Gingerbread Houses

This year we waited until the last moment to do our gingerbread houses. I knew the candy was going to be too much for one particular little one to avoid. He now drags chairs and step stools around to get whatever he wants, so keeping him away was going to be hard. Waiting seemed like the right idea! So, Christmas Eve morning we got down to work.


KeKe and the girls (plus her niece Marisa) came and joined our tradition! I worked at including KeKe in holiday stuff this year, and think she enjoyed some of our traditions and maybe it made her first Christmas as a single mom a little bit easier.





This year everyone got along, and we made two really nice candy houses.


I particularly liked this snowman! Yumm. They looked so good, and tasted just as well!


The Blaisdell girls made a Christmas massacre, I missed getting a photo of it. Oh well. We can do it again next year!

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Cookies

Of course I didn't get any pictures of the actual decorating... But here are this years Christmas cookies from our cookie party!


Our original weekend was a snow storm, so a few of our friends and family were able to rally on this last weekend before Christmas to get some cookies decorated! I just love this, and always find that the kids all wander off and the adults finish the job.


Quite a few of these lovelies are already gone, hopefully one or two makes it got Santa! Just a few days left now...

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Chance

While visiting Andrea a few weeks back Savanna saw this cat available for adoption at a local pet store. Something about him caught her attention. A self professed animal avoider, it was interesting that she took such an interest in him. When she contacted us to ask if she could get him my immediate reaction was "no!" We don't need another cat, another body to be responsible for.... "No!"











Well, we all know how that goes! She persisted, and I reconsidered. She is a great kid, she hasn't really ever asked for her own pet (billy and liv have both had their own critters) and she was insistent that "this" cat meant something to her. I honestly feel like sometimes we do connect with certain animals, and in this case I felt like it was something I should honor. According to her, he sounded like a good fit for us, there wasn't any real reason not to... She called mid week and he was still available for adoption... It took just a bit convincing for me to get Bill on board. I had made up my (ok, our!) mind that we should get him for her then we had a weekend snow storm. I decided that if he was still available Monday it was meant to be. One phone call, some adoption paperwork and a few wrong turns finding the place and he was hers.






Bill and I totally surprised her, she thought there might be a "chance" but didn't know we were actually getting him! Welcome To the family Chance!

Now if he and Peanut would just get along....

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The 2013 Tree

After sitting a week with just the lights we finally got her decorated!


As in the past few years, we only have unbreakable balls, and all the important ornaments are up high (except the gingerbread man Wes made at school....Wyatt got him and ate the legs. "It's ok, he's a gingerbread ghost now!") I think it looks festive, and Wyatt is being really good about leaving it alone. I can't wait to see it with a big pile of presents underneath!

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Getting the Christmas Tree

This year we had to cut our tree on a day Olivia couldn't go. The tree farm we love was only open 2 weekends! You have to be quick to get one of their lovely trees. I was sad she wasn't with us, but she said it was alright and we really wanted to get one so off we went!


We picked the top 2/3 rds or so of a nice big one, and billy got to cutting.


We hadn't had much snow, and actually the day was nice and warm (we bundled up anyhow. Grandma Houston was worried about the little ones)


I always love the time spent at the tree farm. We picked quickly this year- actually picking the first one we saw.


Once we got it home we put it into the stand, got the lights on and then waited for Olivia. As it turns out, the tree sat this way for a week waiting for a day when we were all home and could decorate!


I decided having a tree with no ornaments might have been a good thing with 2 little boys in the house!

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Den

Bill and I finally broke down and bought furniture for the den. Well. Not furniture in the plural sense- just one honking large sectional! We ended up having to go with a modular set so we could build as close to what we wanted as we could. We ended up with this. Our first real "adult" furniture purchase. Since it has a lifetime warranty I guess it's a good thing that I love it. I'll be sitting on it forever!


The two end pieces are recliners and the one in the middle is too. We put console pieces flanking that center one so Bill has his throne. I think it fits well with our comfy family den feel- and there is plenty of room for lots of people to hang out and watch tv or a movie. Now that it's here I'm wondering who will be the first one to spill or throw up on it. Hummmm. Time will tell!

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Big Boy Bed

Without doubt, Wyatt is a terrible sleeper. He is up crying multiple times a night- sometimes just fussing and back to sleep, sometimes crying and awake... There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason. At least not that we can find. Any way you slice it he very definitely doesn't sleep thru the night, and needs me to help him fall back to sleep. Sometimes just patting his back, sometimes rocking him. Having him in the room with is us helpful in soothing him- but it's to the point that I'm ready to try some other options in hopes of getting sleep! So, after much to-do we put the bunk beds up in the little boys room.


And now Wyatt has his very own big boy bed! Wes transitioned really well to the top bunk. I was worried but he is very careful up there and has done a great job climbing up and down! Wyatt has spent the past three nights in his bed with varying lengths of time with my company! Hopefully it won't be too long before I spend the better part of the night alone with Bill! I don't know is just having him out of our bed will help, or if there will be some other steps (sleep training?!) but it's a start towards getting my nights back! Now we just need to get Savanna a bed frame so she's not sleeping on the floor!

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Music Man

Olivia opted to act in the school musical this year- after the experience she says she was happiest last year when she just worked the tech end and that is what she will do next year. On opening night I was so excited to see her! I think, despite the stress and given all the time she put into it she was happy with the overall production! Of course everyone is always over critical of their work, but I was very impressed. I think that for a high school production it was fabulousness!



Of course we are biased


Olivia was great up there- I was really proud


I'll be sad next year when she has a "behind the scenes" role. I really enjoyed watching her up on the big stage!


