Ten Things Tuesday

1. Christmas was so much fun!  I got the boys up at 5:00 and they were wide open!  When I was getting the boys in the car to go to Lumberton, Landon told me that "Santa did a GREAT job!"
2. We always clean out all the "baby" toys and toys that don't get played with the day after Christmas so that we can make room for the new toys.  Well, this is the first year that Landon has noticed.  He wanted to know where all his old toys were, why Santa didn't come see those kids we were giving the toys to, etc, etc.  Then, after thinking about all I'd told him and looking at the basket of toys in the back seat, he looked at Chris and me and said, "I sure am going to miss my rocket."
3. Sunday night, the boys were in bed watching cartoons before going to sleep. Well, if you have kids, you know on Diego, they interact with the kids that are watching, telling them to say certain things.  Anyway, after they had been watching it for a while, we heard Nixon yell, "I DID DIEGO!"  I guess he thought Diego didn't hear him!
4. Take a look at what Santa brought Landon...

5. Take a look at what Santa brought Nixon...

6. Nixon absolutely loved opening up presents..in fact..he opened up his, Landon's, and anyone else's that would let him!

7. Immediately after all the presents were opened and played with, Landon wanted to know how long before Santa comes again.
8. Landon didn't get the Transformer rain boots that he wanted, but he did get some Pirate ones, along with a Pirate umbrella that he was estactic about.  Luckily, it rained on Christmas day, so he got to break both in and Nixon got to use his Spiderman boots.

9. We started a new tradition this year.  Instead of Chris working on Christmas Eve like he normally does, he took the day off and stayed home with us.  We took Nixon to see his first movie at the movie theater, "Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel."  We had so much fun doing this, we decided to try to go see a matinee every Christmas Eve, as long as they have something the boys can watch.
10. All our inside Christmas decorations came down the day after Christmas.  It's kind of sad, but I just have to put them away as soon as Christmas is over so I don't get too depressed that Christmas is a  year away! 

Ten Things Tuesday - Christmas Edition

Since Christmas is just a few days (3!!) away, I figured I'd do this one Christmas-style

1. Ever since I can remember, I can't seem to sleep on Christmas Eve..I'm that excited that I just can't fall asleep.  Do you know how hard it is to sit there and watch the hours go by knowing just in the other room there are presents to be opened?
2. Because of this, I would always want to get up at the crack of dawn. My mom always made me wait until at least 6:00 am, but the first year we were married, Chris got up with me at 4:30 am!  Since then, I've made myself wait until at least 5:30 because that makes for a long day when you have so much family to see!
3. My boys have yet to wake me up.  I wake them up every year.  In fact, Nixon's first Christmas (he was 3 months old), I woke him up and he was so cranky, we sent him back to bed while Landon opened up all his gifts.  Nixon woke up about time Landon was finishing and then enjoyed his gifts very much from that point on.
4. We have a couple of Christmas traditions for our family.  The first one is that we buy our tree first thing the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving.  While it's falling out outside, I clean the house and put out the decorations, while Chris works on the outside lights.  We're usually done late that afternoon and we bring the tree in to decorate.  We always eat pizza while we do this and watch a Christmas movie of some sort.
5. The second tradition is we each open up one present on Christmas Eve.  It always holds a brand new pair of pajamas so we all look pretty for the video and pictures the next morning!
6. Every year since we moved to Johnston County, we go see Lights on the Neuse.  It consists of about a 30 minute hay ride through woods and around a farm.  They have big lights up with Christmas music playing.  The lights move to the beat of the music.  They also have a building with old time candy and hot chocolate and Santa is usually there for pictures.
7. This will be the first Christmas that Chris & I don't do presents for each other.  We still have our stockings, but we agreed that we'd rather spend our money on stuff for the house if and when we get it.
8. I started listening to Christmas music the week of Thanksgiving.  That's all I've been listening to since then!
9. My favorite Christmas movies are "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," "A Christmas Story," Elf," and "It's a Wonderful Life."
10. Christmas is so much more special when you see the excitement and joy in a child's eyes.

