Christmas at home

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ~Mary Ellen Chase

This might rank as one of the best Christmas' we've had in a while considering the circumstances this year. We were able to keep the kids home instead of dragging them around town from house to house and working around nap schedule's, which made everyone happier in the long run! The simple and quiet times of fellowship with family are the best!



The boys helping Mommy with the decorations the night before




Lighting the advent candles on Christmas Eve

Even the day before, boxes are too much fun to play with!





Christmas morning Gavin ran to the fire house under the tree but Carter was more excited about the cookie pieces that Santa left on the plate!







Gavin's 1st time on a sit-and-spin, he did really well but...



Carter was the one to hop right on and start spinning full circle!!!
Mom-mom having to help an excited Gavin to learn to take turns!

The Geotrax train set was also a big hit the day after Christmas, and the day after that, and the day after that...!!! Mommy and Daddy can't wait for Gavin's birthday to add the airplanes onto this one too! We have had as much fun with the toys as they have!



But most of all-
"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis

December snow

"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle."

Here in Maryland we wound up recieving around 23" of God's glistenilng snowflakes. The calmness of the snow, playfulness of the kids and the warmth of the pellet stove has been good medicine here lately.

The boys and I ventured out today and I swore that if I put Carter down he would dissapear! They didn't last too terribly long, only because they're little legs couldn't move. I'll have to shovel them a pathway, I guess like you would a dog to go to the bathroom. Mike has been out doing his snow patrol with good friends since early this morning and probably into tomorrow, so we'll be here having fun, keeping warm and taking lots of pictures for him to see when he returns.








The only downfall is the aftermath that comes inside when you're done playing!

Movin' on up

Flowers are without hope. Because hope is tomorrow and flowers have no tomorrow. ~Antonio Porchia, Voces, 1943, translated from Spanish by W.S. Merwin


The past few weeks have been a trying time but amidst all the anguish last weekend we were finally able to move everything up and actually sleep in our new bedrooms! The kiddos adjusted great and Mike and I are thankful to be sleeping on actual mattresses again!


Putting Gavin's old crib together for Carter to use while Gavin gets a new toddler boat bed!

Holiday cookie time!!!!

Holiday cookie time!!!!

I would have loved to had time to make the homemade cookie dough for holiday giving the day after Thanksgiving but the Black Friday deals took over and I didn't have enough energy the rest of that day; but the deals I got were sooo worth it, or should I say when I see the kiddos faces on Christmas morning it'll be sooo worth it :)

But with all the rain we are getting here I'll be sure to get a rain day to prep for cookie making. My plan is that on Christmas Eve the kids and I will just have to cut or form the cookies, bake and then decorate (oh, and can't forget the oh-so important step of tasting the results!) I don't want to have to deal with the prep work it takes to make several different recipes and not to mention the clean-up that is always involved.

I love getting weekly newsletters from Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/ and here lately they're all about decorating and holiday baking- right up my alley! Especially since I'm hosting Christmas this year; more so we don't have to lug the presents and kids around town all day this Christmas, we get to loosen our load a little and actually enjoy the house we're building now that it has room for more than just the four of us for a change!

This week it's all about my favorite... chocolate!!! Forget about the buttery oatmeal raisin, substitute chocolate, or how good jelly makes different cookies or cakes so yummy, fill it with fudge! I always go for the chocolate- donuts, cookies, candies, ice cream, you name it, if there's anything chocolate around it's on my plate or already in my mouth!

Here's some of my favorites so far!

*Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies Recipe

*Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/cookies/chocolaty-caramel-thumbprints/?prsc=HolidaysCookies

*Fudge Ecstasies
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/desserts/fudge-ecstasies/?prsc=HolidaysCookies


I also came across another great gift idea today!!! Instead of baking all those yummy cookies, just make the cookie dough and give it as a gift!

http://chsugar.com/giftideas/index.html


Homemade Cookie Dough

This Holiday Season couldn't we all use a little more dough?
Give your family and friends the gift of time along with delicious homemade cookies with C&H® Sugar's Holiday Cookie Rolls. A sprightly wrapped roll of ready-to-bake cookie dough is a simple, low cost gift that is packed with lots of thought and flavor.

