Another Christmas Come and Gone

It's so hard to believe that another Christmas has come and gone already. We spent 5+ days in Cascade for Christmas, which was great! Everyone was able to make it home (including Danny all the way from Boulder), even with the questionable weather so we were really lucky to get to spend Christmas with our entire family. Eli got very good at opening gifts by the end and woke up Saturday morning and said "open presents?" - as if he didn't get enough already!! Colin turned eight months old while we were back which is SO hard to believe. He was a very happy boy all week - he loves all the attention and the holding so he was a perfect angel.

Colin and Great Grandma Jeannette

Eli helping Bobby open his presents - and wearing Bobby's new Bears hat ONLY to make Bobby happy :)

Ryan and his footy pajamas - Fanastic! Only would've been better if he put them on for us!

Eli's new guitar from Santa- he takes it very seriously! He must really like it because he had to sleep with it.

A video of Eli dancing. He put on a couple of different dance party shows throughout the week, but this is the only one I could get uploaded. He is quite the multi-tasker.

We ended our Christmas holiday by coming home to 1 1/2 feet of snow which was extra special :P. However, thanks to our great neighbors and our our snowblower it wasn't so bad. Thanks Bob and Jodi!

new Clothes and new Habits

Travis and I went out to finish up our Christmas shopping Sat. night and got Eli a little jacket (sport jacket type -not a warm coat in any respect) to wear for Christmas and a new winter hat. When I showed them to him he was SO excited he wanted to put them on immediately. At the time he was just wearing a diaper so I put the jacket and hat on him and he went and found his snow boots and put them on. What next...time to go outside?!

We did make him come in after about a minute of course- but it wasn't easy. Apparently he thought he was dressed plenty warm!

This week Eli started taking his plate into the kitchen after he is done eating. He throws his plate and fork in the sink and says "I did it!" - so proud. Well apparently he think that translates into putting everything into the sink because I came into the kitchen after not checking on him for a few minutes to find every single pair of shoes/boots that was sitting on the rug in the kitchen in the kitchen sink. Also included was a target bag, a toothbrush and a couple other things that definitely do NOT belong in the kitchen sink.

Finally, here are a couple of my favorite recent pics of the boys. So sweet! I enjoy them loving to be around each other so much. I wonder how long it will last?!?

Only 5 days til Christmas a 1 day til we head down to Iowa. We can't wait!

Music Class

Me and the boys have been going to music class this fall. This woman, Sarah, comes into my neighbor's aunt's house and sings songs with the kids and reads to them. It's so much fun! The kids LOVE it - it even keeps Eli's attention for just a few minutes until he decides he's hungry :). We had our last class this past Wednesday before we take a break for the holidays so we attempted to get a picture of Sarah with all the kids. Here is what we got (pretty typical!)




Funny Eli story of the week (at least I thought it was funny). On Wednesday morning it was bitterly cold. I was loading the kids up in the car before work/daycare. I was putting Colin in the car first and Elijah was standing next to the car (on his side), snow boots and all, waiting for me to put him in the car. When I was walking around the car I met him coming around the side of the car and when he saw me he looked up with the most stern look on his face and said "Mommy....I AM COLD!". The way I took it was Mommy...hurry the heck up!

Weekend with the GiRLs

Last weekend I was lucky enough to get to meet some of my best (and oldest) friends Kelly, Erin, Laura, and Kayla (we missed you Jenny!) in Chicago for a girls weekend. We shopped on Michigan Ave all day on Friday, had dinner at Rosebud on Rush (delish!) and then went out for a night on the town. After us mothers spent the night out we spent quite a bit of time on Saturday recovering (yes - it was mostly me recovering :P). After a trip to Macy's on State street on Saturday (of which I missed much of sitting -okay sleeping (not one of my finest moments)- in the furniture section) we all headed back home to our families. All in all it was a GREAT little getaway and so wonderful to spend some time with these ladies. Travis did great with the boys all by himself - but I think they were all glad to have me home!



Thank you ladies for a FABULOUS time! Mooah!

Cookie Decorating Time!

Given the fact that Elijah is now over 2 years old and I have yet to complete a scrapbook, or even really print any photos, of him I decided to start a blog so that I can remember some of the many things that our going on in our semi-crazy lives right now. Since I spend the better part of my day (i.e., the most time) in front of the computer I think I am more likely to update this than anything else. We'll see how many posts I get up here as time goes by. Plus, since we live too far from our families and so many close friends, it's another way to keep in touch so everyone can see what's going on in our world. With that, to kick off the holiday season, here is my first post......

We went to my cousin Jeannette's house on Saturday for a Christmas Cookie decorating party. There were LOTS of kids there - all having so much fun. What great memories Jeannette and Matt are creating for all these kids. There was even a visit from the big red man. Eli was only a fan from a distance and gave him a very energetic and lengthy goodbye. It was so fun - Eli was having so much fun that he literally tried to rip my sweater off of me when we were leaving. We only got the tantrum to stop when we told him we were going to Jack's house (seems to work every time!). Lucky for the Tetzlaff's, we don't come over every time we use that "technique" to calm him down.

This decorating is a lot of work and the frosting is delicious!

Eli and Mihai (my cousin Aaron and Madalina's little guy) enjoying the frosting.

Some of the other kids (pure chaos!)

Santa is so scary?!

Colin isn't scared. He really liked Santa! Of course he smiled at him - that's one of Colin's greates traits!

Eli waiving goodbye to Santa - what a relief!

Thanks Matt and Jeannette (and boys) for the party!