Ding Dong the Crib is Gone!!!!!

We made an executive decision yesterday and have removed the crib from Silas's room!  Based on the fact that he was climbing in and out of the crib (over the rail) with about as much effort as it would take him to climb in and out of a big boy bed we decided it was time! Plus, the crib had become a favorite hang out spot for both boys and it was only a matter of time before one of them either broke through the bottom from jumping so hard or jumped themselves right out onto their heads...
Anyway, we only had to go in a few times last night to put Silas back in bed which was nothing new since he has been escaping from his crib for the past few weeks anyway.  He finally fell asleep and stayed in all night, yay!!! He did ask for his crib today at nap time but eventually fell asleep and took a great nap!  Hopefully he can keep it up!

Such a big boy!

Brothers

This morning I took the boys to a "Holiday Camp" at the rec center, "camp" being code for drop them off for three hours to let someone else watch them...  Plus, I figured it would be cool for them to have a class together too!
Anyway, we arrived a few minutes early and while my sweet Noah stood holding my hand while very hesitantly checking out the room, Silas had already charged into the classroom without a care in the world.  I stood there with Noah for a minute while he kept looking at the room and looking back at me with a quivering bottom lip, pretty much breaking my heart, when all of the sudden I see Silas come running back from across the room yelling "Look Noah, I found you a crotch rocket!"  He brought the motorcycle over to Noah, took his big brothers hand and pulled him over to the bin with all the trucks, motorcycles, cars etc.  When I left they were sitting together talking and happily playing cars!
Fast forward three hours - I showed up a few minutes early to peek through the window and see how they were doing and of course they were as happy as can be running around with a couple other little guys and having a blast!  They chatted together about class, telling me about everything they did and giggled like crazy all the way to lunch, so glad they got to go together!!
I had promised them lunch at Old McDonald's after camp and witnessed a complete role reversal from their earlier situation.  For whatever reason while Noah may be timid at school or camps or whatever, he is a wild child when it comes to play areas and Silas is the one that is totally timid...   Noah is so helpful with Silas on any kind of playground, he is continuously checking on him, giving him a boost or helping him climb up or down the stairs/ladders/platforms.   At one point Silas got stuck way up at the top of the play structure, and without even saying anything to Noah I watched him go straight to the top to carefully guide his little brother down, telling him that he is OK and not to be scared!
I guess I just wanted to write this down because while they occasionally make me completely insane and frustrated I need to remember that they really are the sweetest little guys and they love each other so much!
No pictures, just sweetness :)

Santa

Here are a few pics from our trip to visit Santa last night!  The boys have seriously been bouncing off the walls with excitement just waiting to see him!  Noah has all kinds of crazy plans for Santa.  He told me the other day that he is going to hide in his closet on Christmas and when Santa comes into his room to leave him a special surprise he is going to jump out of his closet and scare him, then he is going to ask him if he wants to eat breakfast with us... He has also been saving all kinds of little treasures to put out with his cookies for Santa, lots of money, a few toys and for some strange reason he really wants Santa to take our Christmas count down blocks...  Silas has had a change of heart and is now asking for a blue race car instead of a crane and just kept telling Santa that he REALLY wants a little blue race care with a big engine that goes really fast!  Noah told Santa that he wants lots of musical instruments and a motorcycle with a giant engine that he can take apart.  He also asked Santa where his sleigh was (at the North pole getting a shiny new paint job for Christmas) and if his reindeer run on tredmills when it is too cold outside (they have a special indoor track to get their exercise)! Just in case you were wondering :)

Wow, how excited is this kid!!  This was his happy
Santa dance in the parking lot on the way in!!

Giving Santa high fives and fist bumps!

Silas telling Santa about his blue race care for the 10th time :)

Hugs for Santa!

And from Noah too!
We were so proud of them, they both told him thank
you and Merry Christmas on their own!

Added bonus - We got a picture where they
are both smiling this year!!!!

Oh Christmas Tree

We made our annual trip out to Loch Lolly Christmas Tree Farm once again to find a fabulous tree!  Our realtor has a client appreciation event out there every year so there are always all kinds of fun activities to go along with the tree hunt!  Ryan was on a mission to get a GIANT tree this year and we may have bitten off a little more than we could chew.  A favorite memory from the day was when we were driving (probably about 35 mph) down hwy 26 with the tree flapping all over while slowly sliding off the side of the car and Ryan says "maybe I should have put in a little more effort and tied it on a better"  oops!  Luckily we made it home without it completely falling off the top of the car but then it came crashing off in our driveway smashing one whole side, oh well... I love it now that it is in the house but it was a monster to get in here and required some serious trimming to make it fit in its giant spot without taking over half of our living room.   It was a borderline Clark Griswold moment!
p.s. Don't worry grandparents, the tree is securely tethered to the wall for child safety :)

Look mom, it is just my size!

