Breakfast with Santa

Santa and his entourage arrived via helicopter this morning as we dined on warm pancakes and sticky syrup. Evelyn has really developed a fondness for all things Santa and she greatly enjoyed the experience.

Isaac apparently woke up on the wrong side of his bed this morning and has been in a bit of a funk (as fellow Target shoppers witnessed when he loudly exclaimed, "I don't want to go to the bathroom for a spanking!") today. We are hoping it passes quickly.

I am off to wrap presents and then grocery shop while the children nap. The excitement never ends here at casa de phillips.

Here are a few photos of our morning:

Evelyn wearing my glasses

Photo with Santa

Hugging "San-sa"

Our Grumpy Little Boy

Waiting for the Helicopters to Appear

Munching on Pancakes

Visit with Ol Saint Nick

Fa La La La La


La La


La


LA!


Christmas time is my favorite time of year and I am about as giddy today as I was as an elementary kid during this festive season. Apparently we live in a self-proclaimed "Christmas Capital" and I have list after list of holiday activities that I plan for our family to take part in during the next twenty days. Fun times indeed.


Today I dressed the children up, combed down their bedheads, and set off for the mall for some quick holiday portraits and a visit with Santa.


Allow me to be honest and say that my expectations for these experiences were quite low.


I do not know whose children grace the walls of portrait studios around our fair nation, but I would like to extensively quiz their parents as to how they managed to get their kids sitting in a non-awkward pose with a normal, non-exaggerated smile plastered on their angelic little faces. My kids tend to cry when we get their picture taken, although I am not quite sure as to why considering they have a camera in their face on a pretty regular basis. I don't see them having a future of being a Portrait Studio model anytime soon.


Anyway, we had the holiday pictures shot and they are usable. Like I said: low expectations (and I had a great coupon...which made it terribly cheap). We then set off to visit Santa. Knowing that Santa can be a bit scary (and remembering last year's picture where both kids look terrified to be sitting on this man's lap) I decided to take the kids to the upper level of the mall and look down on Santa and his magical wonderland.



This little trick seemed to work because by the time we got in line, both kids were smiling, and no one appeared ready to bolt in the opposite direction of the man in red. What really helped was the friendly staff who helped the kids greet Santa and positioned them on his lap so I could simply stand back and watch.


Here are a few pictures of our visit with Santa:

Big Brother explaining the process to Little Sister

Waiting their turn

This photo was taken right before Isaac realized one of his arms was stuck in the wrought iron fence. Let me just say that I am a tad claustrophobic and I don't handle stuck limbs terribly well. Just last night Isaac's leg was stuck in the railing of his bed and I was on the verge of panic before Tobe released it. Fortunately I was able to free Isaac's arm before making a fool of myself and requesting someone go find a tub of butter.

Isaac immediately hugged Santa when he approached him.

Our two little Elves with the Big Man

(The photo I purchased...let's not even discuss the price..was much better because they are both genuinely smiling at the camera)
I had to have a little discussion with Santa as well

Our little visit with Santa was really a great experience. We don't play the Santa thing up terribly much (no tales of Santa watching them while they sleep....it is just a bit creepy) but we do enjoy him here at casa de phillips. Later as we were eating lunch, I asked Isaac if he spoke to Santa. He told me that he did and had listed the things he wants (Play Doh ice cream shop, a computer, and a jump rope....random, but he has been consistent with this list for over a week now). I asked what Santa said in reply.

Isaac then lowered his voice, furrowed his brow, and said in a grumbly tone, "Well, Isaac, you will get it."

I about fell out of my chair over his impersonation. That boy is too cute some days.

***

Because it is Christmas and because I am a bit of a dork, my children have a few pairs of coordinating PJ's. Here are the two little monkeys playing around this morning after breakfast. Again allow me to be honest by saying that lots of our "hugs" often take a dangerous turn about three seconds in.

***

As I mentioned earlier this week, Evelyn and I were able to enjoy lunch with Tobe on Wednesday while Isaac was at school. I am a big ol sucker for the shots of Tobe and the children walking together.

It is no secret that this little girl has her daddy wrapped right around her little finger.

Oh..notice the mouth. It is open ALL THE TIME. Her latest phrases are: "Wha Dat, Mommy?", "Here-da-go, Mommy.", and "Go Job, Mommy (meaning "Good Job, Mommy"...yeah both my kids say this to me randomly. Guess it is one of my catch phrases.)."

****
Christmas time....it is pure greatness.

On the agenda for tomorrow: Pancakes at the firehouse and watching Santa and his crew arrive via helicopter.

