Memories

I need to be more consistent about writing down the things the kids say and do that I don't want to forget, because I do.  I will be driving to work and think of something and say I need to write that down or I am going to forget it, then a couple days later I think "now what was that again?"  But here are a few things I have remember long enough to write them down.

• I am convinced Trevin is either going to be a comedian or the world's biggest tease since my father.  After he finally started saying Gram he has taken to calling Tito "Toto".  Tito keeps correcting him, but he will just say Toto again and smile the biggest smile.
• One day I complimented Kaiden on sharing something with his brother.  He told me "Mom told me I needed to share and I thought about it and decided it was good, so I do".
• The other day we stopped by the kid's house and when we were ready to leave I think Trevin thought he was coming with us.  When it came clear he wasn't, he pointed to our car and said "Time to go".
• I want to always remember Trevin's sweet voice singing "Let it go, Let it go"
• I love when Kaiden says "This is the best day ever." or "That's the way God made me."
• The way Trevin galloped to the park to meet Kaiden's bus.
• The delight on Kaiden's face when he figures out words he can read and spell.
• Trevin going up for children's sermons even when Kaiden doesn't go up.
• The boys skipping and singing "Skip to my loop".
• Trevin's sweet voice waking me up even if it is at 4 a.m.

Baby Jesus

When I was putting our Christmas decorations away today, I had to take this picture of the Nativity after Kaiden rearranged it.  He didn't like the way I had it set up because not everyone could see Baby Jesus.  

Christmas Cookies

The boys come over to help me bake cookies.

Then we had to decorate the cookies.

I think that was their favorite part.

Or maybe eating the decorations was their favorite part.  This is Trevins "I didn't just eat a handful of chocolate chips," look.

The finished product.  They like making faces, so we have faces on stockings, stars, bells as well as snowmen and gingerbread men.

Footnotes:  The smudge on the pictures is a cookie dough print on the camera.  The aprons became capes as soon as we were finished.

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

We have a couple of ornaments on the tree that play music.

The boys love to play them over and over again.

And dance around the tree.

Goldbug

When Nathan was three, his Granny give him a wonderful book.  Richard Scary's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go.  It is filled with wonderful pictures of such things as a pickle truck, a crayon car being driven by hippos and rabbits and cats.  It enchanted him and then Kaiden and now Trevin.

One of the fun things about the book is a little yellow bug named Goldberg who is hidden on every page.  The kids love looking for him.

This is us reading the Night Before Christmas with Trevin trying to find Goldbug hiding on every page.  The closest he came was finding a mouse.

Tree Decorating

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, we donned Christmas hats and decorated the tree.

It has become a tradition.  Kaiden was really into it this year, Trevin was more interested in playing with the ornaments that play music.

70!

Tito had a big birthday last week.  One of those that ends in "0".  Tito is really just a great big kid at heart, so we had a kid's birthday party.

We played children's games,

Had a photo booth with silly props.

Kaiden wanted to know why we only put 2 candles on the cake, I didn't think the cake was big enough for all 70.

Whenever Tito and I start to plan a party, he always says first we'll get the USC marching band.  Well, they were busy, there was a football game that day.  He had to settle for our band with our funny hats.

Kaiden with his fishing hat, playing the whistle.

Nathan with his restaurant coloring hat playing the popcorn push toy (he says it needs a longer handle)

Dave with his two hat fusion playing the horn and the bells.

We had prizes for the best hat and Stacy won with her reindeer antler hat, but we didn't get a picture.