It's A New Year

Well I'm back. So sorry to all of you who have continued to check this blog and been disappointed for not seeing a new post since mid-December. Iknow how important it is to share our little snippets of our life. I enjoy reading all of your blogs and you deserve the same from me. So here you go:

CHRISTMAS:
It was a blast. We stayed in Michigan and enjoyed 5 days with Grandma Wes, Aunt Carli and Uncle Mike. We cooked, baked, played, shopped and relaxed at home. The kids played for hours with their guests. One evening Aunt Carli, Grandma, Jake and Casey worked hard creating a ginger bread house. Not made out of cookie, but of foam.



Another night we cut out christmas cookies. I was amazed to see the flour mess 2 toddlers can make in only 20 minutes. Casey was a pro using the cookie cutters and transferring them to the baking sheet. I can see lots more baking with her in our future. Jake was the master of frosting. Jake, Uncle Mike and Chris frosted over 30 cookies and applied sprinkles to them. They turned out delicious and were gone within about 3 days. Yummmm.




Opening presents on Christmas day was a delight. Jake and Casey received many many wondeful gifts from their family and friends. In the evening we listened to Christmas carols performed by Jake and Casey on the microphone they made with their new tinker toys (a Christmas gift from Uncle Paul, thank you!).




WINTER FUN:
So far this year our snow total is about 15 inches. That's it!!! Most of the time the snow stays for about 5-7 days and then it warms up and it all melts. Today we are getting a mix of sleet and snow. We get outside to sled, build snow forts, snowmen, make snow angles, etc... Jake and Casey are fearless on the sled and enjoy speeding down the hills. At the end of the day we come inside and warm up with warm cups of hot chocolate.




SWIMMING:
In January the kids started up with their swim lessons again. This is the first session I enrolled Jake in a class without me and with 5 other 3/4 yr old and 1 instructor. The first 2 weeks he was tentative and didn't enjoy being in the water and didn't participate in much of the skills his teacher asked him to. But at around the 4th week something clicked and he opened up to his teacher and is enjoying blowing bubbles, doing chin bobs, learning to go under water (he's terrified of this, but trying very hard). He does great while swimming one-on-one with the instructor with a kick board or doing back floats. He loves hanging on the wall and kicking as hard his can to make big splashes. At the end of class, as a reward, the kids get 5 minutes of playtime in the waterpark (with slides, waterfalls, tunnels etc..). Casey is a fish in the water and gets to be with daddy while learning her skills. She's great at back floats and swimming with a pool noodle. She's also learning how to jump into the water. Up until now we hold her hands and let her fall in, but now she squats down and pushes off and jumps into daddy's arms.




BIG GIRL BED:
I have one more thing to share with you. Two weekends ago we moved Casey out of her crib and into a big girl bed. We tore apart Jake's bunk bed and made it into two twin beds. Casey was a great helper with daddy by unscrewing the bolts from her crib. We'll be handing down the crib to Jake and Casey's new cousin Riley expected to arrive at the end of this month. After her new bed was made she immediately took her place on it and danced, rolled, jumped and relaxed on it. She has done really good with it and so far she has not left her bed. She very sweetly calls for me " Moooommmmmmyyyyy" when she wakes up from nap or in the morning. For now she'll use big brother's blue bed but eventually we'll get her a bedroom set all her own. I can already imagine a perfect girls room filled with lots of pinks, purples, fairies, tapestry, ribbons, etc.... Just how she would want it.



Well thats about it for now. I saved a few photos and events for me to post in the coming days. I promise to do better with this. Thanks for your patience. Christi - now you have something new to look at when you check this everyday! =)