Christmas Program Success

 Jacob did a great job at his program tonight!  He was adorable - what little boy isn't in argyle?!  Other than a few fingers in the mouth, hands in the pockets I'd say that he did better than he had at any of the practices!  

 Here's the group getting all set...then no other pictures during the program because I recorded it all, so I'll try to get a video posted, but blogger plus me plus videos never seem to go well.  (so far a fail..."error"...ugh!)

 This is about the only 2 seconds he held still from the end of the program until he finally crashed in bed - although getting settled for bed was extremely difficult for this little boy today.  But seriously, hand in the pocket, head tilted...

Grandma at her first grandchild's Christmas program!  He was so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa watching him! 

Christmas Program!

I CANNOT believe that Jacob is participating in the church Christmas program TONIGHT!  He's my baby after all :).  After many practices and memorizing his songs I can only imagine how tonight will go - 1 of 2 ways...I'm figuring on it being EMBARRASSING if it's anything like practices have gone.  I should just be happy if my child gets up there at 3 to participate, but of course I'd really like it if he actually sings the songs, does the actions and does what he's suppose to.  

By the way, Jacob just climbed up on Nate's lap to work on his Christmas list and says he would like to have a "bologna sandwich".  Pretty sure that just came from the Mickey Mouse show he was just watching.  He's also fairly certain that EVERYTHING he says he wants for Christmas he IS getting.  Boy, he's in for a surprise!  Considering I was done shopping for him in November, and there's new things every day...hope he's not too disappointed.  We're trying to prep him for the idea of how we don't know what kind of gifts we'll get, but we should be happy with whatever we get.  There's a phrase that I learned from a student one year, "you get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."

I hope to post how the program went tonight after he goes to bed.  Oh and pray my batteries get charged all the way - forgot about actually doing it til after church this morning, not the million times I THOUGHT about it yesterday!


In case you forget that my child is human and is NOT perfect...here's a picture of the gifts he unwrapped last Saturday...

Some of them are for him, some aren't.  I wish I could have seen his expression with a couple of them.  He evidently forgot the talk I had with him less than 24 hours prior to this happening about not touching the presents under the tree.  His argument was that "they had my name on them"....not true on all of them.  Oh well!  The presents have not since been touched and they remain under the tree.

Ok...I keep on going...I need to get a move on to get to this program and get some front row seats!!!

December: cold, cocoa & coughs

 I love the Christmas season, the sights, sounds, decorations, smells and everything is just topped off with a little snow on the ground.  I decided to put Jacob in his Christmas outfit for church on Sunday, he's so handsome!  But he's such a big cheese in front of the camera lately.  One can only imagine what his school picture turned out like this week! 

Nate was gone for several day, so we had to take a self portrait!  After several tries, I finally got a decent one.  

 Santa made a visit to Sheldon this week at our library.  When they opened the doors to say, ok, you can go in, he's ready....Jacob takes off on a mad dash running towards Santa.  He was SO excited!!!!  He told Santa that he wanted "one single car".  If I remember correctly...yes...here's the picture...last year Jacob did not want to go to Santa!  He clung to Nate and wouldn't let go!

(Christmas 2010)

Christmas 2011 - growth!

 Earlier this week when Jacob and I returned home from school on a very cold day he wanted to make warm cocoa.  It was a perfect idea!

We are looking forward to a work Christmas party tomorrow night - a night out is a special treat for us that we do not get very often at all.  We don't mind getting a babysitter, which Jacob likes to have!  But there's not always room for it in the budget either - at least that's one of the first things to be compromised when there are car issues (of which we had plenty of in November).  So I'm hoping that I am feeling well enough to go to the Christmas party!  I've been getting sicker by the week and was hit pretty hard last night/this morning.  Thankfully it seems like the medicine is helping as I'm not coughing up my lungs constantly - but the medicine sure makes me sleepy!  I think I could go for a 2 hour nap right now - and I'm not much of a napper!  Instead, Jacob and I are having a pretty lazy day.

Welcome Christmas

 The first snowfall of the season is here!  It has been such a beautiful snow fall today, no wind and everything is snow covered, white, with glistening Christmas lights.  Now to figure out when to shovel!  It may have to be after Jacob is in bed tonight.  Jacob and I (MB) were eating lunch when the snow started falling heavier.  When he was excused, he went to look out the window and exclaimed, "Guess what Mommy!?  It's snowing mommy, A LOT!  Mommy, come look, it's Christmas!"  He was so excited!  He ran to the closet, took out his rain boots, put them on and was standing by the door saying that he was ready to go outside to play!  I couldn't move fast enough for him to get outside, that's for sure.  Once we finally made it outside, he was just in awe!  It was so precious and sweet.  He would just run around the driveway looking behind him saying that he's making footprints.

