Merry Christmas to All

Christmas was a blast this year! My favorite part was when the boys kept repeating "The BEST Christmas Eeeevvvvveeeeerrr! Aidan's key phrase was "WOW!" he kept saying it along with "I always wanting this!" Jake just kept saying what a great Christmas he was having. The boys were awesome! No bickering, no jealousy and just lots and lots of fun. I'm still pregnant, guessing Corinna didn't want to share her bday with Christmas. Pete and Tony came for the afternoon and we all had fun playing with the boys. There's nothing better than being a 5 year old on christmas morning. Remember that feeling of coming out in the morning and seeing the living room transformed, knowing Santa had visited? WOW!

The weather was beautiful, too. We had to break it to the boys that we wouldn't be having christmas for a WHOLE other year!

Jake's fave gifts: Lego Star Wars Republic Gun Ship (1000+ pieces that spike stayed up past midnight assembling Christmas night), my first Chemistry Set, Bionicle toys, spongebob legos, Hula Hoop

Aidan's Fave gifts: Handy Manny tools (sigh, no flicker!), Imaginext Bat Cave, Mickey Race Track, Remote Control Car

Daddy's Fave: Paintball Mask with fan in it

Mommy's Fave: Scrapbooking Albums and Photoshop Elements

more snowy fun

Just some more pictures of the boys from yesterday. Still snowing today. We have about 10 inches to a foot of the white stuff out there. Poor doggies can't even walk really outside. Good thing we don't have a little dog.

Snow Day Finally

For the first time this school year, school was closed. The funny thing was that there wasn't a flake to be found when the sun came up. The weather obsessed had been tracking a HUGE storm that was supposed to hit at 7 AM this morning. 5-10 inches expected with a fun mix of sleet and snow. Well, 7 came and went without any snow. 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM nothing. Finally around 10:30 it started. And boy, once it started, it didn't let up. It snowed hard and fast. At nearly 4 in the afternoon, I'm guessing we have around 6 inches. Luckily Spike left work around lunch and beat the heaviest of the downfall, but still, it took him an extra HOUR to get home. Once he ate, he and the boys headed out to play in the snow for the first time this season. It was rough though, it was overcast, snowing hard (and not packing snow), and only about 25 degrees. Aidan didn't last very long outside, but Jake and Spike stayed out for a long while. I'm hoping tomorrow will be nicer out for them. I very carefully stepped a few steps outside in good boots to take a few pictures. It was killing me not to be out there with them more. Though the fast snow in my face and low temps quickly squashed my feelings of guilt.

Waiting!

Oh I'm so ready to have the baby! I guess I should say I'm so ready to be done being anxious about the weather and going into labor. I know it's early...a few days shy of 36 weeks, but I'm uncomfortable, tired, cranky...and it's icy and rainy out. And I really don't want to be in the hospital for Christmas Eve.

I can not wait to meet this little girl. To hold her and bring her home and let her meet her brothers!

Wrapping and Being Lazy

Twas less than 2 weeks until christmas and all through the house, was stuff to be done...with no motivation! Being 35 weeks pregnant at christmas time is a little less fun than expected. Waddling my way through baking and wrapping and errands in the cold has lost its appeal. Luckily, Spike took Aidan out for a day jam-packed with errand running. Aidan loved the daddy and me time and Jake actually agreed to stay home with little ol' me. We're still in our PJs and couldn't be happier. I'm letting him play Wii and he's letting me scrapbook. I know that quiet time will be limited in a few weeks, so I'm trying to sieze the moment.

Lainie and I did bake the crescent rollups yesterday and they came out delicious. I've eaten far too many.

Baking, Baking, Baking

Mmmm it's cookie time! Aidan and I just finished our first ever batch of "Top-Secret Chocolate Cookies" stole the recipe from a Paula Dean cookie swap show. They were fun to make. Aidan liked rolling the chocolate dough balls in the sugar. I think we're up for the German Crescent Roll-ups (recipe found in Nove 2007 blog entry) this weekend with Lainie. And maybe a surprise batch of Gobs (Spike's absolute favorite) if I'm up for it. This time of year is so much fun. So much good stuff to eat-sweetwise. My favorite!

Here's the gob recipe...handed down from Spike's Mom:

1 Cup Sugar

1/4 cup crisco

1 Egg
Cream together Sugar, Crisco, and Egg

2 Cups Flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sour or buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 boiling water--LAST

1/4 cup cocoa

Drop 1-tablespoon at a time--Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes (or less)

FILLING:

In pot on stove, cook:

1 1/2 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup milk

Separately mix:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup crisco

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

Mix together paste and cream mixture until creamy. Let sit in fridge until thick