Helping Mom in the kitchen

Today I had two big helpers in the kitchen!

This morning Alex helped me put the dishes away, wiped down the counter, chairs, table, and he even helped me clean the cat box.

Later on the kids helped me make a Pistachio Pie.  Alex helped pour the milk and stirred for a bit.  Then it was Rhoslyn's turn to stir the pudding.

I sure love having my helpers!

I guess you could say  I have been on "vacation" from blogging.

This one's just going to be some random stuff about whats going on...

1.  This morning Alex woke Billy up to tell him he saw dinosaur tracks in the snow in our backyard!  He was so excited about these foot prints.  Billy had to break the news to him that they were bunny tracks.

2.  Rhoslyn has her first UTI.  Not really something I would normally post about, but it was a hard day yesterday for her and mom.  She didn't go potty for at least 6 hours and they had to put a catheter in her.  It was terrible.  On the plus side, she was a whole new kid once her bladder was empty.  She received lots of stickers from the nurse for doing such a great job! 

3.  Alex is making friends at school.  He has a few boys that he talks about all of the time.  I even sent a note to put in a friends folder with our phone number.  He is doing well in school.  Yesterday they had a substitute teacher and when I picked him up he was very quiet.  He said that she didn't give him his schedule and since it was a different teacher for the day his whole day was thrown off.

4.  Rhoslyn is just starting to potty train.  She went pee on the potty for the first time last week!  We haven't started hard core yet.  We were going to this weekend (totally diaper free except sleeping), but with her being sick we will wait.  She loves wearing her undies and gets very upset if she wets them.

5.  Billy is turning 30 on Monday!!  Which means I have only one more year until it's my turn.... yikes!

6.  We cleared out the bar in the basement and my mom and I spent most of this week painting and getting everything set up for a kids play area and child care area.  I have a baby starting in April and possibly one starting in mid to late February.  The kids are exciting to have two little babies in the house.  If I can get enough interest in home daycare in this area I am going to become certified.  We will see how it all goes first.  By the way, THANKS MOM!! 

7.  Speaking of babies.... Alex told us the other day that daddy and I need to spend more time together so we can have another baby because he really wants a baby sister or baby brother.  Haha... I am sure it will happen, but not right now.  =)  (He asked a few months ago where babies come from and I told him that moms and dads spend special time together to create a baby.)

Christmas Day!

It's finally here... Christmas Day!  The day the kids have been waiting for...  okay, and mom and dad too.

Alex woke up at 6:00 and came in our room excitedly telling daddy that Santa came!  We had made some rules prior to Christmas.  1. No waking up when Santa is here.  2. No opening presents until you wake up mom and dad.  And last but not least 3. No opening up stockings until mom and dad are awake.

He was so funny because he said, "Rhoslyn got a Barbie... I know because it's sticking out of the stocking.  I didn't take anything out!"

Mom and dad crawled out of bed and Alex went to wake up Rhoslyn.  Then the gift opening began!  Santa fills up the stockings and leaves 1-2 gifts under the tree.  The rest are from mom and dad.  Stockings first, then Santa gifts, and then the rest!  

The best part was Alex's reaction to the Star Wars Jenga At-At Attack Battle Game.  This is the ONE thing he really wanted.  He knew that it was $40 and we kept telling him that he had to put it on his list because it was a lot of money to just buy it.  He said, "You had $40 to buy this for me?"  He freaked when he opened it.  He was so happy and excited that it brought a tear to moms eye.

Rhoslyn was really excited about opening presents at first.  After she opened her Ernie Texting toy she didn't want to open anything else!  Alex and I had to finish her last to gifts for her.  She loves that toy.  She was with me when I bought it and through a fit when I put it in the bag.  (This will be my last year of being able to do that!)  She also loved all of her Minnie toys and was very excited to get a Barbie from Santa.  As soon as she opened one present she wanted it out of the box.  We had to keep telling her that we needed to open all of the gifts before taking anything out of the boxes.  She has been busy all day playing with her new toys!

We have had a very lazy day today and it's been great.  The kids still aren't feeling well and now Billy and I are a bit under the weather.  It was a nice relaxing day watching movies and playing with the kids.  Rhoslyn and mom even took a nice long nap!

When we tucked the kids into bed Alex said, "Mom do I get to play with all of my new toys tomorrow?"  I love how busy the kids stay after Christmas.  So many new toys to play with!  Our living room looks like a tornado ran through it.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Hope your day was as good as ours!

Dad's new hat and the boxers Alex picked out all on his own!

New slippers!  

