2011

Well, 2o11...what can I say about you. I have been re-reading this year's blog posts, trying to come up with some epic wrap up post and I just keep blanking. The only thing I can think to write about is how things don't seem to change that much on a day to day basis, but when you look back to where you were a year ago, you realize how much has changed. Charlotte wasn't even potty trained or rid of her pacifier this time last year! Now she seems like she's 3 going on 15. Nate was still in a crib with an unscarred chin. Now he talks a mile a minute and sleeps in a big boy bed!

I became an Aunt this year and Charlotte and Nathan got their first cousin! Charlotte started school...and is totally loving it! Nate has grown by leaps and bounds.

Overall, 2011...you were.....Meh. I might be in a funk because a lot of things happened in the last few weeks of 2011 that put me in a down mood. I know what most people would say, well...it's a new year, a fresh start. I just don't feel that way yet. I have a bad feeling about you, 2012. No, nothing about the Mayan "world ending" nonsense. I just feel that this year is going to be a game changer and it makes me nervous and unsure. The one thing I am sure of is that we have UNBELIEVABLE family, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, etc. We have a great support system and I know that we can get through anything that comes our way.

Last year at this time, I talked about a couple of personal goals I had...that I wanted to keep learning and getting better at photography. I definitely got better...I still have miles and miles to go, but I really enjoy it! Also, I hoped that we would get to go to Massachusetts so that Nana could see the kids. So glad we got to do that!

We had a wonderful time this holiday season, but I am grateful that it has come to an end. I am looking forward to getting back into a routine. Charlotte is excited to get back to school and see her friends.

So, here's to you, 2012..I hope I'm wrong about you! Let's do this!

Mommy Daughter Manicures!

Daddy is on vacation this week..so we took advantage of him being home today and went out during Nate's naptime to get a couple of awesome manicures. Charlotte was very excited to get her nails done with "real" nail polish...all she has ever used is washable tinkerbell polish. She was SO good at the salon...the people there were absolutely fawning over her....they adored her. Charlotte was SUPER chatty with her lady...telling her what she had for lunch and what Santa brought her. It was so much fun!

Picking out her color

Sparkly purple...what else would she choose??

Loving her manicure...she looks about 16 here!

The finished product

I got a purple-y color too so we would match...sans sparkles

Christmas Catch Up!

Well, Norman has returned to the North Pole for his "off season" and has gracefully returned my blog to me. I did enjoy having a month off and not blogging :) So...it's been a long Christmas season of parties, entertaining, traveling...and we are just DONE. It was great, but we are glad to be returning to normalcy...whatever that is!

One of Norman's final nights...playing "syrup pong" with Woody and Buzz. Beer Pong would have been inappropriate for kids...and syrup pong seemed a more likely game for elves to be playing!

Norman is winning!! His syrup tolerance is really high!

Oh Norman, always causing trouble!

Norman's last day with us...Christmas Eve morning. He left the kids Christmas jammies to wear that night..he also left them a note

Norman gave them permission to give him a big hug and kiss goodbye (Charlotte loves to give Monster Hugs and Monster Kisses) but they didn't want to hug him...they were too afraid!

Finding their jammies

Bye Norman, See you next year!!

Christmas Eve night...Andy teaching Char to shoot a nerf gun

In a shootout with Daddy..he was cooking all day and finally got into some comfortable clothes!

Building a tinker toy swingset with Kathy

Christmas Morning...Nate was wearing his Christmas jammies when he went to bed on Christmas Eve night...but, he woke up at 2:00 am and threw up on them. It made for a long night.

Char bringing Nate one of his gifts

Char and Nate opening some presents

A new DVD and a puzzle!

There was ONE last present hidden behind the tree...what could it be???

Oh BOY!!

It's Charlotte's American Girl Doll!!! It's literally all she wanted. She has brown hair and blue eyes, just like Charlotte. She named her Samantha. Aunt Colleen has an American Girl doll named Samantha, so Char named hers that as well. I love how she names all of her dolls after dolls that her aunts have.

