Last post of 2010

Shot of my cuties taken tonight - unsolicited. Eli was just being sweet to his brother. Update on our week coming soon. Hope you have a great New Year's. If all goes well, we'll be sleeping our way into 2011!

Snow Day - a white Christmas!

So last night when we took our family walk, we noticed that the clouds looked pretty full of snow. The weather reports have been calling for snow but these days, I don't believe it until I see it. The snow started before we went to bed last night and it snowed all night. We woke up to our yard covered with snow and would later end up with 6-1/2" to 7", more in some places. Mid morning we took the boys on a walk through the neighborhood then played in the yard and made a snowman. The boys had fun playing in the snow and also playing inside with their new toys.

Cole having breakfast, looking all cute in some new pjs.

All bundled up and ready to play (we did put gloves on him).

Daddy was pulling Cole on the sled and Cole loved it until.......

he fell over and went face first into the snow. He was SO not happy after that.

He wanted a better / more stable ride and was very happy when he got dusted off and Daddy put him on his shoulders.

Daddy and his boys walking down our road.

That face........

Eli took a turn being pulled on the sled.

Family self portrait - Eli wasn't interested in being in it so we tried with Cole.

I loved looking at and taking pictures of the pretty trees around the neighborhood.

Eli kept stopping to make snowballs and throw them at me.

My cute boys!!

I love them so.

Tim measured the snow on the picnic table in the back yard.

My little snow man. Eli wasn't much help, he preferred watching.

Me & my snow friend - yes Mom, those are Whoppers for his face. Didn't have anything else to use!

This afternoon I heard "Mom, come look I just cut my hair". Scary words especially when I saw a few locks on hair on the floor. You can kinda see in this picture the center of his head where he cut a piece out. At least it's not THAT bad.

Eli & I had some game time this afternoon while Tim & Cole ran to the grocery store. First up, Candy Land - Eli won three times.

Then Chutes & Ladders - only one time, Eli won. To be followed by a Lightning McQueen puzzle. Eli has gotten to where he likes tv a lot so we try to keep him busy and from watching too much of it.

Eli got a Text and Learn from his cousins in Florida. He loved playing with it. Lately we've been practicing words on my BlackBerry so this is a cool thing for him to play with. Who knew a 3 year old would experience QWERTY?

Santa Claus came to town

Christmas morning was so much fun! I remember how my brother & I used to try to peek and see what Santa had brought us. Eli & Cole aren't quite there yet but I know one day they will be.

Somehow we were fortunate enough to stay in bed until 7am - a Christmas gift to Tim & I if there ever was one!! As soon as Cole got up, Eli did too and it was time to see if Santa had come to town. Well, he most definitely did!! The boys loved checking out their goodies and playing with them. Eli was thrilled to see that Santa had brought him his "truck crane" and Cole loved his four-wheel scooter. After the boys played for a while, we exchanged gifts with my family. It was a lot of fun opening presents and seeing that everyone loved their gifts. Christmas isn't supposed to be all about the gifts but I love giving presents to people and it's a great occasion to do just that!

We then had a nice family breakfast - again all together at the dining room table. The boys were more interested in playing than eating, who can blame them. We hung out with my family for a bit before they headed back home. Billy & Niki left first and then my parents, after getting some more grandbaby love, left as well. Tim & I were fortunate enough to get simultaneous naps from the boys so we relaxed a bit. After naps, we got everyone outside for some fresh air and a walk. It was so nice.

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas Day. I really loved doing our big dinner Christmas Eve so that we had more time as a family and more time to play on Christmas Day. I think I'll have to make that the norm.

Eli's load from Santa

Cole liked all his toys, especially the scooter bike

So fun Mommy!

This "truck crane" has been EVERYWHERE and trying to pick up / pull down everything. Eli loves it so much.

Eli had fun "cutting" Cole's basket of food.

Stockings have such goodies. Both boys loved them.

Eli had to give Cole's scooter bike a whirl.

Niki loved the pink Browning sweatshirt we got her.

Mom / Grandma loved her Shutterfly calendar. Now she can see her Grandboys ALL year long.

Tim was thrilled with the Speedy Bike Club Paris jersey that the boys gave him.

Eli & Cole had fun helping Tim open his big gift - a hitch for his truck. He was surprised!

