Christmas

There was much to be thankful for this Christmas!  My parents were here, Lindsey and Jason were in town, and Dana and Brad joined us Christmas night.  It was great. We set our tree up on the playroom/sunroom this year. I loved it there.

Miles and Noah woke up a little after 7am and we let them open their stockings, while Griffin slept in for about 30 more minutes.  They were all excited to find a new book (thank you, Santa!), bakugans, lego toys, animal nesting dolls,  matching scarves that look like snakes (super cute!), and holiday pez.  Within moments, they were eating pez, building legos, and tearing into their nesting toys.  The first thing Noah wanted me to do was read his book.  It was so sweet.

I think Griffin was anxiously awaiting a pez candy here. :)

It was still dark outside, and my dad was already helping the boys build their new lego guys/vehicles. (Notice the boys' pjs.  This was the first year their new jammies weren't matching holiday ones.  Noah had asked for Bakugan pjs for Christmas.  Miles and Griffin wanted Mario Brothers.  They couldn't have been more excited when they opened these on Christmas Eve.)

Santa also gave the boys a new Mario Kart driving game for the Wii. Miles has already logged many miles on this game. He loves it. Noah loves to watch from the grandstands (i.e. positioned on the couch, with his treasures of the day around him). Griffin zooms in periodically to get in the way of the game, turn off the system, or just make mischief -- all while smiling, laughing, and running to escape the fury of his older brother. :)

This was the first year Miles and Noah had a big part in the gift giving for me and Mike. Noah wanted to give Mike and frame with this picture inside. He picked out the frame by himself and selected the picture from our family photo shoot with Hope. He was elated when Mike opened it.

A very special snow globe of mine (passed down to me from my Nona) broke while we were decorating for Christmas this year. Miles remembered how disappointed I was and he selected a new one, very similar one, for me. I was teary.

The boys opened all of their presents Christmas morning (we adults waited until my sisters arrived that night). It was so nice to have my parents here during that time. Extra hands to break open packages, insert batteries, take pictures, share funny moments. It was awesome.

After unwrapping gifts, my mom and I started cooking. My dad proceeded to spend H-O-U-R-S building (off-label) lego cars for the boys. It became pretty clear, early on, why I'd found them at TJMaxx. The instructions were awful and they kept falling apart. The boys love them, though. I just have to store them high up -- they are more for looking than playing. :)

Dana and Brad spent the morning in TN with his mom and then drove to Charlotte so that we could all be together. Check out Dana's tshirt. L.O.V.E. it. :)

Dana and Brad gave the boys these super cool bball hats with lights built into the rim. They added different patches onto each boys hat to personalize them. Griffin got Lightening McQueen, Noah got Iron Man, Miles got Speed Races. They also gave each of them a pair of those awesome fuzzy crocs.

Before the adults opened presents, we decided to take a few pictures of us together.

This memory cracks me up. Remember this, Lindsey & Dana?

We had a fun night opening presents, laughing, taking pictures of each other with our new stuff (Brad in his headlamp, Lindsey and Jason in their reflective pinnies, haha). Love this picture of Lindsey and Jason as they opened their surprise gift from my parents (a much needed tv/dvd combo). No more old tv, stored on a roll-away kitchen cart/in the closet for them!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

I love Christmas Eve.  I love the traditions of going to church, going out to eat, driving around to see the lights, opening one present (always christmas pjs and usually a new ornament), hearing my dad recite Twas The Night Before Christmas (the very best rendition I have ever heard, I must say).  Its perfect.

 

The boys were excited to have their Gram and Pop around. Miles and Gram played a very competitive games of Squares.

The boys crowded around my dad, as he send a e-birthday card to his brother.

Lindsey and Jason spent Christmas Eve with us too (it was their year to stay with Jason's parents, who also live in Charlotte). We all went to church and had a great dinner at Red Rocks. I wish I'd had someone take a picture of all of us at dinner, but with my 50 mm lens, I think they would have had to leave the restaurant to get us all in the frame. The one downside of my lens. :)

Time to go home and wait for Santa?! Let's GO!

We never took a immediate family picture around the tree this year (the shock! the horror!) but Mike and I did pose for this one after dinner. Not sure which one I like better, so I'm including both. I'm such a rebel.

We were all entranced as my dad recited "twas the night before Christmas." I captured it on video this year. Can't wait to download that video and listen again. Its magical.

Before heading to bed, we threw out the reindeer food that Griffin made in preschool. (I think Mike was secretly thankful that it poured on Christmas to wash away the left-over oatmeal and glitter in the yard. :)  Here comes Christmas!...

Billy Graham Library

My parents came to town on Wednesday the 23rd. We'd planned to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens that night, but Griffin was way too tired. Mike offered to stay home with him and my parents and I took Miles and Noah to check out the lights at the Billy Graham Library.

