Christmas Eve

We decided to stay home this year for Christmas - for the first time since we've been together. As much as we really miss seeing all of our relatives, it has been so fun just being at home, together with the boys, enjoying our decorations and just chilling out. No long drive where I play front-seat waitress, no packing up the entire house, no tired kids from no naps and best of all, Christmas morning in our own family room with presents I've already wrapped, instead of frantically trying to get all of it out of the car and wrapped in time. Bliss!
We spent the day watching movies and then made pizzas for dinner. Chad his has been brining a turkey for 2 days now.  He also made coconut bread and cookie brittle today as well.
The elf who's appeared every day since Thanksgiving went back to the North Pole today but left the boys a present instead. It was their pajamas to wear tonight.
Trey said a new word tonight and melt my heart. Thee-thus. Jesus. Add that to Mama, Dada, and Spongebob and we're up to four discernible words. We were reading The Three Trees and he just started saying it.
And for all her fans, a photo of Lucy howling at the remote control trucks!

MeRrY ChRiStMaS
and a HaPpY NeW yEaR!

Feliz Navidog!

Because I am Loved...

Chad gave me such a nice birthday weekend.  I didn't want to go out because it's so hard with a two year-old but when CJ was disappointed because he wanted to go out, Chad told him to be my date and take me out and he stayed home with Trey. I let CJ pick the restaurant and he told me he watned to go to Applebees because "they have shrimp and I love shrimp."

Back home I was given keys to a hotel room and a movie ticket to Twilight and instructed to go to the movie, then go relax in peace and quiet, sleep in, go shopping, and then show up at a certain spa where I would be receiving a facial. I felt guilty leaving! But I think when you're a mom you don't realize how a little time to yourself does so much to energize and renew. I spent the day shopping. I took my time, browsed and tried things on!

You know, getting older really has its perks. I am determined to have a better attitude about it. Because yesterday, after all the loves and happy birthdays from my little boys, thoughtful cards and gifts, wonderful phone calls, emails and Facebook messages, I realize again how blessed I am and how I couldn't ask to be in a better place in my life than I am right now.

I have had the best time this weekend with Trey. I never get much one-on-one time with him so with the other boys out of town, he and I have been together. He is seriously the easiest little boy, just happy to be doing whatever it is he's doing at the moment.  But I am ready for my little four year-old to return because I miss him. And it's way too quiet around here!
One of Trey's new things is wanting to wear this helmet. The problem is, it weighs about 10 pounds so he can't hold his head up straight, then he falls over, then he gets mad and we start the process all over again. Put helmet on. Lean to the side. Fall over. Yell at the helmet. Then yell at me that it's not working. He runs to get it whenever football is on the TV or Sports Center and when it tips him over, he runs to the TV, points to a football player (with a helmet on) and yells at us. So funny!

Trey went to his first day of nursery in the new ward yesterday. And then barfed all over.
This morning I locked me and CJ out of the house, in the rain, bare feet, with Trey inside. The spare key is inside the realtor's box. The cell phone to call the realtor is inside the house.
One long story and four frozen feet later we made it back inside where Trey had found comfort in the sugar bowl. It was everywhere. The dog is outside rolling around with a garbage can. The only thing making this Monday even more awesome is that Chad is out of town.

We've all been really healthy for a long time and today it was no fun in the sun for us - we all have the flu. Chad took this picture of us but it doesn't show Trey, Lucy, Mac and four pillows all plopped on my legs. Some days I feel like a big magnet. A magnet who draws everyone in to watch her throw up.Trey  laughs, Lucy licks my feet and Mac whips the back of my head with his tail. CJ just yells for me to pause the DVR so he doesn't miss anything.  But I sure love the Oreo crumbs on his lips.
He asked Santa for a Remote Control Robot that zaps people, clothes with pictures of garbage on them and a really big TV in his room with a remote, a remote control bee that stings people, and, from the infomercial, Bendarooz!