Blizzard 2010 and Murray the Snowman

Same angle as my shot the morning of Christmas - a little whiter on Monday morning... We had to dress up to go outside - took longer to put the clothes on than to play in the snow.

But play we did. This is Ian building an Iglooo...

Then he decided he needed to shovel down the pile by the sidewalk. You can't even see any progress the pile is so big.

Though my wreath does look nice with all the snow.

Then Wednesday we went out and built a snowman. Well - a pile of snow we dressed up and Ian is calling Murray. This is Ian's thumbs up pose.

Thumbs up again from the mountain on the sidewalk.

We made a cake shaped like the Polar Express for Ian's friends that came over today.

Christmas Recap

After a Christmas Eve Nap of four plus hours the IMan was ready to go! We went to 6 PM Mass and he was very good throughout. He likes the music and listening to the "stories" they tell. Of course then we come home and have the first present of Christmas. We gave him the computer he saw us buying a few months ago for "Noah" and was very surprised.

Mommy did a lot of baking for Christmas and was very proud of the homemade apple pie. It weighed a ton. But was very good.

Santa delievered pretty early in this house but we must have missed him though saw the handywork he left behind before Mommy and Daddy went to bed.

The IMan was very excited to receive the Handy Manny set he's been eyeing for months.

He was up before the sun - and it was a very pretty sunrise.
Who doesn't like a little BBQ for breakfast? Chef Ian at work.

The Aftermath.
Peter smelling the meat before cooking.

Daddy getting the traditional German feast on the table. Not bad for a Frenchman.

Jacob and Liana reading their new books.

Choosing numbers for the funny presents

Here Steven, let me light up your reading material with my finger lights...

Mommy's tennis scene out of pizza and cheese, courtsey of Debbi, it was a little stinky.
Daddy and Ian opening the last present of Christmas - a serenade from Peter.

Merry Christmas Eve

So we started celebrating Christmas last night with Friday night Pizza night a bit early. As you can see the IMan is still celebrating Halloween with carrying around the cow costume (who you now need to refer to as Ferdernand) while rocking the Santa shirt. We then watched the Polar Express and he informed us that on Christmas Eve he'll be riding the train to the North Pole. Thanks - we won't wait up...

This morning we made our cookies for Santa. Of course you need to wear your HD apron to make cookies. We started off clean, got messier, then ended up covered in flour. He's happy as a clam now playing Legos and yelling "to infinity and beyond..." while making Buzz fly. We've got one errand to run this morning and then we are set for Christmas!

Gingerbread house building

Last week we made the gingerbread house that Grammy brought down when she came a few weeks ago. Let me start off by explaining that Ian hadn't napped in four days, wanted to wear PJs to try to take a nap, so I let him. Anyway no nap was had and I was looking for an easy way to entertain him. A gingerbread house isn't the way to go. So here it was 3:30 PM, he's in his pjs, we were attempting to use the ineffective "glue" otherwise known as icing to hold the sides up and not succeeding. Ian was eating the candy, Daddy walking in the door and wondering why we weren't ready to go to the mall to see Santa, and the walls were falling down. Ian busts out with "that's not how Bob builds a house" and then breaks down wailing. Anyway - after going upstairs with Steven to calm down, he came back, we stuck a few pieces of candy (which had since slid down because our "glue" (icing) wasn't hard enough yet) and headed out to meet Santa. Poor little guy - Mommy's no Bob I guess!

Thanksgiving 2010

Ian had his Grandma and Granddad come up from Florida for Thanksgiving this year. Luckily it was pretty nice weather - if a bit cooler than they are used to. The I-Man entertained all - breaking out the cow costume for one last spin - I really don't think he'll fit in it in a couple weeks if he really fits in it now. The cranberry compote I made was a hit. I have so much left over it might make a recap for Christmas. Steven did the cooking - and I did the clean up. Ian also watched the Macy's parade for the first time. He also got a hold of the camera to take some pictures - so the uneven, strange artsy angled pictures you can thank him for. Finally - on Friday night Ian welcomed Santa to Bethl CT. He arrived on a fire truck and wow the crowd to meet him was huge. Now the Elf on the Shelf (Elfy around here) is watching over Ian. I'm not sure Ian really believes that he flys back to Santa each night to report on him but we are trying...

Yup - we're behind

Sorry for the lack of posts - we've been busy - well I've been busy with work. Ian is a great little guy. He's been starting to use the potty - but with no regular pattern. Though he's taken himself a few different times. He had a good visit with Grammy and Grampy last weekend but we don't have pictures - we were outside raking and enjoying the new digger with the last of the nice weather. Now we are gearing up for Thanksgiving here at home. Lots of baking ahead of time and planning the menu. Ian's been a busy guy with school and though comes home exhausted doesn't want to take his naps. At least his playing is improving and he can amuse himself for 30 minutes or more with "projects" around the house. He doesn't "play" he says he works.

The big night!