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Savanna 14

Savannas birthday has come and gone, she is now 14! Hard to believe I know- and you might not have guessed based on her choice of Chuck-E-Cheese for her "friend" party... But it's true- 14 she is!


She and Delainy spent a Saturday afternoon playing arcade games and eating pizza at Chuck-E-Cheese with their "boy" friends- well Delainy's boyfriend John and their guy friend Travis. They had fun and were sad when the afternoon ended!


Of course savanna had her "family" party too. Spaghetti and meatballs and cake and icecream! Yumm! I love the look of joy on Wyatt's face when the cake showed up! He tried to blow out her candles. It was really cute.


As part of her gift I tool her shopping- she didn't get much, but KeKe went with us and we went out to dinner too. It was a nice way to end the birthday week!


Another trip around the sun- what a joy to be a part of!

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My Favorite Face

Wyatt makes this funny face. It kills me every time. I think it is supposed to be a pout, but he just looks like a little gorilla baby to me! It's my favorite face





And, Clearly my children need more clothes. Why is Wyatt naked in both of these pictures?!

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1 Dragon, 2 Boys

Wes in the dragon


Wyatt in the dragon

Halloween

We had a fun Halloween this year. We had a number of events to go to, so we got a lot of use out of our costumes! Billy and the Boy Scouts ran the haunted hallway at the school party. Of course I didn't get a picture of his zombie costume that evening, but Wes and Wyatt played the games in the school gym and got their first load of candy! Wes was a bit shy at first, but Wyatt understood the idea pretty quick... Grab as much candy as you can as fast as you can!


Wyatt wore the hand-me-down dragon and Wes was a "green ninja"


We trick-or-treated with Ali and Delainy. Billy was a banana


Savanna was a boy (since we said she couldn't be a "pimp". If you are old enough to think that's funny you shouldn't be out asking for candy. Geeze) Delainy was "candy" and Ali, well I'm not sure what she was! Some sort of Halloween themed girl. Olivia went out with friends in York and had a great time.


Today on the actual Halloween day Wes had a parade at school. The class was adorable. Wes' shoe came off during the marching. It was awful cute.



We also dressed back up and went to grandma and grandpa Houston's this evening since we missed them last night. Wyatt is very fixated on his pumpkin of candy. I'm not sure how long it will last. I'm already tired of his whining for it. It just might have to disappear sooner rather than later!

Waiting For Grandma Beth

Grandma Beth was coming over with some Halloween treats. Despite it being pretty chilly Wes wanted to wait for her outside. He insisted he wasn't cold and made it 10 minutes or so, which is a long time for Wes to do anything. It wasn't very long after he came in that she arrived... I was sorry she didn't get to see him. He sure was cute sitting out there waiting for Grandma Beth





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Getting Dressed

One day I laid out the boys clothes in the living room as I was going out the door. I asked Wes to be helpful and get himself dressed, and said if he did it he could use my iPad. Well, after I left Savanna came into the room and found this:


He indeed had gotten dressed, but entirely in Wyatt's clothing! Silly guy. For the record, at 3.5 he is a 3t bottom and a 4t top, Wyatt is 16 months and in 18month clothing. Wyatt is about 23 lbs and Wes 32. I guess it's good to know that in a pinch they could share!

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Field Hockey

Savanna was on the 8th grade field hockey team this year and again really enjoyed the sport. She was busy- practice three days and games the other two afternoons but her team and coach were great and she had so much fun!


Of course having Delainy there was a huge bonus! I got to hang out with KeKe and the girls got to squeeze a few more hours of time in together!


Overall the season was more successful than last year- they even won some games. Savanna was so excited for their first win... She even teared up a little!


I'm so glad she enjoys sports, I love to see her fit and active, and being part of a team is such a good experience! Now, she says she isn't going to cheer this winter... So I wonder what lies next?!

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Bottle No More

Just like that Wyatt has given up the bottle. Well, it was taken not given... But it went just like that! We have discovered some issues with Wes' teeth and determined not let him have milk as long as Wes did I switched Wy to water. That went well, so over a week ago I just dropped the bottle out. He asked for it a few mornings. "Bop?!" But that was all. I've been rocking him to sleep, and it works just as well. Maybe, just maybe this might help with his sleep patterns?! I sure do hope so- bye bye "bop;" Hello big boy!


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A Weekends Work

This past weekend we started phase one of the next project:
A shed row off the back of the barn- storage space for Bill... And more
real estate inside the barn for me!








Saturday afternoon Savanna Bill and I (and Wes helped too!) got the posts in and the start of the roof.








By the end of the day Sunday it was done- the first 12 x 24 section. We will add on as we save, hopefully having the entire length of the back under cover before the ground is too frozen to dig! I'll be glad to have the "toys" out of my barn aisles, and it will be nice to have another job off the list!

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Fall

Some fall pictures. It really is beautiful:


The leaves are at peak right about now. I can't believe how quickly October arrived and took over! It is fall for sure- the snow isn't in the air yet, but the feeling that it's just around the corner is starting to creep up on me! I'm trying to get in as much outside time now, for it won't be long before we are too cold to get out as much.


We had about a dozen total apples on our little apple trees. Hopefully our orchard will fill out and we can grow as many as we use. Maybe I'll have to pester Bill for a root cellar or some other sort of cold storage!





I went up to Maine maritime with the Girl Scouts (savanna went to vt) and it was especially pretty with the small coastal towns. New England is really a neat place, and I fear we don't take enough time to really explore!


I love this spot along the drive to drop Olivia at camp Meridian. I look forward to the view every year!


The horses are eating the last of the pasture grass. They get a little hay when they are in, but for now there is still plenty to munch. It won't be long though




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