Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! From our family to your's, we hope you had a safe and happy holiday season with your loved ones.

One of my favorite memories growing up was Christmas morning! The lights on the tree twinkled brighter then they had the days before. The ornaments sparkled like Santa's elfs had been up all night polishing each and every one. And the presents! Oh the presents overflowed into the middle of the room. How could they all have fit on Santa's sleigh?? Mom and dad would sit back and watch as we tore threw each and every gift, each one better then the last! Famished, we would head to the kitchen and gobble up Mom's famous egg bake and then back to the living room where we'd all play for hours. It was those mornings when He-Man and My Little Pony became best friends. The green army guys and Hotwheels would line the couches to make way for Barbie in her pink corvette. It was the best!!

This year was no exception. Christmas morning was indeed FANTASTIC. It started out like any other morning for us. Ben woke up at his usual time. We did our usual morning routine and he took his usual morning nap. But while he was alseep the magic of Christmas began to take shape. The egg bake went into the oven along with homemade carmel rolls. The scent was delightful! Presents multiplied and filled the room. Around noon Grandma, Anna and Uncle Matt came over. Ben woke up from his nap, we all had brunch and then it was present time.

Both Daddy and Uncle Matt got a yard of beef from Grandma.

In our house, Santa brought all the presents and good stuff and mom and dad gave the underwear and pajamas. At almost 40 years old, today was no exception for Uncle Matt. Tried and true, Grandma got Matt t-shirts and underwear. We all got a good chuckle out of this!

Anna got all sorts of smelly stuff and lip gloss from Victoria Secret and Ugg style boots that she actually liked!!! Woo hooo!! Way to go Auntie Sarah!! It's a challenge to find stuff for a teenage girl!!

Ben got a phone....that he didn't put down all day

..and lots of other fun stuff (Tons more Thomas, Sid the Science Kid, Chuck race way and so many more that I can't list them all)

Not to mention he got a potty!!!

There's nothing better then playing with a spatula and sitting on the potty?!?!?
I think I'll pass on whatever he's making in there....

He's not quite sure what to think about Chuck the Dump Truck yet

but I am sure he will love it very soon!

Did I mention that he has a fasination for phones??

Christmas and all that jazz...

Christmas shopping is DONE!! YEAAAAAAA!!!

This year's Christmas shopping for Ben was a blast! The toys in this age group (2-4) are so much fun!!

This tent/tunnel was the find of the season!!! $15 at JCPenny!! I can foresee hours of entertainment and a billion cars being whipped through the tunnel!! I can't wait for him to try to shove the dog in there! HA!! Poor Maggie...it's a good thing that she's such a good dog. The last snow storm we had we set up a fort in the kitchen with a sheet and kitchen chairs. He thought that he was the top banana in there. I can only imagine what he'll think of this!!

Our 2010 Christmas pictures

Ben met Santa for the first time

To put it mildly...Ben was not a fan.

Hopefully their next encounter will be better.

One can only hope :)

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

This past weekend we were hit with over 20 inches of snow! We haven't seen a storm like that in a long, long time. We hunckered down at home and stayed in for the whole weekend! It was wonderful! Sure we were a little stir crazy but I loved having nothing else to do but hang out with my boys! We played cars, watched movies, napped and we even got some unpacking done. Chad had to blow the snow 3 times on Saturday and once on Sunday when the snow plows finally came by, but we made it!

Ben got out his cape and became "Super Ben" for a little bit.

Boys and Cars

For the past several weeks Ben has been obsessed with cars and trucks! He lines them up in rows. He drives them across the floor. He crashes them together. He drives them on the window sill. He loves his cars! This past weekend Grandma and Grandpa Matson brought over the cars they have been storing from when the boys were growing up and gave them to Ben. I don't mean a few cars. I mean hundreds!! Well, Ben is in car HEAVEN!! Every evening when he gets home he takes his bin of cars and dumps them ALL out on the floor and plays with them until its time for bed! It's down right an obstacle course to get from the living room to the kitchen WITHOUT breaking an ankle but we manage :)

18 month stats:

• length: 35 inches
• weight: 28 lbs 10 oz

3 weeks until Christmas

We have successfully moved into our new house. The POD has left the driveway. Empty boxes have been broken down and set aside. Rooms have been painted. Furniture arranged and then rearranged. Clothes are hung up in the closets. Pantry has been stocked. Kitchen is organized. However, the garage is full of boxes and other "stuff" that needs to find a home - whether that be in our home or someone else's is yet to be determined. Moved in? Yes. Settled? No.

6 days after the move, we hosted Thanksgiving. Crazy?!? Maybe. Forced me to get the kitchen in order. So overall - great decision. Aside from the missing gravy boats everything went spectacularly.

• 24 lb bird - golden and delicious
• 8-ish lbs mashed potatoes - smooth and creamy - I whipped them with a hand mixer this year - not a lump to be had!
• Green bean casserole - devine! Why do not have this more then once a year??
• Stuffing - moist and scrumptious - I cannot take credit - mom is the best!!
• The in-laws are also the best! Homemade cranberry/orange relish, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin and blackberry pie....yummmmmmm

Sorry there are no pictures. My camera battery charger has joined forces with the gravy boats and have gone dark.

Mission: Must locate camera battery charger and have it ready for Christmas morning!!!

Who can believe that Christmas is in 3 weeks?!? Sure not I!!! We have the trees up (YES! I said TREES - plural). Both have lights on but no ornaments. I have at least located that box but am undecided if the ornamets will actually go up on the trees. Currently Benjamin is obsessed with the lights on the tree and is constantly touching and tugging at them. I am confident that this will be same with the ornaments. We'll shall see.

In addition to the missing gravy boats and battery charger....are our Christmas stockings......why ar they not with the other Christmas stuff?? No idea......

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Gertens this fall with Grandma Becker.

Ben, Grandma and the Great Pumpkin

Loving the maze and chasing after the other kids.

Too busy to take a picture.

The petting zoo was the best part though! Ben loved the goat and HATED the camel.

He'd squeal with excitement when the goat would lick his fingers.