Santa

We started a new tradition this year.  Mr. Fixit and I decided to have Christmas at our house, on Christmas Eve -- just us and the boys.  It was special!  We attended Mass at 4:00 p.m., followed by a candlelit supper (well, for 5 minutes anyway).  "K" demanded that we "turn the lights on, because we can't see!!"  So, I obliged.

Then after the dishes were done, and diapers changed -- I hung out with the boys in "K's" room to sing some songs.  The intention was Christmas songs, but a request was made for the "ABC" song.  Again, I obliged.  Mr. Fixit tidied up the living room a bit, and set out the Santa gifts.  Then he joined us for a few songs.

Soon, Mr. Fixit exclaimed that he thought he heard Santa.  We ran to the living room, and - sure enough - he had visited.  The boys opened their gifts - two each - and had fun playing the rest of the evening.  It was so much fun to watch their expressions!  "K" especially was trying to figure out how those presents got there!

Grandma's Gifts

It is so much fun to celebrate Christmas with Mr. Fixit's family!  We enjoy soup by candlelight, and each child opens his/her gift from Grandma (or Great Grandma) -- in age order, from youngest to oldest.  Wow, it is hard to imagine the fun that Grandma's little house can hold!  There are 23 grandchildren, and I think 18 "greats."


Both "K" and "L" were very excited with their gifts.  It was quite funny though -- because each boy seemed to "trade" gifts and play with each other's present.  "K" received a lock puzzle board and "L" received an xylophone.  "K" played the xylophone, in the dark, most of the trip home ;).



Thank you Grandma!  We had a fun night, and made many wonderful memories!

Cookies with the Prez

Get excited: I had cookies and toured the house of the President . . . of Kansas State University!  It was quite fun!  The President's house is super close to where I work, so it was an easy walk.  We were able to tour the house, and of course, have some holiday treats.  I gathered two cookies and carried them back to work.  The boys enjoyed them later that night!  One of my favorite holiday fun things to do is decorate cookies.  I love seeing other cookies, because every decorator has his/her own creative spin.  Decadent!  Hope you enjoyed a cookie or two this holiday season!

Merry Christmas!

We were blessed with two little art projects this year!  "K" made a handprint and painted it silver.  Mr. Fixit helped "K" hang it on our tree.  "L" made a white handprint, and the teachers turned each finger into a snowman!  We set his board at the base of the tree.  I snapped a photo to show the art decor.  It will be so much fun to see the things they create each year.  I have a plastic tote box for each boy, and am saving "some" of their art.  I think I need to reanalyze what has already been saved, because the boxes are filling fast!  I love art though, so it is hard for me not to save it all.  Well, hope your Christmas is truly blessed!!

Over the River and Through a Snowstorm

Merry Christmas to all, and hopefully, all of you have made it safely to your holiday destinations.  We celebrated Christmas a bit early this year with Mr. Fixit's family.  Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.  We had dinner (58 of us) and then proceeded with gifts.  At this point, I was becoming a little persistent with Mr. Fixit to depart for home.

We knew Mr. Fixit would be called in to work, so it was necessary that we travel home.  At this point (about 7:15 p.m.) about 4 inches of snow had already fallen.  The snow began around 5:00. This storm packed a punch.

We journeyed 60 miles or so home, in 2 hours and 15 minutes.  The roads were terrible, the snow was so heavy we could barely see, and the wipers simply could not keep up.  The windshield now has a nice crack clear across it, and the boys actually were pretty good troopers through it all.  I was thankful to see family, but quite thankful to be safely home that night too!

It's a Doughnut!

I ran upstairs to retrieve a file, and well, was instructed to eat a doughnut.  For those of you who know me, probably are wondering if I really ate this doughnut.  Well, I did.  I am not doughnut person.  I mean this in the most sincerest of ways.  I do not crave or dream about doughnuts; so I really do not miss them.

