'Tis the Season!

I hope everyone is having a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! It is definitely that time of year again when things get crazy and there is always more to do. Life can get hectic to say the least. Here are a few pictures of us going to see Santa and just enjoying time together. This year, Jason really wants Sonic the Hedgehog video game for XBOX 360. Just so Santa would know, he had to explain that this is the one where Sonic turns into a bad guy when it's nighttime. Justin didn't want to get anywhere near Santa unless I was right there with him. This is usual for Justin - he DOES NOT like strangers! Justin is really into Elmo and BatMan! What a combination, right?

Thanks to everyone who sent Christmas cards and gifts. We really love hearing from all our loved ones!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Elf Family Christmas

PAUSE MUSIC TO THE RIGHT!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Basketball Boys

Jason has just finished a Basketball class he has been taking. I would say to him that the Rec. center had this class, or this class, and he would always say, "But Mom, I want to do basketball!" So he finally go to do basketball. It was so fun to watch all the boys run around the room and learn skills how to play as a team. Justin even got a chance to get in and play too!

Halloween Happenings 2008

We have had a great Halloween Season so far. There are so many things to take the kids to! This year, Jason decided he wanted to be a skeleton and Justin got to use the hand-me-down Spiderman costume. We went to the ward party last week, a pumpkin playground, and the "Air and Scare" at the National Air and Space museum this past weekend. And there is still more to come! I love this time of year with all the fun autumn things to do and good things to bake. (Later today I plan on making a really good pumpkin roll with cream cheese filling! - SO GOOOOOD!) Here are a few pics of the kids and outings we have done....so far.

Christian the Lion

YES, YES, YES, & PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE!

Justin recently learned how to say "YES!" It has been so long now that he has been saying "no, no, no" to every question I ask him. (Okay, so he doesn't actually say the word "yes," but he shakes his head up and down - CLOSE ENOUGH!) He also just learned how to say "please." (And of course that comes out as "peez.") Then he claps his hands like he is so happy - just like I have been doing. We are still working on the "thank you" part. It is so cute to hear him learn new words everyday. And even though he doesn't know how to say much, he does understand what I am saying. I can give him directions and he follows them - as well as a 1-year-old boy can. Another one of my favorite things he says is "boo!" And whenever I ask him to say it, he runs into the office where Daddy is and says it to him! He is such a tease - which is a good thing in this house!

Jason is busy having fun at school. He recently was having a hard time in the mornings at the bus stop. (Last week he even refused to get on without me!) I have come to realize that I cannot always MAKE him do things or act a certain way (oh, really?), especially when he is feeling insecure. I am sure he has had to adjust to a lot since he has just started kindergarten. So I have decided I need to just spend a little more one-on-one time with him and show a lot more patience! This has been a big thing for both of us to learn lately. So just in the past week or so we have been doing so much better! (Even if my online schooling doesn't get as much attention as it should.) I sometimes forget that he is still just a kid and should be able to be silly and learn to do things at his own pace. I think for so long I was just in such a hurry for everything. Hurry and do "this" because we have to do "this." We're late - so hurry and do "this" because I need to do "this and this and this!" He now has been a lot happier in the morning, and I make sure that I don't criticize his way of doing things, even though they might come at a slower pace. Another example is that he refuses to let me comb his hair. So even if we have to go to the bus stop with roost tails sticking up, it is way better than having an argument about me fixing his hair for him. It seems that it was easier to make him hurry when he was an infant and I could just pack him up and do everything for him myself.

Has anyone else had experience with things like this? PLEASE let me know of any secrets you might have!

Our Little Sleepovers

Jason and I have a special little get-together a couple of times a month. We really just love to have sleepovers in our family room where we watch movies and eat popcorn (don't forget the butter, Mom!). Jason looks forward to this every single weekend, but now that school is in, I feel I have to limit it to about every other weekend. This past Friday we watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars (animation) on Cartoon Network. Not really so interesting for me, but Jason has a blast! It is nice to have something special for the two of us since I have to spend so much attention on Justin. I hope we continue to have our little sleepovers for a long time!







Of course, Jason is pulling a face! BOYS!?!?

Kindergarten Kid

Yes - it is true! Jason is now in Kindergarten! He has been having so much fun this week in his new class and riding on the bus. Jason was SO ready to go to his full-day kindergarten class, so it has been a blast for him. His teacher's name is Mrs. Callahan. And of course, he had to wear his Iron Man shirt with his Iron Man backpack on the first day. This kid is crazy for action heroes! He met a new friend that he rides with on the bus that is also in his class. This has been kind of weird for me these last couple of days not having him here with us. I forgot what it was like to have only 1 kid around to worry about! It is so neat watching your kids grow up and learn to be their own person.