It's a Small, Small (Blog) World

The Blog World...it's a funny little thing.

Today after Evelyn and I finished having a nice little lunch with Tobe (his current job is quite a bit closer which allows us such luxuries. I told him today it was as almost as if we lived in a small town and not the 'burbs of a major city. Almost.) we did a bit of browsing in a little boutique and then picked up a cookie at a local bakery for Isaac as we were waiting on preschool to dismiss for the day. In the bakery I spied a woman that looked familiar and smiled at her. My brain was racing as I was attempting to place her face...MOPS? Nope. Local Play Area Participant? Nope. Church? No.

It was then that I realized I knew her from her blog.

Which I read anonymously.....because I don't actually know her.

Fortunately all this came to me before I actually spoke to her, thus having to gab on and on about how I read her blog occasionally and about how we likely know someone who knows someone who went to kindergarten with my third cousin, blah, blah, blah.

Oh the extent of my social awkwardness is just too much at times.

I narrowly escaped this terribly strained situation and managed to pull E. along before she began to harass this lady's babies.

Oh, Blog World, you are a tricky friend.

(By the way, my third cousin happens to be an actual ballerina. Seriously that is her job. I don't know anyone who actually attended school with her and likely haven't seen her my own self since kindergarten)

Trimming the Tree

So last night we decorated the ol Christmas tree.

In the forty-five minutes it took us to do this, I believe there were two spankings administered, a few trips to time-out, some biting, some pushing, some fussing, lots of crying, and one Mommy who angrily stood guard over the box of ornaments less a toddler or preschooler happen to fall into it.

Obviously we are not candidates for some Norman Rockwell-esque painting here at casa de phillips.

I thought having the children help decorate the tree would be a great idea. This is the first year where they both can participate and both (slightly) understand what is going on (Obviously some clarification is needed around here regarding certain details). We finished supper early in anticipation of our decorating party. We turned on the Carpenter's Christmas Album. I lit a cinnamon-scented candle. The mood was perfect.

I believe the children lost interest about ten minutes into the whole process as Tobe and I attempted to figure out how to add more lights to 750 existing lights on our pre-lit tree (we love us some white lights). Evelyn mingled on the outskirts while Isaac attempted to "help" by randomly tugging on the light strand Tobe was attempting to weave through the center of the tree. Finally I broke out the ornaments...only to realize about two minutes in that the majority of our ornaments are breakable and sentimental. I kept swatting away little hands who tried to eagerly snatch ornaments from their protective tissue home and toss them on the tree. I also attempted to make sure no stray hooks ended up on the floor. Then there was fighting over who got to hold what ornament (Curious George was a favorite among our little crowd) and who got to place items on the top or on the bottom of the tree.

It was not a festive scene, by any means.

I know that each year will get a bit easier with such tasks as decorating the tree and I won't have to be concerned over the fact that the Sesame Street ornaments have a dangerously high level of lead or that curious little hands can cause our tree to come crashing down at a moment's notice. I know we will eventually reach a year when Christmas isn't quite as magical and when no one begs to watch "Elmo Saves Christmas" just one more time. I know I will no longer have to secretly redecorate the tree after the children are in bed because the majority of the ornaments hung on the bottom fourth of the branches.

As I often remind myself of a quote a friend shared recently; these days with young children can be quite long but the years are terribly short.

Away in the Hilton

As I sat down to play with my two little ones this morning, I realized that perhaps we need a bit more instruction on the whole Birth of Jesus story here at Casa de Phillips.

A few years ago, Santa graced us with this wonderful Little People Christmas train. This toy lives in our attic all year, except the month of December when we pull it down for all to enjoy.

This morning I plopped down on the carpet to play Little People for awhile and had quite the lesson on Baby Jesus from Isaac. According to him, the stable featured in the below picture is the hotel where Baby Jesus lived. Baby Jesus also likes to ride with Santa on his Christmas train and deliver presents to all the boys and girls, mommies and daddies. Also, there were apparently a few guests at the birth of our Lord that were left out of the original recount. If you look closely at the picture, you will see Noah's ark to the right of the light pole and various Little People scattered about the scene. Although Isaac thought I was kidding about Jesus not being born in a hotel, he did let me convince him that the elf in the green hat was not Mary.

Speaking of elves, here are our two little ones. I tend to go a bit crazy in the purchasing of holiday themed clothing so we are making the most of our Christmas duds every chance we get.

Stimulating the Economy

Happy Belated Turkey Day, Blogworld!





