Happy New Year...January 2009 in Full Swing!

Here we are New Year's Eve at Holiday Inn! My cute little Angels were worn out from swimming and running around the Hotel, while there Dad was down stairs working. So we had a sleep over (Sleeping bags and all) at the Hotel waiting for and dreaming about the New Year's Fairy! Yes, we were all visited by the New Year's Fairy and we all got a few fun and yummy treats! It was a fun night, we ordered our favorite Chinese Noodles and brought some of our own munchies and just had a good time playing at Holiday Inn. Nate and I stayed awake long enough to watch the ball drop at Time Square and kissed at Midnight to welcome the New Year! Then we snuggled up for a nice, cozy night in an awesome, comfy King bed. We all slept in a bit longer than normal and it was nice to let someone else make the beds the next Morning!

We've had several storms over the Holidays and the Boys have had a blast playing in all the snow. Here they are building a snow hill to hide behind when they have a snowball fight....Corbin's idea. He saw it on a t.v show and so he had to make a hill of his own. He was way excited to show his Dad when he got home from work in hopes that he would want to have a snowball fight with him. Sadly....the hill didn't get much bigger then this due to the lack of insufficient snow, but Aidan was a good little helper. As Corbin brought armfuls of snow to the hill, Aidan circled around and patted it in place. They worked great together as a team and spent a good, long time working on their hill.

Here is New Year's Day worn-out Aidan....He put himself down for a nap even with his bed unmade, just to tired to care. With all his New Year's partying and determination to potty train, he was just one worn-out cookie! His bed is unmade due to the sheets being washed after a potty training accident and we just didn't quiet get the sheets back on his bed before he crashed.

Another worn-out Potty Trained Aidan! Yea! It's been a little bit of a rough road with the whole Potty Training, but Aidan has been determined to do it even when Mom wanted to take a break for a while and try again after a few week/months. When I felt like he wasn't quiet ready he assured me he was by sticking with it and taking himself to the bathroom and calling for Mom for help...with mess or no mess. I had planned on trying the whole potty training thing when we got home from Christmas, just to see if he was ready since he'd shown a lot of interest in trying. But Aidan started himself while at Grandma's house over Christmas. So we bought the pull-ups and continued right when we got home. Though the road has been bumpy and sketchy....we've had several days of all day dry underwear and pull-ups so I think we're finally in the clear and on the smooth track! I've been very proud of Aidan and for not giving up even when he and I have been very frustrated over accidents and the usually potty training problems! He defiantly decides what he's going to do and when and doesn't let anything stand in his way! Way to go, Aidan! He's been so proud of himself and still claps for himself every time he goes on the potty....he's especially excited to get to wear big boy underwear and pull-ups and not have to wear baby diapers anymore. He hated having his diaper changed and now loves the new found freedom of putting on his underwear by himself. One other cute thing is, after he's done on the potty he has a hard time getting down without falling off, so it makes him nervous. So he holds on tight around my neck and jumps into my arms and then gives me a big hug and smile as if to say "thanks Mom, for helping me and sticking with me". I love it and of course I can't help but give him a big hug and kiss and tell him "I love him" and "great job" one more time.

What a cute little reindeer! Nate got these as a white elephant gift and Aidan loves to wear them! Don't you just want to hug him and kiss those cute little, chubby cheeks? I do!

Corbin met me at the shower door the other morning wearing this and letting me know he was a Knight and he was going to protect me. He then proceeded to tell me all about his costume and what each piece was and how it helped him when he was fighting wars and protecting the good people. What an imagination...I hope he keeps it forever! He can be my Knight in Shining Armor(or plastic tote, jacket cape and plastic sword) anytime he wants!

Here is our new addition to our home...our new couch! I know, I know it's not as exciting as saying we're getting a new baby....and I wish we had that kind of news, but we don't, yet. We're working on that and any help would be more than appreciated....especially if it's inspired! Thanks to our Parents we had a good little stash of Christmas Money and a hint or two that we might need some new furniture...a.k.a I think they especially meant our old ripped up, sunken cushion, now slip covered, old couch needed to be replaced. We'd been searching for a new couch for a while, but just couldn't quiet justify getting one yet, so we just kept looking from time to time in hopes of saving up for one. So Thank You, both Mom's and Dad's for helping us get a very needed new couch! As you can see Corbin has made himself right at home on it. We love it, especially 'cause it's comfy and we can all snuggle up on it together. I have often found myself being used as the pillow for both Corbin and Aidan at the same time while we are all sitting on it watching a movie. Can't say that I mind to much since I get to spend that time curled up hugging two of my favorite little cuties!The day we were getting our new couch delivered I was trying to clear out our living room and of course trying to vacuum the floor really good before the couch got there. Well let's just say our old vacuum was dying slowly and pretty much was giving it up that day! I went over the floor like 6 times trying to get it to pick up stuff and make it look like I'd even tried. Every time we vacuum we have to clean every nook and cranny out trying to get some good suction and the dumb machine stops like every 5 mins. because it over heats, this makes for a long day of vacuuming. So Nate finally declared I probably needed a new vacuum. So I put in some of my Christmas money and Nate picked up the rest in hopes of getting me to by a good machine since I was kind of being cheap about it. Let's just say you can spend a butt load of money on a vacuum and it doesn't really do anything more than the little cheap ones, it just looks more like a robot with a bunch of extra attatchments you know you'll never use, than a vacuum. We decided on this one which had all the things we wanted, a good brand and was still a good price and didn't break us. And it really does suck..in the right way! It was amazing to see all the stuff the old vacuum left behind and good to see that it was finally off the floor. We hope it lasts a long time! And yes, for some reason we're drawn to things that are green...don't ask us why...we really don't know why. Corbin told me this Morning that the new vacuum was pretty beautiful and nice and shinny and he liked that it was green. Then he gave me a hug and said I was pretty beautiful too and asked if I liked my new vacuum. How funny! What a Charmer he is, and I love him for it...he made my day. Never mind I had just woke up and was still in my pj's with my hair a mess.

We hope this new year has found you well, happy and excited about the next year! We are! As I look back on the last year, I have many, many fond, happy memories of my Family and how much we've grown over the year. I look forward to what this new year bring and all it's changes! Of course, Nate and I have made many resolutions and most of them the same as always. So we'll see if next year you see us skinny and loaded with money....probably not, but we can at least try and hope can't we? I just hope we are happy and all is well and we are better people and have hopefully learned some new wonderful things! Happy New Year everyone and all it brings!