one more birthday celebrated, recap ahead

Happy Holidays! We are out of school and I am planning fun all week.  Today, we are making gingerbread houses (the pre-made, pre-packaged kind) and maybe some cookies.  I am also making them do 2 chores for me today.  Guess who didn't like that?

Before I get to Noah's birthday recap, I have to show you the chocolate pie for Rhett's birthday:

It was delicious.  It makes me wonder why I slave over homemade ones....

The day before Noah's birthday, a big package came in the mail.  It was from Uncle Scott and Aunt Melissa.  While on the phone with Noah's uncle, we let him open it:

Noah was so surprised and so excited.  He named the shark "Jawson", but calls him "Jaws."  But he doesn't eat human meat.  Just so you know.

The next morning, bright and early, Noah opened the rest of his presents.  I love these following pictures:

"Oh, wow.  This book is about sharks!"

"Awesome! Megaladons!"  Thanks Grandmom!

Now, this face. Aww. I wish, just wish, Noah would smile like this all the time:



Or look at at all with this much adoration:

He loved his penguin pillow pet.  Just loves it.

Later, we went to the church of Noah's choice and he chose one he loves and the rest of us, well, don't.  But that is okay.  Then we ate McDonald's for lunch, played all afternoon, went to Barnes and Nobles to spend the gift cards Nana and Pop bought both boys for their birthdays (Gift cards do not last long in our house.  I begged them to hold off on the Target gift cards both of their aunts (Thanks Jana and Krista!) sent them until after Christmas), and then ate Cheddar's take-out while watching Disney's The Christmas Carol.  This is the one with Jim Carrey as the voice of Scrooge.  In Rhett's words, "This is a lot scarier than Mickey's Christmas Carol!"  Ha ha!

Oh and yes, Noah's cookie pops with sparkler candles.  We skyped Nana and Pop (Skype is awesome by the way.  Does anyone else in my family have a webcam?  Cause if so, we need to start Skype-ing!) and they helped us sing Happy Birthday (They did this for Rhett as well). 

Birthdays are over.  Christmas is almost here.  I really didn't stress much about their birthdays this year (hello, bought pie and cookie pops!) and it was actually great.  It shows me that they don't really care about a big production (although they do want a sleepover.  Tips, Krista?).  So yay. 

Have a great day!

we'll be enjoying pie tonight-yum!

Last night, we went to Target and bought a chocolate pie for Rhett and Happy Tracks ice cream. Also, he picked out candles whose flames are the color of the candle itself. Rhett said I sure was trying to make him happy.

Around 2:55 am Rhett came into our room, wide awake. He had turned on most of the hall lights. He said, "I just can't go to sleep!" We said, "Try and turn off the lights!"

Around 6:25 am, we heard him upstairs. He even woke up before the pup. We all trudged out of bed after Rhett turned on our light (aahh! bright light! bright light!) and it was present opening time!

I don't know when the "let's open presents the minute we get out of bed" tradition started around our house. Maybe because their birthdays are so close to Christmas and they associate opening gifts in the morning. I think it is because one year, Rhett wanted to open them, just couldn't wait! and we said okay. Who likes waiting? Anyway, let the festivities begin!

 Happy Birthday to Rhett!!!  Our 10 year old thinks he is the funniest guy ever, save his best friend.  He is the nicest boy on the planet and a people pleaser to the core.  He never wants to hurt anyone's feelings and if you break a rule, watch out. He is also always thinking, always curious.  Rhett wants to be a lizard specialist when he grows up. 

His first gift was something he really wanted, obviously.  Mario vs Donkey Kong DS game.  Awesome!

How about a remote-controlled helicopter?  I'll take that as a yes.

The legos were a hit!  Thanks Aunt Melissa!!

Noah, who begged to open a gift of his own, to which I said, "no way," talked Rhett into opening his cards for him.  Here he is doing his job so well. 

