Cheese, Guys!

I dread pulling out all Christmas decor - although once it's all up, I wish I'd done it sooner.

This year I relinquished the trimming of the tree duties over to Jackson.

He did a good job, wouldn't you say?




Below are some wise men, tangled up with Santa Claus.
He talks to them throughout the day and calls them his "guys."








Here we have two Santas and a snowman face all on the same branch.
He calls the snowmen "munkins" or pumpkins.

I think Jackson should take over tree duty every Christmas!

He even warned the "guys" when I came over to take a picture.



He told them, "Cheese, guys!"

First Time-Out

Jackson had his first time-out last week.

Maybe this means I'm a mean mother, but I think this is adorable.

So football and basketball are on A LOT at our house this time of year - and during most of the year. I deal with it OK and mostly just tune it out.

When I do watch I'm full of questions which I think starts to annoy David after the 8th "What does a quarter back do again?" and the 245th "What just happened?"

Sometimes David will hand me the remote and tell me to "Go for it." If its a game I can tell he is really into I'll won't take the remote and let him enjoy himself. But if he's not too into it, or insists that I take charge I will try to find something we can both enjoy watching - The Walking Dead, Big Bang theory - anyone? Or a family show for all of us.

BUT - very rarely, I will turn it to something that I would normally watch when no one else is home to avoid the ridicule from my boys (America's next top model).

Saturday I was so fed up with sports I gladly took the remote when offered and turned it to a show I had been saving for my precious alone hours. A nerdy PBS Great Performances special celebrating Sondheim! Audra McDonald! Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin!! I truly was looking forward to this show, but I also wanted to torture Jasper and David. I would compare my complete disinterest and lack of understanding of all sports - with their disinterest and complete dislike of Broadway.

David was remarkably silent (and kept his mockery to himself) but Jasper was less discreet.

"WHAT in the CRAP are you making us watch this for?"

"What in the CRAP."

(I have tried for years to get Jasper to stop using the word CRAP - but is a lost cause and I get sick of hearing myself telling him to stop. So since it is better than the alternative (slightly) sometimes I choose not to hear it. Shame on me)

"He sounds like a girl!"

"Look at his HEAD, it is so BIG!"

"HA HA, his face is so UGLY when he sings, ha ha ha!"

"I did not understand a word of that - I have no clue what is going on."

"Who listens to this, oh my crap."

"Is this opera?"

"She is kind of old."

"Can I go to bed early?"

I just smiled. Next week, I'll make him watch my saved ABC Family holiday special "A Boyfriend for Christmas!"

Feeling Grateful

I'm feeling so grateful this Thanksgiving. Our family is truly blessed.

Sometimes I feel that our little family has had more than its fair share of trials, and David's recent 6 month stint of unemployment was probably one of the hardest, but in the end everything seems to work out just fine and I know that is not by chance.

Heavenly Father is definitely looking out for us!

We now have a major plumbing problem and so instead of looking at this new trial, I'm going to count some blessings! I'm thankful for:

• My baby Jackson
• My big boy Jasper
• My sweet understanding husband
• Adoption
• A roof that does not leak
• A wonderful basement
• A heater that works
• Our health
• David's new job
• My job
• Family
• My Savior

Oh, and I'm also thankful for these sweet family pictures! My sister's roommate takes pictures and did ours for free. Not bad!

Click here for her info.

Learning to Share

We've been trying to teach Jackson to be better at sharing.

Sometimes he's good at it, like when he's sharing with his almost 1 year old cousin,

But most the time he fails miserably. This is a typical reaction to having to share (throwinghimself on the floor and screaming). Sigh.

Christmas List

I found this Christmas list of Jasper's placed slyly on the kitchen table today.

If you came upon this list not knowing anything about Jasper or his home life, you would think that he was very deprived(see # 12), a warmonger (see #2 and #11) and had rich parents (see #17).

click to enlarge

Santa may be able to swing #13, #14 (and #24, just for fun)!

Jasper turned 12!

Jasper turned 12! He is lucky enough to have a birthday the day after Halloween, which means he gets lots of parties.

Party with Bennets+ Halloween party with all his friends + Party with the McKinnons = lots of presents and fun!

His best present was the present he gave to himself. He saved up $200 and bought his own Xbox. He earned the money mowing the neighbors lawn and pulling his weeds, as well as working on his Aunt Heather's yard. It was hard earned money.

At both bday parties with the Bennetts and McKinnons, we had a "make yourself into a mummy with toilet paper contest." It was fun and we still have lots of loose toilet paper around the house.

And yes, that is "Watcher in the Woods" on the TV in the background. No, it isn't scary at all.

Happy Birthday Jasper! I can't believe you are 12. We love you!

It was Halloween!

Jackson was a leopard.

Jasper was a banana - temporarily a pregnant banana.

It was a fun and successfully halloween.

A wig is the most costume you are getting out of me!

Jackson Turned Two!

Jackson turned two!


His birthday started out with a football game (Jasper below #76)

At the football game Jackson was spoiled with treats.

Once home, he was spoiled with presents!

And Elmo cupcakes.

Then off to Grandma Bennett's house where he was spoiled with more presents!

Including a viewfinder (he hasn't quite figured it out yet)

And was spoiled with even more cupcakes (worm cupcakes this time)!

Its great to turn two and even more great to be spoiled.

We love you Jackson!

Rock Collector

Last week, we went to this place quite a bit.

All of that hay, plus half not pictured needed to be loaded up into the loft of the barn.

I helped a bit, but it was mostly the men. Thank goodness because each of those bales weigh like 60 lbs!

Jackson and I played around while the men worked.

But after a few hours, even that got boring.

So Jackson found a new hobby.

Rock collector!

Cheese!

Now back to work!

Thanksgiving Point

Last week my good friend Molly and I took our toddlers to Farm Country.

Its a wonderful place where you can touch and feed sheep, cows, horses, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, chickens and more!

Jackson loved to stick his whole hand in the sheep's mouth to feed him some corn.

At no extra expense, Jackson got to ride on this guy!

And also, a wagon ride led by a couple beautiful Clydesdale horses.

Definitely worth the $3.50 entrance fee (and free for Jackson!).