Thanksgiving was a joyous celebration here at casa de phillips as we enjoyed the company of various of Tobe's family members. This year I was in charge of the turkey (and various other things) and am happy to report that as of right now (Saturday afternoon) no one is dealing with food poisoning due to eating undercooked poultry (however, two are dealing with stomach issues....but we are blaming that on some Cracker Barrel eaten last night and not my little turkeys I prepared). I brined one turkey breast overnight in a solution of apple cider, salt, and fresh herbs and coated the other in a mixture of fresh herbs. Both were roasted in the oven inside a brown paper bag and came out quite juicy for turkey, a meat known to be dry. I was a tad bit proud of my accomplishment.

Here is a photo of a portion of our Thanksgiving Group

My Black Friday actually began on Thursday when my incredibly gracious mother-in-law offered to meet me at Garden Ridge in order to buy a new Christmas tree for our little home (she drives a mini-van...aka The Nana Mobile....that was big enough to cart the tree to our house). Although we arrived a mere 20 minutes after the doors opened that Thursday, there were only a handful of trees remaining. We were able to load one up in our basket and I only managed to knock over one display and run into my MIL a handful of times while I attempted to navigate a shopping cart filled with a 7 foot pre-lit tree.



Friday morning I got up way before the sun to hit a few Black Friday sales. I had attended a Black Friday sale at our local Wal-Mart a few years ago and found the whole experience to be relatively calm and organized. Not the case this year my friend. Wal-Mart was a mad house at 4:52am and I had quite the difficulty locating the cheaply priced portable DVD player I was in search of (ours broke a while back). Seems people get a little crazy over reduced televisions and computers and are a bit grouchy so early in the morning. I eventually had to abandon my shopping cart in the lingerie section (one spot where electronics were being sold...not sure why) and contemplated crawling over racks in order to escape, as I tend to experience a tad of the claustrophobia in large, pulsating crowds. I secured a DVD player and then set out for the Crayola Wonder Magic Paintbrush set, which apparently was a hot ticket item. Once I found the display, I was left looking at empty shelves. I questioned a lady who happened to have one of these toys in her basket if she had found it somewhere else. Nope. Seems she had been standing in line in front of the display a little after 4am to get one. Who knew that I should have ran for the Crayola item first?



I eventually left Wal-Mart and the crazy people getting a tad too worked up over Kung-Fu-Panda being sold for seven bucks and set out for Target. As I was exiting my car to join the ranks in line outside Target's door (who did not open for another half hour), the skies opened up and rain began to POUR. Now I love me a good bargain, but not enough to stand in the rain. I waited patiently in my car with a good library book and didn't join the line until the last five minutes of wait time. I was pleasantly surprised how organized Target was with their sale and am happy to report that I was able to locate a Crayola Wonder Magic Paintbrush set at a cheap price. I hit a few other stores that morning, one being a local unique toy store that was selling everything at 30% off. I eventually made my way back home, with several names crossed off our Christmas list.



Yesterday afternoon we attempted to take the children and some relatives up to our local tourist trap hotel to be awed by their Christmas decorations,but the line to even park one's car was at least 30 minutes long. We settled on a trip to the local Cracker Barrel for some tasty eats and yummy desserts.



Today has been all about the Christmas decorations and it currently appears as if some sort of holiday bomb exploded in our living room. My way of decorating for Christmas is a slow, intricate process that requires me to do the majority of it myself. The family is eagerly awaiting trimming the tree, a decorating event everyone can participate in. Hopefully I will have done the rest sometime soon so we can all adorn our new little tree.



Hope everyone is finding something to enjoy about their holiday weekend!

Freeze Frame

There are moments in life when I just want to freeze-frame my little world and keep everything exactly as it is at that moment.

Yesterday as my two children were running laps around our expansive sidewalk, shouting "Let's have a parade!" and falling into heaps of giggling toddler, I wanted to freeze that very moment.

I wanted the fading afternoon sunlight to always make Isaac's so golden.

I wanted the brisk wind to keep Evelyn's cheeks so rosy.

I wanted them to be fastest friends, just as they were in that exact moment.

I wanted them to only know that innocent, utter joy of being a kid.

Today as we all reflect on Thanksgiving and hopefully spend a bit of time with someone special, I hope you experience a freeze frame moment.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear reader!

(I'll be back soon with tales of my great Black Friday adventures!)

Works for Me! Travel Tips

According to my calender, it is time to head over the river and through the woods and off to Grandmother's house.

Whatever that truly means.

And if the song would like to stay hip, shouldn't it be "Nana" or "Mimi" or "GiGi's" house? Just a thought.

Regardless of the fact that few of us tend to travel through the woods, much less over the river, it is indeed a busy travel time of the year. For parents of small children, the notion of traveling for extended hours can induce a panic attack as thoughts of hours stuck on a plane, train, or automobile with a cranky little one swirl in their heads.

