Christmas Fun!

Yeah for some snow! The kids enjoyed the little bit of time we were able to spend outside late last week...but a little disappointed it wasn't perfect snowman-making snow. Friday night we enjoyed pizza at Turoni's on Main and then headed to Garvin Park for the Fantasy of Lights. This has become a tradition for us, something Brian and I look forward to doing with the kids right before Christmas. Saturday night we prepared our holiday cookie dough so we could decorate our Santa cookies tonight. Yummy!

Some of the less fun parts of the weekend include battling winter colds. Patrick is coughing up a lung, which has become expected from him every cold season. Luckily, we wised up after that first winter and are the proud owners of a nebulizer and take stock in Albuterol and Flovent as well as Mucinex...which has spared us trips to the pediatrician as well as more money out of pocket. Lucy rebounded from her stomach bug on her birthday just to find a cold involving the chills and fever at 103. Again, thank God for Motrin....which has allowed us to enjoy Christmas preparations isolated in our own home :) And, for myself, the joys of braces. I have found a new appreciation for oatmeal and soup....but am very much looking forward to the prettier smile over the course of the next 12-15 months.

Happy Birthday Lucy!

Yesterday we celebrated Lucy's 3rd birthday. Wow. Time flies. Three seems so much older than two, for some reason. We are back to that time of year when we can say we have kids a year apart, a four year old and a three year old. Sounds crazier :)

The day started off not so well with Lucy waking up sick in the night, but she had a very speedy recovery. We had tacos for dinner and I was able to pull off a rather bear-ish looking kitty cat cake. We got her a camera among other things, this was by far her favorite. She was showered by gifts from everyone else, including a beautiful homemade doll carrier with matching diaper bag and several outfits from none other than Grandma Bretz. Other fav's include a Barbie doll, a puppy in a carrier, and a whole set of baby doll accessories.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl. You have enriched our lives in so many many ways. Your red curls and impish smile can melt any heart. We love you so much!

Breakfast with St. Nick

Thanks to Grandma Bretz for making us our Christmas vests! We received many compliments!

Meet Daisy!

On our walk yesterday afternoon, the kids and I stumbled across the sweetest little gray kitten. Of course, they had to stop and pet the cat. And pet and play and pick her up. And there were many tears when we left it behind. But not for long, since she followed us. I felt bad and let Patrick hold her on the walk....and she made it home with us....and scored a nice blanket and food and water on our deck. Where she was waiting at the door for us this morning, meowing. Mommy and Daddy caved, we let her in. Chloe, our 6 year old cat, is the least enthusiastic about this new addition to the home. We named her Daisy (really hoping Mommy is right and she is a girl, but figure shortening to Daze if need be is pretty easy :). I figure she is maybe 6-8 weeks old. Really playful and sweet, loves the kids and snuggles right up to both of them during those little bursts of naps that kittens take throughout the day. We have to remind the kids that she is a kitten, that her scratching and biting is just her way of playing and she really does NOT need to be carried around all day. We went to Target and picked up her own bowls and food, as well as some toys that Chloe LONG ago lost interest in. She is scheduled to see the vet on Friday. We are hopeful that with some time, Chloe will begin to appreciate this new friend :)