We had a wonderful Christmas. We hung around the house all day in our pajamas and played with toys. The boys were so well behaved this year. Apparently old enough that the excitement didn't turn them into raging monsters. What a relief from previous Christmases. Thought I'd share a few pictures so that you could see a bit of our day.

Here are pics of everyone's special Christmas pajamas.

Thayne's say, "One tough cookie" (Gingerbread that is):

Braedn has pirate skull pants with Santa hats on:

Here's mine - something simple, Red with polka dots (and cleavage):

Chris's shirt says "Be naughty - save santa the trip" with the Grinch pj pants:

"Santa" brought the boys a train table. Definately Thayne's favorite gift - we couldn't keep him away from it. (Thank you for playing Santa Gramps, Grams and GG)

Here's a full pic of it:

Here's Braedn and Dad getting ready to dig into present opening. Braedn has definately reached the age when the most important part is actually opening gifts. It wasn't until all gifts were open that he actually went back to look at what he had got. It was like, "Cool! Where's the next one?"

He must have Taylor genes - the kid wears a bow every year (just like his Mom used to):

Here's Thayne playing with Braedn's Screaming Banshee (thank you Santa). Braedn also got his Rhino Rampage (thank you grandma and grandpa) so no disappointment on Christmas morning.

Thayne is a major sucker-o-holic. I have literally tons of pictures of him eating suckers. I think I've found his motivation for potty-training.

The boys really enjoyed all of their toys. Here they are wearing the beads that grandma and grandpa got them. We had to make several pictures with the lightbrite as well. The surprise hit was a game called hullabaloo. I'll upload some video of all of us playing it in a day or two. Hysterical.


Chris's presents weren't very thrilling this year, since they were all school oriented. I even hopped on the bandwagon and got him a backpack. Still he was very grateful for the gifts.

I got some wonderful gifts this year. My mom got me a couple of cookbooks and Tina and Jim got me a dutch oven. I think I'll be using both to make us some yummy dinners from now on. I also got some book and a CD that I've wanted. Chris was super nice and got me one of those massage pads for your chair. I like it so much that I practically fall asleep everytime I turn it on! I must admit my favorite gift was this one. I designed it, but Chris got it for me on Etsy.

Here's Thayne's part. The most refers to the period of time this year when he would tell us, "I love you more" in a really gravelly voice. We loved it.

This part speaks for itself:

Braedn's part has to do with a special book he likes. They are the pigeon books from Mo Willems. In one, the pigeon dreams that he goes to a hotdog party. Also Braedn likes the book where the little rabbit says, "I love you to the moon". So he's put them together and tells us that he loves us to the hotdog party.

I'll upload a bit of video either here or on You-Tube so that you can see some of the hysterics.

Hope your holiday was as joyous as ours was.

Love you all,

Kary

I must say that it is very sad that I must get extreemly sick in order to catch up on the fun things in life. I haven't had the chance to update the blog for quite a while. Life has been very full. School is much harder than it has been this semester, and I'm in 16 hours of clinical each week. Since Chris lost his job, I've been working full time as well. Guess that explains how I got so sick, huh? I've got strep throat. So bad that I've been on Norco 10s for a couple of days now. I'm starting to get off of those, but still can't talk or eat well. I think I've lost 10 pounds this week. If it was only this easy at other times! Anyways, I still find time every once in a while to do scrapbook layouts. Thought I would catch you up on some.

Here's my messy kid. Not content enough with with one or the other, he is eating a popsicle AND a sucker. Guess where he ended up - BATHTUB!

I "extracted" a fishing pic from our camping trip for this layout for a competition.

This one won me layout of the week. Isn't that nice??

Braedn and Grandma sliding in the park!!

Boy, if we could just get to Step 3...

Climbing trees - go figure...


It was great that we got so much snow last winter. The boys (all of them) had a ball.

Being very good brothers for once...

