Friday, December 31, 2010

Going Out With a Bang

Wow, another year over and a new one is about to begin. I can't believe it. This year just flew by. Now it's time to start a new year and with it the annual wishing it was already spring fever has begun. Seriously, in our house, the clock chimes midnight on New Year's Day and we are counting down until spring. Part of it is we just are not cold weather people. Part of it is we hate wearing so many clothes. And another part is, in order for me to sell the outgrown clothes on ebay, I have to start washing, steaming and photographing the summer clothes mid January. Yikes. Not looking forward to that.

Thankfully mother nature blessed us with a very nice and warm last day of the year. We pretty much spent all day outside in pleasant, if a bit windy, 68 degree weather. Loved it. Here are few pics of our evening, with more to come. I am taking a break and nursing a non alcohol related headache, but in a few minutes we will be having the Woodard Wii Winter Olympics. Nicholas used his Toysrus gift card (thank you Aunt Margie) to buy Mario & Sonic's Vancouver Winter Olympics for our Wii. And the games will begin shortly. After that it is a night of board games, movies and ringing in the new year. The boys think they will make it to midnight and we are going to let them, but my money is on them crashing within 5 minutes of Legends of the Guardian movie. We'll see. For now, here are a few pics from earlier.


Nicholas strapping his helmet on for a bit of Rip Rider Racing.
Greyson decided he had rather race his old scooter, rather than the Rip Rider or his new scooter.

The Rip Rider in case anyone was wondering what the heck I was talking about. It is like a big wheel, only it has caster wheels and spins like crazy. Both boys have one and they give me numerous moments of severe heart palpitations but the boys love them.
Staking out the site for the fireworks display.
My little rednecks, finding their seats (many many yards away) to watch the show.
The show!

These were actually incredible fireworks for shooting off in the back yard, or in our case, the front yard. And to all our neighbors...you're welcome for the redneck display, we were happy to provide it, along with the extremely loud booms that accompanied them. Sorry we only shot of 12 of them, lol.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

White and Semi-Blue Christmas

Despite the great stomach bug of 2010, we had a wonderful Christmas. We deviated away from tradition a bit this year in an effort to keep from spreading our germs. Sad that we missed Christmas Eve at Cranmama's house, we always look forward to that. but it has been rescheduled for this week and now the boys have something else to look forward to. We missed Mimi coming up and spending the night with us on Christmas Eve, she was still willing but I wouldn't wish this on anyone, let alone my little mother. So we talked to her several times on the phone. Santa was kind to us and the boys really enjoyed themselves despite our quarantine.

Oh and we were well enough to go over the boys' great grandmother's house by then, so we still got to experience one of our special traditions and spend time with our family. Here are a few pics from Christmas Day, completely out of order but I have limited time to move them around tonight.
White Christmas! First time in 17 years. This was taken right after the boys woke up, at about 6:30 in the am! I think we ended up with 2-3 inches by the time the day was done.

Just love those dimples and blue eyes, which sometimes, I could swear, are turning green like his Daddy's beautiful eyes.

Quick snapshot after Santa left but before the boys stormed the room. It was a very crowded room and there are plenty of better spots for the tree (and the black recliner, ugh) but I like it here (the tree, not the recliner) where I can see it whenever I am going across the house.

Little Drummer Boy. Santa, in all his infinite wisdom, brought Nicholas a set of drums.

We finally caved and bought the boys handheld video games. Nicholas loves his and Greyson likes his ok, but he had rather have the "Nintendo gps" as he says.

Greyson and his Great Aunt Brenda. She is a great Aunt and he adores her. No that is not Greyson's little recliner, it is a Christmas present for Great Grandmama Eloise's dog.

Nicholas with his very favorite person in the entire world. Look at his cheesy smile. He has the sweetest smile right until you point a camera at him, then he makes these weird faces. That is why many pics of him are true candid snapshots.

Buzz, the silly face, Lightyear. Grey loves superhero and Toy Story costumes. Loves.

Speaking of superhero. I took each boy out shopping for the other, and Nicholas bought Greyson some PaperJamz drums and this Spiderman piggy bank. Pretty cool. My youngest is nuts for superheros.

The boys and two of their cousins. Notice how sad my two look? It is because they do not have any food, Daddy was slow making their plates and Mommy was apparently too busy taking pics to care that they were "starving to def".

