Santa!

Addy and Blake got to see Santa twice this year.  We went and visited him at a carpeting store in town that we get invited to each year for doing service with them...my entire family goes so it's fun.

They do such a great job - they take pictures of you with Santa and print pictures for you (and allow you to take your own).  Each child gets a toy, they feed lunch, you can get your face painted, decorate Christmas cookies, get balloons made for you... (the ones shaped like animals).  We are always impressed!

I always dress them in the Christmas outfits for this day...because it is another reason to wear the fun outfits :) 

Addy and Blake were not really nervous around Santa.  Addy was very excited to see him, but of course didn't want to sit on his lap.  However, she would talk to him with no problems.

This year she told Santa that she wanted a rainbow...and that Blake wanted a black rainbow!!!! 

...the girl dreams big...I gotta give her credit for that :)

I love how both Addy & Blake are checking out Santa in this one!

Addy showing off her face painting!

Santa was also a surprise guest at our daycare Christmas party.  Julie is so good to her "families".  The kids got gifts from Santa, and from her...and us parents got 2 gifts also.  One that the kids had made (a Christmas Countdown...very cool!) and then one that Julie made.  This year she somehow had photos of our kids printed on fabric and made them into pillows.  Very cool :)

Julie having her kids sing songs they sing during their preschool time of the day...waiting for the special guest!

Addy was very patiently watching as the other kids got their gifts pulled out of Santa's sack and sat on heir lap....

Somehow Blake got ahold of Santa's bells...lets just say he was occupied for a bit (and noisy!)

Waiting so patiently...

Blaker with Santa!

Addy with Santa!

Group Daycare Photo with Santa! 
Side Note: Julie has twin girls that are freshmen in high school right now who are also in the picture...(Skyler is holding our kiddos in the back!)...It is soooo nice...they have become our babysitters.  It works out great, because they are around the kids so much that they know their temperaments and such, and of course, it isn't scary for the kids when we have a sitter because they see the girls on a daily basis.  Addy thinks it is so cool with Shania and Skyler come to her house!

Tarara Christmas 2011

As always, my mom and dad had our family Christmas celebration mid-December.  Our day started out a bit crazy, Addy had been sick all week with a horrible fever, cold, and cough...and had a bad night so her and I had gone to the doctors first thing in the morning -- they had done x-rays to check her lungs for pneumonia and such and thank God she was fine!

...we didn't think Addy would be going to Christmas so I hadn't even brought anything for Addy to change into or anything.  We had a plan of meeting at my parents house so that Aaron would go home with Addy and I would stay with Blake...that way Aaron would be able to be there for a bit.  When Addy and I go there my family convinced me it was fine to keep Addy there so we could all enjoy Christmas.

I am very happy they did!!  I was concerned in Addy getting her little cousins sick, but luckily no one got the nasty cold and cough!

Cousin Pic 2011!  Drew (3), Brooklynn (5 - 6 in January), Ella (6), Blake (13 months), Brynne (7), Hunter (2 - 3 in January), Addy (2).  As you can see, all the kids are in their Christmas outfits accept for Addy...she was in comfy "I don't feel good" clothes!

Blake discovered this Reindeer Headband of my mom's and loved it!!  It was pretty cute!

I love this pic of Blaker and Brynne!  Seriously, she's getting way too big...

I didn't get a lot of pictures of the kids opening presents.  My mom got this one of Addy with a new Cabbage Patch doll - "Amiya" (who she calls Miya). 

She also got a cabbage patch doll in Michigan and she loves them both so much. I was excited for both of them too, because I LOVED LOVED LOVED my Cabbage Patch dolls when I was little and played with them all of the time. I still remember their names (Monica Suzette and Trista Lorielle in case you were wondering!).

She plays with them lots: puts them to bed, takes them to the park, feeds them...scolds them for not "staying in bed", etc. Love it!