Perfect for the busy mom with no time to bake from scratch, or for families with children who would love cutting shapes out of cookie dough without the mess of measuring and mixing. You'll notice our cookie dough recipe is made with egg-substitute, making it perfectly safe to eat right after mixing. Your friends and family can enjoy it alone, or even add it to their favorite ice cream!

Important Note: Cookie dough must be kept refrigerated. This gift if best when you are going straight to the recipient's home where they can place in the refrigerator right away.

SAHM Workouts

I'm on a mission... to stay in the clothes I now have for as long as possible! I realize that there's no chance I'll ever get my pre-kids body back but I at least like to maintain what I have for a while. Mainly due to the SAHM salary; hugs and kisses are better than any lump some of money but they can't help buy new clothes!

I really do miss the extra energy I had when working out at Curves before the boys were even thought of. So now I'm trying to take those simple moves I've learned there and apply them to around-the-house activities to get in my exercise for the day, or week for that matter! Sure pushing the 20lb stroller w/ two toddlers weighing over 20lbs themselves is a workout but some days getting out to the grocery store is a task, let alone going for a walk. And workout videos, yea right. Thought I would have some time to do some free workouts On Demand while the kids were napping, but then when would the dishes and laundry get done?

So when I think about it I try to do simple activities to help get my quota of exercise at home; feel free to try these for yourself and let me know if you have any other suggestions! And the best part... most of these are done with the inclusion of your kids, so it's fun bonding time with an added bonus of exercise for you!

*Side note: Carrying your child during any of theses exercises adds a good weight resistance too!

While brushing your teeth for the recommended time of 2 minutes, try doing squats, leg lifts or a combination of both. It always helps jump start the day for me and helps me brush longer too!

There's calorie burning going on when you're vacuuming because of the upper body resistance but add a lower body workout by doing leg lunges and you'll get a great workout while cleaning at the same time.

Stairs, need I say more! The more the better. But you don't have to go all the way up and down every time, especially if you're home w/ the kids and need to be within eye-shot. Just use the bottom step like you would in a step class in a gym; step up with one leg and do a leg lift with the other; alternate each leg for a great burn in no time.

While standing in the kitchen cooking or washing dishes it's super easy to work your hamstrings by going up and down on the balls of your feet and even walking from the counter to the fridge on tipie toes. If you have a little girl they'll love the fact that Mommy is a ballerina in the kitchen and may join you in the fun!

Playing with the kids outside is a no-brainer. Lifting them onto a toy, spinning them around, and anytime you can be airplanes and run around chasing each other everyone enjoys themselves!

Floor play is what my boys like best. I lay on my back with legs bent in the air. With their belly on my legs I am able to hold them while I lift them up and down. I call it the kissing game and get a good tummy workout too when I lift my legs up to my chest I sit up a little and give them a kiss then they go back down. This can last forever with my boys!

There are tons more- like carrying the most laundry I can possibly hold, or pushing the boys around the house in an empty diaper box. Just activities that aren't time restrictive and will fit into anyone's daily routine!

Our Happy Halloween

With daffodils mad footnotes for the spring,
And asters purple asterisks for autumn -
~Conrad Aiken, Preludes for Memnon, 1930

We started the day with the fire cheif and fire dog trick-or-treating at Grandma Thompson's house, the boys had so much fun showing off their costumes!










Couldn't have asked for a better time on our hayride with the neighbors this year, everyone seemed to really enjoy the new wagon the Talbot family so generously crafted! But boy are we spoiled now, riding in style is completly different than walking to each house as we had to do in Glen Burnie growing up!

Construction update

Been quite busy around here with all the construction but we're managing until the stairs come in (which are now overdue) and we can all utilize our own bedrooms. The boys are doing their best to adjust to sleeping in the same room, as we are to sleeping on the couch :)


Gavin helping to put Carter's crib together in his room



Carter looking through the new hole in the wall we're taking down between the kitchen and our old bedroom




No more sleeping in there!


Kiddos had to wear ear protection during dinner because of Daddy's nail gun


Pulling up old flooring


New view from the front door (doorway into kitchen filled in half way to now become a breakfast table breezeway and our old bedroom door widened to accommodate traffic flow to stairs)


Gavin helping Daddy lay the new wood flooring