Sunday afternoon fun

Cheap Ikea train sets + two new battery-operated engines + Duplos + Alex's new Imaginext knight and lion set=endless entertainment. And, of course, a few heated disagreements. ;)

Christmas: Photo overload

We enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at church and then had a pretty low-key Christmas Day at home, just the four of us. That evening we went to another family's house for dessert, which was also a lot of fun. Our Christmas morning traditions: When the boys wake up, they go looking for the baby Jesus figurine to put in the nativity scene. Then we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 and pray, then open stockings, then eat breakfast, and then open the "tree presents." We open the tree presents one at a time, taking turns.

The boys enjoyed baking cookies with me on Christmas Eve. It was the first time in years I had actually made cut-out cookies, so of course it was the boys' first time ever to make them. And they LOVED it. Will kept exclaiming things like, "This is so fun! Making cookies is so cool! This is such a fun thing to do!" I guess we'll have to do it again. :)

And Christmas morning, putting baby Jesus in the nativity scene and then enjoying and showing off some of their presents:

Christmas was extended since the package from my older sister and her family was delayed in the mail. The boys had a lot of fun with gifts from their cousins.

Fish

Will and Alex had their first real swim classes this week.

On the way home from swim class one day, I was discussing with the boys why we shouldn't be drinking the pool water. :p
Alex: But I have to drink water! So the fish in my tummy will have something to swim in!
Me: You have fish in your tummy?
Alex: Yeah! Because I eat goldfish, and tilapia, and fish sticks! And those fish need water to swim in!

Nuts

conversation over lunch

Alex: "I'm allergic to walnuts, cashews, spectachios, and coupons."
Me: "Um, it's pecans, not coupons."
Alex: "No, I'm allergic to coupons."
I'm not entirely sure we're actually related ...

Treats

(trying to wean Alex off expecting a reward for a certain desired behavior ;))
Alex: I want a treat please. What treat can I have?
Me: You can have a raisin or a Craisin.
Alex: But I want a BIG treat.
Me: OK, you can have 3 raisins or 3 Craisins.
Alex: But raisins and Craisins aren't treats; they're fruit!
Me: Fruit is a treat. A healthy treat!
Alex: But I don't want a healthy treat; I want a treat that will make me WEAK!

Going to work

Alex put a toy microphone, a book and a wooden whistle in a bag, slung it over his shoulder, and called out, "Bye! I'm going to work now!"
"Really? Where do you work?" I asked him.
"Hmm ..." he was lost in thought for a moment, then brightened and announced, "I work at the purple church!"

Purple pants

While I was browsing in the women's clothing section at Target with Alex in tow, he spotted a pair of purple pants on the rack and said, "You're not going to buy those purple pants, Mommy. I'm not going to let you."

If you deny a child some water ...

Quote of the day:
Will: "You can't leave Alex's water bottle in the car! Because if he doesn't have water, he will get SICK and then he will DIE and then he will get FIRED!"

And another recent Will quote:

overheard

Will: Savannah bit my finger at preschool.

Alex: Did it hurt?

Will: Yeah, it really hurt.

Alex: Why did you put your finger in her mouth?

Will: Well ... because ... it was fun. Except then, it wasn't fun, because she bit me.

  
Some lessons have to be learned the hard way.

The Christmas Spirit

We got our tree on Friday and the boys had so much fun helping decorate! I love their excitement about all things Christmas this year, and am amazed by how much they remember from last year!

Will remembered a light-up Buzz Lightyear ornament he received for Christmas "lasteryear" and has been pretty obsessed with it. Unfortunately, he hit his brother with it a couple days ago so Will went in time out. He then hit Alex with it again a little later so Tom stepped in and told Will he was going to have to take the ornament away from him for a few days.

Will was crying ... and after listening to him for a moment, Alex asked, "Daddy, can you give Will his Buzz Lightyear ornament back?"

"Why do you want me to give it back?" Tom asked.

"Well," Alex said, "because I want him to be happy. And because it's Christmas!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

The boys have colds, so we had a low-key Thanksgiving at home just the four of us. Highlights of our relaxed day included a walk near our house in the early afternoon and, of course, an amazing dinner cooked mostly by my talented husband. The boys were pretty cranky for much of the day (see photo evidence below) but we still had fun. :)