First: Sparkles and Sprinkles!

A few warnings: 

1)  This post is very long . . . I felt the need to start with Christmas Prep, because I am pretty sure that it took us 25 whole days to get ready for Christmas, and we were still up until the wee hours wrapping! 

2)  Please excuse my lack of blogging . . . I have been with my family and loving the time with my little chickens

3)  I have not even glanced at pictures from Christmas (much less downloaded them) so hold on to your hats . . .

This year, we did our decorating in stages . . . it was either that, or lose our cute little minds, so step by step is how we went!

After picking out the tree one day, we brought it inside the next day . . . I feel pretty certain that the boys thought that having a big tree full of STICKS in our house was astounding!  William kept screaming “TOWER!” . . . close enough! 

Helpin’ Daddy put the tree in the base

Please note the screw in Hudson’s hand.  Do not try to help Daddy unless you come prepared!

The next night, we did the lights . . . this is the only picture I have to show for it!  We strapped the boys in their high chairs and they watched wide-eyed as Daddy made the tree sparkle!

Then, the decorating officially began (the next night!)

Our snoozing decorator . . .

Mommy and Anna worked hard during the brothers’ naptime

We also pulled out the boys’ favorite Christmas Toy . . . Our Little People Nativity which, yes, comes complete with a cat who appears to have attended the Birth of our Lord.  We happen to be missing Mary, but no one seemed to notice . . . And, we tried to read the Christmas Story out of their Children’s Bible at night.  The boys are THRILLED to celebrate Jesus’ Birthday . . . and they are simultaneously concerned about Jesus not having a bed . . . it is so sweet to see what they learn and understand, and we are just thrilled that they are learning more and more about Jesus’ birth!

We all agree that the Shepherds keep watch of their flock from their post atop the palm tree . . .

To continue my family tradition of many, many years, we headed to the museum to see Santa and torture our small children in the name of Christmas . . . while we were there, we stumbled upon two precious snowmen . . .  

and, an adorable reindeer!

 

The tiniest loves!

Don’t our boys look alike here?  They love their Bumps!

WAAH!

Bumpa reminded Santa that we received a very special Christmas present this October!

And, with that, the baking and parties began!  We made cakes and cookies as a family for our church’s neighborhood Christmas party . . . birthday cakes to help other people celebrate Jesus’ birthday!

And, the baking continued . . . 

And continued . . . Sugar, anyone?  

double sprinkles . . .

  Why eat one cookie when you can have two? Anna got some special love from her Great Granddaddy—I love this! Anna with the Grans! And . . . MORE SUGAR! 

   

LOVING on Uncle J! our sleeping sweet one . . . 

And . . . gingerbread houses!  The perfect combination of SNACKS and CRAFTS!  

I love this picture of our little architect!

This one ate the entire bowl of pretzel sticks in lieu of using them for decorating!  I love his guilty look!

Mommy’s presents from preschool this year . . .  And, we rounded out the Christmas prep with a special visitor . . . William saw him first and we noticed him staring and staring out the window . . . then we saw him!  “Santa, AT MY WINDOW, MOMMY!  OVER DERE!”

Seeing Santa made Mommy laugh . . . it reminded her of that “goofy santa” who used to peer in her window as a little girl!  And, the boys’ simultaneous fascination and fear was hilarious!  (“Santa right dere, Mommy!  I sit Mommy’s lap!”) Oh, the wonder . . .

Lots and lots of prep and celebrating helped us get ready for a very sweet celebration of Jesus’ Birthday! 

More to come, of course . . .  

Anna’s First Snow!

We got some fun snow here on Monday . . . and while it was technically Anna’s second snow, the first one was super-light and overnight, so we are not counting that!  We bundled up our little pink lady and headed out in the winter weather!  The snow on the ground and trees truly really helps set the scene for Christmas!

We got the boys ready to head off to school too . . . they were a little tired, can you tell? 

Hatch said that William talked a mile a minute on the way to school, but Hudson just stared quietly out the window . . . until he figured out how to roll down the window . . . then he panicked!

Little Miss and I slept in (!!), ran some errands, and popped by Sugie’s so we could visit Mr. P and feed Little Miss before picking up the cows from school.

I love that even though he is 1, Charlie knows that Anna is a baby!  He talks to her in a sweet, high voice, and he just LOVES being with her.  It is adorable!

Anna turned 8 weeks old on Monday . . . it is FLYING by!  I love this picture of her wearing a sweet outfit that her Nana (my Nana) gave her.  Precious!  

Our sweet friend and neighbor made us an Advent Wreath since I wasn’t able to go to the Christmas coffee and make one myself!  The boys scream “Happy Birthday, JESUS!” when we light it, and they are obsessed with trying to blow out the candles.  {Please ignore the fact that the wrong two candles are lit—that was my husbands doing . . . not mine!}

Sweet William with his smocked nativity . . . I love it!

 

Turning two really helped the boys get the hang of blowing out candles!  We are trying to work on sharing and taking turns . . . Hudson gets to blow out one, and William gets to blow out one candle.  Somehow, upon turning two, they have both started screaming “MINES!” (ie: mine!) and they’ve become quite intense about doing things themselves . . . oh, two . . . oh my!

Little Miss gets in the spirit of Christmas!  I adore this sweet girl!  She is cooing and smiling a lot right now, but it is quite a challenge to capture it on film . . . mainly because I just enjoy her grins and cannot simultaneously run and grab my camera!  She likes to be awake when her brothers go to bed, so we have a nice little time to visit together!  

She did take a catnap with her Daddy last night, and it was quite sweet! Oh, my LOVE!

Sweet Dreams!  (And stay warm in this snow!)

Seen and Overheard

Seen:  First, the adventures of two boys and a big box!

Hudson’s work station

And, showing off to Daddy!

 

Overheard:

************

Hatch:  William, it’s time for bed.  Let me tuck you in.

William:  Please, Daddy.  Tuck an-mals.

Hatch:  Okay, here we go . . . ni night zebra, octopus, hammer, squirrel, elephant (aka:  “lovie”) and tiny penguin.  Ni Night.

************

Sugie:  What is Daddy’s name?

William:  Hatch.  Daddy Hatch.

Sugie:  What is Mommy’s name?

William:  Ma’am!

*************

William:  Look, Mommy!  Snow!  I see snow!

Mommy:  Where, William?  I don’t see snow.

William:  Up ‘dere.  In da sky.  Snow!

Mommy:  Oh, William, those are clouds!

William:  Clouds dancin’, Mommy!

Mommy: Yes, the wind is blowing the clouds . . . the clouds are moving . . .

***************

Birthday Party Reinactment:

Mommy:  Hudson, tell me about your birthday.

Hudson:  Happy birt-day to YOUUUUUUUUU!

Mommy:  And, what else?

Hudson:  whooo {making a noise to “blow” out the pretend candles}

Mommy:  And then what?

Hudson:  YAY!!   YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!  {and clapping!)

***************

Hudson:  WEEE-YUM!  WEEEEEEEEEEE-YUM!  WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-YUM!!!

Let it be noted that Hudson calls William by his given name (aka:  not “hudsey”) when William is a) doing something he knows he should not be doing or b) doing something that is making Hudson mad!

****************

Mommy:  William, can you spell your name?

William:  L L L M O P 7 8 9

 

Have a great night!  Love to you from the crazies!