Monday, January 04, 2010

The Holidays...aka a massive post

Blog? I have a blog? What's that you say? I've been neglecting it? Well, If that is the way YOU feel, than you should enjoy this post. It is extremely picture heavy and long.

We'll start out with Tab's letter that he wrote to Santa. It says: Santa
Hiro, Victor, Spencer, (and then he got tired of writing and made me write Sodor Steam Works and Megatron). Signed by TabGetting ready to go to the mailbox.Anxious to get his letter to Santa.Signed, Sealed, Delivered...Jason made this wreath out of the branches he clipped from our crazy tree. I just forgot to post it before and he was pretty proud of it, considering it was held together with just some thin craft wire. I took the picture after it had hung on our door for over a month, so excuse the somewhat ovalish shape. I was quite pleased with it as well. I have never had a wreath before.Oh yeah, also leading up to Christmas... I think Jason got sick of getting after Tab to eat his lunch and stop horsing around, so Tab got tied to the chair. Tab was clearly quite pleased.As our present to the kids, we took them to Great Wolf Lodge for a few days before Christmas. I dare say we had as much fun as they did. It was so nice to get away as a family and focus on enjoying our time together instead of getting "stuff" done around the house.

The boys were absolutely thrilled by having a set of bunk beds in their "own room".
Of course, the main attraction was the indoor water park. My biggest kid of all enjoyed in thoroughly.Tab was surely not disappointed. Tab loved coming down the slides.There was also a fun kiddie area. Benton really loved floating around on his dad's back.Just playing in the water.One of the big things is this massive bucket that dumps 1000 gallons of water over the entire "fort" every 5 minutes. Tab would go running for it whenever he heard the warning bell.Here is the "fort". Behind this is the other half of the park with 3 big water slides, 2 pools with various "things" in them and a lazy river.And a family picture.There was also a "cub club" at the hotel, where we took the boys to do crafts and play and just be out of the water for a bit.Then there was the arcade! They really had a blast there.
Notice Tab clutching his tickets. That was um...well...special. He was actually getting half decent at the Skee Ball.There was a fun roller coaster ride at the arcade that the boys loved.We really enjoyed our game of air hockey too.
Paisley, well, Paisley finally slept! Wahoo. She doesn't really nap when we are out and about unless she is in the carrier. I have to say that she actually was quite well behaved as she was being carried the majority of the time.Just hanging out.The boys after their "wolf walk" in the morning. They had a guide come out and talk about different wolves and bears as she pointed to the different stuffed animals that they had mounted in the lobby.
And I have to share this picture because I just love Tab's face. He has the funniest grumpy facial expressions.Back at home after our trip we did some baking.The boys had fun helping me make some yummy gingerbread cinnamon chip biscotti. Isn't my mixer sexy?As Tab's one request was that we make gingerbread houses, I couldn't say no. So here we are kneading the dough together.Rolling out and cutting out the gingerbread house.Assembly and decoration.Jason was quite pleased with his mailbox.
Benton's contribution: Tab's contribution:Who want's to open a present before bed?
I made the boys Pajama pants to wear to bed Christmas Eve.Pais, all ready for bed. And yes, her face is pretty much always orange like that. Baby food tends to stain pretty good.
And I stitched their names onto the bottom of the leg so that they would know whose was whose and which side was the front.Tan was super excited Christmas morning.Benton, not so much. The poor kid was sick. He had had a fever off and on and we had to give him some Tylenol at about 4 AM.The boys digging into their stockings.
Benton opening his transformers.He was a very happy boy.Lucky thing for us that Grandma and Grandpa got Tab a transformer because it might have gotten ugly.Pais was happy that Grandma and Grandpa got her a present since mom and dad didn't, sniff snif.Over break to get out of the house we went to the local Children's museum. The boys spent most of their time at the sand table.The train table was also a big hit. Man alive do those boys love trains.They had an awesome bubble area.Jason and Tab played at the drive up bank for FOREVER!Paisley was a big fan of the mirrors.Apparently, Jason found some mirrors that he enjoyed as well.
The boys enjoyed cooking for us in the huge play kitchen.
It isn't a trip out without a potty break. Jason felt the need to take these. All I can think is...ahh, blackmail photos.Hey, at least he washed his hands right?
They loved the magnet table too.For Christmas my sister bought me a pattern to make this hat. I love it.
Jason insisted that I put the maryjane strap on it. I think I like it better without it. What do you think?And this is the only picture I took at the New Year's party that we attended. The boys sat by the older boys while they played Wii. The older boys were nice enough to let Tab and Benton hold some of the controllers and pretend that they were playing.Oh yeah, and I did more baking.And last but not least, what would this post be without mention of the latest Home Depot project?

It may seem like our break was crazy and packed full, but mostly there was a lot of this. And this is the part I enjoyed the most and will miss the most.Phew....congrats if you made it through this entire post. I barely did...

10 comments:

lacyboo said...

i have one of those posts almost ready to go too. haha. i LOVE the hat! and probably without the maryjane strap i would say.

Sarah said...

Good to see you are back. Guess that means I have to return to blogging as well. I need to call you.
I like the strap--and holy crap, I need to make one of those hats. I was looking for something like that. I didn't think of making it.
Ok, I'll talk to you soon.

Rebekah said...

The strap totally makes it looks way cuter!

Alissa said...

i like the strap!
sadly i didn't take a single picture our entire vacation. but my goal this year is to take MORE. more than zero isn't hard.

Melanie Chambers said...

You are so freaking talented. I LOVE the hat. In fact, I got a blue one for christmas but it was purchased. They have a water park place like that about an hour from us. I think we'll have to take Chloe and EZ there. You look like you had a great break.

Jenny said...

Sarah, I actually tried calling you this morning.

Liz said...

Hey, you are a step ahead of me..I have so much to post on my blog that it is ridiculous...

BTW, I love the hat both with and without the strap. Maybe a little more with it, though.

CrellinMGMT3430 said...

your lucky i was about to give yall an earfull. looks like the vacation was awesome for you. and those boys are getting huge, i am jealous. love you guys. give the fam a kiss for jenna and i.

Melissa said...

what a fun post. and i love the hat. i would say with the strap.

Anonymous said...

with the strap. the strap completes it. and they have one of those water fort things at hershey park...it's huge, three of those water buckets. you may have to explain what tab's list means...and i love how jason tied tab to the chair...it gives me ideas.