awww baby's growing up

Greg's big brother was in school all day today.

The Greg man took advantage of having no one home to run him over, push him over or generally attempt to trample him. And showed off just how far his walking skills have come.

Although he's been taking 1 to 3 steps for months now. After one or 2 he generally decides its faster to crawl, or just launches himself at you or the nearest piece of furniture.

But today I watched him walk from the kitchen table to the dog kennel half way across the room. 10 big steps in all!!!

No More Crawl-ee Mc-Small-ee

Key to My Heart

The boys loved their "iPods"! Okay maybe Chris loved his and Nathan was too busy ripping into to it trying to find candy...but whatever they were a hit.

The "sweetest" thing about my Valentines was the Key to My Heart Cupcakes I made. But Boy were they labor intensive, wrapping the bottoms and cutting out all the heart and key shapes?!?!?

Then I "created" an impromptu cake stand. I don't own a real one but the cupcakes were just to darling to throw them on a plain plate and call it a day. So I took a candle holder and placed the plain white plate on top and then used a little bud vase and the smaller version of the same plate for the second tier. I won't win any awards but, it seemed like a more grand presentation that slapped on a plate.

( I got the wrapper and topper printable set from PaperScissorsCake on ETSY and bought these adorable circus dog ones at the same time, I can't wait to use them for one of the kids Birthdays? or maybe the end of school celebration? I'm sure I'll come up with an excuse soon...)

snowman cookies

This weekend we celebrated some of the "breaks in the weather" -Yay plus temperatures and melting...with melted snowman cookies.

Actually I originally saw the idea here, I've been dying to make them for awhile but this was the first time I had both the time, energy and a clean enough kitchen to undertake a new project

But they turn out sooooo cute- really who could resist???

Rockin' Love

Tonight I made it a priority to finish my Valentines for Nathan and Chris.
How stinking Cute is this???

An ipod candy Valentine, because you know...... they Rock!

So Cute and so simple. The idea is from the family fun website. You can download and print the menu circle and the playlist. Or even edit a playlist to write in your own songs. I did for Nathan's (He is kind of young to get the ipod concept) I put in songs that were sort of love themed, but that he would know, like You are My Sunshine.

and then just a few simple "ingredients" and your done! LOVE IT!!!

baby curls

With all of us down sick for the week. (This cold has been BRUTAL)our only big excitement was going to the "kid" hairdresser on Saturday.
Yes, I have to bribe Nathan to cut his hair by offering up a place with a ball pit, and fun colored hair spray.
But they have a blast, and I get get him cropped in the process.

(is it strange I think Nate looks like some kind of raptor in this picture?)

Do you love the punk green look? He insists on it every time. But it washes out quick, and it seems like a small price to not have the hair cut fight.

This pic of Greg makes me giggle.

He fought so hard to chase after the big kids and go in the ball pit.

Then as soon as he was in in.

This was the face.

Balls are really hard to move in when you still can't walk.

Of course cutting Nathans hair made me take a hard look at Greg's! I always hate having to give them their first hair cut. I think it was only after Nathan got called  a girl 4 times in like 2 weeks that I relented and cut his hair. But right now I'm so in love with the soft downy feel of Greg's baby curls I can't even fathom cutting them yet. And this time I think I might cry when it does have to be done. You want your first to grow up and keep moving, but the baby? he can stay a baby as long as he wants!

my life is so boring

My life is so boring, that the big excitement of my weekend was getting snow pants.
no. I'm serious. I was just about giddy with excitement over finding snow pants at the store yesterday.

Mostly because it seems that all the stores only carry these "new" type of snow pants

I have been on the hunt for "Old School" bib style snow pants. For literally 2 years.

I finally found a pair in Walmart yesterday. They are Black, and only cost me $30. I was giddy.

Yes, I am aware I need a life!

But think of how many snowmen, snow forts and snowball fights the kids and I will both enjoy now. vs. the norm, where the kids are more than happy to play in the snow and I'm freezing and ready to cry.

Presto Change-O

It snow AGAIN last night, about another 10 cm. Daddy's busy trying to dig us out. So Mommy and Nathan are having some costume box fun...

 Presto Chang-o

Watch me wave my paintbrush er...magic wand...

and pull a rabbit out of my hat.

CNN article makes me see red

Vaccine-autism researcher should be prosecuted- was the headline on a CNN opinion article this morning. I can't tell you the mixed feeling I have about this. Reading through the article and finding out the researchers study was based on only 12 children and he may have falsified medical histories made me so incredibly angry. - but I still question why they are not releasing the information he reportedly falsified.

I just took Greg for his one year shots vaccination shots this week. And with Nathan I remember tormenting myself and reading every article I could get ahold of trying to decide.
With both boys, I've decided that the risk of the vaccines vs. the deadliness of the diseases, meant that I would vaccinate regardless. But after researching the ingredients of each shot, I have always refused to give influenza shots. Since they do contain trace amounts of mercury. And all the articles I read pointed to mercury most likely being the source.

Although I felt the risks of not vaccinating outweighed the risk of the diseases, I completely agree with the article author when he states "The direct result of this was the creation and perpetuation of an insidious myth that may be unparalleled in modern day medicine".