Before we headed outside Jacob had told Louie that he was going to make snow angels!  I can't believe how big my little boy looks with all of his snow gear on!

Fun in the sled - sand shovels & buckets work great in the snow too! 

Before this picture we I was making snow balls and throwing them - at the tree, him, the ground, ya know.  So he asked me for one and threw it right at my neck!  Well, it would have hit me square in the face had I not dodged!  It was so funny how he just immediately threw it back at me, we had some good laughs!  We had a fun time outside!

(Finishing this post up on Sunday...)We ended up getting 4-5 or so inches out of the whole deal and with all the festive activities yesterday I was able to get Jacob to bed and asleep by 8 and I spent until 9:30 on snow removal duty.  My body is a hurting machine today!  We continued with some festive activities today by making sugar cookie and some gingerbread play dough!  

What's going on around here...

 I was being accused of not "blogging" enough.  There has definitely been happenings around here lately!  The camera has not been out much though.  So this is a November review...

 Jacob likes painting and other crafty kind of things - like cutting paper shreds, making a Christmas countdown paper chain, play dough...this particular day it was a great activity while I was working on supper.  We were in the same room, he was occupied while I cooked = perfect!  (Very much the opposite of what happened last night - major meltdown while I'm starting supper = eating an hour later than anticipated.)

 This little boy is growing, growing, growing!  I think so anyway - he is sleeping more lately, wants to eat snacks all afternoon long and I'm so glad I bought the 3T pants (that were massive on him earlier this fall) instead of the 2T pants because he would have outgrown them by now - we still go with his 2T pants from last year cause they're not "that" bad - especially on daycare days or when we're playing outside.  This boy lights up our days and makes us LAUGH.  Some times because he is naughty other times because he's just funny :).  Tonight he was packing a suitcase with all of his cars.  I asked where he was going -- on a trip -- so I asked if he had any clothes packed, because if he was going on a trip, he would need more clothes.  So he went and packed some clothes, came back to me with his suitcase and told me he was going to the suitcase park!  I love his creativity.  And he LOVES his "kitty kitty" - I just spent some time searching for a picture from about 2 years ago holding his kitty to reminisce, but I cannot find it currently.

Funny face are the hit when the camera comes out.

So my camera lens didn't open all the way when I turned my camera on and I didn't realize it until after the picture was taken.  Kind of cool in one way, but not cool that the lens didn't open all the way.

The camera also did not make the Thanksgiving gathering we attended, which was also sad!  Jacob and two of his cousins that are his same age were all sitting at Grandma's organ playing (not turned on) and singing.  It was so sweet and a precious memory.  We had a wonderful thanksgiving spending a portion of the day with family and also relaxing at home.

The whole thanksgiving week was great actually!  Nate had some days off to use up and we were quite productive!  We got a room in our basement cleaned out, sorted through and re-organized.  That took a whole day plus a little more!  We also got our garage cleaned out, sorted through, organized, summer things put away, and basically winterized (yuck!)  It was a good feeling too cleaning out in warm - for November - weather!

We also "Christmas-afied" our house - lights hung outside, the inside decorated, fall things put away.  I do love it, it's a lot of work and I am so thankful my husband was so willing to help out with those things this year.

 We have continued the tradition of hunting at a local Christmas tree farm for our family tree.  We are very pleased with our find.  It's very beautiful!  We have learned several things in the past 3 years that made this 4th time quite successful.  It's not as fragrant as I hoped it would be, so that's a huge bummer, but it's the perfect height and diameter.  Welcome to our home tree!  Unlike any other year, the camera did not make the bag.  It was suppose to, but it didn't.  Nate captured a few pictures on his phone, but he has yet to put them on the computer yet.  (hint, hint!  - he gets email updates of our blog, so I know he'll read it)

Our new ornament this year - for you new followers, we made our first trip to Disney World this past February - so in honor of those memories :)  Also, I must add that we don't have one of those "pretty trees" that is all matchy and perfect and ornamental.  Our tree is memorable - Nate and I each have our ornaments from our first Christmas, we have our first Christmas together, the lovely Shrek & donkey, and others - now Goofy & Mickey!  :)  Our tree is special, it's ours, I like it!

My favorite is the top - the star, the church - pointing us to the birth of God's son, Jesus - who was sent just for US, YOU! 