This is the Hot Dog Stand that Greyson saw in the Young Explorer's catalog. I am not sure why but he kept asking for this for weeks before Christmas. And that is Nicholas with his play knife. it came with this army guy set that Santa brought him.

And is similar to the knife that Greyson got with his Police Officer set. I have no idea if Policemen really carry knives like this but it works for Greyson. Although I will admit that they have been using it to cut the "food" they sell at their hot dog stand instead of actually stabbing each other. Still, it is never a good idea to arm Greyson.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Lost and found and perspective

Have you seen my Christmas spirit? Cause I have completely lost it right now. Since before Thanksgiving, I have been thinking about what a great Christmas this would be, the boys are just the perfect age plus Nicholas is 6.5 years old (almost) and I know these magical times are limited to a couple of more years. Oh, we'll still celebrate the true meaning of Christmas but once the gig is up on Santa, the commercialism and hoopla will lose some of its sparkle. I shouldn't complain, however I love the commercialism and hoopla!

So this year, I had all these plans and traditions that we follow, and now, thanks to a very very nasty stomach virus, they are completely out the window. This SUX! The boys missed going with their "Cranmama" and cousins to cut down a tree, make special gifts for their parents, and spend the day decorating Cranmama's tree. They were so looking forward to it. Instead the spent the watching movies and sleeping in their rooms, unable to keep much of anything down. We did not get our picture made with Santa this year. I shouldn't have waited until the last minute, but the boys get so excited that if we had gone a couple of weeks ago, they would have driven me crazy with the whole Santa thing. So no Santa picture this year. Today (Christmas Eve) it is our tradition to bake cookies for Santa and decorate them, then spend the afternoon getting ready for the big visitor that night, checking in on Noradsanta.org every so often. Instead we are spending the day in our rooms or on the couch just laying around, drugged on zofran or phenegren. I was so sick last night and this morning that just the thought of smelling baking cookies makes me run for my porcelain friend. I have and attic anc closet full of presents that either need to be wrapped or need to be put together. Not sure how that is going to happen unless the elves show up and take care of it for me.

So I am feeling mighty sorry for myself. Then I clicked on a friend's blog. She had posted a link to another blog, written by a Mom who's young son has relapsed Neuroblastoma. There is no cure for relapsed Neuroblastoma. She made a quick post of thanks for all the prayers, glad she has one more Christmas with her son (that will put things in perspective for you) even if it is spent in the hospital receiving chemo and then she had to cut it short because the nurses were there to give her son some Zofran 30 minutes before his chemo. The same Zofran that my boys are taking for their stomach virus. And I thank God that it is a stomach virus.

Merry Christmas! Much love and wishes for a happy, and healthy, new year!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

New Look for the New Year

So I have had my blog for over a year and have decided to give it a little reconstructive surgery. Which means you will see some changes in layout and colors over the next couple of weeks. This will change almost daily, so if the blog looks different 3 days in a row, don't think you are crazy. I am doing it myself, so I will change it around and if I don't like it, I will change it around some more. If any of you have an opinion on a certain style or color I am using, please let me know. My goal is to have something fresh, something that I am comfortable working with, but also something that is easy and pleasing to read. So once again, opinions are welcome.

If the snow does not cancel school tomorrow, Greyson will have his Christmas program at school and I will post those pictures and a few others once I get them uploaded.

Vanessa

Monday, December 13, 2010

Snow Great!

Snow Days! We love 'em! Ok so it wasn't a lot of snow and it didn't hang around long. Hey this is Tennessee. But it was just enough for us and

our snow angels!

And lots of fun!

"I made a snow man and it was this big"
Smooth snow moves

"I can't get enough of this snow"



Inverted snow angel. I told him this wouldn't work but he didn't believe me until he had a face full of snow.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Turkey for the Turkeys

Had a great Thanksgiving. We spent the better part of the day over at B's grandmother's house. Lots of family and lots of fun. The boys were very excited about this holiday, as they are any holiday. Nicholas kept asking what time was the "feast". And he was happy to correct anyone who mistakenly called it "dinner".

They boys spent the night at their "Cranmama's" house with some of their cousins so Bryant and I had a nice evening at home watching Christmas Vacation. Well, I did, B just humors me by watching it. But I cant start off the holiday season without watching the Griswalds.

