a GREAT daddy

Chris is such an amazing father. The boys are so very lucky to have a father who puts playing with them first. It is such a joy to watch him with our boys...we love you very much! Thanks for make us your priority.

the beAcH

Cousins at the beach...the favorite memory per the boys. 

In May, our family went to the beach with the Phillips side of the family. We stayed in Seacrest Beach on 30A...I loved that we went somewhere familiar with favorites for the boys. The weather was unbelievable and the ocean was full of sea-life...big crabs, string rays and sharks. Yes sharks...like 6-7 foot hammerheads swimming on the sandbar...only one but any shark sighting is wild!

Thanks Pam and Johnny for SUPER week...we really appreciate your generosity!

The boys adored their little cousin...i think they are on "team 3rd baby" with me now!

sand angels

this boy is GOOFY

Is that Tanner standing in that crowd of BIG boys...he's too BIG!

The boys spent hours catching these jelly fish. Whatever kind of jelly fish they were they didn't sting. Sam finally started picking them up with his hands.

We ended up with buckets full by the end of the day.

A cute little girl next to us caught this fish in her net.

Reading one of our "Sundog Bookstore" books from Seaside

"Sundog Books" in Seaside

Tanner is like me...if we are reading a good book we lose our social skills...that's ok I rather him read that have his nose in a video game all day!

Playing ball with Nana and their little cousin

crabbin'

we caught a few...hard to see

yes...the "sweetest place on earth"

proof that mommy was on the trip

showing their cousin how to Bey-Blade

The amusement park-esque activities are usually done with my dad and sister...ie we get a break but 

this year Chris and I decided to take the boys to the amusement park...lots of FUN!

operation BIG boy

Sam will be 4 in just a few months and I've realized there's a BIG list of things I still do for him.

He needs to:

dress himself...can but won't

wipe his behind...can but won't

thumb sucking...ok speech therapist and dentist

puppy pants(a pillow pet)...the source of many a tantrum

buckle his seatbelt...can but won't

put on his shoes...does but stresses about how they feel

This parenting thing is tough! I know no one said it was easy but the 3's with Sam have be exhausting...don't get me wrong there are lots of joyful months too. Tanner was so hard at 2 but a breeze by 3 so I just thought I had the perfect child since Sam was an easy 2...NOPE!

So over the next few weeks OPERATION BIG BOY will be in mode. Next time you see same he will be dressing, wiping and buckling himself!!

{thankful for}

43. a Saturday with no plans

44. Sunday lunch at my parents

45. the boys teachers

46. a run on my lunch break

47. grace

48. worship time after dinner

49. a date night at Local...yummo

50. modern medicine

snow glorious snow

     I absolutely loved our weeks at home for Christmas break. Now that Tanner has school everyday I feel like a drill sergeant on school days. It's not that he doesn't get ready, it's just that we have to leave the house sooo early! I can't even remember when....but at some pont during our break it SNOWED!  The boys were in heaven. They played so long I froze to death...note to self...ORDER snow clothes now while they are on sale. They spent the last 30 minutes throwing snowballs at the backdoor while I was standing on the inside...they have never laughed so hard. It was precious.

The boys new boots from the Phillips' were very handy in the snow!

MERRY MERRY

We had such a wonderful Christmas celebrating with our sweet boys! Sam was really into Christmas this year. I think it was the 1st year he really understood the "reason for the season". Cupid, our elf, came a few days after Thanksgiving and Sam spent every waking moment asking questions about Cupid. He wanted to know "do Jesus and Cupid talk?" Tanner was starting to ask us really hard questions about some of the "magic" of Christmas. I was really sad at first but then I realized through all of his questions that he understands the IMPORTANT WHYof the season...Jesus' birth. The closer Christmas got the less questions he asked but he is my serious and practical guy so I'm sure his wheels are still turning.

We started our celebration of Jesus' birth with the Phillips family.

 We spent the next afternoon with my parents and sisters. There is something so nostalgic about Christmas with my parents. I love the little traditions they have for the boys some of the same ones they did for my sisters and I.

See that excited face on my mom???

My parents are SO hard to surprise with GREAT gifts because they always just buy it for themselves.

This year I took the boys to a friend, the owner of MiniMasters, to paint a painting for my parents. Look in the photo below to see the painting...its the long rectangle in front of the other painting. We also had the boys do a painting for Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. I think they turned out really well!

It's hard work being so loved and spoiled with oodles of gifts. The boys were exhausted after round 2 and we still had more to go. They are so very blessed. I hope that the things we do like Christmas shoeboxes, baking for community helpers and writing down our gift for Jesus help the boys realize how very blessed they are.

BEST GIFT...SNOWBALL FIGHT

(below)

We have played with these at least 20 times since they opened them. Mom ordered each of the boys a "bucket of snowballs" from etsy. They were about the size of baseballs, made from really soft fabric and the boys just blast each other! BOY HEAVEN!

Traditions. When my sisters and I were little we opened new jambes every year on Christmas Eve. My mom still gives us all new jammies every Christmas Eve. 

Chris and I wanted to give the boys a gift on Christmas Eve also so we decided a few years ago to do a new Christmas book.

This year we got:

Christmas morning

I always love to see what's a big hit Christmas morning. The boys each picked a play-doh set for the other and they played with them for hours Christmas morning!

I absolutely love gifts that keep the boys outside...our house is small and their energy is big!

Phillips cousins minus one sleepyhead. It was so much fun this year watching all of the little ones at Christmas!

tis the season

1st Night of Advent

Every night we read our scripture, then the story and say a prayers.

We use a (made up by us) version of the Jesse Tree. 

This year the boys are drawing a picture each night to add to our tree.

Weekly Advent Calendar

Sunday-Light candles and sing/listen to hymns...we like the Third Day versions

Mondays-Baking special thank you's: friends, teachers, service workers

Tuesdays-special treat/lunch note

Wednesdays-christmas craft...sewing, beaded ornaments, name of Christ ornaments, etc

Thursdays-writing cards/drawing pictures for people who serve us and mailing them

Fridays-family movie night

Saturdays-special family date to a Christmas activity

Westminster Christmas Program

1st grade recited Luke 2:1-15

It was beautiful!

For some reason Chris and I got the FATTEST tree on the lot. It takes up like 1200 feet of our 1660 foot house.

It fell...so now it is bolted to the wall...don't ask?!?!

And no worries...Sam emailed Santa and "Cupid" the elf his Christmas list!