Christmas Morning

Christmas morning was the best!  The only flaw was Christian's absence.  Brooke's favorite movie to watch for the last 6 weeks was The Grinch with Jim Carey.  I think Ben and I know every line and breath taken in that movie.  So when you look at our picture of the tree look for the Grinch. There are 2 of them. I know it looks like there are a ton of gifts filling our living room but keep in mind there are gifts for 8 people under the tree as Grandma and Grandpa Fox, as well as Uncle Corey, Adel and Aunt Jessy all joined us Christmas Morning.

 As you all know when we asked Brookey what she wanted form Santa she said Cookies and Candy Canes so naturally she went for those first.  I think if she had to pick a favorite toy though she woulds say it is her new Kitchen.

Charlotte LOVED her toys!  She is so excited to play with the colorful balls and raddle's.  She wore herself out playing with Grandma all morning.

Christmas Eve

We celebrated Christmas Eve at Uncle Mike's house.  It's becoming a tradition which is really nice.

Of course Michael had his home with beautiful Christmas decorations.  I just had to share so I took some pictures.

Brookey loved to get into EVERYTHING!

Michael was so sweet to let her touch his things...though Ben and I were behind her every minute praying she wouldn't break anything.

I caught her eating Chocolate out of the treat bowl on the counter.

We had a great time! Michael had a wonderful spread of delicious goodies and dinner was amazing!

 

Let's play babies!

"Charlotte! What are you doing in there?"

Silly Girl.

Thank you Ann!

Caption Reads: "What?  Did someone compliment my cute leg warmers?"

My little care Taker

So one day I was in the kitchen doing dishes and heard Brookey say to Charlotte, "let's blow your nose baby girl, you have boogies."

Thanks Giving

We had a wonderful Thanks Giving this year!  Ben's boss Joyce was kind enough to open her home to us and all our rug rats to share in the festivities.  Her and Steve prepared a delicious dinner with all the traditionals, followed by an ever so decadent dessert bar full of a variety of indulgences.  It's safe to say we went home with full bellies.  I wanted to share some photos of the event.

I think I caught Christian off guard. :) He still looks cute though.

Brookey LOVED the John Deer Tractor.

Okay so can I just tell you Joyces' Grandma Norma has to be the sweetest lady ever!  She wouldn't put Charlotte down the entire time.  Her and Baby are best friends. It was great to be able to enjoy myself and have Charlotte happy as can be.

This is Tucker, Joyce's son.  What a cutie pie!  Christian and Tucker had a blast together.  There were about 7 kids there and all of them played great with one another. Most of the time Christian had them herded like little sheep in the street to play football with him. 

It was so nice to have Jess there with us too.  We had some great laughs that night!  Anyone wanna watch Millionare Match Maker???

TV Baby

This baby LOVES TV.  I've never seen a baby like TV as much as Charlotte.  When I hold her and try to turn her away from seeing it she'll stretch her neck out to follow it.  It's so funny, and she hangs her mouth open as if in awe of it. 

Oh! and can I tell you how awesome this seat is! Sis, you have to get it for your new little bambino!

Brookey and Her Baby

So, Brookey loves to throw her baby in "time out" all the while lecturing her not to be naughty and then instructing her to "think about it!"
Of course seeing this I think to myself...wow am I that scary and crazy?  Of course I've never THROWN Brookey in the corner as she does with HER baby.  But it makes me wonder how she experiences my parenting...

This morning as I was putting baby Charlotte into her car seat I over heard Brookey, so I took to my right and she is ever so sweetly tucking her baby into her little cradle whispering, "go to sleep baby and have sweet dreams." Then she folds her hands and on her knees starts to pray.

  "Dear God,
 Thank you for our family.Thank you for mommy and Daddy and Christian and Aunt Jessy.  Please bless grandma and grandpa. Amen"

OMG!!!! It was the sweetest thing I have ever witnessed. So....I guess I'm not doing THAT bad when it comes to parenting.

At least after she chucks her baby into the corner she is praying for it.

Midnight in Paris

Michael (Ben's uncle) had a "Midnight in Paris" Halloween Party on Saturday.  He had the place crawling with creatures and spiders all the while lit with just the right amount of candles throughout.   My favorite was the enormous Eiffel tower on his patio and the palm trees placed strategically throughout the house; not to mention the little rats one would see in the corner of ones eye and think for just a split second it was real, or the bald cat on the dining room table with it's mouth stuffed with gooey worms feasting from a plate of other slimy creatures.  There was a surprise around every corner.  The house had a perfect balance of Paris and elegance with a touch of Halloween.

 Ben went as Albert Einstein and I went as Coco Chanel.  Everyone was dressed to impress. It was a ghastly good time!

Halloween 2011

As you'll see from the pictures we have 3 very silly children to report.  First I have to start with Christin and Jaden. OMG what silly boys.  Jaden dressed as a girl and looked adorable in my opinion.  Even dressed as a girl Brookey was so in love with him.  Christian went as...well....I'm not sure what he was exactly.

When we went shopping for Brooke's costume we would show her all the sweet girly princess costumes and the cute little animal ones.  As we are walking down the isles of Target she says "I want to be a monster Daddy." So in shock Ben and I said okay and settled on a dinasaur costume.  Of course when we got it home she didn't want to have anythng to do with it.  I had the doctor costume Ms. Peggy gave to us and offered it to Brookey; she said she wanted to be a doctor so there it is.

As the night went on the boys were no where to be found.  They scoured the neighborhood faster than the rest of us could get to one house.  Brooke was so funny and such a good trick-or-treater.  She would go to every door by herself (except the scary ones) and knock.....say "trick-or-treat" in her tiny little voice and then say "thank you" and walk on.  Over and over again she did...she walked almost the entire neighborhood.  Of course, with a little help from the sugary candy she munched on along the way. All the while Ben, Rene and I enjoyed great conversation and our traditional bottle of J-Lohr.

Look at this face! It's like she thinking "pleeeease"

Oh and Baby Charlotte, she was carried the whole night.

Mommy's Hands

Dear Mom,

Last night I looked at my hands.

I remember being a little girl and looking at your hands.  I would think about how beautiful they are and how I wished I had hands like yours. I remember how you used your hands to cook for me and care for me and even tickle my back for me when I went to sleep at night. I remember how you used  your hands once to save me from being kissed by a baboon while we were visiting the Rock of Gibraltar in Spain.  I remember you used to pat my leg in excitement or enthusiasm when we would drive in the car together.  I remember sometimes holding your hands to play with your veins by smoothing them down until they disappeared.  I remember your hands mom. Thank you for using your beautiful hands to love me; I hope my girls remember mine.

Last night I looked at my hands, and in them I saw yours.



Christian's New Glasses

 It's funny how style comes full circle.  Although when I was young, these were reffered to as "birth control" glasses.  Not on Christian though, he makes these look good!

Silly Brooke

I was going through Brookeys clothes to put away Summer and bring out Winter; I come in from the garage and find Brookey in a box.  What do you think... should put her on a shelf in the garage?