Because my parents live in another state and because Tobe has relatives that live hours away, we have done a lot of traveling with our two little ones.

Such traveling has involved our fair share of horror stories. Like the time we were road-tripping it when Isaac was two months old and he managed to have a blow-out diaper while we happened to be in the middle of no-where. We found an abandoned gas station, built a make-shift changing table out of forgotten plastic crates, and proceeded to bathe our child with a entire package of wipes out in the vast open on the side of the interstate. Klassy.

There was also the time we decided to fly back home dangerously close to bedtime with Isaac when he was about ten months old and would only sleep in the comfort of his crib. We knew we were cutting it close, but felt like we could arrive at our comfy home just in time to put him to bed for the night. What we did not expect was for heavy thunderstorms to hit our hometown, thus shutting down the airport due to flooding. As the plane was redirected hundreds of miles south, I had to refrain from running up to the pilot exclaiming, "You must land. I have a baby with me!!!" We eventually made it home that night, after almost starting a riot when the flight attendant provided me with a bottle of water (to make a bottle) but would not give water to other passengers without children.

Last Thanksgiving I opted to fly by myself with two children, as my husband had to stay behind for a few more days to work before joining us for holiday celebrations. TSA was almost called in to assist when an ignorant ticket agent was not going to let my husband escort me and the children (and our carry-ons, stroller, and two carseats) to the gate (yes, airlines will let you do this....just ask). I about crawled over the counter and yanked his too-early-donned Christmas tie off his skinny little neck when he jeered, "What? You can't manage it on your own?" The only thing that stopped me was my children knowing that their mother had to spend one of their first Thanksgivings locked away in federal prison for starting a fight at an airport.

See what I mean by travel-induced panic attack?

Despite these mishaps, we also have managed to cultivate some handy little Phillips family travel tips. Things that work for us to make the trip a tad more pleasant.



1. Store some random small toys (think Dollar Store or abandoned Happy Meal toys) and books that you only pull out only when you travel. Some our our favorite travel toys include: magnets and a cookie sheet, water coloring pens and books, foam letters, stickers, crayons and coloring books, and smalls bags with little toys tucked inside.



2. Decide when is the best time for your family to travel. Our kids don't tend to nap in the car, so we usually set out early in the morning. Travel during the time of day that your kids tend to be the happiest/most laid back.



3. For long trips, make meal time an event in the car. We usually have to eat breakfast and lunch while on the road for our travels. Occasionally we stop for these meals, allowing the kids to play on a fast food restaurant's playground while Tobe and I eat our lunch. The kids then eat their lunch (portioned out in these containers) while we continue driving. We attempt to make it special by calling it a "car picnic". Be prepared to later suck up forgotten french fries and abandoned apple slices later with a heavy duty vacuum.



4. Play a variety of music. Confession: Most kid music drives me crazy. It drives Tobe even crazier. We never listen to kid music when on a car trip but do often times put in our own music that kids can enjoy. Family dance parties in the car are always fun.



5. Talk to your kids. Talk about where you are going, who you will see, what you will do, and scenery you can currently spy from your car windows.



6. Have a Meltdown Plan. Kids sometimes hit the brick wall when sitting strapped into a carseat and having Mom entertain them is no longer fun. This is when we pull out our portable DVD player, which usually has to make its appearance in the final hour of our trip. Although our children watch television at home, we attempt to hold off on the movie watching as long as possible in the car simply to use the diversion when our kid's limit has been met.



7. Travel to a grandparents or loving relatives house. They will immediately swoop in upon your arrival, snatching the kids from the carseat and rushing them inside for tons of hugs, kisses, and playtime. They likely won't even notice when you and your husband stay in the car, holding back tears of joy that you have survived another family road trip.



Any tips you care to share?

Football Class 101

As I wheeled the family station wagon in the park parking lot this morning, I issued my most grave threat of how all fun....ALL FUN!...will be cancelled should two little children choose not to obey.

Sometimes being a parent and having the authority to issue such statements is a tad fun.

Anyway, after I basically threatened to cancel the remainder of their childhoods should either Isaac or Evelyn misbehave, I unloaded them and our double stroller from the car. We then sat off to participate in an outdoor fitness class.

The two snacked for a bit, chatted, and stared in awe (or embarrassment) as the group of adults attempted various physical feats in the morning sunshine. I then allowed them to get down from the stroller and run in a nearby field while I finished up the remaining twenty minutes of class.

