The Amazing Katie D....

Katie R.

Each time we leave Ohio a little part of me thinks about moving back.  We do miss our family and friends when we're gone but we are so fortunate to have amazing friends in the Upper Valley.

I just wanted to take a second, and stall from unpacking the mudroom full of new toys and suitcases, and thank Katie D. for everything she did for us when we were gone.  She not only watches our fish but when I called to ask if she would turn on the heat she and Tom came over and turned on the heat, set up the lawn ornaments and watered the tree.  And then to add to their awesomeness they left us this:

Considering we rolled in after midnight last night not having to run out to the store this morning was huge. Thanks again Katie, Tom, Colby and Lincoln for everything.

Christmas Detox

Katie D.

I love Christmas! I go all in every year from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas day.  The decorating, the music, Christmas cards, counting down to Santa, and even laying out reindeer food in the driveway; we do it up big in this house.  

Gingerbread House

 

spreading reindeer food

 

And then December 26^th comes along and I’m done.  As big as I do Christmas is as big as I want it all picked up and put away.  One of my favorite Christmastime activities is watching all the Christmas movies and shows that I have DVR’d.  Colby and Lincoln have loved it to because they have watched more TV in a month then they have watched the previous 3 months combined! Yes, this means its Christmas Detox time!

This is why I am grateful for all the fabulous gifts the boys received this holiday season and the snow that is piling up in my yard.  Because I need some activities! Luckily I have some amazing boys that have incredible imaginations so I can only imagine what the next month of posts will bring!  

 

head lamps for wild, dark adventures

biking

Getting ready for some snow

Stayed tuned for more of my crazy life in 2013!

Yep We're That Family

Katie R.

As we were packing to go out of town this week, I thought we were finally done packing when I realized that I didn't have Wes's shoes packed.  I started finding them all over the room and when I was done this is what I found.

I couldn't find a single pair that matched.  I eventually found one match in the car and the other in the basement.  2 shoes are still missing. 

Yep we're that family.

I Finally Just Listened

Katie R.

As I get ready to travel to Ohio in a whirlwind trip of food, family and presents, I also wanted to take a moment to write about the tragic events that took place last week. 

There are no words for me to express my sorrow for the family, school and community.  The feeling of sadness, helplessness and heartbreak is almost overwhelming and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone touched by the horrific event.

I didn’t find out about the situation until later in the day after the kids had lunch and I was getting them ready for a nap.   I put both kids to bed and turned on CNN to find out what had occurred and like everyone in America I was heartbroken.  Never has an event happened that I was more affected by and I cried and cried and cried.

Andrew was in his room and it was obvious he wasn’t going to nap.  He was reading books and playing with his stuffed animal and I had the overwhelming urge to go into his room and give him a hug.  When I entered his room my eyes instantly filled with tears and for the first time in his life he saw me cry.  He asked what was wrong and luckily an answer of “mommy is just sad about some kids but you and your friends are fine” was enough for his 3 year old curiosity. 

I was going to give him a quick hug and then go do laundry when I decided that I was just going to lay in bed with him and listen.  No TV, no Ipad, no texts coming in. Just Andrew and I in his room with me listening to everything he said.  Andrew talks… a lot.  Which means that I tune him out… a lot.  However that day I didn’t.  I listened to him say at least 30 times “mommy can I tell you something” and the story that ensued.  I listen to him “read” a book which he made up the words on every page.  I listened to him play with his care bears and Rudolph figurines.  And I listened to him say “I love you too Mommy” when the tears would fill my eyes again, my voice would quiver and I would hug him and tell him how much I loved him. 

Of course after naptime life here went somewhat back to normal or at least for my kids it did and next week we will be in the midst of Christmas chaos.  However, this event has taught me one thing, I need to just listen more.  I believe that I have found my New Year’s Resolution.

I Believe in Santa Claus

I believe in Santa Clause, I always have and always will. I relate him with the magic that encompasses me this holiday season. I always feel blissfully optimistic, grateful and thankful for the health and happiness of my friends and family.  Even with the horrific and tragic event at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week I feel the need to reaffirm my faith in Santa Clause and the spirit the man in red gives me.

Katie R. hosted her fabulous Christmas party this weekend and we celebrated with some amazing friends. Colby and Lincoln had a great time and loved singing, dancing, eating and playing with their closest pals and Tom and I got to enjoy yummy food, delicious spirits and great company. The night was a snapshot of pure holiday joy for me and my family.

