The month in pictures...

The kids both helped with the tree this year.
Charlie only broke about 4 ornaments, but he
says it was an accident.

The month of December was filled with lots of fun, excitement and exhaustion!  That time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was gone in the blink of an eye.  You spend the whole year preparing for the Christmas season (or at least I do because I LOVE a good deal) and it's over so fast!  Here are some pictures of December.

When Daddy's on the road, the kids and I sleep 3
across.  2/3 of us sleep really well!

They love to play dress up!

Daddy waited a bit too long to put up lights this year.

Sledding down by the lake.

Helping decorate the outside for Christmas. 

Cookie baking-Charlie opted out at first.  He thought a movie &
Slushie sounded better.

We lured him in with the cookie cutters.

Dressing up as Daddy. 

Meeting Santa at Calvary Preschool.  Charlie was not impressed. 

This is how we stop to use the bathroom with
Charlie.  He thinks it's so funny!

Elle & her bestest friend, Gracie before Gracie's
Winter Dance show. 

The boys getting all cleaned up before the dance show.

Elle's 1st big fish of the season-2013!

On our way out to the ice house on LOW.

Charlie's 1st Walleye caught on Lake Bemidji.

Elle's walleye from her first LOW trip.

Our first trip as a family to LOW!  

This kid can not be left alone for 2 seconds!
I found him in the washing machine!  He climbs!

Elle with her daddy!  

Favorite gift goes to--the glow pet!

Favorite gift goes to-the bubble gum machine with 600 gum balls!  I know
I will probably regret this purchase when we visit the dentist in June, but it
made him so happy :)

The aftermath.  It doesn't take long to rip through
all those presents.

In awe of the bubble gum machine.

All ready for church.  I think she was practicing
her singing.

Christmas Eve night.  The poor doggies.

Santa did good this year!

Santa bring me a net.  I shoot my puck
at it!  ---Yikes!

We took down the tree the day after Christmas. :(
We needs that corner to shove toys in!

Elle's preschool Christmas Show.  

We were pretty proud!  Tony came right from work, hence his
attire :)

There's our little jingle-bell jingler!

I know it's probably because she's our 1st baby, but we were
grinning from ear to ear throughout her 7 minute show :)

She makes us so proud :) She use to do
silly things with her eyes when she was a baby, I use
to tell her that her eyes would get stuck!

We had a great year in 2013!  I am amazed at how fast time goes, especially now that the kids are getting older and into more activities.  That's why it's so important for me to keep this little blog (even though I'm not as up-to-date as I'd like to be).  It's nice to be able to look back!  So, if you notice it's like Easter and I haven't written since Christmas, will you give me a little reminder?  I have a serious case of "mom brain" these days.  It'll get worse when I got back to work tomorrow.  :)

December?? What?

*In my defense, this post was written on December 1st, I just haven't got around to click the publish button until now.  Life will slow down one day.

I thought I would be posting and explaining my lack of blogging was do to packing and moving and getting situated in our new home.  Ummm…Not so much.  Things were moving along so well with my home across town.  We made an offer, listed our house with a realtor and the realtor was doing a showing the next day.  Then my husband got cold feet, decided it wasn't the best decision for him our family at the time.  He said, "Jennifer, if this were 5 years down the road, it would be perfect.  Life is just too busy right now for us to try and move along with everything else."  There was more too.  Pretty much, my husband runs most of the show around these parts :)  Anyways, staying put.  We'll be fine. Might have to change my address when I register Elle for school :).  Might live in my yellow house forever!  That's ok too.  We are just 4minutes from Target.

Update on the wild ones…..

Charlie still refuses to nap and go to bed like a normal human being for me.  We follow a very strict routine at nap/bedtime.  I have tried positive reinforcement, getting sad/upset with him, rubbing his back, setting a calming atmosphere, letting him pick out a special night light, letting him choose his special blanket, snugly, pillow pet-you name it.  I have googled, yahooed, pinterest-ed and wedmd-ed what to do.  I went yesterday to Bath and Body Works and bought every flipping  aromatherapy/lavender/chamomile junk they had.  Literally, bath soap, bath wash, lotion, oil, bed spray, and a smelly plug in. Tonight he went to bed like an angel!  I am going to say it was because of all the money I spent at Bath and Body Works, but in reality it's probably because he's so tired from not napping the last 3 days.  GO.TO.SLEEP.Charlie!!!!  ALso, he wakes at night to use the potty.  I know I should be all, "Yeah, go little man!"  In my head I'm like, "For Pete's Sake just pee in your pull-up.  It's a nighttime one.  It will hold A LOT!"  He also wakes because he's really really hungry, mama.  He needs pringles.  But, just a couple mama and I no choke on them mama.  Words from a wise friend of mine, "This too shall pass!"  Other than the not sleeping thing, Charlie Man is doing great.  He is still attached to his mama--I totally eat this up!  He and Elle are the best frien-emies ever.  He tells her daily, "I so frustrated wit you Ewwe!"  I have no idea where he picks up this vocabulary. :)

The Wild Man!  Out sledding on a cold November morning!

