PJs with Santa

I took our big boy on our first Christmas date of the season tonight.  Sam and Mark played at home, and Jack and I went to PJs with Santa!  I told him he was going to get to talk to Santa and he got excited.  I totally didn’t believe the excitement based on the last two years, but it’s such a sweet event for the kids, so I was excited, too!

We walked around for a bit and were going to do a craft with Callie and Chloe and James, but then Jack spotted Cocky and nearly jumped out of his skin.  I’m totally doubting that he’ll talk to Santa at this point!  We headed to watch Rudolph instead-a safe distance away from the Cocky sighting-and he loved it, popcorn and all!The line to see the big guy was pretty long, and it wasn’t getting any shorter, so we hopped in and I started psyching him up!  The first thing he said he wanted to ask Santa is what’s in his pockets.  The boy loves pockets!  Then he said he was going to ask him for a John Deere car and a new hammer for Sam.  So sweet! As we waited we got to talk with some of our friends!  We chatted with Hudson and his family and the Goddards and got to watch countless others practice being patient! We finally made it to the front of the line, and Jack still seemed so excited!  He watched the family before us take their turn and wanted so badly to talk to Santa-he kept asking me to call his name.  I explained that his turn was next and he could talk with him then.  I really couldn’t believe his excitement this year!  Our turn came, and wouldn’t ‘cha know, our big boy hopped right up there and talked to Santa-and smiled!  He did his nervous-shy-stick-my-tongue-out thing at first and then smiled a big, happy smile!  And sure enough, he asked about his pockets and told him about the car and the hammer.  I was so proud it brought tears to my eyes!  Sitting on Santa’s lap-a little thing.  Watching your little boy grow up right before your very eyes-a big thing.  Thank you God for this wonderful gift of being his momma!When his turn was over, we were talking about how fun that was and what a nice man Santa is.  Jack said, “Mommy, Hosanna is my BEST friend!”  And then we ran into the Duprees-yay!-and Watson was his best friend!  Aren’t they sweet! Such a fun, fun, night

Gingerbread House 2011

This was our best year yet!  Jack did a great job decorating, we had so much fun watching (and helping), and our final product is perfectly Jack!  Of course he helped himself to the sweets just like last year, but I expected nothing less! Funny note:  I got my hair cut today, and Ellen always straightens it for me-it’s such a treat!  Jack saw me for the first time and was talking to me like normal.  He stopped mid sentence, took my hair in his hands and said, “What did you do to your head?  I don’t like it.  I want it to be normal.”  Ha!He kept busy for a while, and I think it wore him out!  Finishing touches-check, smiles-nope.  They were asleep for the night!  Love this year’s gingerbread house-LOVE IT!

on books and his brother

The boy loves books!  He’ll stretch up high for them, and hide them under the bed for safe keeping.He gives them a kiss and then celebrates when he finds them again!  Ha!  Not really, but he sure does love ‘em.Another thing he loves-his big brother!  Even though I hear myself say, “We’re gentle, loving, and kind to our brother!” over and over again, they LOVE to play and I love to watch.  I’m quite positive that these two are either going to be wrestlers or football players when they grow up!

From my phone

Frank and George!

Frank came back yesterday, and he brought an elf buddy with him for Sam-it’s George!  Jack wasn’t too excited to see him again, but Sam was glad to meet these two!  Hopefully they have some great things up their sleeves this Advent Season.  The boys have been assured that they have a direct-dial line to Hosanna (Santa)!

The bean bag chair and the Christmas jammies

They love the bean bag chair and I love them in their matching Christmas jammies, so play time in the morning is extra fun!  You’ll see both again-I promise!  First, this picture cracks me up!  Sam looks like he’s doing a really forced ‘cheese’ face, and Jack-he looks like he’s trying to be really, really tough.  He totally pulled it off. This is how it really went.  Jack was pretending Sam was pushing him off, and Sam was pretty proud! Sam got pushed off, too, though, and didn’t seem to mind.  We get lots of second chances around here to practice being gentle, loving, and kind!!

Finding Our Tree

We went to the Farmer’s Market this afternoon to find our tree.  We looked for a bit, but it didn’t take long-the trees were beautiful this year! Jack and Mark picked it out, Sam and I approved, Jack did a needle check (“Way at the top, daddy!”), and then we called it ours! The boys watched (or played with the golf ball) as it was trimmed and loaded up, and then we headed home to decorate!I love, love our tree, but this one was my first choice.  I’m not sure why Mark said no.  Ha! :) At home, Jack insisted on helping set up the tree-“I gotta do some work.  I gotta twist it.”,and he and his daddy did a great job!  SO excited to decorate this great tree!If you don’t have your tree yet, I really recommend the Farmer’s Market!