Ten Things Tuesday

1. I started feeling really crappy all of a sudden on Sunday morning when I woke up.  It's gotten ten times worse, so I finally went to the doctor this morning.  I was really afraid I had the flu, but luckily I tested negative for that.  The PA just thinks it's some sort of virus working its way through. 
2. We found out today that we got the house!  Closing date is set for December 31!  It's going to be a busy couple of weeks!
3. I have definite proof that Nixon's tubes are working.  He's had a bad cold for about a week now and his ears started draining fluid on Monday.  I've used the ear drops they gave us after his surgery and it's already stopped.  What an improvement!
4. We go on the Polar Express this Saturday.  I can't wait.  I know Landon and Nixon will love it!
5. Landon loved his basketball practice this past Wednesday.  I was really very surprised with how well he done considering he's never practiced any basketball skills at home.  The only thing we ever practice is baseball!
6. Have I mentioned how excited I am to have a house again?
7. Holy cow..I just realized that I have two weeks to pack..all while trying to enjoy Christmas!  Oh well, I guess it'll work out =)
8. I'm ready to go look at some Christmas lights.  I can't believe I haven't been to see any yet!
9. I also can't believe there's only 10 days until Christmas!
10. I'm all tapped out..ever feel like all you need is a long vacation somewhere warm?  That's me lately!

Wordless Wednesday

Showing their true colors while trying to take that perfect picture for the Christmas Card

Ten Things Tuesday

1. Still waiting on news for the house..this waiting is killing me!
2. There are some things going on at work that have me a little stressed.  Just pray that I get through it and that I let God handle it.  He can do so much better than I can! 
3. Only 17 days until Christmas.  I still have a few presents left to buy, which is pretty good I think!
4. Santa Claus called Landon last night.  He was so excited, he couldn't even talk.  He pretty much just agreed with everything Santa said, but did manage to get out that he wanted a sword that turns into a gun.
5. Landon's first basketball practice is tomorrow night.  I can't believe my baby is old enough to be playing sports.  I remember going to my brother's games every Saturday and now my baby will have them!
6. I'm loving this cooler weather..it makes it feel like it's actually Christmas!
7. Red (our Elf on the Shelf) has been a big hit this year.  Nixon actually loves looking for him every morning.  I don't remember Landon being so into it at this age, so it's really cute to see.
8. Nixon took a tractor to school on Friday.  When I was getting him out of the car, he looked at me and said, "Kylee's gonna wuv my tractor."  My little boy has it bad for Kylee!
9. I can't believe I'll be registering Landon for kindergarten in a few months.  That just doesn't seem real!  My little boy in big boy school.  I'm afraid I'm going to be a mess the first week of school!
10. Chris has started on his work for National Boards...pray for him that he passes the first try.  I know he can do it!

Ten Things Tuesday

I know this is a little late, but it's been a crazy day and better late than never, right?  After all, it's still Tuesday :)

1. I lost weight on Thanksgiving week...granted it was only 0.2 lbs, but with the way I enjoyed my Thanksgiving, I would've been happy with maintaining!
2. Chris and I went shopping on Black Friday.  The two of us do that every year and I absolutely love it!  We shopped from 5:00 a.m. until about 1:30!  It was so much fun.  Then, after the boys took a nap, we took Ellie to PetSmart to pick out her Christmas presents.  Landon thought that was a lot of fun.
3. Our tree and all our decorations are up.  I absolutely LOVE this time of year.  Red (our Elf on the Shelf) is back to visit us. Landon and Nixon both love finding his new spot everyday. 
4. Nixon has a new expression..he looks at you and says, "Mommy...ew(you) know what?"  After you say, "What," he'll proceed to tell you some crazy fact or something he did that day.  It's the sweetest thing.
5. Speaking of Nixon, when he was supposed to be taking his nap on Friday, Chris and I heard him talking to himself through the baby monitor.  Not unusual, but this time he was counting in Spanish from 1 - 10!  I have no clue who taught him this, but he does it on command, so obviously he learned it somewhere b/c he knows that it's Spanish.
6. We made a verbal offer on the house that we looked at on Wednesday.  Today, the bank called (it's a bank-owned property) and said to put it in writing.  They said that wasn't a sign they would accept, but it sounds promising to me!!  Potential Future Home of the Walters' Family
7. This house backs up to Kylee's backyard.  This one is on a cul-de-sac and her house is on the cul-de-sac on the next road.  I think we're setting them up for some potential trouble in the future!
8. Landon asks me everyday how many days until Christmas..I never knew there could be someone more excited than me!
9. Our Christmas parade is tonight.  Landon was very excited to find out that we would be going when I picked him up from school.
10. I'm so excited about the things going on for us right now that I can't even think of anything else to put on here..my mind is going crazy!