She loves dressing up!

Elle Belly still doesn't quit talking unless she's in front of a tv---(by the way we are going on like 3 months of no tv---woo hoo) so when she's in front of a tv it's really my computer hooked up to the tv.  She loves preschool and all of her new friends there.  She goes 3 full days a week!  On those days bedtime is a breeze with her.  Her little head barely hits the pillow.  She loves to argue with her brother, play dress up, put on make-up, and color and write letters to people.  She still questions everything.  Which In the long run I am hoping will turn out to be a good thing.  :) She's not a no and go kind of kid.  She would like an explanation for everything.  Which I usually give her.  My fault. :)

They sometimes get along and play nice together :)

Story time is one of my favorite times with the wild ones because they actually sit down and snuggle together.  There are lots of laughs over certain silly stories.  They like to take turns reading to each other too.  

Other than that, the kids are super excited for Christmas!  George the Elf is out and about in our house watching all their nice and naughty behavior.  Santa even sent them each a video telling them what list they were on.  I did it to scare Charlie a bit, but I put him on the naughty list :)  Tony thought it was so mean. I'm not sure if Charlie really got it, but a few minutes later he was chasing after Elle with a hockey stick.  I'm guessing he didn't get it :)  The terrible 2's are in full swing around these parts!  The tree is up, the presents are wrapped and some rewrapped due to a 2 1/2 year old who decided he wasn't waiting til Dec. 25th to open them.  If you are out and about now through Christmas, please send a fountain pop diet coke my way.  Again, it is the only thing that is keeping me going right now.  Life is full of excitement, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Well, I'd maybe change the number of hours of sleep I get each night, but other than that life is good!

For Sale?For Sale?

When we bought our first home, Tony & I were over the moon.  We both had our grown-up jobs and were about to get married.  We bought our house with the idea that we may never leave this house.  It had enough room for 2-3 kids, a yard to run and play in, and a storage garage for all of Tony's junk toys.  What more would we ever want?
Fast forward to now......we still love our home, it is still big enough for the 4 of us and all our stuff, BUT Elle will be starting kindergarten next Fall.  We had always been under the assumption that when the kids started school they would come to school with me.  It would just work out easier that way.  Tony is on the road more now, and works in the opposite direction of school/daycare.  He can't really help it, but he isn't able to help with drop offs and pick-ups.  So, why are there for sale signs in our yard?  Plain and simple-I want to live in the school zone where I work.  I want my kids to be able to come to school with me in the morning and come home with me after work.  The way to ensure this happens is to live within that school zone.
About a month ago I found a house.  It had everything our current house had, and was by my school.  It is perfect for the kids and me, but if it works out will be a bit more work for Tony.  He'll have about 20 minutes added to his drive each way, he'll have A LOT of trees to mow/weed-eat around, and a lot more to plow......but he loves all that kind of stuff :) right??  Guys love that outdoors stuff.  That's what I keep telling him!  Our house is up for sale, we put in an offer, they counter-offered and now we wait to see if everything falls into place..........
Very bitter-sweet feeling. This home is all we've known as a couple engaged, newly married, first time parents, and a family of 4.  This home has been a part of everything big that has happened in our lives.  It's weird thinking that another couple may turn my home into their home, but we'll see what happens.  For now, we wait!
Elle did tell me that she is going to have a rummage sale and sell all her baby clothes and toys to help pay for the new house :)  She really likes the tire swing in the front yard.  Charlie says he wants to buy the new house because it has a gum-ball machine---I wonder if we can add that in the agreement?

This house has brought us many great memories!  I can't get too sentimental because it still might be my forever house.      Which is ok too, as long as the kids can come with me to school :)

My favorite!

I saw this on a mommy blog this summer and thought, "What a cute idea!" A mom wrote a list of reasons why a certain child was her favorite child.  So I got to thinking, "Which one of my kids is my favorite."  I pondered this for a while going back and forth and then picked.  The winner is..........

