I came across this article today and found it pretty helpful. We're still not 100% sure Robby (or myself, for that matter) is lactose intolerant, but we have seen minor improvement in him since taking him off dairy. We're thinking he can handle it in small doses - such as butter in a cookie or milk in bread. We don't give him any straight-out cheese or regular milk, though. Good thing he really likes Lactaid and Almond Breeze.

Lactose Intolerance: What You Can Eat

Keeping Your Marriage Strong

I just read this great post on keeping your marriage strong - Biblically. Loved it! Lots of good stuff in here.

Keeping Your Marriage Strong

Parents: How to Provoke Your Children to Anger

Have you had your daily dose of conviction today? No? Well, here's a good one for you. Have you done any of these lately? I know I have. Ouch.

- - -

How To Provoke Your Children To Anger

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4

We can provoke our children to anger:

- By constantly criticizing them and not encouraging them. When they feel they can never please us enough.
- By having double standards – Do as I say, not as I do. Expecting them to do things we don’t do, e.g. ask forgiveness, humble themselves, etc.
- By anger and harshness
- By a lack of affection
- By telling them what to do or not do without giving Biblical reasons (e.g., Do it because I said to do it, or because it’s just wrong).
- By being offended at their sin because it bothers us, not because it offends God.
- By comparing them to others (Why can’t you act like your sister?)
- By hypocrisy – acting like a Christian at church but not at home
- By embarrassing them (correcting, mocking or expressing disappointment in them in front of others)
- By always lecturing them and never listening to them
- By disciplining them for childishness or weakness, not for sin
- By failing to ask their forgiveness when we sin against them
- By pride – failing to receive humble correction from our spouses or our children when we sin.
- By self-centered reactions to their sin (How could you do this to ME?)
- By ungracious reactions to their sin (What were you thinking? Why in the world would you do that?)
- By forgetting that we were (and are) sinners (I would NEVER have done that when I was your age).

May God give us gracious, gentle, humble, affectionate hearts toward our children.

[Source]

Running in Sand

Although I obviously know nothing about running, life lately has felt a lot like running in sand. A whole lot of energy exerted with not a whole lot of progress. A lot of days it just feels like I'm just trying to survive until my relief comes. My house is always a mess, I'm completely disorganized, I'm behind on projects, I don't take care of myself and, most importantly, I don't take care of my soul.

One way or another, Bible and study time always gets put on the back burner. How did I get so upside down? Life took over and completely turned me around and now I'm just sitting here disorientated, trying to figure out which way is up.

I feel like I'm stuck in such a "mom rut". The boys demand and take so much from me, I feel as if I have nothing left to give to God. I know I should be giving to Him first and foremost, but I struggle to even remember to pray most days. When I finally get a quiet moment to myself, it's usually very short and all I want to do is...well, nothing! I know it isn't excusable, but is it normal? More importantly, when will it end?

When I was pregnant, I became eager to get my body back. I thought that would happen when the baby was born. I was wrong. Nothing's changed - just a different application!

I really have to get back on track. It's starting to effect everything in my life these days and I'm drained. I really don't know how things are going to be when Matt's gone for a week. It makes me uneasy to think about it.

"The output in your life is in direct proportion to the intake of Scripture truth."
- Bill Shannon, A Passion for Purity, Shepherd’s Conference, 2005, Session #33

Quick Photo

A quick shot of Matt and I taken with my crappy cellphone camera at the game Friday night. Despite it's poor quality, it's still a sweet picture of my love and I. :)

Blog Remodel/General Update

I thought it was time for a fresh new look. Unfortunately, I don't usually have the time/energy/motivation to actually WRITE on my blog. Shame on me. Maybe the pretty colors will inspire me.

Some random updates:

Our anniversary date was wonderful. We saw a Steelheads (hockey) game, had a quiet evening cuddling and sipping on wine in our very nice hotel room, and then we enjoyed a nice lunch at Olive Garden and just dinking around Boise the next day. I hate to say it, but I didn't really miss our boys. Is that wrong? I thoroughly enjoyed not having to change diapers and having to get up every five seconds! According to our dear friend who watched the boys, they did really well. Rob fully understood everything that was going on - where we were, what we were doing, and when we were coming back. Drew was just...Drew. He could have cared less. I hope for more opportunities like this in the future. I very much enjoyed the downtime and reconnecting with Matt. I had hoped to do some shutterbuggin' while we were there, but we had to head home because Matt had a nasty headache. Someday, I hope. Boise is fun.

