Mish mash

For a family home evening activity, we collected a few pine cones and Chad helped Grant spread peanut butter on them then roll them in bird seed to make bird feeders. Grant really enjoyed this, except getting messy. We then hung them outside and watched the birds eat them up.

We are still plugging through the alphabet making letter posters. Grant loves doing art. He is doing really amazing things in preschool and loves painting at home.

Barry's new favorite thing to do is hop into the car whenever a door is open. I don't even remember where we had gotten home from but for some reason the door was open and he hopped in. I think it looks hilarious with him in the driver's seat.

Cole is turning into quite the character. He throws multiple 20-30 minute tantrums each day, has a high pitched scream that he rolls out when he's excited and when he's raging mad. He keeps up with Grant to the best of his ability and is such a dare devil it makes me a bit nervous.

(This is a picture I took of Cole when he was in nursery a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't get him to look at the camera, again.)

(This is Cole snuggled up and sleeping in Chad's arms for an afternoon nap)

(Cole is ball obsessed. He has a great time throwing and retrieving any type of ball. He was having a very fun time with this football one morning.)

(Cole likes to belly slide backwards on the wood floor. I don't know why but this is him doing that.)

Christmas 2009 - Two Months Late

Christmas was fun this year with our boys. I did everything I could to make it fun and memorable. My brother got married the weekend after Christmas so I bought cute little outfits for the wedding that they also wore for Christmas Sunday. Aren't they adorable?

We made sugar cookies twice. Once before Christmas so Grant could bring some to preschool on his treat day and once on Christmas Eve so Aunt Kitty could help the boys. Neither of the boys minded the double dose of cookie making.

(This is Cole helping with the cookies - it is impossible to get a picture of him looking at the camera and he's so far away from the able to keep him from grabbing the cookies, frosting and anything else that might cause trouble. He didn't like that very much)

(Here is Grant cutting and removing the cookies to bake. These are the cookies he took to preschool with him. He was so excited to take them and share them with his friends. He was very proud that he had made them.)

(The finished product - Grant was the sprinkle man if you couldn't guess)

(This is cookie making round 2 - Cole was trusted to participate a little more and actually cut a cookie)

(Grant and Kitty cutting the cookies. It is a challenging task to keep Grant from eating all of the dough)

Christmas Eve brought my brothers, Kitty and my dad to town. We continued the Mellen tradition of Christmas Eve fondue, which my family loves. It was great fun and overfilling.


(This is my dad and brothers relaxing and waiting for delicious fondue. Cole loves Uncle David and chooses his lap over anyone elses when he is around (except mom's of course))

(The spread)

(Grant and Cole waiting for their fondue)


(Aunt Kitty with Grant and Cole before fondue eating got underway)

(Here's the family enjoying their deepfried meats and vegetables)

The Mellens had a tradition of opening a present on Christmas Eve. The Glenns did not. I'm not a huge fan but Chad insists so Grant got to open one. Of course, Cole was right there with him assisting in wrapping paper removal. This was a gift that Chad picked out for Grant and wouldn't tell me what it was. After Grant opened up his new Play-doh kitchen set, complete with recipe cards, he and Chad spent about an hour making all of the fun things it suggested. Grant is in love with Play-doh and so in complete heaven with this gift. I am more supportive of Christmas Eve gifts after seeing how much fun he had with it.

This is David snuggling with our dog, Sooner. It is picture worthy because in actuality, David can't really stand Sooner. Sooner just happened to be having a sweet moment that endeared her to him. She lucked out.

Christmas Eve would not be complete without the preparation of the obligatory cookies, carrots and milk plate for Santa. The purpose of making the sugar cookies on Christmas Eve, in addition to giving Aunt Kitty the opportunity to do that with the boys, was to have cookies for Santa. Grant was very excited about putting the cookies on the plate but also very set on having carrots for the reindeer. Santa also got some of the chocolate milk Papa brings for Grant whenever he comes.

Christmas morning was very fun. Grant had asked Santa for a new racetrack set for Christmas so we bought Grant a Cars/Lightning McQueen GeoTrax set and set it up in front of the Christmas tree for Christmas morning from Santa. We put the empty cookie plate and milk cup in the middle of the tracks. When Grant saw the track in the morning, he looked at it for about 5 seconds then asked what his next present was. That's how it went with each present. All we heard was, "What's next?" It was hilarious.

I am generally terrible about getting amazing gifts for Chad for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, while he is absolutely amazing. Even if I do manage to get something pretty good, he always guesses and then it's not a surprise. This Christmas I think I was successful on awesomeness and the surprise factor. Before Chad's birthday, I had David buy a putter for Chad for me to give to him for his birthday. However, I didn't give it to him for his birthday because he was begging so shamelessly for a PS3. I kept the putter for Christmas. I wrapped it in this huge box and taped the putter to the bottom so it wouldn't shake or anything. On Christmas morning, Chad had no idea what it was and was surprised to find a new putter. He didn't act very excitec but his mom told me later that he really liked it and was excited to have it. I think I finally did it right with a gift for him.

These are a couple of photos of Grant and/or Cole opening up various gifts. Grant had a ton of presents under the tree. It seemed like it was never going to end.

(Here is Grant opening one of the last of his presents. You can see in the background all of the adults losing interest because the quantity was a bit out of control)

(I found a great deal on Little People sets on craigs list several months before Christmas so I bought them and kept them. Cole loves Little People.)

(This is where Cole spent most of Christmas morning. It was comfey and warm. David and Brad didn't mind.)

(This is the aftermath of a month of build up. Barry had a great time shredding anything he possibly could so the mess is even worse than it had to be. It's Christmas though so we let Barry have his fun too)

My mom and Shelli did not arrive until late Christmas night. Grant was trying hard to stay up for them but was fading fast. I laid down with him in my bed and read books. He did not make it and was so tired he wouldn't wake up when they arrived. I didn't make it either. We were both passed out when they arrived. Shelli brought a new kitten with her that has turned out to be a completey psycho addition to the family.

Christmas was memorable and fun. I love seeing the joy and excitement from the boys and carrying out each of our building traditions. It was also nice to have a cold Christmas.