So, I thought, if I must choose a doughnut -- I am going to choose red velvet.  Why?  Just look at how decadent it is.  So beautiful, and that pretty deep red color?  Yup, this doughnut was calling for me.

It was a cake doughnut - which I think cake doughnuts are way better than the other kinds of doughnuts - cake is awesome!  So, in honor of finals week, I ate a doughnut.  I really would recommend this type of donate again :)

Night Details

I typically leave my office around 4:55 p.m. to head over to collect the boys from child care aka "school."  I have been biking on most days, but the snow and ice has created a bit of a hiccup recently with my bike adventures!  I generally arrive to child care around 5:05.  I park the bike, and drop my backpack at my car.  Then I grab my tote bag for child and stuff collection.

I stop by "L's" room first.  I read about his day and sign him out.  I get his coat on, and then we head to "K's" room.  I read about his day and sign him out.  We gather "Zebra" get  "K's" coat on, and head to the parking lot.  I load "L" first, and then "K."  It is about 5:20 p.m. at this point.

Then we head home.  Generally we arrive home at 5:40 p.m.  Mr. Fixit has supper ready, or we heat some left-overs for out dinner.  We generally eat at 5:45 p.m.  Trust me, the boys are pretty much ready to eat as soon as we hit the door!

Then Mr. Fixit clears the table and takes the scraps outside.  I wash dishes, wipe down the table, counters and booster chairs.  I typically finish around 6:45 p.m.  Then it is time for the after dinner diaper changes on both boys.  Usually, Mr. Fixit and I tag team this activity - one boy per person!

Then, it is about 7:00 p.m. and we spend the remainder of the night playing.  Toy pick up occurs around 8:15 p.m.  A bedtime snack follows at 8:30 p.m.  Jammies and/or bath occurs after snack.  Books and bedtime occur at 9:00 p.m.  Mr. Fixit puts "K" to bed, and I take care of "L."

After both are down, I set the table for supper the next night and get all necessary ingredients and equipment ready for the next night's meal.  I try to keep in simple - a prepped casserole or other item that easily pops into the oven.

Mr. Fixit prepares hot tea for both of us.  I take my shower.  I gather items for the next day of work and childcare, and place them by the door.  Then we have about 45 minutes to just sit.  Yes!  I then head to bed around 10:15 p.m.  Usually, I don't get to stay there all night! :/

Elmo ABC's

My current work position came with an iPad, which has come in quite handy for corresponding with students and working with my institution's enrollment database.  I love the flexibility and versatility offered by my iPad!  Well, someone else in my house has also fallen in love with the iPad.

I loaded several toddler friendly and preschool learning apps on my iPad.  "K" loves playing "Elmo ABC's," "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" and some "Tally Tots" stuff.  "K" requests "Elmo ABC's" each night, and honestly, he can pretty much do it all by himself now.  Rather amazing, and scary -- isn't?

So, after dishes are done, and I can sit with "K" we play "Elmo ABC's."  I have had to start setting a timer, because I was getting a fuss when it was time to put it away.  I set the timer for 35 minutes.  When the timer sounds, "K" knows it is time to finish up his letter and turn the iPad off.  I am super excited to attend an iPad workshop in January to learn more about the educational possibilities related to iPads!

Blocks, Books & Balls

Today's post is brought to you by the letter "B!"  "L" received some Duplo blocks and a Duplo truck for his birthday.  It is one of his favorite toys to play with.  He loves taking the single blocks and stacking them all together.  The truck also works well to "haul" the blocks to various building sites.