The next morning, when I had to wake up Colby for school, he asked if Christmastime was over. I asked why he would think that and his answer was that he had such an awesome time at Andrew’s Christmas party last night with all his friends he thought that it must have been Christmas Day! For Colby, it wasn’t about all the presents still wrapped under the tree but being with what he considers some of his closest pals.  That, in my mind, is the spirit of Santa Clause; not what he brings on Christmas morning but the feeling of joy that he instills during the season. 

I wish everyone as much joy and happiness that Colby possesses this Christmas season! May my family's positive energy and love help lift the heavy hearts of all those touched by the Newtown Tragedy. Remember to believe in the big man in red and your spirit will be lifted!

 

Colby-my big believer!
 

 

Reindeer Party

Katie R.

No proper party is complete without someone puking or people camping out on the kitch enfloor at the end of the party.  However this party it was a sick little one puking as soon as the party began and Andrew and his friends were playing “camp out” in the kitchen so it wasn’t as wild as it sounds.  However I believe by all the wine and beer bottles left at the end of the party, the adults had a pretty good time too, or at least this adult did.

This year my friend Becky had the idea to do a reindeer bar, which is a bar for kids to make a jar of food to put out Christmas Eve for the reindeers.  Of course I had to take it to the next level and make it a reindeer theme.

Here are some photos from the night.  It was a great time and already looking forward to next year… well as soon as I recover from this year.

 

 

The Birthday Boy

Katie D.

Well somebody had a birthday! Yes, Lincoln turned two this past Saturday. He's getting so big, I'm amazed at everything he does...yada, yada, yada the mother stuff but the big thing is we had 2 fabulous parties for him!

His friends celebrated him on Friday!  Lincoln is lucky to run with such a fabulous crowd! He got to party it up with 11 of his closest pals!

And then on Saturday the family came together to celebrate Lincoln.  It was lovely that family came bearing gifts for him but the big to-do was my mad skills at cake making! (and keeping Lincoln from grabbing his candle on the cake)

I loved celebrating every moment of his birthday with him! Happy Birthday Meatball! I love you! Thank you cards are going out tomorrow and then we refocus our efforts onto the big man in red's big arrival!

Damn, I make these Mickey ears look good!!

Partners In Crime..

Katie R.

If you ask Andrew and Colby they’ll say they are best pals, fire fighters, action guys, super heroes and now I can add attempted kidnappers to their list of titles.

It was just a normal pizza night.  Joe and Tom finished working on Katie’s washing machine, and luckily it seems fixed so she didn't have to use take n' toss cups (which was a really funny blog) to do her laundry.  The boys were playing and Andrew and Colby went into the spare bedroom and shut the door which was fine with us as it left us with only the 2 little guys.  Wes wondered out of the room for no reason at all and I followed him outside the spare room when Colby opened the door.  What seemed like a nice offere quickly turned into another episode of Colby and Andrew's Antics

Colby:  Katie, can Wes come in here?

Me:  No Colby but thanks for including him.

Colby:  Can he please come in here?

Me:  No I think he’ll go back in the room with me.

Andrew:  Mommy please let Wes come in.

Me:  No guys

Wes:  Screeches and walks in the room while I’m not holding him

Me:  Ok fine he can come in

Colby:  Thank you Katie

Andrew:  You can leave now Mommy

Me:  No I have to stay in here if Wes is so he doesn’t break anything.  Why do you guys want Wes in here without me?

Andrew:  Colby and I want to put Wes in the suitcase we found.  We think he will fit and we can zip it up.

Me:  No I don’t think so guys.  I’ll take Wes in the other room now.  (and I walk away smiling).

Good thing they are cute.

 

 

 

 

 

Take N' Toss

Katie D.

Take N' Toss cups fill so many rolls in our lives. Yes, it's primary roll of supplying the boys with beverages is vital but it has many other hats in this house.

Here it is in it's glory; waiting to be devoured by a little boy! But what about this? Does it look like a layered treat?  A fun craft project all finished to put on the mantle? Nope, it's my grease cup from my freezer!

It's full so I tossed it out and put another one in the freezer!  If you copy this idea make sure the grease has cooled a bit before putting into a plastic cup!  And then another use for the cup is home repair assistant!

My beautiful new washing machine was delivered this week and when the hoses were switched out the old corroded valve started to leak! Before my husband and Katie R.'s husband could fix it this is how I had to do my laundry; switching out the cup every 5 minutes!

Oh, Toss N' Take I thank you for your many functions in our house!  Santa should bring these to every house this Christmas!

I Will Find a Silver Lining...

Katie R.

So I haven’t felt great over the past 2 days.  Not sick enough to have Joe stay home from work or unload them on Katie D. (who generously offered to take them) but bad enough to have some stellar parenting moments… however I am determined to find a silver lining.