Apparently 20 minutes was all Isaac needed to conduct his own "Ode to Joy Football Class" (I didn't name it people, I am simply rehashing the details). He made Evelyn run, he made her jump, she crawled, the girl chased after footballs and squirrels, and dove into piles of leaves. I had trouble concentrating on my series of crunches mainly because I was laughing so hard. Despite a frame more suited for soccer or swimming, seems that Isaac has some genes deep inside of him to coach football. He had that 18 month girl running all over the park, in his own series of drills and plays.

The whole class paused at one point to see her fetching the football repeatedly for her brother as he barked commands at her.

I imagine one day her womanly nature to boss and direct will override his generally easy-going attitude and she eventually will be the sibling calling the shots, however today I greatly enjoyed observing the ever-popular "Ode to Joy Football Class."

And fortunately no one's childhood had to be cancelled.

No Grey For Her

Pull out the baby book, because yesterday Evelyn and I had our first clothing battle.

Honestly I didn't think entering "Fought Mother Over Clothing Choice" into her baby book would be an option until at least five years of age.

Clearly I underestimated the force that is Miss E.

Yesterday morning as I dressed Evelyn, I happened to pull out a beautiful smocked Christmas outfit from her closet to show Tobe. Seems it caught the eye of Evelyn. As I attempted to stuff her little legs in jeans and her baby arms through the sleeves of a grey sweatshirt (which she insisted was "Isaac's"...which technically it was, but now through the magic that is hand-me-downs it belongs to her), she begin crying, saying, "No! Pretty!". Seems that grey and denim were not her choice for the day and she preferred something a bit more fabulous. Because we were all heading out to work/play in the garage, fabulous was not an option.

Lots of tears were shed. However, I stood my ground and Evelyn finally appeared outside, grey sweatshirt and all. After a few rounds in the Little Tikes Cozy Coupe and some tossing of golf balls, she was good as new.

Bless her sweet little misunderstood heart.

Question of the Week

Well, as of 6:35am this morning I had survived my final day of Thanksgiving Boot Camp. Hopefully my 18 month old will not need to be picked up at any point over the next few days because my arms are beyond tired. I can barely get the coffee cup to my lips at this point (notice I said "barely". Priorities, people.)

As of 6:36am this morning I had secured my spot in the Christmas Boot Camp coming up in three weeks. Seems someone needs to not allow me to make such decisions when under the influence of strong exercise endorphins.

I have many tales to share (one of how I caught Isaac attempting to clean E.'s ear with a piece from a wicker basket. Fortunately I stopped that plan before any ear drums were ruptured.), but the children would like to eat breakfast at some point this morning. Alas such stories will have to wait.

In the meantime, I have a question of great importance: Pre-lit Christmas tree or regular Christmas tree? (Please note I mean artificial when I refer to Christmas trees. I have EXTREME allergies to real trees...and to pine needles all over my carpet).

Casa de phillips had to toss our old tree out with the trash last year, as it had come to the end of its time with us. We just didn't feel like a tree being supported by three strategically placed National Geographics was working for us anymore. I was sad to see that tree go, as I purchased it the Christmas we were engaged for $8 in an after-holiday sale.

Now I am in the market for a new tree and I am questioning if I should go with the pre-lit tree or the non pre-lit tree. Please weigh in with your thoughts on such a profound question.

Until my next post...Happy Friday!

My Arch Nemesis

Preschool drop-off line.

This might very well be the reason the local police one day pick me up and haul me off to jail, two kids and Disney-themed sippy cups in tow.

Allow me to explain:

Isaac's preschool has the wonderful feature of having a drop-off/pick-up line in which to deposit or retrieve one's child from school. This is a lifesaver, especially last year when I had a baby in an infant seat who was still often sporting her PJ's when we dropped brother off at school. Secretly, I wish someone was always on hand to open my car doors and either plop my child into the carseat and buckle him in or attempt to wrestle him free of the five-point harness in a manner that does not stop him from holding whatever treasure he happens to be holding at the time.

(Sidenote: After school was over today, I realized that Isaac had taken in a coloring book he had been working on in the car. The teacher side of me was mortified that he had gotten out of the car with this little trinket from home without me noticing. If you have ever been a teacher, you know the hassle that results when a student arrives at school bearing personal items from home. You know the frustration the teacher feels as she questions what type of parent allows their child to bring items from home to school. Isaac says he simply tucked the book into his backpack and I have refrained from calling the teacher and apologizing for this incident.)