Elle, you are my favorite.  You were my first born.  You were my first little girl.  You were the one who got my undivided attention for almost 2 years. I loved you with my whole heart the second I found out you were inside me.  You were my best kept secret inside my tummy.  I love our time together.  I love that you ask me to take you to the red store (Target) so we can have just girl time.  I love that you know when we go to Target to fill up a diet coke for me and red slushie for you.  You are so full of love for all those around you.  You are excited to learn.  You are the most sociable person I have ever met.  You see the good in everyone.  You are also not afraid of anyone or anything-which scares the life out of me!  You have the ability to draw people into you.  When you do, you introduce yourself with, "Hi, I'm Elle Lynn.  Why are you here and when are you leaving."  You are brutally honest with people.  Like the time you asked the lady at Walmart what was wrong with her yellow tooth sticking out.  Or the time you told your preschool teacher you couldn't wear the dress-up clothes because there might be wood-ticks in them that will suck the blood out of your hair.

You are an artist.  You put everything you've got into everything you do-especially your drawings.  You are a leader who loves to find others to follow you :)  You love to play mommy and teach boss your little Charlie around.  I love how caring you are.  One time when I got a piece of glass in my finger you cried for me. Real tears too.  You hated to see me in pain.   I love how you question everything in life. Your father blames me for this trait of yours because I have always been one to explain everything to you and Charlie.  I love your ability to remember details--both small and big.  You have a memory like a steal-trap-door.  You don't forget anything.  I hope this sticks with you through your school years!  I love your smile, your chubby cheeks, your smooth skin, your giggle, your   big personality that can fill a room, your big brown eyes, your great big man burps, your knock-knock jokes, your silly potty talk, your fashion, your ability to get anything you want from your daddy (please teach me this one), your determination, your independence,  your hugs, your kisses, your excitement when I pick you up from preschool each day.  I love you, Elle.  You are my favorite!

Charlie, you are my favorite! (Come on, you didn't really think I was just going to pick one did you?  I love my kids the same :) )  Back to Charlie---Charlie, I knew you were a boy before the doctor ever told me.  Your dad claims there was a 50-50 chance so I might have been just lucky.  I just knew though.  I felt different with you in my tummy, but just like with Elle I fell in love all over again when I found out we were going to have another baby.

Charlie, I love your cuddles. Oh how I loved that first year of life with you.  (I didn't always feel that way, but most of the time.)  I loved that you let me carry you and cuddle you 24/7 that first year.  Where I was, you were strapped to the front.  I love your silliness.  I love how you can go from shy when first meeting someone to shaking your butt right in front of that person 2 minutes later.  I love when you get embarrassed you say "poopy butt" because you are apparently at a loss for words. I love that you can't say your "r" sound because hearing you say "Chawlie" is so darn cute.  I love how you adore your Elle.  I love when you kiss her good-night and hug her you say "Night, Sissy Elwe."  I love how you miss her when she goes to preschool and how you tell her when we pick you up on those preschool days.

I love how kind and caring you are.  You always think of others.  The other morning you insisted on having a diet coke for breakfast and when I said it wasn't a breakfast drink you counter-offered with "Mama, I share my diet coke with you.  See, mama, I share wit you."  How do you turn that down?  I love how remorseful you are after doing something naughty.  You are the first to say sorry and give hugs n kisses to make people feel better.  You are such a little lover.  I love your ability to draw women in. Your dad is most proud of this. You've got this smile that brings them to you wherever we go.  Maybe it's the smile or the poopy butt talk???  I love your infatuation with things--mostly balls; basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, baseballs, tennis balls, golf balls, hockey balls :), beach balls, racquet balls, footballs, etc.  I am pretty sure our collection is close to 100! I love how much you love your Hank-O.  You are insistant that we are all going on an airplane and Hank-O the dog is coming with.  I love how you try to do everything the big kids do.  Whether it's trying to play a sport, jumping off of something too high, reading a book, or telling silly knock knock jokes that end with a punchline of "I Spy a basketball."

I love your wild hair, your giggle, your little butt, your silly grin, your manners, your cute little run, your odd duck way of hitting a ball or swinging a club, your grunts, your "I'm so mad" talk, your helpfulness, your questions, your energy, your spunk, your character, your honesty, your heart, how you yell mom-may when you need me and if I don't come fast enough you yell Jenny :).   I love you Charlie!  You are my favorite.

Eating hotdogs in the tub--super safe, I know!