Wes gave himself a red mark on his head by continuously hitting himself with a plastic hammer and the silver lining is… that I didn’t see him doing it as Andrew and I were dancing to “Have yourself a merry little Christmas”

On Monday I was too tired to play with the kids and the silver lining is… that Andrew finally went downstairs and played by himself.  Today he chose to go downstairs without Wes because he didn’t want Wes to mess up his Legos.  Victory.

The house was completely trashed as during naptime I just needed to lay on the couch and the silver lining is… I realized that every Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie is awesome.  I love that in the end the town always rallies, the couple that hates each other always ends up together, the divorcee/widower always finds love, the kid always gets better and it always snows even in Florida or California.

I didn’t feel up to going to my monthly girls night out and the silver lining is… at least I didn’t get sick until Monday so I could spend 12 glorious hours on Sunday with 6 awesome girls shopping, eating, drinking and more shopping.

Andrew felt sick after eating too many oreos, drinking hot chocolate and driving around looking at Christmas lights and the silver lining is… a large empty Dunkin Donuts cup stuck in a kids rain boot makes an awesome puke bucket (luckily we didn’t have to use it).

I think feeling bad for a couple days made me emotional as I, the ice princess, had tears in my eyes today and the silver lining is … the reason I was so emotional is Andrew asked me to dance and said he was my prince.  He then said he needed to grow up to be a real prince and I told him that when he grew up he would find his own princess.  He then wouldn’t look at me and when he finally did he had tears in his eyes and said he didn’t want to find a princess because he didn’t want me to be alone. 

And the greatest silver lining of all came later after Andrew was no longer upset and he told me I would never really be alone because I would always have Just Plain Fish.  Great.

Hour number 48 of watching tv

Our Christmas Photos... a hot mess

Katie R.

So to take a page out of Katie D's book I decided to post some pictures from our Christmas card "photo shoot".

So a photographer I am not.  However, I thought maybe I would jump on the bandwagon with a card with Christmas lights which seem to be popular this year.  On Thanksgiving morning before we headed to Katie D's house I thought we'd give it a test run. 

I'm sure you can imagine the outcome.  So instead of driving myself crazy trying for that perfect photo (and even attempting another round of photos) which I promise would never happen I just went with the theme "this is our real life".  So here are the photos from the photos shoot.  I can't remember exactly which ones were in the card but just act suprised for those of you who get a card this week.

Merry Christmas 2012!

Say Cheese...

Katie D.

It’s that time of year again, Christmas card time!  Ever since the year Tom and I got married I’ve done picture cards. In the days before kids it was easy to get a good photo of Tom and me; if we didn’t have one we set up the timer on the camera and got what we needed in a couple of takes.  Well, as you can imagine, with kids it becomes of bit of an ordeal!  Last year’s card had an assortment of photos of the 4 of us so there was at least a good photo of each of us but this year I was really hoping for one shot that had us all looking AND smiling at the camera!  

Why use a timer and not have someone take our photo you ask? I think the challenge of it makes it fun and crazy all at the same time.  And on top of trying to get that one great shot my husband, for the sake of prostate cancer awareness, has grown a mustache this month.  Most men can’t pull a mustache off and Tom is no exception but in support of Movember I can tolerate it for a month.  The stache will be the pink elephant in the room on the Christmas card and it will be fun to see if anyone actually mentions it!

It wouldn’t be fun to show off the one that made the card but I figure I can entertain you with the outtakes!

So Tom is a little too excited in this one....

Lincoln turned the timer off and captured this gem

I was practicing with the timer with the boys; notice my death grip on them to get them in the shot!

 

 

And then we turned the cartoons off...

 





This is Tom telling Colby just one more photo!

We got the photo we needed and I put the cards in the mail today! Check that off my to do list!!!

Our Little Version of the Griswolds

Katie R.

 

So it's very hard to really do justice to how bright the lights are and how much there is in our yard but here is a photo from down the hill and across the street.

 

 

As I mentioned this is Joe's thing although I did tell him if we have the stuff we should just put it out as he wasn't sure he wanted to put out the snow globe his mom got us last year (may have been a mistake on my part).

 

So this is how I decorate for Christmas:

 

                                          

 

                                       

 



 

 

And this is how Joe does it.  Again it's hard to tell how big these things are because our house sits on a steep hill.  But if you see the 3 little shapes in the picture below to the left of the tree (the tree trunk is the red and white striped pole) you can see how big they really our with Joe standing next to them.  Oh and that tree trunk is approx. 40 feet tall.

 

 



This Santa is 5 Feet tall



  Beth if you are reading this we put the globe up, all 5 feet of flashing light wonder.  We didn't know that it has flashing light in it but it does... constantly.