Although there happens to be a very large convenience factor to the whole drop-off/pick-up line at school, there is a fairly large inconvenience factor as well....waiting. Waiting for whoever happens to be in front of the line that day to have their kid either removed or deposited into their car. Waiting on someone else's five-point harness (required by our school if child is under 35 pounds) to be fastened and straps adjusted on carseats. Waiting on someone else to hear their own report of how little Johnny did at school that day. For someone who has trouble waiting, this time can be truly maddening for me.

This is why I rush us out the door so we can get to preschool and be first in line. It is a matter of pride around our little casa as to whether or not we were first in line. We have been known to cheer on more than one occasion when we were narrowly able to pull in first to the parking lot, beating out another family.

This is why I attempt to express my road-rage (we have to drive on Interstates to get to preschool) in a sing-songy voice as a method of preventing my children from cluing into my angry words.

Being first in line is why one day when I ran into a fellow preschool parent at our local Target (which happens to be close to our school), I forfeited some items on my list so I could check-out before her, thus making it to the parking lot and my car before she was able to get to hers. We were dangerously close to pick-up time and I did not dare risk being second behind her simply because we were low on bread here at casa de phillips. Bread can wait. Preschool pick-up line cannot.

This morning we wheeled into the parking lot, gravel crunching under our tires, with Isaac chanting "First in Line! First in Line!". I didn't have the heart to tell him that we were likely last in line and that his school mates were already safely inside, starting the day (We were late due to Boot Camp throwing off our morning routine....and because I wanted to take pictures of Isaac in his Thanksgiving Feast attire he wore for his little holiday party).

Preschool Pick-Up Line...it is my arch-Nemesis.

What happens to be your arch-Nemesis these days?

***

Boot Camp Update: I survived day three of Boot Camp this morning. When I returned home, Tobe asked how it went.

Let's see, today we ran/speed walked three miles, did reps of either 50 or 100 of various exercises, and "cooled" down by doing five minutes of fast-paced squats. My reply to his questions went something like, "I threw up just a little bit in my mouth, so I guess okay."

Obviously, I am not armed forces material because five day boot camp is enough for me.

***

The picture above is just because these two are the cutest thing ever. Their new favorite activity is to hold hands and dance in a circle until someone falls down and gets injured or until someone cries. Fun times.

Thanksgiving Body Boot Camp..AKA...Will Lynley Survie to See Saturday?

Where were you at 5:40am this morning?

Me...well, I was holding a very large exercise ball over my head. A ball that I would hold over my head for 4.5 minutes before letting it go (and be forced to do 20 push-ups as my "punishment"...which I happily did in exchange for being able to put that ball down).

Seems that this week I have found myself at Thanksgiving Body Boot Camp. This sounded like a fabulous idea two weeks ago when I signed up for the class. I figured a rigorous work-out for an hour each morning this week would really jump-start my fitness regimen just in time to eat mounds of Turkey and Dressing next Thursday (What? You don't call your workouts a "regimen"? You really should. It sounds much better than, "I walked two miles yesterday and threw some weights around."). Besides, I am typically at the gym at 5:30am anyway, why not participate in the class?

Yesterday morning as I was on my one hundredth+ lunge (while doing overhead presses with a weighted bar) I questioned this whole notion of "jump starting my fitness regimen".

This morning as I was crawling, on my back, with ten pound weights in hand...I decided that I should no longer be allowed to make decisions for myself, because obviously I am a fool.

Tomorrow morning I will likely be looking down longingly at the comfy treadmill, as I run the assigned three miles, stopping only to participate in "centers" that will either strengthen or destroy my abdominal and glute muscles.

Thanksgiving Body Boot Camp is no holiday, my friend.

I am a relatively healthy person and live an active lifestyle. I work out regularly. I attempt to eat healthy (despite the fact that Tobe and I consumed queso at two different restaurants on Saturday night). Boot Camp at my gym should be a feasible task.

Yesterday morning as all the participants were gathering, eager to start our work-out, I sized up the room. With the exception of maybe one or two people, I was the youngest in attendance. Having taken several classes by this instructor (some while I was eight months pregnant) I knew to expect challenging tasks, lots of ab work, and that there would be no cutesy routines (Thank Heavens. Doing "The Grapevine" while jumping over a plastic step is not my forte.). I was relatively confident in my ability to not completely make an idiot of myself. I noticed one of the participants was at least 60, if not older, and I immediately thought, "I can at least do as well as she can."

Apparently not.

Seems Ms. 60 Year Old runs marathons for fun and is currently recovering from surgery. Taking Boot Camp is part of her recovery.

