December

This month has not disappointed us in the snow department.  There has been lots and lots of snow!  If you remember from years past(I won't be offended if you don't), I love snow in December.  By mid-January I am completely cursing it and wondering why the heck we live here.  Luckily I'm still in the blissful stage and I love looking out our picture windows in our little kitchen breakfast nook and seeing white everything.  Our boys have also loved the snow.  Especially Patrick.  During the summer, he won't play outside if it's too hot but put him outside in freezing temperatures and he is as content as can be with his little mittens and hat.

On days that the boys aren't outside, we do a lot of art projects.  And when I say "we," I mean "they."                                       
I've seen this view a lot this winter.  He is soo ready for kindergarten next year.  I hope he loves it as much as I think he'll love it.

I actually got around to doing a few neighbor gifts this year and Patrick came as my little helper.  I wish I had a 1/10th of his enthusiasm to run around and talk to everybody.  After the 2nd house, Patrick ran excitedly to my window and yelled, "this is awesome!"

Our conversation in the car as we were driving to another house:
Patrick: "Aww...I just miss Grandma and Karolyn and daddy and Aiden"
Me: "Do you want to go home or do you want to help me deliver the last couple?"
Patrick: "I want to keep helping!  This is fun!" (I keep thinking, how is it fun to run in 1 degree weather from house to house?)
Me: "Bud, you just really love people, huh?  You just really love talking to everybody."
Patrick: "Yeah.  sighs.  I just really do.  Can we invite____ over?"
His desire to be constantly surrounded by people and be involved in every aspect of everyone's life is both endearing and a constant struggle to me.  But mostly I'm just grateful he's different than me.

Of course, we had to go see Santa.  Seriously, greatest Santa I've ever seen.  Real, white, soft beard.  Kind face, happy laugh.  He sang christmas songs to my boys, told part of the Christmas story and had me sit down right next to him to put Aiden at ease.  The boys loved him and were so excited(after their first apprehension)to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

Someone was talking to Aiden about Santa a couple days later and Aiden was like, "yeah, I know him.  I know Santa."

And, of course, I couldn't write about December without including Christmas.  Christmas Eve started at the Blackburn home with some food, lots of hanging out and running around(for the kids) and a nativity.  We left early because Jon had projects to finish, I had family at my mom's house and we wanted to get the kids down at a decent hour but the night ended with new jammies from grandma.

Patrick was not in the mood to give an actual smile but Aiden was more than happy to just sit and smile for me.
And, of course, we had to set out cookies for Santa.  Patrick thought he would also appreciate a picture.  Really, I think he was trying to get on Santa's good side to get more presents.

And then it was off to bed while we finished wrapping and ate some cookies.

Side note: our boys have been waking up around 6:30 every morning(definitely not my favorite thing), but on Christmas morning we had to go wake them up because they decided to sleep in a little.  Happens every time.

Looking at what Santa brought them.  

After presents, we went over to grandma's house for breakfast and more presents and then we went to the Grammy and Grandpa Blackburn's house for more of everything.  The boys were on a high all day.  And I didn't even care that they ate more than their weight in sugar that day.

And then we went back to Grandma's house for some more food, games and Christmas movies.  The boys got new sleeping bags and by that time, they were more than ready to cuddle up in them and watch the Tabernacle Choir Sesame Street Christmas special.

They got Christmas pajamas from Jon and I as well so I had to end the night with one last picture...Patrick was really done with pictures by this point.

Lots of food, lots of crazy, lots of everything so I call this Christmas just about perfect.  Now if I could only get Patrick to stop asking if we can have Christmas everyday so he can get more presents...