Making Memories

Finally...9 years in....he get's it.
Pat told me last Saturday morning, "With you I realize it's not about getting a Christmas tree, it's about making memories surrounding the Christmas tree". I know this sounds very sweet and it is. Except it would probably be more sweet if I haven't been shouting this through a megaphone on top of our roof for the past five years whenever it's time to get a tree. And dragging my feet mumbling under my breathe anytime we've purchased one from Food Lion (!) or a gas station (!!) just because it's cheap.
I need to feel Christmas in my heart people!! It's all about the magic.
So this year Pat surprised us early Saturday morning by saying he found a Christmas tree farm close by where we could go cut down our own tree. It was freezing that morning so we bundled up and headed out quickly. Fin and I were the most excited.
This place was amazing! Giant inflatable Frosty as you pull in. Mini homemade doughnuts and cider, free hayrides throughout the farm, free bouncy house and cute playground. I think my head exploded. But then I took this picture that looks like we are in the mountains and my head definitely exploded.

The boys were enthralled that there were trees smaller then them. Giant complex and what not. Welcome to Pats' life. He dwarfs 6 foot trees.

Fin, "Take my picture with this cute little baby tree".

Hayride. O Fin, this could have been such a cute picture if you would have kept your gum in your mouth. I'm on Team Nanny now. I hate gum.

Somebody got hungry mid-swing. When Coleys blood sugar plummets, you run for the closest doughnut you can find.

Baby boy, baby tree.

Love this.

Bringing our tree home. Pat's cutting the netting off with a knife, Fin's doing it with safety scissors, Coley's praising the Lord for fresh trees and family memories :o)

Finished product. Must fix small gap of lights ASAP.

It's needed

Friday night we were driving back from my parents and the boys were tired and cranky and all "where's the moon, I don't see the mooooon" from the back seat and I looked over at Pat and said, "I'm going somewhere by myself after naps tomorrow".
He looked back at me startled and said, "Ok, where do you want to go?"
"I don't know...I'm just going. I'll probably be gone for 2 hours". I think my tone ended the conversation there.
It's not often but sometimes when I'm feeling a little worn thin and a little snappish I try to remember when the last time was that I got in the car by myself and completed a thought in my head. 99.999% I feel completely content to be surrounded by my boys but every once in a while I need to clock out from mom duty for a little bit. Pat is always so kind to give me space if I ever ask and I probably should be better about asking more but I always feel guilty for it.
So that Saturday everyone kissed me goodbye as if I was heading off to war and I hopped in my car, turned the music from "We like Sheep" to the radio and headed out to a consignment store.
I scored homegirl her first two little gowns...

And then headed to my favorite place: Barnes and Noble. I used to go there weekly before I had kids and sit on the comfy sofas, drink hot chocolate and catch up on meaningless magazines. It was bliss. When I got there I did my usual rounds of gathering magazines (hello Cosmo,welcome People) and grabbed a peppermint hot chocolate. THEN I realized it had been so long since I had been there that they no longer had couches!

I picked a section where I thought there would be no traffic (philosophy section) and plopped myself down on the floor.

Perfection, minus the hard floor and my sciatica. It was just what I needed and I returned home missing my boys and grateful to my husband for getting take out for dinner. It doesn't take much.

Typical Night

I start whipping up Matzo Ball Soup for dinner while talking to Pat about his day and answering Fin's 1094 questions and WHY is Cole hanging on my leg asking for "eggies...Pulleeaase" right when I need to get around the kitchen. Not suprisingly considering the distractions, I add egg to the wrong mixture and have to scratch the whole meal. Deep Breathe. Things are going downhill fast, everyone's hungry. BLTS, Eggies or Peanut Butter Sandwhiches for dinner, take your pick.
   We sit around the table and laugh at Cole's 180 degree mood now that he has food in his belly. He shovels watermelon and eggs in as fast as his little fork can pick it up. Such a man. Fin sits half on, half off his chair as usual while I remind him at least 6 times to sit with both feet forward b/c he's not going to rush off anywhere and OMG when did I start sounding like such a mom.
    Boys all go wrestle while I clean up dinner. I prefer it that way because when Pat cleans up, he blasts Pandora and my brain feels frazzled and can't think think with that much noise in the background at the end of the day. Screams of happiness and "Daddy's leg accidentally whacked me in the weiner" wails are intermixed as I load up the dishwasher and I swear I wish sometimes could ask God, "WHERE do all the sippy cups go??".
     Bath time, with Cole dancing around the bathroom naked while the bubbles are added. Boys in the tub. Fin hops out covered in bubbles to pee, his nightly bathtime ritual. Cole hops out after him because if Fin needs to, he needs to. Jammies with socks because it's cold tonight, water cups, Yes you may watch a little Kung Fu Panda to wind down. WHY are you somersaulting off the sofa when it's almost bedtime. We.Are.Winding.Down.
     Cole in his crib. Cole, if you throw everything out of your crib like last night, you will get a spanking tonight. Cheeky grin is my reply. 50% chance everything will be on the floor in 5 minutes and he'll be wailing for "Cuppy water and Blank Blankkkkk". Fin in bed with a spiderman story. Yes, you may read one ninja turtle book to yourself. No, not to me. Yes, I do love ninja turtles but we are done with the day. Sweet soapy smelling kisses. Closed doors with little voices yelling, "Goodnight! Goodnight! One more hug and kiss?".
*Sigh* Grateful for the days end but already yearning to see them tomorrow. Please, let it not be before 6am.

Hallloween 2012

Halloween this year can be summed up by pure sugar energy and superhero fantasies realized.The boys woke up at 6:30 and immediately Fin was plotting what he would be. Homeboy could NOT decide on which superhero he would be but I was adamant it would be a superhero that we already had a costume for. In the end, Cole was spiderman all day and Fin was Batman in the morning and Spiderman at night.

We hit up the Y so I could have my pre-consuming 13 mini snickers workout and the boys could show off their costumes. Then we stopped by to see Denise to show Grandma their costumes. Notice Fin in character.

My neighbor Meredith made the boys the cutest snack...

20+ weeks belly on Halloween. She's a'growin.

Halloween night we had some neighbor friends over and tons of grandparents. It was such a fun night of chili, cornbread, cider and everyone sitting by the fire pit outside.

Cole loved snuggle time with Nanny warming his hands.

Spiderman is soooo big.

Zeke having an identity crisis. Am I a shark or am I ironman?

Cheese ball face.

The best pic you can get when kids are dying to go outside and start trick or treating.

Pat and Fin haggling over loot at the the end of the night. Rooky. There was no haggling with Mama, there was just taking and eating of much candy after bedtime :o)

 

I leave you with this RANDOM pic of Cait. She was a ceiling fan (LOVE) with Creeper McCreeperson. Note to Cait: Do not bring this Joker home for Thanksgiving.

Don't go...

This is how we send Daddy off back to work after he comes home from lunch...

I like to think our clinginess is endearing :o)