On the hunt!

Giving the trees hugs!

Found it!!!!!

More hugs!!

Going on a bear hunt in the deep dark forest :)

Whoa this is heavy...

"Don't worry Daddy, I'll help you carry it!!"

Watching Frosty with Frosty while we got
the tree ready to decorate!

Getting out the ornaments!  It is amazing how much Noah
remembers from last year.  He knows which ornaments
are his and which are Silas's and which ones are his
favorites, he was so seriously excited to decorate!!

Noah is decorating like crazy while Silas is
still watching either Charlie Brown or Frosty...

Just have to post a picture of the beautiful wreath
 I got for the front door.  I usually get one at
Costco but splurged this year and got
one at the tree farm and am totally in love with it, I even thought about hanging it inside except - 

 - this is the paper wreath I made for the inside of our door and I
feel like I have to hang this there because it was so much work :)
and I love it too!

Cookie Party

My friend Marissa and I always get our kids together around every holiday for some kind of cookie/craft party.  This year with all the school craziness and travel plans we changed it up a little and had an evening affair complete with pizza, cookies, candy and maybe a few beers for us grown-ups :) We even invited the dads!

Seriously concentrating on that frosting!  He has some interesting
techniques like putting sprinkles on before frosting and frosting
both sides of the cookies.
Both = big messes on the table but lots of fun and beautiful cookies!

The crazy boys!!  They have so much fun together, it is
pretty cool to think that they have known each
other since they were about 3 months old!

Noah's finished cookies!

The kids and their cookies!  Silas sat and ate frosting off his
knife while shoving sprinkles and M & M's in his mouth
as fast as he could...  Needless to say it was a late & crazy night!
entire time

2011 Gingerbread House

Love these pre-assembled Costco gingerbread houses, all we
have to do is frost and add the candy (both of which come in the kit :)

Serious concentration!

Making his "guys" to live in the house!

All done - 

 and just a little hopped up on all the frosting & candy he ate...

Letters to Santa

The bath tupperware...

For whatever reason the boys love sitting in any kind of small confined space together - cardboard boxes, laundry baskets and tupperware containers to name a few!  I love that they can sit for hours using their imaginations in their space ships, trains, beds, race cars etc. whatever the container turns into that moment!  Here they are in my brother's tiny Matchbox tupperware container that was their "bathtub" for the evening :)

It amazes me that they can sit in such a confined space together,
happy as can be without fighting, love it!!!

Chatting it up!

Giving Thanks

Like most years we were lucky enough to have two Thanksgiving feasts, the kicker this year was that I made one of those feasts myself (yikes)!!!  I have made Thanksgiving dinner one other time but on a much smaller scale, this year I went for it and went all out!  I even got out my great grandmothers china and everything (only broke one bowl too :)  Luckily Mayme loves to clean and was a huge help with the cleanup (my least favorite part) and since I am pretty sure I used every dish in my kitchen it was much appreciated (thanks Mayme)!  Everything turned out great and I was pretty proud of myself until I tasted the smorgasbord of yumminess my Mom prepared later in the weekend.  Let's just say I have a lot to learn!  First thing on my list is her bourbon gravy - seriously the most amazing gravy I have ever tasted, could have eaten it like soup :)  

Anyway, here are the pictures from our fun Thanksgiving weekend!  

My homemade place cards for the table!

I was so excited, I had the table set like 4 days
ahead of time (actually saved a lot of work the day of)

Kiddie table :)

Cheers!!
It is just juice, and yes, my kids are eating chicken nuggets and
french fries on Thanksgiving, not proud but not worth the fight either.

For whatever reason, Noah woke up Friday morning and
was on a mission to make cupcakes.  In all the
Thanksgiving craziness, Nonnie took time to help Noah
make his cupcakes!  Thanks Nonnie!

So excited for his cupcakes!

Taking a break with daddy!  He kept climbing up on the couch
to snuggle with Ryan all weekend, so sweet!

Noah's cupcake, he wanted frosting, candy, sprinkles and chocolate...

Nothing like a little sugar before bed!

What the heck, thrown on a few more M & M's :)

Go Ducks!!!!

The weekend would not be complete without at least one self portrait!

Looks like trouble...

Oh, it is just the candy guy!  Noah still has
his Halloween candy and takes a little bit
everywhere to share with everyone!  Seriously
how sweet is this little guy!
(Silas might have a different view :)

Thanks for the smooches Aunt Erika!

After taking family pictures Silas wanted to stand
on the stairs by himself to have more pictures
taken of just him... 

Grandma & Grandpa settling in to watch Christmas Vacation!
It's our family tradition to watch that movie every year on Thanksgiving!

TROUBLE!!!