Thumbprints

Doesn't every mother dream of making Christmas cookies with their kids -- music in the background, better crocker aprons on - a dab of flour to the face. Well after a disastrous attempt at traditional "Christmas Cookies" last year with my then three year old, I re-visted my plan of attack.

This year we tried SIMPLE and few ingredients, quick bake time, no rolling/sprinkles/frosting/cookie cutters. Thumbprints it is! And what a success it was. Perhaps the massive amounts of Baileys I put in my coffee helped! Ha --just joking- plain old skinny latte for me!

Betty Crocker Thumbprint Cookies
Mix together
1/2 c shortening
1/4 c brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift together
1 c sifted flour (lets not kid ourselves i did not sift and they turned out just fine)
1/4 tsp salt

Roll into 1" balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg whites. Place about 1" apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Quickly press thumb gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake 8 minutes longer. Cool. Place in thumbprints jelly/confectioner sugar icing/hershey kisses.

I think Santa will like them.

let it snow let it snow let it snow

*The littlest snow blower

It is snowing like it's never gonna stop! I don't know how much we have gotten but I am betting it is at least a foot! This is for sure the most snow I can remember seeing in my life.

I better let Santa know that I have made an amendment to my Christmas List. I would now like a snow blower :)

poor thing... he can't get up and I was taking pics instead of helping him!

apparently...

you can't cut his hair without a MAJOR freak out but you can give him three shots to the arm and he doesn't even blink.

Last weekend we took the kids to get Christmas haircuts...if you live in the greater Philadelphia suburban area, you probably heard crying in the distance on Saturday, that was Thomas. Jack was an angel and loves getting his hair cut and I guess to be "different" Thomas flipped out. Even with a lollipop in hand.

Thomas' stats:
Height: 34 in (75-90%)
Weight: 26.15 (50-75%)
Noggin: 20.25 (>95%) .... he's got a big manipulating brain in there...

You know your in trouble when the doctor tells you so. After just telling him how crazy thomas' antics are, it was time to get his shots. Crazy T just sat there and basically said, "bring it, nurse Judy, your silly shots don't scare me, (but don't even think about touching my locks... then you'll see me cry like the 18 month old I really am!).

19 month olds should...

come with a prescription for Xanax. I'm just sayin.

Fa la la la la

All of our Christmas activities fell into this week! So now we will be bored until Christmas Ha! As if... i have 1000 errands to run, presents to buy, already gifts to return! Hmmm that raises a good point, are they "gifts" if they aren't technically given yet? Discuss amongst yourselves. And lets face it life in this nut house is very rarely boring.
A few pics from Santa Brunch. I wasn't sure how Jack felt about the big guy in red this year. There was a little apprehension in the car, but he powered through. Shook his hand, sat on his lap, took a pic... thomas, not so much.

I mean do you want to eat them up or WHAT!? Say I won't use this on their rehearsal dinner invite :) (oh wait, am I jumping the gun!? They're just so cute I can't help it!)

i stuck

regretfully, Thomas is giving up his AM nap. I have had it too good for too long. I wish that giving up the morning nap meant as long or longer PM naps but no such luck... his PM naps are getting shorter and shorter. GRRRR. Better add that to my Christmas list. Cleaning lady, part time job, and longer naps for Thomas. :)

I digress. The point of this post was that he had me laughing outloud today as I attempted to squeeze one more morning nap out of him to get started on my Christmas cards. I did the whole ritualistic routine, and shut the door hoping for at least 30 minutes of quiet Christmas card stuffing. After about 5 books dropped I hear him yelling, "I stuck, I stuck!" (or what I know to be his word for stuck- i am sure any stranger would think it was just gibberish). For the love of all things holy, what has he gotten himself into NOW!

I go up thinking his arm is stuck in the crib or something but no. What I find is a happy thomas standing at his crib smiling his charismatic smile chanting, "i stuck, i stuck" (as in I am stuck in my crib and can't get out to play with you mommy!). Yes, my dear child, you are "stuck" and you are going to be "stuck" for about 15 more minutes too! ha.

clearly catching up...

I'm clearly catching up on a list of blog posts that is in my head. A few pics from our family photo shoot.... which just so happened to coincide with Christmas Cards. How convenient that it was someone ELSE's responsibility to get a decent picture of my kids. Remember the debacle known as Christmas Card Photo Attempt '09. Pretty sure it resulted in EVERYONE crying.

Kristen Chase Photography took the pics. She was so awesome with the kids (and adults... you know, my third child, AJ, has trouble being serious sometimes...) We will definitely use her again.

not sure what he is learning at school these days...

but we were just talking about favorite foods and Jack just told me Santa's favorite food is beer. I like his style, but whatever happened to cookies. Interesting....

melting...

oh my gosh...nothing quite melts your heart quite like a preschool Christmas program. It gets me every year!


My buddy just sang his little heart out. His school does such a nice program where the AWESOME librarian reads the story of Jesus' birth and each sweet little class sings a song during the telling of the story. JRPs class sang a song about the shepherd. I am sure I will post video. All the kiddos looks so sweet in their Christmas best. His class did such a great job and he is always so excited to see us in the crowd. Thomas ate about 7 rice krispie treats to keep him quiet during the program, but you do what you gotta do!

sneak peak

a sneak peak at the dining room (budget) makeover.

I'm figuring we should get it done by somewhere around this time next year! ha!

The perfect day...

Nothing says Christmas like a day in "the city!" We took Jack in for a special big boy day in New York.... we hit all the may-juh sites. Macy's, Rockefeller Center, Magnolia's (for the best cupcakes that ever did taste your lips!), FAO's and the best part was a fun afternoon with some of our best friends... and their soon to be baby "nothing".

The magic of Christmas still exists!
Before the rain.... and snow....
Ohhh my little jackster you are delish... (don't get any bigger you hear!)
Looking for Eloise at the Plaza... he might be obsessed with Star Wars but he still knows Eloise is super cool too!
I know he won't really remember this day forever... but I will.

Turkey Day recap.

Thanksgiving was such fun. My sister and her family were such gracious hosts. Here are a few of our favorite pics.
Thomas acted like a newborn all weekend and Emerson acted like an 18 month old. It was really cool. I promise. Kids table. They tried at least one bit of everything on their plates. I wish I could remember their commentary. I think the only thing they went back for more was the turkey and even that was most probably just to get the ice cream.


OH Thomas, you are so lucky you are cute and are just as sweet as you are mischievous!

It is so funny to watch Jack call Emerson cute and be gentle with her. To be honest I am just glad he knows how to be gentle :).
Nothing says Thanksgiving like a family football game!

Now it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in these parts. It doesn't look quite like Christmas yet, but it's beginning! Our Elf, Herbie, has arrived (can I get a "praise, Jesus") and Jack was GREAT the first day. I better not see diminishing returns on this elf business.