Something that my parents gave to each "family" this Christmas was thebook "The Night Before Christmas" recorded so they are telling the story. This picture below is when Addalyn opened the Anderson's copy and we are listening to them read. It's pretty cool...I love it :)

Blaker was taking a nap through some of the present opening, but we managed to get a family photo when he woke up :)

Blaker got the hang of opening his presents over Christmas.  I was pretty impressed because he had no clue what to do at his birthday just 2 months earlier!

 Blake was in love with his aunt Shannon that day...I got a few cute ones of him giving her kisses and hugs, but this is one of my favs :)

Grandma Bonnie & Blaker

Grandpa Tim & Blake (dad caught mid-sentence!)

Baking w/ Daddy

Addalyn stayed home one day with Aaron and they did some Christmas baking.  Yes, I have an awesome hubby :)  Not only does he do some Christmas baking with his little girl, but he knows that his wife would want pictures of the event ... and as you can see by the pics below -- he ALSO teaches Addy the importance of Baking in "Style"! 

What an awesome dad/husband!!!

I don't know why...but I love this pic!  And, I seriously need to find a picture of my sister Angela at this age...because I think Addy and her look a lot alike in this one!

Check out that stylish headband...totally goes with the outfit :)

Hard at work!

Christmas Preparations

Just basically a "picture post"...but some of the festivities that consumed the times that we were home together to start the Christmas celebration :) 

1: Trimming the Tree

(a picture from later in the month...but one that shows the finished tree)

Tree #2 - for Addy & Blake's room.  I had this tree in my dorm room in college ... the perfect addition to their room for the holidays :)

2: Making home-made Christmas gifts

We got into making some crafty gifts for some of our favorite "peeps"!  We made different wind-chimes that fit people's personalities.  I'm super bummed that I didn't really get a good picture of each of them...

Working hard!

Blaker got to participate in decorating for a little while...until he tried to eat the little wooden balls full of wet paint (notice the blue on his mouth)...then he got taken off "paint duty" :)

My cute painter...checking on her bro that got put in the bath after his wet-paint eating attempt :) 

3: Christmas Music Dance Parties

I mean, what good is celebrating Christmas if you don't listen to some good music and have  a little dance party???!!!  What, not everyone throws dance parties to Christmas music? 

Yep...even the boys got in on the fun :)  They have no choice...they are doomed for years to come!

Blake actually is giggling here while we are dancing, even though you can't really tell what he is doing :)

Yeah -- I'm one of 'THOSE' people...that enjoy all aspects of Christmas!

Looks Comfy....huh??!!!



If only we could all sleep so soundly...

"Dance Party" in early December

I'm sooo behind on blogging...I am hoping to get somewhat caught up this week.  I can't even explain to you how busy December was.  We had lots of festivities...a wedding receptions, 3 birthday parties, various Christmas celebrations, traveling, Aaron was out of town for more than 2 of the weeks doing some side jobs and attending courses for a Certification -- which makes the nights just as crazy as the days...ETC.  Needless to say, we are welcoming 2012 and the quieter days that are ahead!

To slowly catch up on blogging:

The first weekend in December we attended a wedding reception for a friend of mine that had gotten married in Mexico.  She's a good friend of my sister Shannon's - but has slowly became the friend of me and my other sis Angela as well.  So, our entire family was at the reception.  All day before the reception I was telling Addy we were going to a dance party...she loves to dance so she was pretty excited.  Between getting to put on a pretty dress and knowing that dancing was ahead...she was ready for her night out :)

I didn't have my camera, so I took pics with my phone.  Usually the pics turn out decent, but these ones are blurry due to lighting and the movement.  But, I sort've think that makes the pictures a little fun and unique.

Addy had so much fun on the dance floor...she wanted one of us to be with her pretty much the entire time we were there (her preference was her daddy, of course!)!!!

After a little while, even my sister Angela got to participate in the dance party with Addy :)  I think the pics of the 2 of them are cute!