Don't worry guys, I love you both the same.....most days :)

And then there's stuff like this that melts my mama heart.

Stay tuned for my next post....things my kids do that drive me wild.  :)  Trust me, it's not all fun and games with 2 wild ones!  

No more red eyes!

We all survived Elle's first day of preschool-barely, me going back to work, and Charlie doing 3 days/week at Tracy's without his big sister!  What a week!  We all looked forward to nap time over the weekend...except Tony.  He'd much rather use nap time to work on his golf game.  His loss. :)

Let me break down Elle's big day for you................

5:45am The big girl wakes up so excited!!!!  She wanted to double, triple check that she had everything ready.

A little tired, but so excited!  She wants to be a dancer who dances on stage and sings like Taylor Swift.  She also added she would like to be an artist who paints pictures and a dentist who cleans teeth. :)

6:15am We wake Charlie man up.  The first words out of his mouth, "I go preschool today with Elle."  Big sigh on my part.  I then had to try and explain to a 2 year old who thinks today is his big day too that he will be going to daycare and Elle will be going to preschool.  That did NOT go over well.  He LOVES his Tracy, but somewhere in all the preschool talk he thought he was going too.  My poor boy.  Bring on the flood-works.  He cried!  and cried, and cried with kicks and swatting when I tried to buckle him into his carseat.  Poor Elle tried to console him the whole way to daycare---20 Minutes!

7:00am We arrive at Tracy's house.  I get Charlie to quit crying when I tell him he can feed his race car fruit snacks to Tracy's dog, Jersey. I'm sure she wont mind.  So, he's better.  Elle stays in the car waving out the window yelling good-byes and I'll miss you's to Charlie.  BREAK.MY.HEART!  He kept looking back to the car so confused by what was going on.

7:05am I leave Tracy's house in tears because I have just separated my babies from each other for the rest of their school lives!!  As I try to compose myself, Elle keeps asking questions and talking in the backseat (so unlike her :) )  "Mom, do you think Charlie's alright?  Mom, do you think Charlie misses us yet?  Mom., do you think Charlie's still crying because he misses us?  MOm, I sure wish Charlie could come to preschool with me.  mom, I am reaaaaalllly going to miss my baby brother today. Mom, why are you being so quiet."  My heart was breaking.  I know---big baby I am.

7:10 I get a text from Tracy tell me Charlie ran out of the house down the driveway crying for his mama.  My poor boy :(

7:15am we get to preschool.  Elle is bouncing out of her seat.  She insists on caring everything.  She looks like such a big girl in her new pink t-shirt and jean shorts with her Cinderella backpack, matching lunchbox and pillow pet for rest time.  We met Tony there in the parking lot.  We do what most crazed parents do and take pictures/video her every move from the car to the departure.  She hung up her things, put her lunch box in the fridge and headed into the gym to play.  She was so brave.  So confident.  So sure of herself and this new journey.  She was SO ready for all this preschool stuff.  My heart is happy for her because of all this.  She hugged and kissed Tony and I good-bye and we left.  Just like that.  We left her at preschool.  Our big girl.  I thought I'd be able to keep it together a bit, and I did in front of Elle, but once I turned from her to leave--This mama fell a part!  I really am/was happy for Elle.  I don't know if I was so sad because of her and Charlie being separated, CHarlie being so sad, Elle growing up so quickly, or the idea that we were getting back into the routine of work/school and my time with my kids is so limited in these next crazy 9 months---or a combination of everything.

She has her own hook.  Her back-pack was overflowing with things!

Putting her lunchbox away.

One last one before mom and dad leave.

7:25  I finally get myself together enough to go to my school.  As I arrive at my classroom there is a 48oz fountain pop Diet Coke waiting for me.  I could have fallen apart right there! :)  My friend, Krista knew I'd have a tough morning and new exactly what I needed to help make me feel a bit better. :) I'd be lost without her!

Fast-forward to 3:30---I pick Elle up.  She was so happy with a smile stretching from ear to ear.  She ran straight into my arms and said, "Mama, I had the best day of my life!"  My heart was filled with happiness upon hearing those words.  We raced to pick-up Charlie.  They were so excited to see each other.  The smiles were amazing.  Then 2 minutes later they were yelling at each other and fighting over which movie/music we were going to listen to.  That's more like it :)

I know it's going to take some getting use to for my little Charlie Man, but I know this is the best for both kids. They will appreciate their time together that much more--I hope because this weekend they were only best friends for a few minutes.  So, we made it.  We all made it!