Sink Bath

I had forgotten the best way to bath a squirmy baby! Ella had her first sink bath today! She loved it!

Christmas 2012

 Andrew and Robyn got engaged!

This has been a hard year. There have been some beautiful moments and the birth of Elizabeth was our miracle but I am eager to see 2012 come to an end.

Jacob had pnemonia, I had the flu, my grandfather passed away, one of the most tragic and violent events of recent history took place in Connecticut, Elizabeth stopped napping for more than 15 minutes at a time,Jacob stopped napping entirely, Jon had his CAT scan to see if his chemotherapy was successful. And that was just this week.

I am grateful for the opportunity we had over this Christmas week to see family, carry on traditions and watch our children smile.

"James"

The Elf on the shelf book says that the kids can talk to their elf but they can't touch him or his magic will leave. Well...Jake touches him everyday...this was too distressing for Ben so I changed the rules so that when James is touched he becomes naughtier, which they love of course. After putting mustaches and whiskers on our family picture his antics continued by painting the boys toenails bright pink while they slept and toilet papering our Christmas tree...

Ben is really into Santa this year. He asks everyone if they are a "believer". We have never made a big deal about Santa and I try to be sure that I never lie to him outright about him so when he asks me if I believe I usually just say "well, do you?"
He looks at me like I am nuts and says "Mommy! We have an ELF in our house!?"

When we bought the Elf on the Shelf I never dreamed that he would actually believe he is a real elf. I thought my introspective, thoughtful and logical Ben would know that we were moving him around and think it was a fun game...nope. He believes absolutely that James is a real elf and is flying back to Santa every night.

5 year olds are so fun. Jacob on the other hand...the jaded other half, laughs at him scornfully with a little eye roll "Bum (what he has always called him) he is dust a dawl! He isn't weel!"- Ben glares at him. But I know Ben really does think he is real. I have heard him talking to him when he thinks I am not listening...and of course there was the finger under his nose to check his breathing incident. 

I wonder what James will be up to tonight...

Sweeties

 Look at this handsome man. I am a sucker for a cute guy and a baby!

The Sick House

For the last two months at least someone has been sick in this house. I am SO tired of illness. Whatever needs to happen for this family to be healthy will be small in comparison to the pay-off. Jacob has been getting it the worst. He woke up sick again this morning "Mommy" he said with droopy eyes, "can you just hold me?" and by the time I got him to the clinic his fever was 105! We are waiting to hear back about his x rays, but in the meantime he is one poor miserable guy! Even I was sick...which never happens! It can't! No one else has a hope if mom goes down! Fortunately our moms came to the rescue. I say that awesome mothers are the ones who run into your mess when everyone else would run in the opposite direction. We have sure been thankful for them!

My Work Out Buddies

2013 has a lot planned. Most importantly to get healthy...our mid afternoon work outs are a step in the right direction. The difference between their work out and mine is that they jump up and run 37 laps around the kitchen because evidently that was just a warm up. I, on the other hand am laying flat on my back until I catch my breath again. My goal will be to keep up with them!

Green Drinks

I like to play a little game with my Vita Mix called "Will They Drink It?"

Most often the answer is YES! Sometimes I am shocked.

This particular drink had fruit juice, freeze dried broccoli, kale, spinach, berries, mango, banana, chia and flax seeds.

They drank it in under a minute! YES!

 It was so good, this is is Ben crying because it is gone!...notice him in the back of the picture.

 He chugged it!

 She will get some next month...