Happy New Year!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Christmas Preparation Video

This is Owen helping me bake cookies and making up his own lyrics to Christmas carols.

Christmas Morning Video

Daddy's New Truck

Last Wednesday we received an advertisement in the mail for a car dealership. We decided to go for a drive and look at vehicles. We have been anticipating the end of our lease on the Jetta and have been searching vehicles for a few months now. We didn't think we would actually be purchasing anything yet, but we were looking.

When we arrived at this particular dealership we spotted a reasonably priced used Honda CR-V. We checked it out, Gavin took it for a test drive, but then we went home without it. After arriving home we spent some time looking at the same vehicle on-line and doing a little more research. We decided that the price for the used one at the dealership was the best we were going to find and since they were taking the lease off our hands as well, we couldn't pass up the opportunity!

We made the final decision over dinner, called them back, told them to hold it for us, then bathed the kids, changed them into their pjs, and went back to pick up our new car. It was nerve racking signing all the paperwork and working out the logicistics while tending to two children, including a bloody nose incident from Owen, who ran into a glass door, but I was not going to make a separate trip to sign my paperwork on Christmas Eve Day!

While Gavin was moving the carseats out of the Jetta and into our new car Owen spotted a bell he could ring. I told him to wait until Daddy came back in. When Daddy came back with the salesman, I told Owen to ask his question. He shyly asked to ring the bell and the man excitedly gave him permission. He announced to everyone else working that we had a bell ringer, and Owen pulled the rope!!

Moments later, we were sitting in our new car, Owen questioned where Daddy's car was and Daddy explained that the "truck" we were sitting in was Daddy's new car. Once Owen finally understood, he excitedly said, "Start it up Dad!!"

The minivan is feeling neglected because it has not been out of the garage since we brought the truck home! Mommy and Daddy are going to fight over who drives the minivan and who gets to drive the new truck!

Pecking Order

Yesterday, Gavin was busy trying to fix the helicopter toy that Owen got for Christmas. (Owen had dropped the remote control part and broke it). Anyway, Owen was pestering Gavin because he wanted to play with the toy, Gavin kept trying to explain to him that he had to wait because he was fixing it. Finally, Owen walked away adn found something else to play with.

When I went to check on him, I noticed that he was playing with Max's new mailbox. He had put it on the couch where Max couldn't reach it and Max was sitting on the floor looking up at Owen, grunting. In other words, asking Owen if he could play with it. When I asked Owen to put the toy on the floor to allow Max to play with it too, he responded, "but I'm fixing it."

The pecking order has been established!

Working Out!

This evening, in an attempt to make sure all of Owen's energy was out of his system before he goes to bed, I got him to run in place with me. After a few moments this got boring for me so we did some jumping jacks. We continued to "work out," for a few minutes and Owen was having a blast. The next thing I knew he was running to the bathroom. I followed him in to see what he was doing. I watched him put water on his hair, his upper lip, and his chest/belly. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "getting sweaty!"

This kid cracks me up!

Packer Fan Part 2

For Christmas one of Steve and Shonna's girls had Owen's name for the gift exchange. A week prior to Christmas they were over to our house and Shonna said they went with a theme this year, I told Gavin my prediction and on Christmas I was proven correct, this is what Owen opened:

First, a T-Rex. Next, some race cars. Finally, a framed picture of Owen if front of the Christmas tree wearing a Packer's jersey and a picture of Max wearing a "little packer fan," bib!! Very creative and too funny!

Chipmunck?!

Owen: "Eating nuts, Mom?"
Me: "yup,"
Owen: "You a Chipmunck?"

I don't know where he comes up with this stuff. :)

No, I'm a Packer Fan!

Last Saturday night I met Gavin and the rest of his classmates at a bar for dinner, drinks, and just to celebrate this being their last weekend of their Master's class. Our friends Steve and Shonna were watching the kids. Shonna and one of their daughter's had a birthday party that day, so for about an hour Steve was in charge of both of our boys and his oldest daughter! He was okay with this situation as long as nobody pooped!!

When we arrived at their house later that night Steve says, "Owen, I'm a T-Rex,"
Owen responded, "No, I'm a T-Rex!"
Steve continues, "I'm a race car!"
Owen responsed a little louder, "No, I'm a race car!"
Steve says, "I'm a Packer Fan,"
Owen responsed the loudest this time and with the most enthusiastic tone, "No, I'M A PACKER FAN!!"
Gavin, "WHAT?!?"
Steve, "That'll teach you to have me watch your kids....we've been working on that all night!"

Gotta love it!

Cookies!

Owen and I baked cookies this afternoon....one batch anyway! It sure is a lot of work when you are trying to do the rolling/cutting, decorating, and baking by yourself, especially, when you have a little helper who really really wants to do everything!

Growing up we had an assembly line for baking cookies; my mom did the rolling/cutting, I decorated, and my Grandma baked. We would dedicate an entire day to this. I am tuckered out after only one batch!!:)

While rolling and cutting the dough, Owen was deciding what shapes to make. My particular favorite was his interpretation of the angel cookie cutter, he lifted it up and said, "this one mommy, the princess with butterfly wings. She flying."

Mommy's Little Helper

I decided to take advantage of the time Owen and I had to ourselves, while Max took a morning nap, to get the sugar cookie dough made. Owen was quite the little helper. He poured in the measured flour and sugar like a pro. Then, I got out the baking powder, I should have had out the measuring utensils before the ingredients, but I guess now I know for next time, because while I was getting the teaspoon out of the drawer my little helper took it upon himself to dump some in! I was able to spoon some out, but I am a little curious what will happen to the cookies that have too much baking powder in them. I guess time will tell.

He really enjoyed getting his hands dirty when we had to add in the oleo and didn't argue when I told it was time to wash his hands. I think he is really going to enjoy rolling out the dough and decorating the cookies this afternoon.

Rocker Hair

Last night while getting Max's PJ's on after his bath, I spiked up his hair in a mohawk. I walked down to our bathroom where Owen was brushing his teeth. When Owen looked in the mirror and saw Max's hair, he said, "Max a rock star!" Then he reached in the drawer to get the comb out. I think his original train of thought was for me to fix his hair so he didn't look like a rock star, but instead I showed Owen how I could make his hair look that way. We wet the comb down and I successfully go Owen's hair to stick up in a mohawk too, which really isn't that easy with his hair. Anyway, when he finished brushing his teeth he asked for his "rock star guitar," so Gavin went downstairs to get it, he jumped around his room playing his guitar for a minute or two, then Gavin told him it was time to stop and read his bedtime story. He then turned off his guitar, patted his hair back into place and said, "all done being a rock star!!"