Christmas!

Parts one and two of Christmas are done up here! We first celebrated Christmas with my Dad and Janet on Thursday up here in CT. It was nice to have some snow on the ground still left over. We had a great time watching the kids playing with their new toys (yay!). Then on Sunday, my mom came up for part 2 of Christmas 07. We headed to church on Monday night, but didn't plan enough time and had to sit in the basement for the speediest Christmas mass ever (no music...well, unless you count the little old lady on the tin organ at the front), and unless you knew the 2 songs by heart, you were out of luck following along!

Santa was good to everyone this year. Olivia got her much requested (well, I did drill it in pretty good) tea set which was a hit, and the costumes have both gotten some wear.

Luke is enjoying all his toys, as well as the tea set!

While we were opening presents, Luke wandered over to Santa's cookie plate and noticed some of the cookies were still left over...so he polished them off!

We head to NJ tomorrow for the final leg of Christmas at the Krout house!

The hoodie

For some reason Luke has suddenly begun pulling his hood up whenever he's wearing a sweatshirt (which is funny because if Olivia does it, he freaks out...). This is how I found him napping this morning...Maybe it keeps him warmer since he's always pulling off his socks!! Isn't that what moms always say, wear a hat and your feet will stay warmer? Or was that just a con to make me wear my "touk" at the bus stop??

White before Christmas

Well, hopefully Santa will be able to brave this NE weather we're having! After a foot of snow last week, and then a whole weekend of freezing rain, then ice, then snow and back to freezing rain, the texture of everything can be best compared to meringue...it's crunchy on top and softer underneath! Not really great driving weather (good thing Brad is home studying for his new drug!) and not great playing in the snow weather!

Luckily Olivia and Brad were able to make a snowman before it got bad!

Now the snowman is glossy!

I was stupid enough to try M&Ms for the face...which apprently don't just melt in your mouth...

Oh Christmas Tree

Yesterday when we went to cut down our tree, the one we chose almost a month ago, we were sure we had (once again) chosen a tree that was not the proper size for our living space! Let's run down the trees of Christmas past...

The first year in Stamford...we brought our tree back from NJ to our 650sqft apartment...and it really felt like we had another person living with us, it was so huge! Then there was the late night disposal of the tree (real ones weren't allowed in Southwoods Square) trying to cover up the trail of needles to the door!

The following year in Stamford, we bought our mini tree from LL Bean. It was the perfect size for the place, but our presents kind of dwarfed it!

Our tree in Danbury...well, in our defense, it looked great when we cut it down. But, note to self, never pick a tree that grew up on a hill! It was definitely not the straightest of trees!

The last two trees were here in Wethersfield. And though they were good trees, none of them can top this years! It seems to be just right!

Though Olivia really thought this was the perfect "Charlie Brown" tree for her!

Olivia meets Santa!

We took the kids to "breakfast with Santa" yesterday. Olivia's first offical meeting of the big guy. I had coached her pretty well to ask for a certain present (one she is sure to be getting) just to get her comfortable talking to him. She was so excited to see him, she ran right up into his arms and gave him a big hug and sat on his lap. Apparently she was pretty cute to someone else too, the lady from the local paper took her picture and told us that she would put it in the next issue (it's a bi-montly issue, we'll keep you updated). Luke was much more interested in a Christmas countdown chair and refused to sit for a picture.

He did seem pretty happy to sit in the fire engine though afterwards!

Thanksgiving in NJ

So, last weekend we packed up the car and headed to NJ for our house-hopping Thanksgiving. First it was Thanksgiving Brunch with "Grandmama Scott" and Frank and Francine in from Canada, and then on to the Krout's to see the other part of the Krout family (this is just part of the "kids table")

we also celebrated Luke's birthday again, and then finally on to my dads for Thanksgiving with the Delciello's which included a rousing hour of liqour fueled kareoke which featured the usuals "Born to Be Wild", "The Pina Colada Song" and sadly "I've Got You Babe"...sorry Dad, it's just not cool to do that in kareoke!

He's One!!

Whoo hoo! It's hard to believe a whole year has gone by, but today little Luke hit the big numero uno. We celebrated with a special train cake and opened a few gifts. Luke will be lucky if Olivia lets him play with some of them...