Happy 1st Bday Reese!

Clayton and I went to Reese's first bday party.  Of course the theme was Minnie Mouse!

She is the happiest little girl!  She kinda ate the cake...didn't get to messy!

We had alot of fun watching her open her presents....after Christmas not sure where they are going to store all the awesome stuff she got!  I love 1st bday parties!

At one point I couldn't find Clayton....not hard to miss in his orange vest!  He was hiding under the gift table....silly boy!

Happy Bday Ms. Reese....we can't wait to watch you grow up!

Christmas Night!

We ended the night celebrating with Blake's family.  Clayton and Marin has SO MUCH FUN opening presents....I think we heard an "I LOBE IT, and screaming from Clayton!

Marin loved her new Minnie blankie.

Me and my buddy!

My two boys!

The future fireman!

The kids ended the night playing and being so cute.  They made this choo choo train!

We had a great Christmas with family.  It was a little different this year with all the snow.  I love the snow, but that means Blake is gone alot plowing.  We even missed our Christmas Eve celebration this year! Overall it was wonderful and I am really sad to think I have to "undecorate" my house soon, like tomorrow!  :-(

Christmas Mid Morning....

For Bruch we went to my parents. Clayton was having way to much fun just playing to open presents!  Now I understand why my mom takes forever to open presents...it is to fun to watch everyone else!

Clayton got his very own sled and shovel!  My two boys have already put that shovel to good use!

Clayton got a new hat from grammie and a snow globe from Aunt Taylor.  He LOVES both.  It is funny what they really become attached too!

I put both boys down for a nap.....kidding!  Blake fell asleep on the couch and us girls broke out the Twlight Scence it game!  So much fun!

After everyone was rested we were off to Grieders!

CHRISTMAS!!!!

Clayton was so excitedto see if Santa came when he woke up....but we had to wait for Blake to get home because he was out plowing snow!  To keep C occupied I put these reindeer ears on him from Santa.  Blake was home 30 min later....so it wasn't to hard to keep him busy!

Clayton's present from Santa was a Grill just like daddys! He likes to cook us hotdogs!

He also got a Black and decker play drill with light and level!  Santa brought him a matching tape measure!

Clayton is showing us how to do the perfect pushup with his daddy's new toys!

We had a great morning....off to the Brands we go!

It's Beginning to Look at alot like Christmas....

I LOVE this time of year....getting ready for the Holidays, cooking, shopping, wrapping,  spending time with family and friends, etc. What I don't like is that I am so swamped at  work with year end approaching....but somehow I am going to sneak away for 4 business days before it gets crazy!  Since we are in the new house I have been going nuts decorating....okay just going to Hobby Lobby a couple times to get stuff. I am sad thinking about having to take it down...I might try to switch some things to a more wintery decor... 

 

Finally we got our RIGHT front door...the sidelights are now stained wood also.  The wreath on the door I made last year and love it to much to put it on the outside of the door...maybe I need to make another one!  Also you can see our "Elf on the Shelf" Buddy sitting on the wreath. Clayton loves finding him every morning!  I love telling Clayton how he is magical and he reports to Santa everyday if he has been good or bad. It is such a cute tradition!

Before we moved into our house I saw in Crate and Barrel a banister like mine decorated, so I knew I had to do it. I already bought more garland for next year....I didn't feel like redoing this one again.

 

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Concert!

When we got to Clayton's Christmas Concert he was being shy and not wanting to go play with the kids....so I wondered how he would do! His favorite teacher came and got him and he had no issues.....Then it was the Toddler and Two's turn to sing...

He danced, sang, and shook his noise maker like it was his job.  I was laughing so hard I was crying....

 

Look at those moves....you can tell we have dance parties every night.  I was so proud....he was really the star of the show!  And I was worried he would be one of the cryers....ha!

Caught red handed!

Clayton loves....

 

looking at all his friends on the Christmas card hanger I made.  He likes to carry them around the house.  He was caught red handed!

Before Clayton's Christmas Concert I wanted to get a good pic of him in his"handsome" clothes!  He is such a stinker when it comes to pictures these days...

This one turned out cute...but he is running towards me!

Cookies!

Yesterday I got home from Glendale, CA.  The weather there was amazing.....70 compared to our 7.  I got off the plane...headed to pick up my baby...then we ran errands to get more stuff to decorate our house.  I am becoming obsessed with decorating for Christmas....it is so much fun!  We also had to get ingredients for our annual Grieder girls Christmas cookie day.  The kids had so much fun doing the sugar cookies with grammie....look at the concentration!
Even thought IL is so cold right now....there is no where else I would rather be!

Silly Boy!

Clayton loves the new house!

He has adjusted fine...and sleeping upstairs is no issue...he actually has been sleeping better!

Lunch with Santa!

For Clayton's Christmas present from Matt and Alisha we went to Monticello to the train museum for lunch with Santa. It was so fun! I am not sure what I was expecting...but it was magical! It was just like being back in the old days (or Polar Express) and getting to ride the train.

Clayton was just trying to figure everything out.

Everyone was dressed up! It was nice to go with Matt b/c he knows everyone...so we got some extras! Now I know why he loves it so much down there.

I love my buddy! He was SO good. Blake was jealous that he couldn't come, but the tickets were already sold out! I can't wait for next year.

Checking everything out on the train!

Clayton was so excited to see Santa when he got on the train. I was wondering how this was going to work. He sat down and with some coaching from us on what he liked the main message was...listen to mommy and daddy and Santa will bring you a tractor...perfect! Clayton wasn't so sure about him...as you can see in the pic!

But he was sure about his elf girlfriend. This is what his faced looked like everytime she went past him and said Hi Clayton. Too cute!

After the ride Matt wanted to show us the engine. It was kinda loud, but really neat!

After finding a little train of his own in the gift shop, we went to leave...and there was a parade! So Clayton got to experience his first parade...candy and all! He held his candy bag the entire way home!