December Update

Well, all who know me automatically know that I HAVE to back track just a touch :). I haven't blogged for a while so there are two VERY important things that I must discuss first.
Item 1:
He did it! He did it! He did it, did it, did it!!!
Hulk FINALLY decided he was ready to toilet train (and he'll probably blame me for trauma in his adult life for posting this picture). It took about half a day (thanks for the tips Aunt Kamille), he didn't have an accident for 2 days, had 2 accidents and has been a champ ever since. The kid has mastered the throne fully and even wipes his own toosh. I couldn't ask for more!
Item 2:
Yes, I let her go to school like this...

Farmer Bob was ready to set up an intervention but I made him refrain. Why, you ask? Because, as unique as Princess Buttercup's tastes may be, I need her to feel good about herself at school. If this atrocious outfit makes her happy, then the chances that she'll have a good day are in the 90th percentile, don't ya think? She has come up with some real whoppers to wear, I wish I could post them all.

Now, business completed, here's our back track. We helped the kids carve pumpkins this year, like every other, but the older kids had to gut their own. They were very efficient but had no trouble expressing their dislike. Dash is smiling here but was the loudest complainer between the two. He had to get through the junk to carve this puppy and he was determined to do it.

Butterfly Personified did little to hide her dislike either, but persevered.

All the pumpkins looked great. The smaller kids decorated theirs on both sides with our fun 'Potato Head' type skewers.

And the older kids always have a blast with theirs. I think they look great! Good times!

So, we move into December now. All caught up! Wasn't that fast :). Tee hee, except the little fact that it's JANUARY now! Moving on...

We continued our tradition of gingerbread something decorating. We've done quite a few different things in the past. The first year it was attempted, we tried making a big replica of our house. Farmer Bob's step Mom was the first person I ever saw do this and I was completely fascinated. She was so good at it and made it look soooooo easy that I was SURE I could master this with no problem. Short recap...our house fell down :( ! I was not deterred though. We just moved on to smaller construction projects. This year Farmer Bob and all the kids made their own little houses and I a train...

Neat and orderly, like everything he does ;)...

Me train...had fun with this one this year. I made a train so I could fill the cars with goodies. I'm so smart!

Dainty and cute!

Ready to eat! Even though he'd already eaten half of what was on the table to use.

Do you see her house's little face with hill-billy teeth? Adorable!

At 3, a master! I put the frosting into zip lock bags and cut the end so they can each have their own bag and truly decorate themselves. He did awesome and with not a lot of assistance.

After everyone was done and dry we arranged out Christmas town.

We always have fun making this but, of coarse, the kids just want to gobble it down. It did last though Christmas though, which I was surprised. But EVERYTHING bit the dust on this one. Hardly anything was left to throw away. Waste not, want not...

On Christmas Eve, instead of getting just one present, Princess Buttercup got two. She lost one of her front teeth!

If you ask her what happened, she'll say, "Butterfly P kicked me in the face with her foot!". But if you ask Butterfly P what happened, she'll say, "Princess B ran into my foot with her face. I had nothing to do with it." But no matter HOW it happened, she still got a dollar from the tooth fairy.

And, of coarse, tradition also states that they MUST get jammie's on Christmas Eve.

I love that our kids are growing up because of reason 682...they don't race downstairs and thrash into the presents without us. We were all able to come downstairs together, start with our Christmas socks, and then move onto the mine. Farmer Bob handed everybody 3 or 4 at a time and let 'em rip. It was quick and efficient, then we got right into assembly and play.

Butterfly P banked this year. She didn't have a lot to open but she got a laptop. Need I say more? Ok, she got more than that, including a bed her Daddy and I made for her AG dolls. I made the bedding but kept the bed plain so that she could pick out her own design for it.

A few days later, and viola!

There's the bed ...

And here with the bedding. Of coarse she loved it!

Dash has been patiently waiting for some Nerf guns. So we did oblige him this year. He also has been asking for a watch for about 6 months so we got him a really nice one, I just hope he can keep a hold of it :( !

Princess B got her fare share of things. Isn't it nice when their young? A little money goes a LONG way, it's fantastic! She loves to dress up and draw, so she was given plenty of supplies for doing both. Her request to Santa this year (Dear Santa, I would like 100 Barbies please, Love, Princess B) was not ignored. But she did only get 3 Barbies, not 100. Santa dropped the ball this year! Sheesh!

Hulk got a ton of trains and is in HEAVEN (heaven: as in, ALL the angels, the Mormon tab choir, AND the operatic fat lady are singing together [vibrato IN harmony and all!] heaven!). His brother even got him a Thomas the Tank baseball cap. He's livin' the dream I tell ya...

But now I must reserve a very special section in this post for the amazing.....

CRANIUM CREATION HATS!

My bestest friend is a crochet whiz and she sent us all these adorable hats...

One of mine... (the owl hat of mine you saw in the family picture)

Butterfly P's...

The boy's...

Princess B's... I LOVE!!!!!!!!! them. But now Butterfly P is pining for an owl hat too. I don't blame her!

So, in short, we had a wonderful December. I loved having the kids home for Christmas break but Farmer Bob worked every holiday. I guess we're used to it but it's still pretty suckish. New Year's Eve I spent with some girlfriends, eating and talking it up. I was still able to come home and kiss my man though, as is proper for the new year!

Time moves on still. Things to do, things to do!

No rest for the weary...