Resolutions

Some goals for 2012 (which I usually refuse to have)
1. Work with B on his reading nightly
2. exercise
3. put together snack bags for kids of healthy snacks they can get out of a basket in the pantry themselves (read this on pinterest)
4. fix myself up more rather then wear sweats all the time.
5. refuse to believe that my back wont get better.

Tonight when I was laying with B in his bed he says "Mom why are you still going to the doctor when they aren't fixing you? you should tell them to fix you. " I told him I do tell them that and he says "Then you should yell it because they aren't fixing you and I want your back better so you can play baseball with me". : (

Scrapbooks

I enjoy scrapbooking. It is a way to ease tension, to feel like I am doing something productive to show love to my family, to make others happy etc. As B would call it "my cave time". I hope some day my kids and family will cherish all of my albums I have so lovingly put together. I put so many hours into them. More then anyone could imagine (except maybe Jayme who is usually with me haha).

Wii fun

I take ALOT of pictures. So i was going thru my pictures on my computer to save them to a disk so I would have more memory on my computer and I found this picture of B and I. Such a cutie pie. We were at the skating rink and he just loved it.

Today has been a lazy day with the kids playing with their Christmas toys and me making yummy food to eat. Right now the kids are playing Skylanders which is M's fav game with their Dad. I played it this morning and it is actually a pretty cool Wii game. I am usually not a fan of the video games now adays since they are usually so hard with one button doing five things. But the Wii is such a neat game since it puts all the games at a more fair level no matter if you are five or fifty. B and I bowled too which is fun.

Family time

I really enjoyed family time and wish we could do it more often.

Christmas weekend

I took the boys to Cheekwood (thanks to my mom buying us a membership for Christmas) on a beautiful day a week or so ago and this is one of the pictures of the pretty trees out there.

It has been a great weekend. Graham and Michelle got here yesterday. Also the J Grandparents came. We had a wonderful dinner tonight. B made his first turkey which was great. Aunt M and M have been playing Dance Party the last two days which has been so funny. They are braver dancing to that game then me! Now it is board game time. Kids have opened gifts from their J Grandparents and aunt. My belly is full and its only 548!

Family bonding

When I was a kid we use to do puzzles with my Dad. He was always good at them. Me not so good. haha. But M has always liked to do them. In this pic the kids stopped long enough to help Grandpa some on his big puzzle. I love when the kids get to bond with their grandparents, aunts uncles, etc...

Their sweet hearts

I love Christmas. I know everyone says that but I really do. It's a time for family. It's a time to talk to your kids about Jesus. It's a time to teach your kids to help others. I say this (only so some day the kids will be reminded of the things they did as a kid, more so, then to tell others who read my blog). I print my blog out each year to give to my kids some day when they are older so they can be reminded.... The kids adopted a kid at church. We bought him clothes and toys. We also did a box for two kids. Both boys went to the store and picked out enough things to fill a shoe box. We also adopted a friends family that is struggling this year. The kids went thru their toys and gave them some. They also told them they could have their big kitchen set. We collected clothes from friends for them. I pray that all of these people will be blessed by my kids. My kids never walk by the Salvation Army ringing their bell with their bucket without putting their own money in it. (they keep their money in the car , like change from their piggy banks in case we go somewhere they can get something out of the quarter machine.) I always hope I teach them good values and some day they will be able to help others when they are adults. I hope they can always appreciate what they have and pass it on to others. I hope I am teaching them what they need to know. I think of how my parents did good teaching me and I wonder how they did it. I just pray for my kids. Good,

giving kids. I pray they remember the things they did when they were little and continue to bless others with their hearts.

Our Day

I am falling asleep writing this but since I had been out of town atmoms the last couple nights I thought I had better write tonight. The boys and I had a great time visiting with everyone. B bonded with Grandad over some money he found and some puzzle pieces. We went skating with a few of our friends and then came home and I scrapbooked with J while kids watched a Christmas movie with A.

Remember when...

Sometimes when I am trying to decide what to write about I browse my pictures. They always make me smile. This one especially did because it is what B wrote about me when he was in preschool. I also remember when M did it in preschool. He answered the questions all right (even my age) and put at the end that I always call him "Handsome" because i always did when he was little.

Busy Friday

This has been a crazy busy day. Kids only went to school for two hrs. Seems silly to make them only go for two hours! After I picked them up they went to the dr with me. Then we raced home to make my potato bake I took to my work party. Then we raced to haircut appointment for the three of us. Then back home for 30min. before we got B and headed to piano lessons with the boys. We sat in the car for 30min while the had their lesson. Then we got to Docs party. We had to leave a little early because we had to take B to basketball practice. So we got home about 845 and I got straight into bed after putting them to bed. Whoooooo....I am tired!