That's the part that really upsets me, if this research was originally based on only 12 children in the first place, why was it ever given any credibility? How many parents have refused to vaccinate based off of what could essentially be as credible as a rumor?
"wasted time and money pale in comparison to the devastating personal consequences that occurred across the globe as a direct result of Wakefield's behavior. The marked decrease in vaccinations which occurred in the decade following his research literally cost people their lives. When parents refused to vaccinate their children, many of them contracted diseases such as measles and pertussis (whooping cough). Some of them died."

I understand that many parents will still support this theory, if your child began showing symptoms of autism right after a vaccination shot, research credibility isn't going to matter to you. But all the parents who didn't vaccinate in fear of the what if's?????

This is actually on the market?

Seriously?

A friend of mine actually bought this hot sauce. I mean it's an awesome name but I couldn't believe it was actually on the market as "Colon cleaner Hot sauce"

Why can't I be a kid and get some of the cute stuff?

Is it wrong that I'm totally in love with this "children garden watering can"

This little Hedgehog just speaks to me.
Cute- Yes!
Practical? - Probably not since it looks like it would hold next to no water. Probably why it's for kids huh?

Did I mention my tree?

I've hated our tree for the last couple of years.
I took all my "special" ornaments and all my show ones and put them on the pink tree that I display in the stairwell. Partially because the pink tree is too cute not to have special ornaments and partly because I'm scared of the kids breaking some of them.

The problem this has caused is our big tree is now kind of bare looking, all the ornaments being nothing really special.

Until this year.

I went out to Canadian tire one day and feel in love with all these bejeweled beauties.

 It all kind of started when I fell for this little "jester guy" and the jewel encrusted crown. The star is such a perfect replacement for our big white angel that was getting a little ragged looking.

The whole tree is themed in such rich greens, purples, reds and Oranges. And I love the fact I can add things like a feathered purple bird (50% off on boxing day)

 All the jewels, sparkles, and rich colors just make me so happy

Can you tell I'm thrilled? to finally have a put together tree again, makes everything so much better.

Stairwell Christmas

My Shoe Tree

The upper part of the display with the "Dear Santa, Let Me Explain..." Shirt.

 The shiny trees and Presents under the Christmas tree

The Whole space! It was a real Pink and Red Theme there this year and I kind of like it. I still look having the Stairwell as the one place to put my pretty girly things that the little ones can't get to. Especially now that Greg is getting into EVERYTHING!!!

2010

L to R
Cheering for the Olympics, New Chicks, Mutton Busting, Tent Picnics
Garth Brooks in Vegas, New Goats, Baby toes, Leprachaun Gold Hunt
West Edmonton Sea Cavern, Hanging with Penguins, First Day of School, Santa
1st Birthday, Staying at Gramma and Grandpas, Maggie & Jasper, Meow Meow and Maxxie

Christmas B-day Boy

With Christmas this year we had to start another new tradition

BIRTHDAY CAKE!!!!

I can't really believe it's already been a year since I got the best Christmas gift ever!

Mid afternoon, we stopped playing with new toys long enough to have a cake and sing Happy Birthday.

Awe. The one year old cake smash. What could be cuter?

My 2 Favorite pictures of the season

Quick Christmas re-cap

I must apologize to Everyone! My kids got so spoiled this year, I think Santa must have emptied his entire sleigh here. So if Santa Forgot you, I apologize, I'm sure it was our fault!!!

Really the kids got spoiled rotten.

There was everything from a bike to a rocket ship in our living room on Christmas morning. Plus about nine million action figures.

My in-laws were here, we had such fabulous meals both days, and the kids were in heaven getting Grandpa Charlie to figure out there toys (all I have to say about that- "when are the toy manufactures going to stop making it a half an hour process to get toys out of their packages?!!!?)
Grandpa and Gramma learned names of characters they'd never heard of.

See? S-P-O-I-L-I-E-D!!!! let's just hope it doesn't turn them rotten!

Do you remember back in November when I wrote about the radio station being on location in town and how we'd enter for a trip to Vegas? Well, we didn't win the trip to Vegas but Chris won tickets to a Charlie Pride concert in May. And really no offense to Mr. Pride. I mean I know his Kiss an Angel Good morning song, but that's about it. Dude is like 72. I wasn't sure his concert was going to be our cup of tea. So we kind of re-gifted the tickets.
We gave them to my in-laws for Christmas.
They were the surprise hit of the year.
My father-in-law was totally excited.
I mean the tickets are wicked, they are like 3rd row on the floor. -and yes I know I'm totally cheap, giving away free concert tickets as a Christmas present, but he was so excited. I thought it was awesome!

Another magical childhood tradition

When I was a kid one of my favorite parts of December was the night we got to sleep under the Christmas tree. We did it every year I can remember, until I was "too cool" to participate anymore.
There would be eggnog and Christmas stories and then my whole family would curl up in their sleeping bags and sleep on the living room floor for the night under the twinkling Christmas tree lights.

This year I decided Nathan was old enough we could start the same sort of tradition here.

Since Grandpa Zoom wasn't coming for Christmas this year he came up the weekend before.

 Nathan and Grandpa ate snowman cookies, and drank little mugs of eggnog while watching the Grinch.

Then they settled in under the tree for the night.
Nathan L-O-V-E-D this new tradition. And I think Grandpa Zoom loved reliving some Christmas memories while making new ones with a new generation.

* I still have at least one more Childhood tradition I hope to revive before the seasons out- stay tuned*