On the 24th Day of Christmas

Today we went over to my Grandma Jackie's house and visited with extended family.  It was great to see everyone and spend time with them.  Afterwards we headed over to my parents house and started the Christmas Festivities!

The cousins enjoyed playing with each other, we ate a quick dinner, and then Santa arrived!

Alex immediately went and sat with Grandma and Rhoslyn sat on the couch next to Gavin.  She was excited to ring Santa's bells, but didn't want to get too close to him.  When it was her turn to grab her present she took it from him and then sat down... there wasn't any hugging Santa.  Alex pretty much did the same thing.  Our kids just aren't too sure about that jolly ol' guy.

After Santa left it was time to unwrap the other gifts.  Alex freaked out about getting the Death Star Jenga game from Grams and Gramps.  It was priceless!  Both of the kids were super excited about all of their gifts.  Rhoslyn was so tired at that point.  After we opened gifts and she got a super soft Hello Kitty blanky from Grams and Gramps she snuggled right up with mom and her new Minnie doll.

The kids fell asleep on the way home.  They were too tired and pretty much still sleeping when we carried them in.  So we told Alex that mom and dad would take care of leaving goodies out for Santa and his Reindeer.

We are looking forward to watching the kids open their gifts tomorrow morning!  

Merry Christmas!

On the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd Day of Christmas

Where has the time gone?  These last few days have been busy, busy, busy!

I seriously can't even remember everything Christmas related that we have done the last few days... so we will just jump to today!

We celebrated Christmas today with Billy's family.  Grandma and Grandpa came over to watch the packer game with us and the Gnorski's came shortly after it.  Can you believe the score of that game?  

Alex made it pretty long before asking when it was time to open presents. =)  I think the best part of opening gifts was watching the look on his face for certain gifts he opened.  He was super stoked about getting not just one, but THREE light sabers!  He also freaked about the ONE angry bird set he has been wanting with the golden eggs.  He said to Grandma, "You had $17 to buy this for me?!"  It was too cute.  He also  freaked out about getting the Millennium Falcon from Auntie Shauna, Uncle Jim, Mikey, and Katie.  He could hardly wait to play with all of his new toys!

Rhoslyn got a bit bored with opening presents.  She just wanted to play with what was in them.  I think her favorite gift was probably her princess dress and matching shoes from the Gnorski's.  She wanted it on right away and paraded around in it.  It was adorable!  She loved all of her gifts and got to playing with them right away!  She liked playing with Alex's new toys too.  =)

The kids were so tired at the end of the day.  They were out within seconds of hitting their pillows!  Tomorrow is another busy day with my side of the family.  

Thank you to our family for all of the wonderful gifts and for driving here to spend the day with us! 

Look at all of those presents!!  

Helping Grandma read her book! :)

Sitting with Grandpa snatching cookies! :)

On the 20th day of Christmas

What better way to spend the day then watching movies all day?!

We had a VERY lazy day today.  It was perfect!  Billy even came home early (which was good considering he shouldn't have went to work in all of that snow anyways)!

The kids gifts are also wrapped and ready to be put under the tree.

We are starting a new tradition this year.  Pajama's wrapped and given to the kids the night of Christmas Eve.  They are getting some super cute Christmas jams for the first year!

Alex went to bed not feeling the greatest.  We are hoping he is feeling better in the morning so he can go to school and have fun at his Christmas Party.

On the 18th and 19th day of Christmas

Alex made us a Christmas gift last Friday and he let us open it yesterday.  There was no way he was waiting until Christmas!

It was a cute magnet to put on the fridge.  He was so proud of himself.  We loved it.  That is the best Christmas gift!

Today we frosted cookies for Alex to take to school and to leave out for Santa.  Rhoslyn got her own frosting and sprinkles.  She pretty much just worked on two cookies.  Frosting them, eating the frosting, frosting them again, and then putting sprinkles on... just to eat the frosting again!  I didn't think anyone would want to eat the cookies she decorated...

Alex enjoyed frosting and decorating the cookies and probably got about half the sprinkles on the floor.  

I also made cake truffles and oreo truffles for Billy to take to work for his office Christmas party tomorrow.  However, if we get a ton of snow like they are calling... we may be eating them ourselves!

Umm... we also stayed in our pajama's ALL DAY today!

Alex's gift to us!  So cute!

Working hard at frosting.

"Not quite enough sprinkles..."

"That's the perfect amount!"

"What, I like my sprinkles!"

Putting sprinkles on the cookies.  He looks just like his daddy in this picture.

Frosting cookies!