Matt has a very special opportunity to go to the Shepherd's Conference March 7th-14th with a group of guys from our church; our pastor and some elders included. Unfortunately, that leaves me single-mommin' it for a week. The experience will be an immense blessing for all of us in the long run, but I'm not looking forward to that particular week at all. Please pray for us. It's not going to be easy by any means.

I just want to say for the record that we are almost out from under our hospital bills - hoorah! Thank you tax refund!

Rob got to eat pizza for the first time in months tonight! He didn't mind a bit that it didn't have cheese on it. He was just grateful to have it!

Drew is walking so well. I'm still surprised by him. He can sure be a fun little guy. When he's not crabby, that is.

I ask for prayer for our boys. They're both really sick with whatever junk that is plaguing our area - more specifically our poor church family. Yikes! They're dropping like flies! Mainly the flu, but I can say with some certainty that the sickness in our household isn't the flu. Nevertheless, I'm popping echinacea like it's going out of style.

That's all I can think of. Told you it was going to be random. That's just how I roll. Matt is telling me to come to bed. The end.

PERFECT Frosting Recipe

I should know better than to go anywhere else but Our Best Bites for recipes. Seriously, these gals are food gurus! I tried their Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling Recipe and oh. my. goodness. It's out of this world! A little work, but SO worth it. I then substituted lactose-free ingredients on my next cake (so Rob could eat it) and it was just as good. I don't think I'll ever make another frosting ever again! Just make sure you make enough if you're making a cake. One batch is enough for 12 cupcakes, as noted, so I suggest making two batches for a cake. Also, I refrigerated my cakes because the lactose-free version started melting a bit otherwise.

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling


3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (or Lactaid for lactose-free version)
1/2 C real butter (or Earth Balance for lactose-free version)
1/2 C sugar (that's granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. I think this is the critical point for any of you who have had problems with this recipe. I have a feeling people are under-cooking this part. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still it through a mesh strainer (just whisk the mixture in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) and then let it cool completely to room temp. or chill it in the fridge. It needs to be cooled completely. If you don't let it cool completely, it will melt the butter and you'll have runny frosting.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You'll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, not the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed you can get to without it spraying all over the place for 7 minutes. Yes, 7 whole minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. I know that seems like a long time, but that's when the magic happens!

You will be scared because it will look like a weird goopy mess at first and you'll wonder what on earth you did wrong. Keep beating and something amazing happens. It goes from that goopy mess to something thick, velvety smooth, and perfectly fluffy.
Use it to fill cupcakes or other pastries, or as a frosting on top. You can't go wrong putting this on just about anything :)

One batch makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes .


Notes:

1. Use real butter, and a good name-brand. Cheap butter does weird things.

2.  If you beat for the 6-8 minutes and the mixture still looks strange, beat longer and at a higher speed if you can.  It should come together, but it takes a little patience!

3. Store at room temperature in a sealed container. Frosting may separate in the fridge, but you can store it overnight if left at room temp and in a well sealed container.

Marshall Boy User Manual

Matt and I are escaping to Boise for an anniversary date on Friday. This is quite the event since we became parents - we're leaving the boys with a sitter overnight. Other than when Drew was born and my step-mom stayed here, the boys have never spent the night at someone else's house. Scary. We're quite excited to get away, though - especially me. I look forward to not being a mom for 24 hours!

I thought it would be nice to provide our friends with a rundown of the boys, since they come with their own "requirements". So, instead of trying to remember everything and hurriedly briefing them, I decided to be creative and write a user manual of sorts. I gave myself a chuckle, so I thought I'd share.

- - -

User Manual for the Marshall Boy - Versions 1.0 and 2.0

Thank you for your care of the Marshall Boy Versions 1.0 and 2.0! We hope that you enjoy many hours of fun and laughter as you give great relief to the Owners, who are quite grateful of your kindness

General Care of the Marshall Boy

Fueling the Marshall Boy

Feeding the Marshall Boy (MB) can be fun, but messy experience. MBs are not picky, but do require certain substances to fuel their runtime.

• MB 1.0 (Alias "The Robby") requires NO DAIRY. Acceptions are prepared foods that contain small amounts of dairy or lactose (i.e. bread, baked goods). Dairy will cause The Robby to expel foul-smelling liquids from it's Rear Hatch, causing redness and crying. Almond milk will be provided, but only give The Robby one glass a day. Juice is acceptable, but water is better.
• MB 2.0 (Alias "The Drew") requires two 8oz. bottles of formula a day - one after Morning Waking Sequence and one just before Night Recharge. The Drew is Finger Foods Ready and has been upgraded to Feed Myself status. The Drew requires soft fruits, cooked and cooled vegetables, small pieces of meat, crackers, bread, dry cereal (i.e. Kix, Life, Cheerios), or a jar of MB 2.0 sanctioned food. WARNING: The Drew has been known to gorge itself. Fuel until The Drew is satisfied. The Hungry Alarm will sound if The Drew requires more fueling.
• Both versions require chlorophyll in order to function properly. One teaspoon twice a day in the MBs' fluids is the minimum requirement.