Christmas decorating is almost complete. Outside lights-check, tree up-check, house decorated-check. Well, almost, I need to cut some limbs off of my magnolia tree. I love using real magnolia leaves with my mantle garland and on top of the buffets.

The tree looks great, my two little decorators out did themselves. Although I did have to go back a bit later and move some ornaments around. Not because I was worried about how they looked but seriously, I don't think it is entirely safe to have 6 glass ornaments on one small branch.

Finding it really hard to believe that my one of my hibiscus trees is blooming on Thanksgiving but there it is.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

"First Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and after that is..."

The boys are so excited now that the holiday season is upon us. The other day, Greyson said "first there was Halloween, and then we get to have Thanksgiving and after that is Christmas. Yiiiiipppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeee". He was literally jumping up and down. Right until he stopped to ponder it for a bit more, then he asked "do we get presents for Thanksgiving?" I spent a few minutes talking about why we celebrate Thanksgiving, which he has heard several times before. After I finished he asked if we got to eat candy on Thanksgiving, I said "no, we eat turkey and dressing" and he said "awwwwwww, man". Clearly disappointing to a certain 4 year old.

Nicholas only goes to school 2 days this coming week and Greyson just 1 day, so we are looking for things to do to keep little hands and minds occupied. I bought a bunch of crafts from Michaels and Hobby Lobby, so we will do some of those but I really want to spread those out. What do you think? Should I take 2 boys bowling all by myself? I am thinking "no way".

On a very exciting note, this is huge news! I have pretty much finished my Christmas shopping. Yes, a real Christmas miracle. Generally I am rushing around the week before Christmas trying to find one particular thing. I have even bought for my family in Texas already. On this, I usually wait until the last possible minute, miss the shipping deadline and end up having to pay proirity prices to get them there before Christmas day. Very sad. They are actually all ready to go, boxed up and waiting to be mailed. Which I will do next Saturday. The only thing left to buy is one long sleeve Iron Man tee shirt, which I will have to find on ebay since none of the stores have any left. This is for Greyson, who is nuts about Super Heroes. And any last minute items that the boys add to their lists and just "have to" have.


This picture is so typical of their personalities. Nicholas is looking around, so very curious about everything around him. Greyson is behind his back, curious as well but in trying to figure out what to get into and if he can get away with it.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Kidz Zone

Kidz Zone is an after school program at Nick's school. It is something similar to a daycare in that it opens early in the morning before school, I think around 6:00 and it is open after school until 6:00 pm. Anyway a lot of the Kinder kids go there that have older siblings. The Kindergarten class gets out an hour and a half before the other kids, so rather than wait in car line (there are no buses at this school) twice, a lot of parents send their Kinder kids to Kidz Zone until the older kids get out. Makes sense. I will do that next year with Greyson. It is really neat, they get a snack and story, then play in centers until the older kids are released. When the older kids are released they get a snack while the Kindergarteners go to either centers or gym. They also hava a homework club.

So Nick has been bugging me to either go to Kidz Zone or to a daycare after school. I try to explain to him that he is fortunate that he has a Mom that is able to be home with him, but he is not buying it. I remind him that in order for him to go to day care or KZ, I would have to get a job and would not be home as often. He didn't really care, sigh. And apparently this is a hot top in the Kinder circle. I spend a lot, I mean a lot, of time at Nick's school, helping in the library, with PTO things and pretty much anything in general where they need parent volunteer's. So one of the many days I was at Nick's school but unable to have lunch with him, I went to the cafeteria to give him a smooch before he went back to class. He was in line, waiting to leave and as I walked up one of his little buddy's cornered me and said "hey when are you going to get a job so Nick can go to Kidz Zone?" Nice.

Anyway, I finally decided I can trust them enough with my child's care for an hour and a half. So this past Tuesday, he went to KidzZone for the first time. He loved it. Loved. Seriously loved. When I picked him up, he gaved me a huge hug, he was so happy. Oh not to see me, but that he got to go to KZ. He hugged me even tighter and said...

"Can you leave and come back later?"

Nice.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Completely Random

No new pics to upload, well at least none that do not include goofy faces and the backs of heads, sigh. No news other than the boys are growing like weeds and loving fall.