Construction generally proceeds well, until an uninvited assistant shows up at the job site.  The assistant is a little demanding and bossy at times about how the construction project should progress.  Naturally, the assistant's thoughts are not well taken by the site's lead director.  Bottom line: "L" would rather not have a construction assistant! ;)

Morning Details

As Mr. Fixit says, the days of sipping coffee and catching a little morning news before departing for work are over!  Life has a bit more activity now  as we try to get two toddlers and ourselves ready for "school" and work.  If you could watch, here is what you might see:

*Mr. Fixit and I get up about 5:45 or 6:00 a.m.  Mr. Fixit makes his coffee and eats his breakfast in, hopefully, a little peace and quiet.
*I make the bed, get dressed and get ready for work.  Next, I lay out the bath supplies for either "K's" or "L's" night bath.  We alternate nights between the boys.  This seems to work best right now!
*Mr. Fixit gets dressed and ready for work.
*I get my lunch supplies ready and load the car with work supplies and childcare supplies and car keys go in the ignition.
*I eat my favorite breakfast - a bowl of cereal, with almonds and raisins - and read some mail.
*At 6:40 a.m. -- if both boys are still peacefully sleeping -- Mr. Fixit wakes "K" and he enjoys a toaster pastry.
*I pull out clothes for the next day and bath/bedtime supplies for that night.  Then I brush my teeth.
*Then it is time to get both boys dressed, shoes on and coats on.  It is time to depart for town at 7:10 a.m.
*I take the boys to "school" and then I bike over to work.
*Mr. Fixit heads to work.

The day is off and away!  I will tell you about the end of the day in a future post.  In the meantime, stay warm and have a wonderful day!

Play House

Unfortunately, we had to bid our washer farewell.  After 14 years, the poor dear leaked oil upon the floor one Saturday, and simply refused to wash one more load.  *Sigh* It was a dramatic end to such a good life!  While the expense was not planned in our budget, we did acquire a play house in the process!  Check it out!

Mr. Fixit and I transformed the washer box into a super fun play house!  I painted each side of the house its own color: red, yellow, green and blue.  The roof was painted brown, as well as the door and windows.  The house is just perfect for two small boys!  Mr. Fixit thinks that the house may not survive the impending roughhousing, but I told him -- it is a box, after all.  So, what are we out, right?

I already had the paint and brushes.  Mr. Fixit already had the utility knife.  We are thinking about adding a draw pull to the door for a door knob.  Won't that be just perfect?  I also thought that I might raid Mom's fabric stash on the next visit.  I think the house could use some curtains. ;)

Cookie Time

One of my absolute favorite things to do -- is this -- decorate cookies!  I LOVE this recipe so much, and thank my fabulous friend BH for helping me fall in love with them.  Yummy!  This is my first holiday themed double batch.  I think I will be making maybe two more before the month is finished.

It usually takes about 3 days from mix, bake and decorate.  Why so many days?  Well, it is complete chaos to do this activity when the toddlers are awake.  So, I have to fit a bit in during nap and bedtimes for those dates.  Although, the frosting making part is one both boys really enjoy -- so I do that when they are awake!

These cookies are headed to cookie carousel, coming up soon at church.  I think they will easily make friends, don't you think?

Dinosaurs

"K" has taken quite a liking to dinosaurs.  A good family friend of ours constructed some dinosaurs cut outs from scrap plywood.  They are pictured here!  He created a large dino and two small ones.  They are all green, and have a forever friend in "K."

You know when a toy has made to the favorite spot, when "K" requests to take the toy to bed!  These guys have been hanging out near "K's" bed ever since.  Plus, "K" has reported that "L" is "too little" to play with them.  So, we are talking a bit more about sharing ;)  Roar!!

Red Handed

It appears that the toy containers have now been transformed into climbing objects -- and no light switch is safe!  "L" delights in turning on and off the lights, multiple times, and honestly -- why is this game fun?  So, Mr. Fixit and I have had to establish some limits, because we do not want the light switches to wear out ;)

As you can see, progress in fine motor skills is definitely occurring.  "L" can now turn knobs -- which makes the washing machine an interesting target -- and has discovered how to open the refrigerator.  Watch out, condiments are then pulled out one by one!

So, if you are wondering how exactly we stay in shape?  The secret is a curious toddler!  He has also learned how to open drawers, and enjoys pulling all of "K's" clothes out.  Then, for good measure, he hauls them around the house!