Blake hung out with grandma Bonnie the majority of the time we were there...he wasn't so sure what to think about all that loud music and all the people :)  Plus...it was pretty close to his bedtime before we even got there since it was only a reception.  After a while, Aaron brought him back to my parents house and then I followed with my parents and Addy after I finally convinced her to come off the dance floor. 

Sleepy Man :)

The kids stayed at my parents that night while Aaron and I continued celebrating...our good friend Rachel's 30th b-day was that week and so we went to her birthday party after the reception.  We were out WAY past our bedtime :)  I think we made it to Rach's party at about 10/10:30...the typical time we'd be getting ready for bed.  Ha!  It was a very fun night of celebrating the wedding and Rach's birthday.  I didn't even take a picture of Rach and me...bummer.

And....a HUGE thank you to my mom and dad for watching the kiddos...it was a much needed night off for this mommy & daddy :)

Addalyn @ 2 1/2

I haven't had a post that focused on Addy lately...so I figured I'd do a little update on her at the age of 2 1/2. 

Addy loves loves loves to help with things - ESPECIALLY baking/cooking. 


Helping mommy make some cookies

And of course...testing out the finished product!

She also likes to help clean...she wanted to help me mop the floors one day.  I expected it to be a big mess, but she did really well!  Not sure how, but she knew to ring out the wash cloth and really did a good job at wiping those tiles. After helping me with our kitchen, entry way and bathrooms, she told me that I had dirty walls too!...and proceded to try and wash them. What a goofball!
Addalyn is still obsessed with Dora - every morning she wants to watch it before we leave for Julie's, and every night, and pretty much all the time.  She doesn't always get to watch it --- but she asks for it a lot.  Most of the time, she focuses in for a bit, and then plays, then goes back to it so it never really concerns me too much.  Other things she's interested in on a regular basis is coloring, reading books, playing in her kitchen, playing with babies, and doing puzzles.

She knows her colors, shapes, several songs, and can count past 10.  She seriously amazes me on a daily basis with the things that she says and does.  She has tons of words in her vocab.  It is so fun to have a conversation with her!

There are definitely days when Addy's "terrible two" age shines through!  She is dramatic - and I tease she gets it from her daddy...but I have to admit she gets it from me.  According to my fam, I knew how to throw a good tantrum back in the day :)!  Don't all 2/3 year olds???  I don't have a major example of things that she has done...just normal things, however Aaron can tell you a good story about her tantrum in the grocery store when they were getting ice cream for Blake's b-day party (she didn't want to put the ice cream on the counter to pay).  Aaron had to carry her out kicking and screaming.  Not her best moment...and she knew it when she got the firm daddy scolding in the car.  Apparently it was a very quiet ride home - and followed by a time-out when she arrived home.  I hope she learned the lesson!

One thing that I have cherished about Addalyn since she was a baby was how cuddly she is after a bath.  You wrap her in that towel and she will cuddle into your shoulder for a super long time.  I seriously LOVE the after-bath Addy cuddles...I hope she keeps that up for a long time. 

Also - Addy's a really good big sister.  She LOVES her brother!  She is always concerned if he isn't around, she will talk to him in a "baby voice", likes to share with him, plays with him/giggles with him, gets super excited when he does new things ("Mommy - Blaker's standing up!")...and wants to hold him a lot.  For the most part he enjoys her constant "love" on him.  Sometimes he gets frustrated, but that is seriously once in a very rare blue moon.

She also wants to tell him everything, which I think is so cute!  She'll say things like "Blaker, I don't feel good" or "I'm getting my hair done" or "Look at my pretty dress, Blaker"...always makes me smile!  I visualize her a few years down the road as a teen and try to imagine if she'd even want to show her brother or talk to her brother about those things...and if she did -- what her "bro" will respond with.  :)

Addy holding her brother!

Bath time sibling kisses!

 That pretty much sums up my Addy-babes right now (or, if she heard me say that nickname that I've had for her since she was a baby, she'd say "I not a baby, I 'Addwyn Jane And-son'"!!


(A sneak peak of one of our fall family photos we had done...more to come with those pictures!)