what a year!

2007 is just about over and as i looked back through our year of pictures (4,721 of them to be precise) it made me smile to think of how much has happened - but sad to think of how fast it went!

enjoy an edited version of my trip through our 2007!

stepping up

back in february, i was reading a book that encouraged me to show interest in the things that matter to my boys and to meet them on their level. at the time, my dance dance revolution skills were the best i could offer.

WELL ... stacey and i have both stepped up our game. for christmas "the boys" got a wii. along with the wii, they received guitar hero and high school musical sing it (which is basically karaoke/sing along to high school musical songs-but it rates you). stacey's getting guitar hero down ... and i'm becoming a pro at unlocking songs on high school musical. (i bet you didn't know i had that hidden talent, did you?! HA HA HA)

we spent a lot of time this weekend with all of us just sitting around and playing both of these games. it's hard for me to put aside the things that i feel like i NEED to get done. but, once i do ... i am so glad i did. not only did i unlock BET ON IT for ben, (which has been my #1 goal for the past week) ... not only did we unlock fabulous (for when olivia comes to visit) ... i got to spend time with the boys doing something that they love to do. and when it comes down to it ... that is a successful weekend.

p.s. drew updated his blog ;)

my dream house

fun fun fun

this morning we decided to spend a few hours at the children's museum.

it made me realize that i don't take alex there nearly enough.
when drew and ben were little we went to the zoo and to the museum ALL of the time.
now, we go MAYBE once a month.
we have the memberships - so i don't even have an excuse!
this led me to 2008 new years resolution #1 :)

make it a point to let alex have a little fun ;)

christmas 2007 thoughts

we have returned from snowy wisconsin and as i was sitting here and looking through the tons of pictures that i took, i was thinking about some of the things that i learned this year...

**when 2 one year olds are in the house, sleeping patterns are very unpredictible. boys that normally go to sleep around 8pm find 11pm and 3 am to be acceptable "christmas bedtimes".

**it is actually possible to poop white. (yes i know that is disgusting ... but it really did happen to alex and i need to remember this year as the year of the festive poop).

**i actually can sit through 2 movies in one day! (AND ... take note ... if you complain after the first movie because you had to wear your mittens on your feet for the entire movie because it is SO cold in their theatre ... they'll give you your money back ;) AND they'll turn up the heat so that it is bearable for your 2nd movie.)

**it is possible for the mall to be absolutely dead on december 23rd. all it takes is about 10 inches of snow.

**10 inches of snow does not stop me from wanting, and getting, a starbucks.

and finally ...

**it is always fun to be back "home" for christmas and to spend time with our families. but ... at the end of the visit ... pulling into MY driveway and realizing that bedtime AT MY HOUSE is only 4 hours away is a REALLY good feeling!!

merry christmas

well ... it's an hour and a half before christmas ...

and i just wanted to say merry christmas ...

from me, my crazies, and don ho himself :)

enjoy your time with family and friends ...

and if you get a second ... say a prayer for little maisie and her family.

keepin it simple

so far this christmas, alex has done a great job of reminding us to keep it simple.


of the presents he's gotten, and the fun that has surrounded him, the 2 things that have brought him the most entertainment ...


a 98 cent hot wheel car



a 99 cent box of goldfish



now ... if we could just get it so that everybody else could be that easy to please ;)

take a second ...

... it doesn't take long to be reminded of what this season is really about.

whether or not you watch the video - i don't care. just listen to the words of this song by Go Fish. REALLY listen.

that's it :)

my kind of lesson

today i got to help in drew's classroom for his "wintercelebration".

because everything needs to be somehow built into the curriculum, they used today to teach the kids about liquids turning into solids.

WE MADE ICE CREAM!!!

each kid shook ... and shook ... and shook ... and shook their ziploc bags until they had successfully created ice cream.

YUM!!

now that is my kind of curriculum!

can you believe ...

there are only 6 days until christmas ?!?!?!