I have three more days of boot camp left, plus one day next week (On an adrenaline high yesterday morning after class, I signed up..and paid.. for the "Emergency Session" which occurs Tuesday morning at a local park. I am now praying for some type of Thanksgiving blizzard to blow through Monday evening and am silently cursing The Weather Channel's prediction of a cool 65 degree day.). This morning, Evelyn and I had to run by the post office to mail something after depositing Isaac off at preschool. Apparently I crimped E.'s style by insisting that she hold my hand when we exited the building. Despite the fact that she had put on quite the fashion show minutes before as she lifted her red Mary Jane-clad foot up for people saying, "Shoe. Co-dor. Red. (Meaning: Shoe. Color. Red.)" the child fell the floor in a screaming heap of toddler. This is not the first time our precious daughter has thrown herself on the floor in public and I have had to scoop her up and rush to the car....however it was the first time she has done it after Mommy spent an hour this morning torturing her perfectly good arms.

I lifted that 25 pound crying mass of little girl up, praying my arms would not fail me before I made it to the safety of our car.

I wonder if Ms. 60 Year Old can do that....

An Early Christmas Miracle

So the Christmas picture photo session I mentioned yesterday....it went well. Surprisingly well.

No one fell into the koi pond.

There were very little tears....and none were shed by me (It has happened in the past at photo session with my children, people. I am not proud.).

We were able to keep the children from spying the playground that was adjacent to the park where we were taking the pictures.

All of our Christmas clothes avoided incident with dirt, leaves, or mud.

Isaac was thrilled that the family took a "hike" otherwise known as walking through a clump of trees.

Evelyn did not melt down until the very end, where she managed to throw a fit in her stroller and cause her forehead to bleed.

In the end, the pictures turned out pretty good. Now I must decide on which pose to choose and select a nifty little card for Kinda to whip up for me. In the meantime, here is a little video of my children's favorite activity to put you in the holiday spirit.

Enjoy!

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Christmas Pictures '08

This morning, after I fuel my family up with a breakfast of homemade pancakes and Tang (I'll explain later as to why we have Tang in our house), we are throwing on our Christmas finery and setting out to take our lovely family Christmas pictures.

Last night Tobe and I had the honest conversation of how we seriously doubt we will get a great shot...we are hoping for something slightly workable. Our kids are the cutest thing ever, well-behaved and cooperative for the most part, yet seem to melt in fifty million tiny pieces when a camera appears on the scene. I have several...Several...professional pictures tucked away that involve my children and tears. Isaac's second Christmas picture involves my hand in the shot because I was having to force him to stand by the fake family living room backdrop to get at least one decent picture.

So today we are setting out...on our own, tripod in hand...and are going to attempt this seasonal feat. In honor of this, I wanted to share photos from cards past. Enjoy!

Post-Dinner Dance Party

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This little dance party happens quite often after the supper dishes are put away. Isaac will request for Tobe to put on "something loud" and then everybody gets their groove on. Seriously, I don't think it gets much better than this.

What Happens When a Three Year Old Skips His Nap

There is the occasional school day when Isaac is too wired from learning which prevents him from falling asleep at naptime.

Dinner is...interesting on those days, either involving a hyper, chatty little boy or a big ol grump.

Isaac did not fall asleep today at naptime and was exhausted by the time bedtime rolled around. At night, Tobe always gets Isaac settled into bed with some books (He is like his parents and loves to read for about 20 minutes before turning out the light) while I get E. to bed. I then go in, kiss Isaac, and tell him how much longer he may read.

This is what I found when I entered Isaac's room tonight: I wish I could say this was staged, but it wasn't. The child was out cold.

Being the caring Mommy that I am, I immediately ran and fetched Tobe and the camera. Because what is childhood without at least ten completely mortifying pictures floating around?

Aren't the houseshoes the best? Isaac believes that one must actually sleep in one's houseshoes, which he does most nights. I love to see his stick figure frame in PJs with those big ol houseshoes on his feet...makes me smile everytime.

Goodnight!

Our Bay-win

Evelyn,

Today as Isaac's preschool teacher placed him back into the car after a long morning at school, she inquired as to why he called you "Bella" when quite obviously your name is "Evelyn". I simply shook my head laughing, attempting to explain how his version of "Baby Evelyn" has morphed into something that sounds more like "Bay-win." which we all call you on a regular basis (along with "Evelyn", "Sweet Girl", "Baby Evelyn", and Mommy's own nickname of "Ev."). The teacher looked slightly puzzled at this nickname, but in our little family we know how terribly important it is and you will likely continued to be called "Bay-win" at various times in your life.

Yesterday you turned 18 months old, a feat I cannot quite wrap my mind around. It seems like we just brought you home from the hospital yet somehow it also seems you have been in our house since the beginning.