While Noah was opening the card from Nana, Rhett was trying to open the box from Grandmom.  I asked Rhett if he wanted scissors.  Noah replied, "No, I think I almost got the card opened."  haha

I did get the scissors to help Rhett and he opened two of the coolest lizards ever!  He was impressed Grandmom!  About that time, Noah did finally open the card from Nana and Pop and read each and every word.  Even the words on the gift card.  "Rhett, not only can you go to Barnes and Noble, you can also use this on bn.com." 

Then Noah set about opening the card from Grandmom.  He read, "Star, star, star," where there were stars.  He takes his job seriously folks. 

Presents opened, they chowed down on breakfast and played the ds until time to go to school.  They really didn't want to go.  I don't blame them. 

In other news...

My new tile floor is coming along!  He has it almost all laid and then he has to grout.  But doesn't it look so much better than the other?  (For those who saw the other).  I love it.

Just another view.  This picture is more true of the color than the first picture.  Different lighting, I guess.

And, I didn't get up to Noah's room to get a picture today but I did upload some pictures of Boo.  We have some work to do to get her to stop biting and to go into her crate without barking.  But other than that, we are having a ball with her.



tomorrow's post will be much better

Hello.  10 days until Christmas but something more pressing is on me now.  Seriously, I have a dog who refuses to sleep anywhere but on my arm.  Spoiled much?  A little. 

Oh and there is a little thing going on tomorrow.  Rhett turns 10.  Ok, that is a big thing.  10! I'll come back tomorrow to show you a picture of my pre-teen.  He gets to have lunch with his dad tomorrow and we all get to eat out tomorrow night.  He even gets to pick out his own cake tonight at the store!  Not my choice, but we also have an off-limits kitchen because of some tile work.  (Which we love by the way!) It will be the first time in 10 years I haven't made his cake.  Well, maybe the second time. He wasn't too disappointed though.  Actually not at all... hmmm...

Then Sunday, Noah's birthday.  Noah is so excited about his upcoming birthday that he is bound to be bitterly disappointed.  Poor guy.  :)

So tomorrow, I'll have pictures.  Of Rhett, of Noah's room (newly painted), of our tile floor and probably some more of Boo because she is so darn cute.

Stay tuned....and stay warm.  It's cold out there!

this is what we were thinking

This is Boo.  She is only 7 weeks old.  We found her online and picked her up Saturday.  Right now she is asleep in my lap. And all the "What were we thinking about when we said, 'OK! Let's get a puppy!'" goes away.  The 2 sleepless nights Seth and I have spent listening to Boo whine and moan and carry on because she is away from us and all alone in her kennel are worth it.  Because, because...Rhett and Noah adore her.  And she adores them.  She reminds us of Scout and it makes us smile.  Brinkley is even excited.  Oh and a sure sign that Boo is meant for us:  She was born exactly one week after Scout left us.  It is kismet.  Merry Christmas to us. 

on the first day of December

We baked Spritz cookies, a holiday tradition that for many years had not been a tradition.  To explain, my mom used to make these cookies with her kids every year.  It was a pain but those yummy buttery cookies were so worth it.  But we grew up, moved away, got married and had kids and honestly, I never thought about trying to find a Spritz cookie maker myself.  Lo and behold, last year my friend, Cathy, moved away and one of the things she gifted me was her Spritz cookie maker because she "never would make those!"  I secretly rejoiced inside. 

Here is a sampling of cookies the boys and I made:

 Rhett thought of mixing the two colors together.  How come I never thought of that? 

In other news:

Rhett now knows the big truth. He was feeling so guilty because he was starting not to believe, but he wanted to believe but it is so hard, but how can he not believe, will he not get presents now, is he a terrible person and you get why I had to tell him.  The biggest thing that came out of that conversation was this:  "So, who eats the cookies?"  Seriously, he can't believe we would eat a whole plate of cookies.  Lucky us.

 He also lost two teeth today at the dentist and was a good sport and pretended to believe in the Tooth Fairy too.  What a guy.