Did want to share a random thought or two of Nick's. I would love to have some insight as to how his little brain works. He is so random. I cant recall most of what he says these days but one thing that just sticks in my mind was after he got out of the shower the other night. He was drying off and came out of the bathroom and said "Mom, I don't think I am going to marry Elle after all". This is a little girl at school that used to sit by him that he had a crush on. I don't think she returned the crush. I said "Ok, Nicholas, that is fine with me but what made you decide that" and by the way I had no idea he was pondering matrimony. And he said "Well, I think that after we get married she wont let me drink wine." My response "Hmmm, you may be right but is that important to you?" and his said "No, but just in case". Well ok.

He comes up with these jewels, and Greyson does some times too but I think he is a bit more practical in this thought process (like "hmmmmm, mommy is busy brushing her hair, I will now go steal a brownie"). If I can think of more, I will post them.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

A Scary Good Time

Some pictures I took before church in the morning.

They really did not want me to take any pictures. They are not opposed to photos, only to sitting or standing still long enough for me to take them. This is the only close up of Greyson I could get.

Nicholas was a bit more cooperative, although this was right before he said "ok, enough already with the pictures".

This is the boys when I said "please, just one more picture". They can run pretty fast.

Ok, I didn't stop. There may be a job for me as part of the Gallatin paparazzi.

Zorro and his little brother Harry Potter. Nice 'stache.

I will cut you with zee blade, en garde.

Quit talking already, Zorro, it's time for some candy.

This just cracks me up. After they were finished trick or treating, they wanted to hand candy out to the other trick or treaters. At first it was fun to sit inside the door and let them knock but in an effort to be more efficient, they decided to sit on the stoop and hand out candy. Also in the name of efficiency, they decided to hold the candy up and yell for people to "come and get it". Never mind that there was not a spook within 200 yards when they started their advertising campaign.

This is where Nicholas got tired of holding up the candy and decided to partake of some. Don't worry, Greyson was not far behind on this.
So the boys had a wonderful time trick or treating. There were a couple of moments of panic before we left when then 'stache pen broke and B had to improvise with the blunt end. Then there was the complete freak out when early birds came to our door while we were still getting dressed and the boys kept whining "we're late for trick or treating". Followed by one of Nick's typical "what if" questions. This one being "what if we are late and they run out of candy".
Grey trick or treated about 45 minutes, then he was ready for me to take him home. Nick managed to make it about 30 more minutes, most of those spent sitting on his Daddy's shoulders (good thing for Daddy that he only weighs 42 lbs), then I head his little pirate lace up boots shuffling up the sidewalk.
On a side note, the difference in their personalities really came out when they were handing out candy. Greyson would quietly hand out one piece of candy at a time, never saying a word until he said "you're welcome", while Nicholas would chat with everyone about random things and give them big handfuls of candy.
All in all a spooktacular evening.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Falling

We are falling in love with fall. I adore this time of year and so do my little guys. We have spent the last couple of weeks enjoying typical falls activities, and lots of 'em.
From hay rides to hay bale jumping, from pumpkin carving to baking pumpkin muffins, from decorating the house to decorating a spooky gingerbread house (that collapsed soon after it was complete thanks to impatient little fellas who absolutely could not wait 10 more minutes for the icing to dry), we have done it all.
And there is more to come. We are looking forward to this weekend and bonfires, hay rides, wienie roasts, fall festivals, Halloween parties, soccer and more soccer, church and trick or treating.




A jammed pack weekend of fun, fun and more fun. I should have lots of pictures to post next week, provided I survive this weekend.

Happy Halloween!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Leaving

That's what we call it when we rake some leaves into a bit pile at the end of our slide and slide into it.
Why must they always remove their shoes?

No he was not decapitated during the slide, he just made sure he "went under" as he kept saying.

Head first! It was so warm outside today, around 80 degrees I think so I am not sure why Greyson felt the need to wear jeans and long sleeves.
Adorable even after a leaf dive!

Yes, I stood out there the whole time and "reraked" the leaves for maximum "leaving". You can see a cowboy hat and a boogie board in the background. Sadly I did not have my camera handy when these were in use. The boogie board I can understand, but I am not real sure why Greyson felt the cowboy hat was necessary. He insisted on wearing it to go "leaving" but it kept falling off on the way down. And I am saying it correctly now, I tried calling it "leafing" but Nicholas said since there is not one leaf but many leaves, we must call it "leaving". Makes sense.
What a blast!