Christmas in Three Days

For us Christmas is a three day affair...We start on December 23rd and the party doesn't end until late on December 25th. I tried for a good picture of the boys... but this is the best we got, typical of our daily lives.

December 23rd - This is the day we celebrate with the Weyerman side of t he family. We went to Brittney's house to have dinner and open presents. This is always a fun evening - between dinner and presents we take the time to share Christmas stories and musical talents in the family. I love to hear the children play the piano, sing songs, and listen to the fun stories and poems - in many ways it helps us remember the true spirit of Christmas before we dive into the pile of gifts. This year we planned a special gift for the Grandma's and Greg's mom opened a fun present fro m our family...a box of pink balloons.

December 24th - On this evening we get together with my family to decorate Christmas cookies, a tradition for many many years in our home (more pictures of that later). We also play the candy bar game...a fun time where more sugar is provided for us to eat. Before the game we let my mom open her own box full of pink balloons...and yes we are super excited that baby #4 is a healthy happy baby girl. When we got home we let the boys open their new jammies

and got them ready for bed. Then I hurried and finished wrapping the gifts for under the tree and filled up the stockings.

December 25th - Christmas morning we hurried the boys through a quick breakfast and getting dressed and out the door for church (it is was early 8:20am). We chose to wait and open gifts and have our big Christmas breakfast when we returned from church. Luckily since the boys are still young we were able to pull this off. I love watching the boys open their presents - there is a magic about Christmas and part of that is only seen through their eyes. (Pictures of Christmas morning to also follow later). After quick naps, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Alton's to open gifts there and have dinner. It is a busy time of the year but I love that I get to spend it with family.

{Happy}

Today at a point when I was really down on life...Greg was able to feel the baby move for the first time and I was able to smile.

Random Nolan Pictures

Above is the first time Nolan fell asleep while playing...Below is Nolan's first donut, the kid kept looking at me and Greg with a glare daring us to take it away from him. (I should note that most parents document first steps, first tooth, and such...we document first foods - french fries for Wesley, corn dogs for Max, and now a donut for Nolan).

Who is quicker...Daddy or Nolan - Well in this case Nolan, Daddy needed to be better prepared to get the movie in and the doors closed because this kid is super fast. Below he is playing in his toy basket...with a wet shirt - Greg calls Nolan a saint bernard puppy because he drools a ton.

Hanging out in his crib...leg kicked out, toy and bottle in hand. He is such a laid back easy going baby...can the next one be so easy to get along with (well most of the time)?

One Big Celebration!

Since both of the older boys have birthdays so close to major holidays...and so close together, I decided that throwing one big party (Done this year on Sunday 12/4) would be better then trying to smash in two parties among Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nolan has a birthday right after Wesley's so next year he will get included in the big party. My mom made the cakes...green for Max and blue for Wesley. The trains on top are a new Hot Wheel train and the boys love them...in fact they got some birthday money and used it to buy additional trains - they all will hook together.

After cake we opened presents...emergency vehicles from Grandma and Grandpa Weyerman for Wesley. And a scooter (Daddy said Mommy couldn't buy one for the kids...he didn't say Grandma and Grandpa Alton couldn't...see Mommy can be sneaky).

Max loves flashlights...Grandma and Grandpa Weyerman got him a cool LED flashlight.

Aunt Kristie got the boys some fun new jammies (Wesley needs these since he won't stop growing)

And then came the big black bags with Mommy and Daddy's presents...hoppity balls that look like horses. The boys LOVE these and have happily bounced all week now. Sometimes they just sit and bounce in place while watching TV, other times they bounce up and down the hallway...a much needed activity since getting outside is getting harder with this crazy cold that I don't miss each winter.

They're Back!

It really is the happiest time of the year...

Max Had a Birthday, Shout Hurray!

Max turned the big 3 years old on 11-13-11. We started the celebration be going out to dinner as a family on Friday and Max got to go to Target and pick out a new toy (he choose a fire engine that makes all sorts of noise...he loves it and I love it as long as it stays in his bedroom far away from me).

On Sunday, his actual birthday, we went out to Middleton to visit Greg's parents. I gave Max the choice between cake and rice crispy treats...as you can see he choose rice crispy treats. I dressed them up with food coloring and sprinkles.

Max kept trying to blow out the candles from where he was sitting...finally, Grandpa gave him and hand at getting close enough to actually blow them out. Max also sings along when you sing him "Happy Birthday" I find that very cute.
In a couple weeks we will have a big party with all the family and some friends to celebrate both Max and Wesley's birthdays...I find it easier with both boys having birthdays in the midst of major holidays to have one big party (next year Nolan will be included but a first birthday is special and will get a special celebration).

Halloween

Halloween was pretty fun this year. The older boys are really getting the concept of candy handed out freely and all because they dressed up. The week before we carved pumpkins and enjoyed donuts and cider. Then I got to listen to the boys ask for a week when they got to go trick or treating. Friday we went to a trunk or treat in my Aunt Kristie's ward and the boys had a blast, setting off more questions on when they could go again. Finally Monday came and we dressed up and headed out around my parent's neighborhood with Gideon, Jeremiah, Charles, Sara, and Trish in tow. It was a blast and I now Wesley wants to dye Easter eggs (because Easter also equals candy.)