Recharging the Marshall Boy

Eventually, your MBs' batteries will require charging. Taking these precautions will allow you to enjoy your MB and avoid certain Meltdown of your MB. WARNING: The MB will sound a Meltdown Alarm before the Implodation Seqence will run. When the alarm sounds, you have small window of time to dock the MB and prevent Implodation. NOTE: The Owners are not responsible for any injuries and/or damages caused by MB Meltdown or Implodation.

• Both versions require simultaneous charging. Dock your MB in it's Sleep Pod around 8pm for Night Recharge and 1pm for Day Recharge. Both versions require accessories (included) in order to charge correctly. Both require Rear Hatch Cover change, full Stomach Compartments, music, and white noise (i.e. a fan).
• The Drew requires the included Comfort Cloth ("Cuddle Blanket") and Mouth Port Cap ("Pacifier") in order to charge correctly.
• The Robby requires included Comfort Cloth and Bear Attachment ("Hershey") accessories.
• Both versions should charge for no less than two hours. Attempt to re-dock if either decides to run Automatic Wake Sequences - especially at night. Neither require night refueling unless it's absolutely needed for Version 2.0.
• Cuddling and/or rocking may be required. MB's are unsure of new surroundings and may sound a Distress Alarm and won't charge properly.

Playing with the Marshall Boy

This is the main MB objective. The Play Sequence will run on your MB until you make it stop or the Meltdown Alarm sounds. WARNING: MBs will spasm erratically when tickled. NOTE: The Owners are not responsible for any injuries and/or damages caused by MB Play Sequences or flying parts during tickling.

Miscellaneous Information

• Both versions lack Rear Hatch Alarms. Check for waste dumps frequently.
• The Drew is generating new Fuel Grinders. If Pain Alarm sounds, give The Drew 0.8ml of Infant Tylenol and cuddle accordingly.
• The Drew has also started it's Walking Sequence, but isn't very good at it. Watch for bumps and bruises.
• The Robby was infected by the Argue Virus and Backtalk Bug recently. Combat these with Discipline as needed. Also, The Robby has a Little Cough. Dose with 3/4 t. of Dimetap when needed.

Contact Us

If you are not fully satisfied with your MB or have a question concerning either version, please call our 24-hour hotline at ------- or -------. If there is a dire emergency because of the MB or the Owners, please contact Cheryl (Alias "The Aunt") at -------.

Thank you again for your care of the Marshall Boy and good luck.

Look Who's Walking

He took his very first steps today, first diving from the ottoman to the couch and then walking between Matt and I. He's not even 10 1/2 months old yet! Watch out world!

Crock Pot Peanut Clusters Recipe

These are SOOO good and SOOO easy to make!

Crock Pot Peanut Clusters

Ingredients
1 16 oz. jar roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 16 oz. jar roasted, salted peanuts
1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bar (4 ozs.) german chocolate, broken into pieces
3 lbs. (two 24 oz. pkgs.) white almond bark, broken
into pieces

Directions
Put ingredients into a 4 or 5-quart crockpot in EXACT order as listed. Cover and cook on low 3 hours. DO NOT remove lid! Turn off and allow to cool slightly. Mixture will not be melted but will be soft. Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoon size cookie dropper or a teaspoon onto wax paper. Let cool thoroughly. Makes approximately 150 - 170 pieces. NOTE: This candy is made best by following the recipe to the letter.

Monster Birthday Cake

Matt's "Monster Birthday Cake". Chocolate fudge cake with cherry-flavored frosting and dairy-free to boot. It was meant to look like a green monster with blue warts. Rob chose the theme and the colors for Daddy's cake. (Disclaimer: Cake decorator, I am not.)

Here's the recipe for the fantastic dairy-free frosting:


Authentic No Refrigeration Bakery Frosting/Icing

Ingredients
2 cups shortening
1/2 cup non-dairy powdered coffee creamer ( such as Coffee Mate)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract ( can use more to taste)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 (32 ounce) packages confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2-3/4 cup water
food coloring, use color of choice

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening creamer and extracts.
2. Gradually beat in the confectioners sugar.
3. Add in enough water (starting with almost 1/2 cup) until frosting reaches desired consistency.
4. Add in food coloring until the desired shade is achieved.

