Christmas Recap

Christmas this year was awesome.  It gets more and more magical every year as our kids get older.  I just love it.  And instead of viewing most of it through a camera lens, I set the camera aside and just enjoyed it.

Christmas Eve we spent with my family at Kristina's house.  Nate picked up my dad and, oh, it was great to all be together.

Noah ran into our room at 6:15 on Christmas morning.

He was ready to see what Santa had brought.

Santa must have paid attention, because that crane truck Noah had been asking for was wrapped and waiting for him.

He was also pretty excited to have his own Cars movie so we don't have to borrow Grandma and Grandpa's anymore.

Luke got up about an hour later, and Noah was quick to jump in and help him open his presents.

He figured out how to hit those balls right away and laughed with every strike.

And by 8:15, we were watching Cars, playing with toys and waiting for family to come over and join us for brunch.

We squeezed in some time with Nate's family before naps, and then spent all of Christmas evening with them as well.

It was a busy day filled with fun, family, love and LOTS of generosity!

Playing Joseph

Our annual Pebley family Christmas party with all of Nate's mom's side of the family has been shrinking the past few years as family members have been moving away.  I was kind of surprised that Noah was the oldest boy available to play Joseph as the Christmas story was being read.  He and Ava were really cute.

We all got a bit of a laugh when Luke walked up to Mary and Joseph as a stand-in, last minute, Jesus.  Our littlest baby in the family was late, but Luke didn't mind filling in.

Cookies for Santa

After Sunday dinner at Nana's house we frosted sugar cookies.  She was all ready for us and had a big stack of cookies ready to go.  She's been doing trees, stars and bells with the same cutter since before I was born.  I just love tradition like that.

He liked frosting the cookies, but what he really LOVED was the decorating.  This kid believes a liberal application of sprinkles is the way to go.

I can't say I disagree.

At the end of it all, we left with a plate of cookies to take home and some to save for Santa on Christmas Eve.

Thanks Nana for another fun year of Christmas cookies!

Gingerbread Houses

A week or so before Christmas Grandma invited Noah and Brennan over to make gingerbread houses.  This was Noah's first time to make one.

He and Grandma worked together to put on the 'glue' (that's what he called it) and put each piece of candy in just the right place.

Grandma was well equipped, as a Grandma should be, with plenty of candy and treats to decorate that cute house.

Luke was happy to just sit and watch.  He was completely content to be with Grandma AND sucking on a candy cane.

But once we let him get within arm's reach of those carefully constructed gingerbread houses, Luke thought it was a candy free for all.

Building our holiday houses was fun all the way around: creating, eating candy and being at Grandma's house.  It doesn't get any better!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing our friends and family near and far a merry and blessed Christmas!

Seeing Santa - Twice!

Saturday morning we started out the day with  a pancake breakfast at church.  Santa showed up at the end to listen to each child's Christmas gift request.

Noah took his conversation very seriously.  He made sure Santa knew what he's been requesting for months and NEVER waivered or changed his mind about: a crane truck.

What we didn't expect was that Noah assumed once he asked Santa for his crane truck, he figured he'd go home with it.  So, there was a little disappointment and some explaining that we hadn't planned on, but he was fine.

I was glad that Luke's encounter with Santa was a happy one.  He was so little last year, that this feels like his first Christmas.

Saturday night, Santa came down our street.  He was led by plenty of police cars and fire trucks from our city.  There was a perfect blend of loud Christmas music and noisy sirens.

Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped and handed out candy canes to every child,

and the kids gave them items for the local food closet. 

It's just one of the many reasons I love living here.

Based on the excitement created by just one candy cane, I'm pretty sure we could have kept Christmas very simple and just filled the boys' stockings with a few of those red and white treats. :-)

And a crane truck, of course.

Railroad Museum

The day after Noah's birthday we went to the California State Railroad Museum.  Originally I planned on Nate going, but he had stuff going on at work.  Then we invited Noah's buddy, and he woke up sick that morning.  So, Noah, Luke and I headed there on our own.

Sometimes when I'm by myself it feels like a major victory to keep track of these two AND take even one decent picture. 

Noah loved looking at all of the engines and train cars.  He was a little nervous being in the sleeper car, because it rocked a little bit and simulated the movement of a traveling train.  That was NOT his favorite, but he still managed to humor me with a smile.

The docent on the mail car took a liking to Noah and let him 'deliver' the mail for as long as he wanted.  Noah thought he was being quite the helper.

Despite the super scowl, he really did like the dining car.

After seeing all of the train cars we headed upstairs to the model trains and train tables.  There wasn't a chance Noah was going to stop playing with those trains long enough to look at the camera.

He was in the zone.

Luke thought the train tables were pretty awesome too.  I loved that the tracks were all secured down to the table so he wasn't destroying everything.

Our first trip to the Railroad Museum was a success.  Noah has asked every day since when we can go back.  Kids under 5 are free, so I have a feeling it won't be too long before we make the drive downtown again!

Turning Three

For WEEKS Noah has been telling anyone who would listen, "We have birfdays. First we have Wuke's birfday and den it's gonna be my birfday."  Kids at the park, the checker at the grocery store, anyone at church who makes eye contact...just about everyone has known that we're having birthdays around here.

So sweet Noah could hardly contain himself when it was finally his big day.  He ran into our room at 6 a.m. as Nate and I were getting ready for church and with the happiest voice said, "Good morning Mom!  It's my birfday!"

Sunday mornings are usually pretty hurried around here.  Nate leaves at 6:15, and then I'm trying to get me and the boys out the door by 8:30.  I still wanted the birthday boy to have a special morning so we started off with pancakes.

He LOVES the birthday song, so I ended up singing it a few times and relighting the candle.  There was definitely time for that.

After church is sometimes busy too because Nate is still gone, the boys need lunch, and Luke, especially, is on the verge of needing a nap.  Noah requested a turkey, cheese and mustard sandwich, and followed it up with, "Let's make it a birthday sandwich mom."  He wanted a candle.  How could I say no to this sweet face?

So I sang some more and just shook my head in disbelief that this little wonder is already three.

We had all of the family over for a Chi-po-weh (Chipotle) inspired dinner. Noah probably asks three times a week if we can go to 'Chi-po-weh,' so I cooked up the birthday boy's favorite: cilantro lime rice, black beans, sweet barbacoa pork and all of the fixings.

He's been practicing making 'three' on his fingers for months.  Turning three is a very big deal I guess.

 Oh, and I made a cake. Thank you Pinterest for the inspiration.

And thank you Jensen for reporting that there are about 460 M&M's on that thing.  It felt like there were about a million when I was putting them on. :-)

Noah never turns down a kiss sandwich, especially on his birthday.

Our families are incredibly generous when it comes to birthdays.

They are also amazingly in tune with what our boys would love to have.  Just like Luke's birthday, every gift was a perfect match for Noah.

What is it about this picture that makes me feel like I'm seeing what my not-so-little boy is going to look like in a few years?  So grown up!

Luke was content to sit with Shasta and let her accessorize him.

Noah's made his cake request weeks ago: chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream. 

He loved blowing out the candles.

 

I'm sure it's no surprise that many times this week Noah has said, "Mom, is it my birfday again?"  He had so much fun.  As soon as the doctor walkd in the door at his annual check up this morning  Noah said, "Hi Dr. Frank. I had a birfday, and now I'm THREE," (as he help up his three fingers).  

And speaking of the check up, here are the big three year-old's stats:

Height: 37.5 inches (53%)

Weight: 32 pounds (54%)