If asked to sum you up in one word at this stage of 18 months, I would quickly say "Passionate." Oh, my dear, you are terribly passionate....passionate about what you eat (only Nutri-Grain whole wheat waffles, only specific types of chicken nuggets, only plain rice), passionate about what you play with, passionate about various people (Isaac is your favorite far above anyone else in the family) and characters (To say you love Little Einsteins...although you rarely actually see the cartoon...is an understatement), passionate about trains, passionate about which bow I clip in your hair, passionate about every little detail in life. Your pediatrician attempted to reassure me yesterday at your well check-up that such a passion would serve you well later in life. At least I think that is what she said. It was slightly hard to hear her over your hour-long screamfest that apparently was the result of me having the indecency of taking you to the doctor's office to begin with (you were screaming so loud when we left I had to avoid making eye contact with an acquaintance, hoping she somehow did not see me nor my beautiful screaming child.) This passion expresses itself in joyous shouts of wonder over the smallest things (MOMMY! CEREAL!), over injustices (Isaac and you want the same toy), over people (Daddy!), and over sorrow (the huge tears that were produced today when I cut the tag off a beloved stuffed pumpkin due to its choking hazard nature. You cried as if I had cut the pumpkin in half.)

Your smile, wit, and energy bring us such joy every single day. At 18 months old, we figure you can say over 100 words and are forming 2-3 word sentences. Just yesterday, you marched into my bathroom and exclaimed, "Mommy. Jacket. Pre-ty." It about melted my heart. I figure we are just a few years shy of becoming best shopping buddies. You can run, jump, and climb as well as your brother. In fact, you love to stand on the window ledges in our kitchen and eat your snack in the afternoon. Besides talking, you also love to sing. You can sing pieces of the "ABC" song, can sing our own little family version of the "Night Night" song, can sing "Old McDonald" and "Farmer and the Dell," and are generally captivated by any music that happens to be playing in the house. You can also count to five, when you desire. You learn quickly and absorb information like a sponge with a cute little bow on its head.

You love things that are completely girly and things that are all-boy as well. Everyday you feed your babies, put them to night-night, and only manage to step on their heads a handful of times. Just yesterday when I told you to go to the backdoor to get ready to go bye-bye, you said, "Oh! Purse!" and ran and grabbed your plastic purse (known to others as a sunglasses case) and rushed to the door. Although you love your dolls, you also love cars and trucks equally as much. You will push cars around the kitchen floor, making sound effects as you go. Trains are your absolute favorite and you get giddy everyday as we approach our local depot. I am sure many have wondered who was yelling as we drive past, windows down, with two kids shouting, "Hi, ChooChoo!" as loud as possible.

To say that you are a delight is an understatement. You are also a smidge of a challenge. I think such a combination is what makes you absolutely and completely irresistible to us. We love you, Bay-win! Happy 18 months!

18 Months

It is slightly hard to believe that we met this little girl 18 months ago today.

It is also slightly hard to believe that she used to be so still and quiet.

I have lots to say about our sweet daughter and her newly acquired 18 month old status...however, a migraine is settling in and I must retreat to the darkness under the covers of my bed.

Tomorrow, my friends...

(Yes...she is scowling in this picture. It cracks me up, because this is an expression we see quite frequently when things don't go quite as E. would prefer. We also see lots of smile and giggles. I have more pictures but need to download and edit first. Again, tomorrow...)

Project Alert #2

While browsing a craft fair last weekend, I noticed the new trend of turning cookie sheets into works of art.



Such works of art included memo boards, photo frames, and Christmas Advent Calendars (and now, a reward/chore chart I made for Isaac last week. Pictures to come).



I have been searching for an Advent Calender for casa de phillips over the years and have yet to discover one that I like that is a reasonable price (But I do slightly covet the Pottery Barn version sold here)....



...until I saw the Cookie Sheet Christmas Advent Calender.



The booth selling these gems was charging a whooping $55 for such a calender.



Ouch.



I figure I could make one myself for a third the cost.



After a little online research, I quickly discovered directions for creating these calenders were everywhere. I immediately became inspired to put on my "Martha Stewart hat" and get crafty.


I love nothing more than pulling out the glue gun and spray adhesive, grabbing my sharpest scissors and stash of "good" markers (Read: Not Crayola nor washable), and setting myself down in front of Food Network for a little bit of craft time (obviously I do this when the children are in bed at night). Anyone interested in making their own Cookie Sheet Advent Calender?



In order to pass some time today, check out the following links to fully understand what I am talking about:



Organized Christmas Advent Calender



A Great Example found HERE



Another Cute Example



Happy Crafting!