Crane - EVERYWHERE! I had to intervene to keep the tree from getting pulled over - more than once.

Grandma & Grandpa love their Grandboys - we're so glad they came to visit and celebrate with us.

Eli had been trying to perfect headstands on the couch. Such my little monkey.

Cole in his cute sock monkey hat from the neighbors.

My big boys - so cute.

When making dinner, I looked in and the boys had climbed on the couch together with their pillow pals and were looking through the Toys R Us wish book. Guess they didn't get enough toys!

Eli couldn't wait to bite into the chocolate football Santa left for him.

Christmas Eve

Breaking down our Christmas activities in several posts so it's more manageable for me to upload and for you to read. =)

Christmas Eve was a wonderfully busy day. I started cooking in the kitchen at 7am for our family dinner. This year I was trying to cook everything myself and give my Mom a well deserved break - she always cooks for the holidays. I'm going to try to narrate our day through pictures.

The boys were very excited to eat the last chocolate out of their advent calendars (the best $2.99 I've ever spent!). They loved having one small piece a day and it helped them understand when Santa was coming.

They even learned that after you pull off the tab, if you shake the calendar, the chocolate would fall into your hand. Amazing what you can learn when prompted by sugar.

Eli helped me bake a red velvet cake. (side note: it turned out FANTASTIC if I do say so myself!)

Cole wanted to help me peel potatoes - making the most scrumptious mashed potatoes I've ever made. I tried out lots of new recipes this year and thankfully they were all yummy.

Mommy & Cole. I've learned to let the boys be involved when they want to and that even if it takes me longer to do something, it will be fun. Often times messy but almost always fun.

Homemade cream cheese icing on my homemade red velvet cake - did I tell you yet that it was YUM?!

My parents arrived just at lunch time and I let the boys open some of their gifts from their buddies. This year I split up the gift opening for them and it worked out marvelous. They didn't get overwhelmed and they were able to enjoy each gift. In this picture, my friend Kara made them each a t-shirt that had a tie on it. They matched - it was the cutest. Can't wait to send them to school in them.

Tim went to check on Eli during nap time and found him on the floor outside his room snuggled with his blanket.

Cole in the kitchen being silly - he kept flinging the cup lid around by the straw.

More silliness - I think Cole thinks he has to keep up with his brother in the silly department.

Family dinner - it was great! 8 of us (me, Tim, the boys, my Mom & Dad and my brother and his fiancee Niki - YES I SAID FIANCEE!!! He proposed before he came to our house.). Dinner was turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, homemade mac and cheese and rolls. It was so nice having everyone sit down together for a meal.

After dinner we let the boys open their gifts from Grandma / Grandpa and Uncle Billy / Miss Niki. We figured that way Christmas morning could be all about Santa and not compete. This is a super cute shirt my Mom found Eli. She does so great finding them cute clothes. Cole's sweatshirt said "Big Attitude in a Little Shirt".

Eli loved watching Tow Mater's Tall Tales. I think we all did!

Cole did a pretty good job opening presents. Once he found a place to tear, he was good to go.

He got a play-doh farm kit. So cute. There's a tractor and little cutters to help make animals. I know this will get lots of use.

Eli was chomping to open the BIG present from Uncle Billy & Miss Niki.

Ripping into them.

Eli was very particular that every piece of paper had to be off the gift and Cole started taking after him. I have pictures later to post that show these were the coolest pillow pals ever. Cole's was a red/white/blue puppy dog and Eli's was a moose. They're so soft and snuggly and the boys have been carrying them around the house.

We also let them open their REI boxes from Aunt Cary in Colorado. Nothing bad comes in an REI box, especially these boxes. The boys got some great cold weather gear!

Cole showing Pop Pop his pillow pal.

Billy and Niki - my future sister-in-law! I'm so excited for them. Tim & I knew about a month ago but couldn't tell. My little brother is growing up. =)

Grandma & Cole

After dinner and presents, Cole began a little indoor marathon. He'd run from the living room to the kitchen, touch the frig and run back. I can't even tell you how many times he did it but it was so funny and actually got some energy out so that was good.

Oh my goodness, the cuteness! I have discovered that Cole's response to being told no is to look at you, be cute and do it again. He wasn't in any trouble here, just showing me his cuteness.

Eli left Santa some cookies and milk. I wrote Santa's note for him but he signed his name.