Virginia Beach Vacation

Last week we went to Virginia Beach for our family vacation. It was really a lot of fun to just get out and relax! We really didn't have anything planned - just to have fun in the sun! Jason really liked swimming in the ocean and the 3 pools that our hotel had (especially the one with the lazy river)! Justin DID NOT like the ocean at all. He was only interested in playing in the sand. There were a lot of things to see up and down the boardwalk and really great seafood! YUMMY! This week went by too fast and we can't wait for next year. :)

Boys and Trucks...

I know that I have not posted anything forever, but we have been so busy! You know how summer goes right?

Today we went to a Big Trucks event and I got some good pics that I thought would be fun to share. Jason loved the big fire truck and all the bobcats.








Here Justin is having fun at the library. He loves sitting in all the little chairs and reading all the kids books! And of course, he now knows what the camera is for and so every picture he cheeses it big time!

Fish Boy!

Jason has just completed his first set of swimming lessons! He was so busy practicing holding his breath and dunking his head under water that he would not always listen to what the teacher was saying. But he really was one of the best swimmers in his class. (I guess since I am his mother I have to say that!) This kid just has no fear when it comes to water! He really is my fish boy!






This was "Safety Day" (hence the life jackets).

Washington DC - Summer '08

This last weekend we went into DC for a little tourist action! My original plan was to go up the Washington Monument, but they ran out of tickets for the whole day before 11 am! Maybe next time! So we just headed over to the WWII Memorial and the Natural History Museum. There is so much to see in DC we have to get it in little spurts! But even this took the whole day! Jason was so good, even though we kept him walking for hours in the hot, humid weather. Here are just a few pics we got (there are more under the web albums side menu if you care to look-nothing too exciting though)..



Brian and Jason outside the Washington Monument .


Jason wouldn't look at the camera!



Lincoln Memorial



That is one big sea turtle!

It had to be done!

OK- so I have been putting it off again, and again. I finally had to cut Justin's hair! It was getting WAY too long and scraggly! Jason, of course, wanted his usual summer buzz as well. So last weekend was spent giving the kids haircuts. Yes - I give the haircuts in this family - they may not be the best in the world, but for my 1 and 5 year old they work just fine! Maybe you can't tell in this picture, but it looks a ton better. Jason is into pulling faces for every picture I take, so don't mind him.

Messy Face!

Justin was so pleased with himself when we took this picture! He will hardly ever let me feed him myself - so the only other alternative is to let him have at it! And of course the bath time afterward is just as much fun as the mess. I am sure every kid does stuff like this; don't you just love it though when it's yours?

Lately...

We haven't really been up to anything special lately, but I thought I would post a few pics that I just uploaded from my phone.


Here, Jason is having fun at a local spray-park. It has been SOOOOO hot out here, especially with all the humidity!





Since I have been at the computer so much lately with my schooling, Justin thought he would give it a try! Since my keyboard is wireless, I can unplug the USB port and he can do all the typing he wants. It is so cute to see him try to type and use the mouse!







Nearby we have this amazing park that is so huge I have to make sure Brian is with me so I can keep an eye on both my kids - but here are some pics of our last visit there. There is even a carousel that the kids can ride!

Justin Being Silly :)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com
This was just too funny not to share! Kids do the funniest things!

Bump on top of a Bump

Justin had a huge bruise on his forehead (not too uncommon for 1 year olds), but then yesterday he fell down and got another bump in the same place as the first one! The bump was so huge that I just had to take a picture and show everyone - luckily the swelling went down A LOT and now it just has that ugly bruise color left. He has become so independant this past week! He doesn't want my help with anything! He is constantly pushing me away and gets mad if anyone tries to even hand him his sippy cup! NO - he has to pick it up by himself! And at the park he doesn't want my help on the playground either - too bad he is still a little wobbly when he walks, enough to where I don't feel comfortable letting him go by himself - so he just gets mad at me all the time!

Slide show

March Birthdays 2008

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

National Zoo

Earlier this month we visited the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Jason's favorite animal was the tiger, and I loved seeing the pandas. It was a lot of fun even though it was raining! We went with all the cousins - the Millers - Jason has so much fun hanging out with them. It is so nice that they live nearby and we can visit.

Jason and Donovan




In the wagon

Justin

Awwwee - so cute!

Great Falls

We recently visited Great Falls, VA and got some good pics.