Winter party

Today the boys had their Winter parties. (it is sad that we have to call them that instead of Christmas parties is all i have to say about that) I helped plan them both so ran from one to the other. B's class has so many parents willing to help. That is a real blessing for the teacher who fits my sons personality so good and deserves all the help. It also helps me because I can spread myself between two classes more easier. M's teacher has a little help . today my buddy L and I helped the kids make (and I think of my mother in law when i say this) Nutter Butter reindeer and Marshmellow reindeer dipped in chocolate. Oh yes, I said DIPPED in chocolate. Ok, so i did eat some but really don't i deserve to? L and I had fun. The kids are so darn cute and I love that I know the kids that my kids hang out with. It means alot to me. The hugs are becoming less in 2nd grade then they are in K but I guess the kids are getting cooler as they get older haha. I do still get some hugs but less of them. The kids are great though. The kids all brought in little gifts to put into a big stocking their teacher made for them. We send in HoHoHo bubbles, some sent in candy, slap bracelets, compass rings, etc... WEll the winner of the day sent in whoopie cushions. yes, you heard me right. The kids loved these. Especially mine. I saw kids crack up laughing that hardly show emotion! The kids were rolling laughing about this. And their teacher is so cool that even she got into it. How blessed we are with the teachers we have had so far.

B's class made ornaments, decorated cookies (huge ones that B of course ate all of), made reindeer food and snowman food, played bingo, etc. Fun day for the kids. Two of the kids in his class gave me presents! I was shocked! A boy that is buddies with B told me he told his mom to get my the gift. Is that not the sweetest thing! Wow.

The boys and I

Took the boys to Cheekwood today to see the trains, Wild West theme and Christmas trees. Mom got us a membership for Christmas which is great since we can go when we want. The boys like to run around outside and it was a beautiful December day for that. Tomorrow its supposed to be 64! Wow.

Reindeer cupcakes

The boys and I made these reindeer cupcakes for their school parties. M was really good at making the antlers out of the pretzels and B liked putting on the nose and eyes.

Cookie swap

B is cracking me up right now. I just went thru the Halloween candy since I give my brother a big thing of it every year. (this year its really big) And so I organized it in our pantry with stuff we will keep, stuff to give to church, stuff to put in bro gift bag etc....so B comes in and notices I am putting candy in U Scotts basket. So I tell him we have plenty and we should share with him (always teaching sharing) so he just went thru the pantry (our candy is in a shoe divider hanging on the back of pantry door) and put all the Starburst in a separate slot. So funny.

The kids and I went to church today. Then I went with 4 friends to a cookie swap. We all had to make cookies and bring an ornament to exchange. Girls time. Good time.

Home movies

We had the most wonderful family night. The four of us watched home movies of previous Christmases for about 3 hours. (among other videos here and there) We had a picnic in the living room and popcorn. The kids said it was one of the best days ever. I have to admit some of the videos made B and I choke up of them little. M always looking out for B. Always so sweet and our buddies. One of the best was M singing the opposite of "he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake..."

Christmas

I love decorating the tree with the kids. I love to listen to Christmas music with them. I love making traditions.

Two of my favorite things....Christmas and Family! : )

The boys and I met Grandma and Aunt K and K at the mall so the kids could ride a free reindeer merry go round, play archery, bb guns, etc. for free in Santas Winterland. They also got their picture with him. Then we had dinner. Great time as usual. Love them.

Yearly

Our yearly Christmas party with the boys friends.

Friends and BBAll

Ashlyn came to see both boys games which I thought was so nice of her.

December weekend

What a busy weekend. Saturday I took the boys to their school Santa Breakfast. Then we went to the library. Then both boys had basketball games. M's team won while B's team lost but it was a close game which is all we can ask for. Both boys had steals and B got to bring the ball down the court. B was very nervous since it was his first game and all. Then we went to a Christmas party where the kids every year exchange gifts with their friends. Today the boys and i got up for church. Afterwards B took them to Grandpa's and he went and bought the Christmas tree while I went to paint with friends. When I got home we all decorated the tree and house. Looks so pretty now. The boys and I danced around and sang some Christmas songs. Their Daddy sang a little Elvis since that is his fav. We reminisced over each ornament and who made it or who it came from. And we have alot of ornaments with lots of memories from the boys being born ones to some that my Mom gave me from when I was 8 years old. I love to look at each one every year.

Friday...

I love my boys. I probably write about that too much. haha But how can you not when they make up so much of your life. We had B's bball practice tonight. both boys have their first season games tomrrow. Read tomorrow about how they went! Should be interesting!

I started decompression today. Pray it works.