little buckeye fans

On Saturday we took the kids to their first Ohio State basketball game. Morgan was so excited to wear her buckeye jersey she got from Santa and a buckeye necklace. Myles just chewed on his necklace until I noticed his mouth was orange so I took it away (aren't buckeyes poisonous - he didn't start yacking so I guess there's nothing to worry about). They were both cheering and clapping and thanks to soda and popcorn they were able to make it through the entire game. I love that they are getting older and able to enjoy more activities.

how did santa know

Have I ever told you - I love Christmas jammies. It's hard to see my pj pants, but they have candy canes on them... love it.

Morgan's 4 month dream finally came true. She got a pink scooby-doo umbrella and a osu jersey. She first asked if Santa would bring her a scooby-doo umbrella (and it must be pink mind you) back in September and it stayed at the top of her list clear up through December. That's not an easy thing to find, believe me I've tried. Thank goodness Santa has access to e-bay.

Ever since Myles was born (I know forever ago) we've put him in an OSU jersey on game days. Morgan decided her buckeye t-shirt isn't cutting it anymore - she needs a jersey. Oh, and santa needs to bring it with her scooby-doo umbrella. Oh that Santa, he really knows what a girl wants.

Later we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa Dehner's for a tasty Christmas feast. I love how the kids get to eat first (you know while the food is still hot) and they feel like this about it... No matter how tasty dinner is, it seems they still end up with a bowl of Cheerios and an apple.


After dinner we exchanged cousin presents. Myles favorite thing about Christmas was ripping the paper off packages. He didn't care whose it was or what was inside... Grandpa and Grandma gave everyone plenty of things to open so it kept him busy for a while. We really were spoiled this Christmas.


Grandpa Joe was visiting and looking good for 92.

Christmas was so much fun. Morgan asked if we could do it again tomorrow.

christmas eve traditions

Christmas Eve was oh so much fun. The cousins ran around and played at Grandma and Grandpa Dehner's house while the adults got to talk to Elder Dehner on the phone and visit with Great Grandpa Dehner. Morgan loves playing with cousin Kelsey, and why wouldn't she, they have the same teeth.

Then it was time for the nativity. This is the tradition that I almost didn't get around to this year... And all because I waited too long to get costumes and parts ready... What a mistake that would have been. I finally made myself take the time to write it out and scrounge around for costumes (two hours before going to Grandma's) and I'm so glad I did. I mean really - it is what it's all about. Now that the kids are getting older, I turned up the heat and added a few speaking parts. Here is Morgan, the sweet little angel, telling Myles, the shepherd, to "Fear Not". Dillon and Kelsey were a fabulous Mary and Joseph team (even though baby Jesus was dropped on his head a few times), and Tyler was the sweetest wise man ever.

Myles stayed in costume much longer this year, but he still couldn't quite make it to the end. Baby steps.

And what would Christmas Eve be without Cookies for Santa. Grandma made some delicious sugar cookies and let the kids go to town decorating them. I'm positive Santa loved them.

We have a few of our own little family traditions and I think this is my favorite... Christmas Eve jammies. On Christmas Eve before getting ready for bed we let the kids open a gift - Christmas jammies. I love new jammies so I got some for me and Mike too (even though Mike hates pajamas - he sleeps in just his underwear all year long no matter how cold it is - and he makes fun of me for layering up in the winter - he says "can't your body regulate" like there is something wrong with me...). I also found some fun slippers so I had to throw those in too. I don't know what it is exactly, but there is something extra cozy about new jammies.

what were they thinking

Have you ever wondered if your kid was very bright??

I have wondered this on many occasions with my sweet little Myles. I wondered this yesterday when I was playing with him and he ran away from me as fast as he could with his eyes fixed on me to make sure I wasn’t getting too close. It didn’t occur to him once to watch where he was running – even just to turn his head for a brief second to make sure there wasn’t anything in his way. This happens all the time with Myles and it ends the same way each time. He runs into something (usually the piano) and then I sit and explain to him that he needs to watch where he is going. He can’t really hear what I am saying because he is crying and rubbing his head where he bonked it.

I wondered this a couple months ago when Myles climbed up on the kitchen counter and jumped to me. A fun game to a 18 month old – well it’s fun when your mom is looking at you and wants you to jump. It’s not so fun when mom is cooking dinner and her back is to you. Yes – that’s right he jumped off the counter and landed smack on his face. I think he was mad at me for not catching him. My bad…

I have also wondered this about Morgan (although not nearly as often as Myles). I wondered if she was very bright this last summer. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and I got her all ready for church in a cute little summer skirt. Then I proceeded to get Myles dressed. I loaded them up, hurried to church, and got them all settled in the bench just as Sacrament meeting was starting. I sat there alone because Mike was up helping the Young Men with the sacrament. The kids were sitting so quiet – I thought wow this must be a turning point for us. Then as our little deacon came over to pass us the sacrament, I looked over at Morgan who was sitting with her knees up and spread wide apart. This normally wouldn’t be a problem, except this particular day she decided to take her panties off. That’s right she was hanging right out there for the world to see. I honestly think my heart stopped for about 3 seconds.
As soon as Mike was done with the sacrament I made him run straight home and get her some panties. Could you imagine if she went to nursery like that. Yikes..