Too bad you can't see the outfit from this angle. He's wearing my socks up to thigh high. Silly kid.

For the past couple of years, this is Braedn's question whenever we want to buy him new pants, "Are there no buttons? No zippers?" He is officially growing up, his first pants WITH buttons and zippers (but no tantrums)!

Braedn is such a spongebob fan that when we talked about St. Patrick's Day, he got a little confused. Really cute though.

Last year's pumpkins. Thought I should scrap them before this year's batch come along.

Last christmas

Braedn's birthday. He sure loved the slip and slide.

My boys!

This is taken at the place where we go to pick pumpkins every year.

I won layout-of-the-week with this one as well...

Braedn in swimming lessons - LAST YEAR. YES I AM BEHIND!

A couple of outdoors ones...

My most recent layout. This one was for a challenge.


I'm sure you won't hear from me again until Christmas! I'm a realist! Hope things are good with you and yours!

Love,

Kary

Here's the fun stuff Braedn got to do this summer (Thayne had a pretty good time too, even if he didn't actually participate).

Thayne playing with a basketball while Braedn's at basketball camp


Braedn shooting a basket


The kids doing sprints


"I love basketball"


Thayne hanging in the kiddie pool during Braedn's lesson


Braedn playing in the kiddie pool after lesson


The next 2 videos are Braedn in swim lessons:

(Here's me asking Braedn about this video as we watch it):
Me: What's she doing to you?
B: She's watering us?
Me: Why?
B: Because we're trees
Me: Why aren't you growing like the rest of them?
B: I'm a big tree, I need lots of water


Braedn doing a bob:

Hope you enjoyed that!

-Kary

Hi all - it's been a pretty good summer. So much that I have been a slacker yet again on keeping up on this.

First and foremost, I'd like to introduce the newest babies in our life.

The first one I'll show you is Noah James Stewart. He was born on March 18th to my wonderful friends Mattie and Jamie. Paige is a very happy big sis! I got the pleasure of taking care of him a couple Monday's ago - SO NICE! I'm so glad that I can help them out - it's nice to take care of a baby again. Braedn thinks that he was named after him (the James part), so he's very proud as well.

The next one is a beautiful girl named Ruby. She was born on May 12 to my friend Jess and her husband Scott in Colorado. Naturally, I'm upset because at this rate I won't meet her until AFTER she's walking! But since Jess has been good about dropping pics of her from time to time, I guess I'll live.

Last, but not least, this is Mia. Her mom, Tera, and I are good friends enduring nursing school together. I'll tell you though, if you have to have your first child in the middle of college, being in nursing school and having all the Labor&Delivery info weeks before you give birth is pretty good timing. She didn't behave herself (Mia) for a couple weeks - she decided to be a bit colicky, just so I would finally have someone to emphathize with!

Tera let me send out this announcement to everyone. It was so nice to scrap for a girl for once!

We've spent our summer watching Braedn ride around the neighborhood, going swimming with my nursing friends and their kids, and trying to stay cool. I've been lucky to be able to spend time with Mattie and her kids and most important of all, Chris and I have had a "date night" every 3 weeks. Braedn's currently going to a basketball camp every Monday at the Y, and next week he starts swimming lessons. He really wants to do Karate, but everyone says he's got to wait until he's five.

We found a preschool/daycare for Braedn and Thayne for the fall. The building is shaped like a castle, which is probably why Braedn liked it so much. Of course, it's a lot more expensive than what we've been doing (in-home) but Braedn especially needs the preschool curriculum so that he'll be ready for kindergarten next year.

Here are some pics:

This is especially for my mother. I used to sit on the potty backwards and I guess it runs in the family...

Buckethead??

That's trouble if I've ever seen it (I was soaked RIGHT AFTER this photo)

A little young to be chasing girls? (Nah, he's been kissing Paige for years!)

We spent the 4th of July doing the same thing as last year - at the local park, playing in the water. (Only I had to go to work this year.)

-Kary