Indoor Fun

I am really, really glad that Christmas falls in the winter. Every year at this time I think of how in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe the White Witch makes it always winter and never Christmas. The winter and cold would seem so much worse if we didn't have the holidays to brighten things up!
Last Sunday, Keith's brother and his family were in town, and his younger brother drove in as well for a family dinner. Unfortunately, Keith's parents were still in Florida buying furniture for a condo that they just bought, and although we missed them, we had a good time! David and Drew's cousin Aubrey is one day younger than him, and the boys' cousin Blake is about two months younger than Drew. It was very fun opening presents together and watching the kids play!
We even made a gingerbread house together. Keith's brother Wes' girlfriend helped. She is awesome with the kids and I really hope she becomes a Hudkins someday!
David sorta remembers last Christmas, but this is the first year he really knows what is going on. I want to start lots of traditions that they will look forward to every year. Hence trying to build something out of frosting with two three year olds while two one year olds watched!
On Monday and Tuesday we didn't leave the house! Luckily, the boys love the new toys that their aunt got them, so it wasn't too bad. They really did well playing inside and we stayed in our pajamas both mornings.
I took the pictures of the boys with the Santa hat, because I came upon David trying to stuff that hat (size 3-6 months and they both have Charlie Brownish heads) on Drew's head. Here is the thing- we can't get Drew to hold still to be dressed or to change his diaper to save our lives! I literally have to do a song and dance routine (Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) in order to change that rascal's diaper. Another bit of irony is that David has to be persuaded a little bit to put clothes on himself. Yet, David has all of the patience and time when it comes to dressing Drew up and Drew will be as still as can be for David to do stuff to him. I have also come upon David tweezing Drew's belly with big plastic tweezers from his doctor's kit. Drew just stood there holding his shirt up with all of these little red marks on his tummy while David "doctored" him! Anyway, by the time I grabbed the camera it was too late. They make me laugh even now as I type this.
By late Tuesday we were fed up with being in and I gave in and brought their trikes in from the garage. I blared Amy Grant's Christmas CD (I think it has been twenty years since I have been listening to those same songs) and let them ride around the house. Needless to say, we got out this morning for some fun and some of the boy's favorite- Chinese food!

It Happens

So, I got a speeding ticket this morning. I was trying to do too many things before eleven a.m. and rushing and so I shouldn't be suprised that I saw flashing lights in my rearview mirror. It's such a bad feeling knowing that you are caught red handed doing something wrong. And then to have to pay the fine when it comes at the worse time of the year adds insult to injury.
We have a phrase we use around the house when something goes wrong or a disappointment occurs. We say, "it happens." David has started shrugging his shoulders and saying it when Drew spills something or David himself breaks a car, etc. Sometimes, things happen and we give David a consequence. I caught him spanking Drew and sending him to time out the other day (yes, Drew went to the time out chair and seemed to accept the punishment.)
I want David to know that frustrating things occur and we don't lie down and kick and scream when they do (it is actually Drew that does that these days...) We just go on with life. I am proud of how he has come to handle pitfalls and that he has adopted this outlook. It is probably hard on David in his three year old world when ice creams fall off their cones or when Drew rips his pictures.
Probably just as hard as when a poker faced cop pulls me over and sternly tells me to slow done. So, to use my own words, I guess I'll just accept my "consequence" say "it happens" and go on with my day.

What you don't see...

In order to have anything at our house, or people over, we have to go to great lengths. I am not saying that I go to major extremes and hide all the toys. Everyone knows we have kids, I don't care if some of our decor is Fisher Price, and I am not going to totally hide my dark eyed boys in a secret annex upstairs. But if friends are going to come over after the boys are asleep, or at least cloistered in their rooms, Keith and I have to work really hard. No one wants to sit in Drew's discarded spaghetti mess and I prefer that the house does not smell like poop and cooked broccoli. If Drew doesn't have toys in the living room, he starts ripping stuff out of the kitchen cabinets.
That being said the pictures on the left are what I did with the boys while I showered and tried to get ready. Keith was picking up messes, it was too early for bath/stories and so I got the bright idea to give them washable markers and pudding in the bathtub so I could gussy myself up. After all, if people are going to get in the master bath tub we have bigger problems than them seeing the mess!