SANTA CAME!

Christmas morning Brant woke up a little before 8 AM and we got ready to show him what Santa had delivered that night. He kept telling us that he hadn't heard Santa so he must not have come. I took some video first and then took some pictures at our house. Brant, Daddy and I all got to look in our stockings and open one gift and Brant got to play with his big present from Santa a car and train track table. Brant got the table from Santa along with a ball, some coloring books, a recorder and some candy. We each opened up one present after looking in our stockings and Brant helped both Daddy and I open our gift. We chose to open our big gifts so we wouldn't have to lug them to Mo's (my sister Maureen) later that morning. Jason got a 19 inch flat screen TV for his office and I got a 20 inch monitor to use with my laptop computer which will really come in handy with my scrapbooking and blogging and I am loving it already. Brant opened one of his presents and discovered a Lightning McQueen flashlight and of course wanted it opened and batteries in it right away. We went to Mo's house at 10 AM and had brunch and opened gifts with my parents, Mo, Ryan and baby Riley. Brant had a great time playing with Mo's dog Sarah since Angel isn't really into playing anything and he could throw toys to Sarah and she would bring them back for more. He also had fun playing with Grandma and I got a few pictures of them together which is rare since she doesn't really like having her picture taken. Here are some pictures from Christmas morning at our house and then at Mo's. We are so very blessed to have our family close by and I'm glad that we get to spend it with them, but we do miss our family that is far away and hope that they all had a wonderful holiday as well.


Playing with his new car and train track set with the new cars and trains

Looking at his new coloring and sticker books

Opening presents at our house

At Aunt Mo's house opening presents

Baby Riley showing off how long he is now.

Close up of Riley

Aunt Mo with Brant and Riley

Another couple close ups of Riley

Brant going for a box ride from Grandma

Pouty baby face

Brant and Grandma

Daddy is all tuckered out and taking a nap.

GUY TIME AT MCDONALDS

Well it was a great day to be indoors today with it being cold and drizzly outside. Angela and I met at McDonald's to have lunch with the boys and let them have some playtime. Thatcher watched most of the time and Brant had so much fun he took off his socks in the play tunnels and lost them so he had to go home in just his shoes. I can't believe how fast both of the boys are growing up and Brant missed Thatcher who he usually calls Boogie (it's what his parents call him) and in the car on the way home was asking to see Batcher it was so cute I kept trying to tell him that his name is Thatcher but he insists on calling him Batcher, which I guess it works since he is combining the B from Boogie and Thatcher. This time we actually got them in some pictures together, though Brant didn't cooperate to look at the camera, and in the other pictures Thatcher didn't want to cooperate and give Brant a hug and instead was pushing him away. I look forward to more play dates with the boys in the future as we watch them grow up together. Here are some pictures from this trip.

Future food eating champion perhaps?

A boy and his toys.

The boys together.

Brant and some boy who kept following him around.

Thatcher refusing to hug Brant.

Thatcher is tired and ready to head home for a nap.

GOT SPRINKLES?

Today Brant and I finished making a few Christmas cookies (from scratch). I made the dough yesterday and had it rolled out and ready for today. This morning we cut out the shapes together and then baked them. When we got back from McDonald's with Angela and Thatcher (Boogie) I made icing and Brant decorated them. Of course I helped show him how to spread the icing on and he did pretty well with that, but then came the sprinkles. When I gave him the sprinkles he emptied about 1/4 of a container of red sprinkles onto one cookie (you can see the cookie in one of the pictures below. He then put the reminder of the sprinkles (only about 1/8 of a container or less) on the other cookie. So no needless to say we are out of red sprinkles except for the mixed red and white ones I bought two days ago. He had fun though, and he looked so cute doing it. Of course he kept asking when he could eat the ice (icing) and had to lick his fingers off. When he ate it he took a few big bites with icing sprinkles and all, but then just went for the icing and sprinkles. Here are the pictures from the decorating adventure. I didn't get any pictures of us cutting the shapes out since it is just he and I at home and he was up on a stool I didn't want him to fall and get hurt.

Christmas Program

Brant had a Christmas program for his school at a nearby church on Thursday. His class sang "Mele Kalikimaka" and later all the kids sang a spanish version of Jingle Bell rock. Brant was too far to get good pictures or video and he sat down while they were singing the last song so there really isn't any good video or pictures from the second song. There are one or two pictures of him posted here with his guitar that he had on during the Navidad Rock song. Here are some pictures and the video of the first song. We hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season.

North Pole Express

We went for a ride on the North Pole Express Train last Saturday with Tina, Alan and the girls (Emily and Claire). When we arrived Tina and I looked around a little while with the kids while the guys got us a spot in line. There wasn't much to do there that we thought they would stay interested in for long so we went and got in line with the guys after a quick potty break for all. Once we got through the line they put us in a heated tent before we got on the train, the kids played with each other, colored, ate yogos, and then it was time for some caroling. Brant even got to be one of the kids to help say the "Ho, Ho, Ho" part of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer when they came around with the microphone to several different kids during caroling. All the kids got up on stage to help sing and it was like the paparazzi were there with all the parents and Brant was too hard to see in the midst of all the kids so I didn't manage to get any good shots of that. After caroling we got on the train and walked all the way down to the end of the train and found some seats. The kids had fun riding the train and listening to a story and singing some songs on the train. They had a conductor come by and punch their tickets, and of course one of the big highlights of the night was when Santa came on board the train and came to each train car talking to each kid individually and shaking their hand or saying hello to them. The ride was really neat. I think we'll probably take him on the train during the day sometime so he can look out the window and actually see some sites since it was too dark to see much of anything except the occasional Christmas lights. I think we'll probably do this again next year, but we'll go early to participate in the other things that they have in the town going on that were a little too far way for us to go to and make it into the line to get good seats. Here are a few pictures from our evening adventure.

Brant admiring his ticket.

Close up of Brant while he's enjoying his yogos.

The kiddos with Emily and Brant giving silly smiles.

Coloring with Brant's aquadoodle pad.

Sitting with Daddy during caroling.

Claire and Brant having fun together dancing around.

The kids together on the train.

Our conductor posing for a quick picture.

Brant shaking hands with Santa.

A Visit With Santa

Today I picked up Brant early from school and I brought him for his first official visit with Santa. We didn't go last year because we didn't think it would go over well, and his first Christmas he had Santa at school so we didn't go to the mall. I didn't tell him we were going, but that we were going to see someone and it was a surprise. Angela my cohort in crime at work was also there with her family (she had already told me she was going today earlier in the week), and Brant was excited to see his friend Boogie (Thatcher). Brant did pretty well waiting in line and played around some while waiting his turn to see Santa. Here are some pictures of him in line before seeing Santa and the pictures I got of Santa with Brant and the last picture is the one I bought from the mall because it was too cute to resist. I hope everyone is enjoying this wonderful season of giving.