Nate loved his little Rudolph doll! All he wanted from Santa was a teddy bear, which he got...but never even moved from the mantle where Santa left it :)

At Grandma and Grandpa's house later in the day...do you think she was excited to get these American Girl doll twins??? Guess what she named them??? Charlotte and Charlotte!!!! LOL!

Elf Antics

My Monday morning spot...it's getting down to the wire in the North Pole..we are working hard to get toys made for all the girls and boys!

Last Thursday, I was in Elf heaven sitting in a bucket of Hershey's kisses. Char and Nate's mom was getting her hair done that morning (she's so lucky to have a fab hair stylist who makes house calls for his fav clients) So, the kids basically went haywire eating kisses while she was trapped in highlighting foils!! Their faces looked just like mine!!

Who made this mess??? Certainly not me!!!

Hanging out by the Christmas tree!

No, No...I have not taken up a new profession!!!! On Saturday, the kids found me on the little "Festivus Pole" to let everyone know that tonight is their parent's annual Festivus party! The kids stayed at Grandma Judy's house that night....and I flew there in the morning to surprise them! They were so shocked that I knew they were there!!

Charlotte at school last Friday...and guess who came to visit her???? The big guy himself! She didnt' want to sit in his lap, so her teacher, Mrs. Evans, and to tell Santa that she wanted an American Girl Doll. She finally decided it would be okay to sit next to him...but none of this "lap nonsense."

Having Mrs. Evans relay the message

Working with her friend Bill. Bill asks for Charlotte every day....hmm....Charlotte's Dad might want to keep an eye on her already!

Back on the Mend

Well...I was NOT feeling well the last few days and I figured a nice hot bath was just the ticket to feeling like my old elf-self. So, I drew a nice bath and hung out all day in the kid's bathroom.

Perched on a shelf in the kids shower...

I lef the kids some new bath towels and bath bubbles to enjoy

Norman the elf isn't feeling well tonight, so I am back writing the blog for the evening. (ie, I have lots to catch up on and don't feel like trying to make it third person...lol)

On Monday morning, the kids woke up to Norman in the kitchen. He had baked them blueberry muffins for breakfast and made a huge mess!!

They were very yummy!!

He even made snow angels in the sugar!

I snapped this pic of Char the other night...she's such a beauty!

Char and I trying to make a gingerbread house

What it was supposed to look like....

What ours looked like...

She was proud anyway!

Decorating a gingerbread man

Here's Norman this morning..riding a tricycle

Riding it through an ornament obstacle course... It reminds me of the movie Mr. Mom and the obstacle course on tricycles they had to do at the boss's party.

When Charlotte got home from school on Monday...I found this in her bag. A little boy in her class made her a wreath...for no reason. SO super cute! Anyway, I had to e-mail his mom on an unrelated matter (she's the room mom) and I mentioned the wreath and how sweet it was. She replied that she was laughing while reading my e-mail...it seems that the last two times she had to volunteer in the classroom, he asked her to sit ACROSS from her at the snack table so he could sit NEXT to Charlotte. She said he must have a huge crush on her.... LOL!!!! (FYI...Charlotte could do much worse...he's adorable with sparkling blue eyes!!)

Charlotte was working hard on a gift for us at school...she even wrote Mom and Dad on the gift bag

And...decorated the front

It's an ornament!!

I'm starting a new tradition this year with the kids. I took them both to Hallmark and let them pick out an ornament. Then, I bought two of each. Then, when we got home, we put one on the tree and I labeled the other box with their name and year and I will pack them away for when they are older. This way, when they are old and moved out, they will have a "starter set of ornaments" AND they can relive how their tastes changed while they grew up. This year, Charlotte chose a Rudolph ornament and Nathan chose a sports ornament. I should have done this earlier...some of the good ones were already gone. There was a Toy Story ornament that I am sure Nate would have loved :)

Checking out the ornaments

FYI...taking Nathan to a Hallmark store...alone...not so much fun!