Friday, March 27, 2020

Holiday Things

This year we totally decked out or school from top to bottom in a Disney Frozen theme.  It looked amazing and the kids just loved it.  We all decorated a snowman on our classroom doors with our faces on them.  Here's mine.  
 
My two little bear cubs....when they are snuggled up together sleeping like this, my heart is melted.  
 
We got out Alfie, the elf I made for Evangeline years ago.  Evangeline started talking to Jed as if she was Alfie talking.  Jed was convinced that Alfie was talking to him.  It was so cute.  She was having Alfie tell him all about Christmas.  Then Jed started talking the elf's head off.    

 
He was telling him, "basically, this is my first Christmas being a big boy.  We can put the stockings up without me pulling them down."

 
Jed started taking an interest in picking out his own clothes and dressing himself.  I was teasing him saying that he was probably the only boy in town with a Jack O'Lantern shirt on.
 
This is Jed's special plate we break out from time to time.  I put whatever I want him to eat in each game space and he eats his way to the little compartment at the end which holds a small treat.  He enjoys this.  

Jed likes to hid in the pillows from my bed and pretend he came in a box in the mail.  I have to go over and "open" the box and act surprised each time I find a boy inside!  Now that he's wearing underwear I usually find a little boy with a little tush crack showing.

Jed's Chicago Bears Christmas tree....
 

Evangeline has a tiny tree in her room also with little gingerbreads and peppermint ornaments.  She also has these two gingerbread people.  When she sleeps in her room I always find her gingerbread people like this in the morning.  They scare her at night....She always sets them back up when she wakes up, but at night they go to their respective corners.
 

And her snowman in the corner too....
 

Trimming the Tree

The kids were chomping at the bit to get the tree as soon and Thanksgiving was over.  Here they are dropping hits...Evangeline is the tree and Jed is a present.  
 
We went to get our tree again this year at our friend's tree farm.  I took a picture of Jed in this little car last year.  I don't think he'll fit in it next year....
 
We found the perfect tree!!  
 
We also purchased lots of live garland and two little trees for our front plater boxes.  It still amazes me by just how much we can fit in the back or our van! 
 
The kids love getting out our Christmas decorations each year.  Jed is starting to remember so of the things from years past.  He was obsessed with this Santa that is nice on one side and has another side for naughty, on which Santa looks a little less amused and has a sake full of switches and coal.  We've used this for a behavior tool with both of the kids.  We flip it to the naughty side when they need to make better choices and it usually defuses whatever unpleasant situation we find ourselves in much faster than "time out".  I did it with Evangeline and now Jed.  They do not like it when Santa is flipped to the naughty side.  
 
Evangeline likes to reminisce on each ornament and ask where each one came from.  She's a sentimental gal....just like her mommy. 
 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Kicking Off Christmas

We started things off with the Hometown Holly Days parade in downtown Marshall!  Evangeline and Kyle walked in the church float and Jed and I were spectators.  Of course, we were so excited to see Santa ending the parade on the fire truck which officially ushered in the Christmas season.  The kids got a goody bag from Santa's helpers at the gazebo.  
 
Evangeline stopping for the downtown photo op.
 
When we got home Jed promptly sorted out his treats into catagories.  I remember enjoying doing this same thing with Zachary after we trick-or-treated.
 
Hanging of the Greens at church is something we look forward to each year.  The kids decorated the trees and made a few crafts, then we all ate dinner together and sang Christmas carols.  

 
Jed participated in the sing-along this year.  He's getting so big...

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Thanksgiving

Evangeline and I ran the Turkey Trot 5k.  I got my PR at this race.  I finished in 27.15 and Evangeline finished in 27.02.  I left the race again, feeling amazed at what I've trained my body to be able to accomplish.  
 
A sweet picture of Jed and his preschool class with their turkeys.....
 
We spent the night before Thanksgiving at Wayne and Karen's house.  Kyle and I have had a 3 year tradition of shopping in Indy together the day before Thanksgiving.  The kids stayed the day with their grandparents. 
 
Evangeline Thanksgiving morning glued to the Macey's Thanksgiving parade.....
 
My favorite little turkeys...
 
The following weekend we spent at my dad's house with my side of the family......
 
Enjoying our traditional persimmon pudding.....
 
Evangeline got to pick out and open on of my holiday Barbies from the basement at Dads.  She will open the doll that I longed to play with, admire it for the rest of the day and then it will find itself in a pile of never played with Barbies at our house.....oh well, at least it had its long awaited moment to shine....
 
I am so extremely thankful for my beloved family...