is confusing Santa and he will have no idea what to bring him if he doesn't stick to his previous requests!! So again, Tommy asked for a Mr. Potato Head and other Toy Story things. I think Santa can handle that!

Tommy's School Concert

Last week Tommy and his classmates performed a few Christmas songs for the parents. What fun we had! Chris was able to come too so Tommy was so excited. They sang 4 songs for us and after every song little AJ clapped for his big brother! After the little "party" the four of us head out for lunch together. What a special morning!

Getting ready to sing Jingle Bells

Tommy and his teacher, Mrs. Treder

A New Look

So the blog has a new look! I have been debating about changing it for awhile, just didn't know what I wanted. I think I annoyed Chris so much about it yesterday afternoon debating about what I wanted to do. I knew I wanted to keep it simple, but as some of you know, I don't do well with change, therefore could not make a decision as to what I wanted the blog to look like. Well, after an evening of frustration of dealing with blogger, we changed it, and I like it! I plan on changing the pictures in the banner more frequently. On the old one I kept noticing that we had newborn pictures of AJ, so it had been a year since any changes for the blog happened, it was time. And I like it!

Snow!

It has been snowing like crazy here in Michigan! We've taken a few opportunities to enjoy the snow...that is when there is not 50 mile an hour winds or below zero temps! Hard to believe it's not officially winter yet!

Tommy loves playing in the snow. AJ, however, does not enjoy it as much. I think he is still trying to figure out how to move around in all that gear. He reminds me of the kid from A Christmas Story who can't put his arms down. Most of the time AJ just lays in the snow!

AJ fell and couldn't get up!

Ready to go! Notice AJ still on the floor!

AJ sliding down into the snow!

Tommy enjoying the snow!

Merry Christmas!

It's so hard to get a "good" picture of these two boys together. AJ is usually running off somewhere, Tommy is always jumping around or waving his arms around, great for pictures. At least they are both looking at the camera. I will keep trying!

What a Cutie!

Library Santa Claus

We got together with some friends and headed to the library to listen to Christmas stories and have a visit with Santa. AJ loved being there! While he didn't listen to the stories, whenever they starting playing Christmas music he would stop and dance! Tommy asked Santa for a Mr. Potato Head and asked for a Lotso Huggin Bear for AJ.

Natalie playing with Tommy

Listening to stories

Tommy telling Santa what he wants for Christmas

St. Nicholas Day

December 6th was St. Nicolas Day. So the night before we all put our shoes in front of the fireplace for St. Nicolas to fill. Tommy was very excited to see what was going to happen. He knew if he had been good, he would get a special surprise and if he was naughty, he would get coal in his shoes! Check out the pictures to see what happened!

All of our shoes out!

Such cute little shoes!

Daddy was naughty...he got coal in his shoes!!

A Joker Car!

An animal puzzle for AJ!

Christmas Tree Lighting

Okay, so it's been awhile for the blog. But we have encountered every sickness there is the past couple of weeks! Tis the season to be sick! However, we are on the mend and back to blogging!

A couple of weekends ago we attended the Christmas tree lighting in St. Joe. It was a very cold evening, so we first stopped in for some hot chocolate at South Bend Chocolate Company. This was AJ's first try at hot chocolate...he wouldn't put his sippy cup down! He loved it! We then headed over to the lighting and walked the lighted bluff. All the lights were timed to Christmas music. It was really neat, we all had fun!

All bundled up and ready to go!

Yummy hot chocolate!

O, Christmas Tree!

The bluff, all lit up!

Tommy and me in front of Frosty

Thankful

On Wednesday I learned that one of my friends from high school passed away from his battle with cancer. While I had lost touch with him after high school, when I found out about him having cancer a few years back, I started to follow him through facebook, news articles, and his blog. I was touched by his story because he never seemed to let the cancer get the best of him, always living life to its fullest. Since Wednesday, I haven't been able to stop thinking about him and how it's not fair that his life was taken so early. But it's also made me realize that I need to be so thankful for what I have in my life. This time of year becomes so busy and the list of things to do goes on and on. But since Wednesday, I've tried to enjoy the hustle and bustle and enjoy every minute with my family. I'm trying to be less annoyed with things and people and trying to have more patience. I'm so thankful I have beautiful, healthy family. While my two boys keep me busy and usually exhausted by 8 pm, I'm loving spending every minute with them I can, because who knows what will happen tomorrow. I have no idea what the future holds for us, but I am so thankful for the blessings in my life and thankful to my friend who has shown me this week how precious life really is. Thanks, Nick. Rest in peace.

Manchester Road Race

On Thanksgiving Day, Chris, Scott, and I ran the Manchester Road Race. This is a 4.78 mile run that 15,000 people participate in. Chris and I have never run more than a 5k, so we were a little nervous as to what might happen to us during the race! The Manchester Road Race is ranked among the top 25 races in America, I had no idea how fun this was going to be. People dressed up in ridiculous costumes and bands played along the side of the roads. Spectators offered words of encouragement and high fives along the way. The three of us ran together the whole time and thoroughly enjoyed our Thanksgiving morning. We then didn't feel so guilty sitting down to two different types of stuffings, mashed potatoes, and of course turkey! What a great way to start the day!

Sporting our Cullen Beer Olympic shirts for the race. We came in first
for that competition...not the case for the race, but we still had fun!