Then once in a while they will do something that makes me think, “a-ha, my child does have a brain”.

Like yesterday when I held my hands out for Myles to jump to me a few stairs below and he hesitated before jumping thinking it all through. He’s starting to get some common sense!!

And on our way out the door today, Morgan spouts off some cute poem she learned in school. I had no idea she could memorize something like that and do it without help. My favorite part is “And what do you suppose…” listen how she says it…

popcorn and traffic

Yesterday Brooke called and told me she was eating white chocolate popcorn. YUM! I was up for a treat so while we were at Wal-Mart looking at the fish, (I can only go to Wal-Mart during the day since Mike hates the place and refuses to ever enter one - I on the other hand like to go there and check out crowd that only Wal-Mart drags in) I decided to detour over to the food department to pick up some white chocolate chips and popcorn. Then while Myles was napping Morgan and I whipped up a batch... I don't know if it's because I was hungry, but I couldn't stop eating the stuff. It was pretty dang yum-o (as Racheal Ray would say)... After eating way too much and not seeing myself stopping anytime soon, we decided to take the bowl to daddy at work. The kids loving going to daddy's office to see dad and Grandpa. Grandpa has a big bucket of golf balls and a few putters around so the kids go crazy putting balls around the office and denting up the walls (and no doubt annoying everyone who is trying to work).
Not being a working woman any more, I never think about traffic... We picked a terrible time of day to visit, so when we left at 4:40 we were in for a long ride home. I was happy to see that the kids didn't mind the slow drive. Morgan thought of a way to entertain brother by dressing up in his hat and dancing around in her seat. Myles was laughing so hard I thought he was going to yak all over the car. Traffic was slow enough that I could snap a picture of them being silly in the back - I'm so glad I don't work and fight traffic everyday. It makes me appreciate Mike even more!

grandmas are the best

That's what Morgan said this morning.
Last week Morgan had her preschool Christmas presentation at school and the exciting part for her was seeing Grandma and Grandpa Dehner in the audience. She was a little nervous the night before thinking about singing in front of all the parents. She told me her tummy was feeling kind of funny, but her excitement was too strong for her nerves to hold her back. I could tell she was a little nervous at the start because she wouldn't stop playing with her skirt. I'm just glad I put her in the skirt with the shorts underneath.

Then on Saturday Grandma Dehner had the grandkids over to decorate gingerbread houses. Morgan was so proud of her work - especially her little snowman in the front. She came up with the idea and stacked three gumdrops all by herself. I think it came out looking more like a penguin than an snowman, but I am so proud.
I think it should be mentioned that Grandpa Dehner braved the snowstorm and went to pick us all up lunch - special requests and all - and from multiple places.

Grandma Beckstead has been a huge hit in our house this week. We received two large boxes of fun things for the 12 days of Christmas. Every night the kids get to open something fun from Grandma and Grandpa Beckstead to countdown to the big day. We've been doing this for almost a week now, and have had lots of fun with it. I have always wanted a nativity, but haven't ever found one I love. On the 2nd day of Christmas we opened this cute little nativity and I was pumped. I love it! It's cute and little and best of all the kids can play with it. I love their little faces! Thanks for putting my nativity dilemma behind me mom (and dad!!)! We love you both.

So I'd have to say I agree with Morgan - Grandma's are the best... and Grandpa's too!

we got elfed

Click here to see us elf style...

I don't know why but it cracks me up.

a week from well...you know where

You know those days where it seems nothing is going right... Well, this last week was full of those days. It was lots of little things. Little things that normally wouldn't bother me except for this week they did. I think I was just worn out. Myles came down with bronchiolitos and our lives came to a halt. After a few days of him struggling to breath, I took him to the doctor where she administered a breathing treatment (which didn't help a dang bit...). The poor little guy couldn't sleep at night, and wanted to sleep all day. I don't think I was ever more than 6 inches away from him for 6 straight days and nights. He had to be in our bed at night and I had to hold him all day even during his naps... except one and I was so happy that I took this picture... Here he is napping alone for the first time in 5 days!!

One morning I woke up and there was something to smile about... SNOW! I was so excited that I jumped out of bed, dressed in something warm, and ran outside to shovel the driveway. It was just the pick me up I needed.
Morgan was inspired by all the holiday programming on tv to build a snowman. Morgan and I got started on the snowman and then daddy came out to join us. He didn't think our snowman was cutting it, so he split off and started his own... Here is the one Morgan and I built...

And here's Mike's. He's not competitive at all... (These pictures were taken two days after we built them, so that's why Mike's is looking a little anorexic - and two days earlier they did have faces - but you get the idea).

the mystery is solved

Morgan came over to me and asked if I would tie the blanket she had around her like a skirt. Then she kept asking me to put on "The Snugly Dog" song... Huh?? I've never heard of that one before. She kept trying to explain the song - "you know mom, the one with the girls flipping their long skirts." Still nothing coming to mind... By this point she's starting to get really frustrated because she knows exactly what she's talking about... After a few minutes of complete puzzlement, it hits me - she doesn't want the snugly dog, she wants Feliz Navidad. I guess we need to work on her Spanish a little...