Popular Picks for 2008!

The boys make a Christmas list each year and in addition I see things that I think are cool and they might like. After last year when Logan questioned why Santa brought certain things that weren't on the list I decided to try a new angle this year. I would work from "The List" and probably save a lot of stress and even money. Well...it kind of worked. I strayed only slightly and those items were a big hit so it was a win win sitution. Now for some of the things I knew from the beginning that they wouldn't be played with and I was mostly right. Some things they love so all is well. I thougth it would be fun for the boys later in life to see what they liked when they were 5 and 6 years old. There seems to be a recurrent Alien theme going on...

The Hit List:
Martian Matters Alien Maker for Logan
Mega Rig Space Shuttle for Logan
Ben 10 Kevin Levin Car for Logan
Spongebob Movie for Landon
Guess Who game for Landon
Ben 10 Omnitrix for Lawson
Ben 10 Alien Creation Chamber for Lawson
Ben 10 Alien Space Ships for Lawson
Bisquit the dog for Lake
Incredible Hulk Smash Hands for Lake (more on this later...)

The Miss List:
Pokemom Battle Playset for Logan (This had been #1 on his list!!)
Starwars Voice Changer Helmut ($30!!!) for Landon
Batman Tumbling Car for Landon
Speedracer cars for Landon
Hotwheels Trick Trax for Lake
Build your own Dinosaur for Lake

They don't hate the toys on the miss list but they aren't playing with them either! Lawson really didn't have any misses so either he chose wisely or will play with anything. He really loves the Wii. Landon did hate a few other gifts and apparently we have some manners to work on before next year! Apparently he doesn't like Ironman pajamas, Ironman sweatshirts or books about Racoons. He didn't try to hide it either. Luckily everyone loves the off list purchase of the Wii so that is keeping them busy.

Christmas Catch Up!

Here are a few pictures from Christmas Eve...I know...I'm behind. The trip to Iowa began a day earlier than planned and two whole days ahead to grandma and grandpa's house since the weather looked ominous. We had planned on going to Des Moines for an overnight but that got snowed out too. All was well though...we had a great time and just relaxed. It is rare that I actually sit down and I have to admit it was nice! I'll post more pictures of Christmas later! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

A Hallmark moment...

Tonight Steve was addressing some of his Christmas Cards (I don't do his since he sends a zillion cards to people I have never heard of...)and Landon was watching him. As Steve was putting the return address labels on them (they have caricatures of our family on them) Landon looked at them and named each of us...but when he did Steve he pointed out that it was "wrong" because Daddy doesn't have hair anymore...I thought I would die laughing. To give Steve credit..he did get it cut a couple of weeks ago so he didn't "lose" all that Landon was insinuating! Landon must have been on some sort of hair alert today because at church he was rubbing a man's bald head when the guy bent down to speak to him!! Ugh...looks like some etiquette lessons for the boys is on my wish list for Christmas. I just found a photo of Steve right after the haircut...it's REALLY short...check it out! Oh..and excuse the reindeer ears!

The countdown continues...

I think traditions in a family are very important. Kind of like when I was growing we always went driving around looking at Christmas lights at night we always had chili on Christmas Eve, and I always begged to open one present on Christmas Eve and when I finally convinced my dad to let me it was always new pajamas. We have lots of traditions started already with the boys. One of them is our Advent House. It is a big wooden house with 24 little doors to open. Each day it is someone's turn to open one and pass out the treat that the hole contains. Sometimes it's candy, sometimes a coin, and sometimes a note leading to a special surprise. It is fun for the first couple of days but this house IS DRIVING ME NUTS!! We have an order that we go in but they still are pushing and shoving to get to the door to see what it holds for the day. Somedays someone doesn't like the treat that it contains. Sometimes I forget and have to postphone it until later in the day. Why can't I be organized enough to have the whole 24 days filled at the beginning of Decemeber when it begins? Well...I know that answer...because they would cheat and look ahead. Anyway...they do love this house and hopefully someday I will again love it too. I really prefer the chocolate filled one that Jingle brought!

Manic Monday...

I got up this morning after only a few hours of sleep. I was working on a bulletin board design for the PTA. I sort of took on a little too much at school and chair several committees on the PTA. I'm the Box top coordinator and want the bulletin board up before the Winter room parties begin on Friday. Did I mention that I'm the room mom for 1st grade too and had to help plan and execute the winter party? Anyway...I digress...I got up, got everyone ready and at 8:30 this morning I remembered (while changing a hearing aid battery for Lake) that I needed to take Lake and Landon to Romeoville for some hearing tests. The weather was bone chilling cold and the roads were ice but we made it there after dropping off the other two boys at school. I felt a little funny because Landon was in pajamas because his class calendar had today as Polar Express Day but I just explained that when we went to the testing. The kids all wear pj's to school and the teacher reads the Polar Express to them and they get lots of treats and hot cocoa. I rushed him back to school by 1 so he could participate. I asked him how it was and he just smiled and said he would be wearing pj's Tuesday and Wednesday too. I forgot to mention that is is also Spirit Week at school and tomorrow is crazy clothes day and Wednesday is pj day. Hmmm..whatever...Tomorrow Lake and Lawson's calendar says it is Polar Express Day so they will wear pj's. Tonight I had to run to Target and I ran into a mom that I know who has a daughter in K-L. She mentions how excited Morgan is about the Polar Express Day and that she is coming to school tomorrow (she's been out sick) and is thrilled. I bet my face went from white to red in 2 seconds. I said...ummm today was Polar Express day...She said no it is tomorrow. I asked her which class she is in and she confirmed in Landon's' class. UH-OH! Please tell me that I didn't send my child to school today in pj's when it wasn't pj day! I ran home and checked his calendar and sure enough it does say Polar Express Day is today. Lake and Lawson's calendar say tomorrow so I won't know the answer until tomorrow. I thought it was odd that K-L was having the Polar Express Day on a different day that K-B and K-S but thought it was a space issue or something. I will report back tomorrow!! I guess either way Landon gets to wear pajama's this week and if he was the only one he didn't seem to mind!

More Jingle Adventures...

Jingle finally made it back from his mission at the North Pole with the candy cane fiasco. And Jingle has been a busy elf this week! He came back from his long trip and told the boys a story about riding an Ostrich! Then since they are too big to ride one he gave them these really cool pens to write with! They have been using them non-stop! Then the next day he said that since we have so many kids here at our house he needed some help. When the boys came home from school Jingle had rounded up all the Webkins and Beanie babies and had deputized them! Each animal had a badge and everything! The boys are on extra special behaviour with more eyes on them!!