We knew some activities would be outside, so had to get bundled up. Miles decided that his warmest clothes were his feet pajamas. We were in the holiday spirit, so we encouraged him to go for it. The boys and I all wore our Santa hats too.

Inside, we settled in for storytime. My dad snapped a photo of us.

Outside we checked out a live nativity scene, including a camel!

We intended to take a carriage ride, but walked up just as they were ending the rides. We then learned that people had been in line for 2 hours for the 15 minute ride! Holy moly! I'm extra curious about it, now that I know that people were willing to wait that long (though I have a feeling its just a carriage ride to check out a bunch of white lights). The inside scoop is that if you go on a weekday, early in December, that there is not a wait at all. Definitely our plan for next year!

Home for the Holidays

We had a great holiday this year. I l-o-v-e-d having the boys home for two entire weeks. I wish, wish, wish we had year-round school options in Charlotte. Three week breaks spread out throughout the year...seems idyllic.

Mike and I were pretty strict about tv after school started in August -- movie nights on Fridays and Sundays and that's it. Once the holidays came, I lifted that completely. I recorded every kid's holiday special that I could and we settled in to watch. Griffin always seems sit in the same leather chair, stretch out, and cross his legs at the ankles. I love it.

Noah loves the couch. And, he can't go anywhere without a bunch of toys with him. He's always amidst his treasure du jour.

Miles mixes it up. Sometimes he squeezes in with Griffin. Sometimes he shares the couch with Noah. Sometimes he grabs his own leather chair. I loved it when he grabs a hat and puts it on backwards. Makes him look so much more grown up to me.

The early days of vacation were also about just being around the house, playing together. There were many days that the boys pulled their trains out of the closet, built different tracks, and wheeled around. Something about the specialness of just being home together on a Monday. A random Monday in July?? Not this relaxed. They boys seem to have forgotten about the trains completely, or they are the most boring toys on the planet.  :) Again, let's bring some year-round schools to Charlotte.

The Light

I am so behind on the blog. Two preschool Christmas programs. One first grade holiday party. A Christmas visit to the Billy Graham Library. A houseful of family (Clericos, Baileys, Browns, Schuberts & Hedgepeths -- it rocked!) here for Christmas. An Uptown adventure on the light rail to see the singing bears and check out Discovery Place. A fun shopping excursion with my mom & sister. A New Year's celebration with amazing friends. A New Year's Day brunch with neighbors. A trip to Summerville for a shower for Dana & Brad. And a bunch of little everyday moments that were just plain fun to capture. One of these days I'll catch up on our amazing holiday. I just made it through all of my pictures, so the light at the end of the tunnel is peeking through. But that's enough progress for tonight. Maybe Sunday?

Mountain Weekend

What seems like ions ago now, I spent a weekend getaway with my dinner club girlfriends. We had manicures and pedicures in Charlotte and then traveled to Blowing Rock to shop, relax, cook, talk and laugh. A daring few of us (that could ignore all of Dr Oz's gross warnings) hopped into the hot tub during the first snow of the season. (I'm still alive. It was worth it.) I love these women. They make me laugh. Until I cry. And, oh how I love to laugh with them. We share recipes, advice, miscellaneous shoes that no longer fit, books, music, matching pjs, a growing collection of ornaments, weekends away, funny stories, motivation to tackle new things (triathlons, home renovations, a filing system that will change-your-life), comfort and support during our trials and sadness, bottles of wine, rockin' eggnog, contagious laughter, a handful of silly songs & poems, maybe someday a fancy necklace or convertible (remember that article, girls?), and so many memories (that the girls often fill me in on, since my memory is equivalent to a sieve). This group gets it right. We are the perfect balance.

While I was away, my parents were in town. My dad and Mike took the boys to the Southpark Mall to have breakfast with Santa. This entire season, Miles and Noah have been on to the visiting Santas and know the secret -- that these Santas are really just the real Santa's brothers. They are so smart. :)

I ♥ Faces: Pets

This week on I ♥ Faces its all about pets! Here's a picture of our guy Bodie taken last summer on Father's Day. He was catching his breath on top of a playset after chasing his three favorite boys around. Love this sweet dog! 

Check out more cute pets at iheartfaces.com!

Gingerbread Houses

This afternoon our family decorated gingerbread houses at a Community School of the Arts event help uptown.  It was fun!  Each family was given two houses, a table and insane amounts of candy.  The boys loved eating the candy as much as they liked decorating (no surprise).  Turns out though, their favorite part was having Mike make snowmen out of marshmallows for them.  Go figure.  :)  

Afterward, we had dinner uptown and then drove around to see Christmas lights.  We showed the boys the spot Uptown where Mike proposed to me 10 years ago (December 18, 1999).  Miles' response was, "how did you know her name, daddy?" as if Mike proposed upon first seeing me.  Sounds romantic.  :)