 

I spent this afternoon baking & cooking.  I appreciate cooking in larger amounts to stick meals in the freezer.  It's minimal short term work for great outcomes in the long run.  It's so nice to have "brainless" meals to pull out of the freezer.  My husband may or may not get sick of some of it when we get towards the end of a stock pile, but he graciously eats it :).  We found that with baked goods in our house we don't typically do well midway or towards the end of whatever it was that was baked, so in dividing up banana bread in smaller pans, we don't feel bad eating it all up or saving some for breakfast the next day.  I added a twist this time by sprinkling the walnuts on top of two of the loaves - Nate doesn't appreciate nuts, so for his sake I've always left them out.  This time I got a little selfish - but they're only on the top of 2 so he can pick them off!

 

We are extremely appreciative of my dad and our neighbor and a friend who helped us install some doors earlier this fall.  I'm amazed what a door can do - and how much work it is to put in a new door - or 4!  PHEW!  

Happy last day of November 2011 tomorrow!  

We are looking forward to a few things in December, finishing up shopping (early hopefully!) so we can focus on spending time with family and enjoying the Christmas season.  Jacob will get to participate in his first church Christmas program in a few weeks!!!  I also get to go to nursery school on Thursday for a "Muffins with Mom" event - I've always been on the teacher side of these type of things, it will be nice to be on the mom side for once!  And a few other things that will earn a blog to itself! 

changing it up

Afternoons can look such the same from day to day.  From the lunch I eat, to the snack Jacob eats, to bathroom times, what toys are played with, when the fits happen and what I know what days MUST be nap days and when other days I know he doesn't need one...it's good in the aspect of predictability - which is important for a 3 year old, but can be boring at times too.  It was time to change up the toys today - we made a really cool train track - double layer, figure 8...I wouldn't let Nate take it apart tonight!  We also brought out Jacob's camera - we had fun taking funny pictures and videos - they are about 2 megapixels...if any are quality enough to put on here, I'll consider it!  He also had a lot of fun watercolor painting. 

I plan to be more intentional in rotating his toys to keep them fresh and fun and keep those creative juices flowing.  With that in mind, I am making his Christmas list to fit into areas of development - fine motor, large motor, creative play...he's pretty well set in the musical areas of life and things that "vroom"  Yes, I'm a teacher and I get my kid educational things and think all other parents should too! :)  Yes, he uses scissors and markers and we're trying to teach him the appropriate ways to use them rather than not allowing those things so they have no opportunity to learn what is right/wrong - perhaps I've had issues with this in the past with students, I am not sure...  (and there may be days at home that I don't allow it because my patience are gone, but that's when I have to know myself for the day). 

Speaking of changing it up, I'm posting with no picture - that's a change!  I did however talk about a picture and did take a picture of him water coloring.

I'm hoping my body didn't decide to "change it up" by breaking a bone (I never have had a broken bone)...long story short I played volleyball last night, I dove (maybe it looked more like a flop...I'm not very graceful any more) for a ball, it hit the top of my hand, which was between the floor and the ball - and I basically  jammed it up.  It's still painful - a dull aching pain...waiting to see what tomorrow brings before I go in...it could just be a sprain, so I am dragging my feet going in for it.  I have definitely had limited mobility and have learned a little of what it would be like to live with one hand.  I got creative in doing a variety of things today. 

The weather is getting colder...it's suppose to be in the teens tonight - I don't like this change.  We really have had an overall "nice" fall - just DRY.  The leaves need to all finish dropping tonight so we can finish yard work - we've had 3 major leaf raking parties and don't want to do 5...phew, it's a lot of work! 

I'm preparing for a major change in my classroom - I took a class ALL day Saturday and will be there again this Saturday.  It's a beginning smart board class - I knew some super basics, but have learned a lot already and look forward to how I can use this great technology in my classroom!

Speaking of classroom, I better get to bed so I can be alive in my classroom tomorrow!

Jack-O-Lanterning

So, yes, this was two weeks ago, but that's how I've felt lately - 10 steps behind on everything.  We have had busy lives lately - from going to a football game, to adoption meetings, to parent teacher conferences (& report cards to get done), a sick child (who is getting better - just a junky cough that hopefully is a "breaking up" cough), house projects, yard work - it's sad to pack up all those leaves and haul them away, and I also spent all day in class on a Saturday - and plan on doing the same next Saturday.

Jacob had so much fun prepping our pumpkins to turn into Jack-o-lanterns!  He was determined to have a lion one...so mom pulled through on that one!  But he wouldn't stick his hand inside to clean out the pulp.  Nate and I also got in on the carving opportunity.  

We look forward to Thanksgiving, spending time with family and some relaxation - possibly some Christmas shopping tossed in there as well - Oh - and the great Christmas tree hunt.  Blessings in your preparation for Thanksgiving.