[Edit] Further "research" has shown that this frosting is incredibly sugary. Okay, let's be honest. Sickeningly sugary. I have another prospect in the works. I will let you know how that goes.

Answer to Prayer & Update

I want to testify to God's amazing answer to prayer.

Remember how in my last post I had said that I was concerned about making rent next month? I took my hard-learned lessons from late and applied some serious prayer, completely handing it over to the Lord. Next thing I know, my father-in-law contacts us and said they were ready to order prints from Nate's senior shoot. Then, my aunt decided to sell our dead Taurus at her place and found a buyer within the day. Between the two, we now have an extra $300+ to aid Matt's anticipated paycheck. That only could have been God because both were quite unexpected and unprompted! How cool is that? At this point, I want to add my disclaimer. I do not condone or believe in Prosperity Theology. God is not an ATM. I am merely testifying to God's answer to prayer in my life and how He continues to provide for this little family without fail. Without Him, we would have sunk many times over by now, and not just monetarily!

I also wanted to update on Rob's dairy-freeness. After a couple weeks of no dairy, it still remained hit and miss with his stomach issues. Just the other night, as we were all sitting at the dinner table, Matt and I had a "duh" moment. Rob's been eating a lot of sandwiches lately (we're still trying to figure this alternative menu), but we never once explored the possibility that bread, of all things, had dairy in it! Ugh! Dummies! So, Matt went to the store last night and started scouring labels. He found some local bread that *seemed* dairy-free, so we're praying for the best.

On top of everything else, we're fighting the creepin' crud right now. Rob has it the worst. Poor guy has croup, I think, and has had to spend the last couple of nights out on the couch with the humidifier so he won't wake his brother. The rest of us just kind of feel underline cruddy and Matt and I are loading up on vitamins. We're hoping everyone feels a little better so we can celebrate Matt's birthday tomorrow. Blah.

Other than that, things are still stressful and tough, but we're learning to solely rely on God. It's an incredibly hard lesson to learn! Darn you, pride!

Now, I'll leave you with an awesome quote a friend from Facebook posted today:

‎"If you're experiencing a trial right now, recognize its ultimate outcome: a deeper dependence upon God and gratefulness for your victory in Christ. There can be no victory where there is no combat." -Richard Sibbes

Weathering the Storm

As I said in my New Year's post, things haven't been the easiest for us during the past year. 2011, so far, hasn't been much different. In a way, things have gotten worse.

The boys are growing and presenting new sides of their personalities that has really stretched Matt and I as parents lately. Rob has become increasingly more defiant in a lot of areas. He's becoming his own little person and he wants to do things *his* way. This usually conflicts with what the rest of us would like, of course. We have also seen his snotty, nasty side rear it's ugly head quite frequently. We are determined to remain consistent with discipline, guidance, and love, but it gets wearing sometimes. Drew is still moody and is constantly into everything, which makes doing anything other than watching him 24/7 incredibly difficult. I'd contain him in his crib or playpen, but he'd scream bloody murder. So, I get up to chase him a bajillon times while the dishes sit for another day. Frustrating. Rob and Drew very much have a love/hate relationship. They either are playing and laughing with one another or they're screaming at each other. Typical, I suppose, but still hard to get used to.

For the past two or three paychecks, we've been pretty tight because of all the holidays (i.e. Christmas, New Year's, and Martin Luther King Day) Matt has had off. His holidays are paid, but he loses his overtime to make up for the difference, cutting his checks very short. We were barely scraping by before, but now we're hurting. Between short checks and many out-of-the-ordinary expenses, I'm praying for a miracle that we can somehow pay our rent next month, let alone cover all our bills. Also, we've noticed our food bill growing with our boys (and the price increase of food in general). Mixed with Rob's new special dairy-free diet and having to buy extra formula for Drew, we have been spending more on groceries than our budget allows, making things even tighter. Food stamps might be in our near future. My pride hates that idea and hates to admit it.

My depression continues. I find it difficult to get out of bed and face my day sometimes and I've stopped wanting to go to church. I don't want people to see me like this and ask questions. It's embarrassing. More pride. I kept it hidden as best I could for a long time, but now I've been forced to seek help, if only just to be able to function on a day-to-day basis. God has sent me some spectacular people (two in particular - my husband being one of them) to help me get on my feet again. It's been incredibly hard to subdue my pride (there's that pride again!) in order to accept help and let people in to my "crazy bubble". Trust is not one of my strong points. But through this, I'm seeing my marriage become stronger and the potential for a close friendship to form. It's still scary to walk through unfamiliar and uncomfortable terrain.

We will conquer this storm, but only through Christ, who has redeemed us. Only God has the strength to endure these hardships. We are only weak vessels that will break on our own. May God grant us the faith to make it through to see the other side of these trials. All for our good and His glory. Prayers appreciated.

Bathtime

Bathtime - Twin Falls, Idaho - 2011, originally uploaded by The Shutterbugette.


Bathtime - Twin Falls, Idaho - 2011, originally uploaded by The Shutterbugette.

Why are hooded towels so stinkin' cute?

Christmas Recipes

As promised, here are the recipes for the goodies I made for Christmas. I'm just going to cheat and post the links to the recipes...because I'm lazy. Enjoy!

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
We had to use Mint Truffle Kisses because we couldn't find the Candy Cane ones, but they were still awesome!

Apple Cider Caramels
Do not fear candy! If I can make these, anyone can!

Oreo Cookie Balls
CAUTION: These little things are insanely addictive! We used Milk Chocolate Almond Bark instead of White Chocolate. Still A-W-E-S-O-M-E!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
An old favorite in our household growing up.

Root Beer Float Cookies
I never got around to making these, but they sound really good.

Drew at Nine Months

I'm just going to stop apologizing for stuff being late. Seriously. Just expect it.

Nine months? Really? Given, it's been a really tough nine months, but the worst seems to be behind us, thankfully.

This little boy is a terror. Adorable, but a terror. We've compared him to a plague of locusts on more than one occasion, in that he'll move from item to item in a room, terrorize/chew/drool/yell at it, and then move on to the next item. It's pretty much his favorite thing to do besides eating, which he does just as obnoxiously sometimes. He's getting increasingly more nimble with his crawling and pulling up, so he's into everything, high and low. Not walking yet, but definitely getting brave with his cruising and standing. He also likes to bite toes when the victim isn't paying attention (speaking from first-hand experience). At his last doctor's appointment, he tipped the scales at 21 lbs. and measured 28 in. tall. Still a big boy!

We ask for prayers for us as parents and for our boys. We have had some new curve balls thrown our way as of late. We're still battling Rob's tummy issues and have taken him completely off dairy, thinking that he might be lactose intolerant. We've gone for almost two weeks now with little change, so we're asking for prayer for guidance and discernment on the next step, which probably will be cutting out wheat. We're dreading this. As for Drew, we're still battling his clogged tear duct. His worthless pediatrician prescribed him ridiculously-expensive (and ridiculously-tiny amount) of eye drops and referred us to an ophthalmologist, which isn't covered very well by our insurance. We were forced to forgo the drops (because it was either the drops or diapers) and we're still mulling over the specialist (he wanted to send us to one in Boise - I laughed and told him to find one in Twin). I think I would like to have a second opinion on the matter because I really don't care for this pediatrician. Let's just say he's one of those that almost always pushes some sort of prescription when we're in there for Well Baby Checkups - no matter what. And it isn't reassuring when you ask the doctor if the prescription is expensive, he laughs and says, "We have a coupon!" He just doesn't get it. We. Have. No. Money. Irritating. Please pray for Drew and for us as we try to figure out what's best to do for him.

*sighs* 2011 has GOT to be better than 2010...right?

A Job Year

Job was allowed to endure horrific things and compared to boils and sores, my life doesn't seem so dim. I have no right to compare my trials and hardships to those of Job, but it seems to be a good fit to describe our year. It was simply "a Job year".

Like Job, we have been allowed to endure some less-than-ideal situations this past year. I could sit here and sing my song of woe and my flesh would deeply want to blame and resent a certain little boy for all our troubles, but the Spirit within me says, "No. That was for your good and My glory." And it's true. It was a year of sanctification; to cause me to draw nearer to Him and to become more Christ-like. God sent us the perfect catalyst that would spur great things masked in misery - a sick, moody baby boy, who mirrors our sinful state and shares my temper and short fuse. Every day, I was forced to face how much more work in me there is to be done. I was forced to see the ugliness of my sin and the effect of that sin on my relationships with not only my family, but also with God. I'm still having to face these harsh realities. In a way, Drew is to blame. God used him to shake me awake. And awake I am!

I do not regret the trials. I do not resent these convictions. I am thankful for them. I welcome them. They were indeed for my good and God's glory. As I face a brand new year and reflect upon the year past, I walk away with some familiar, yet profound truths - God is so very good and we are so undeserving of His grace, sacrifice, and provision. May He have all the honor, glory, and praise, forever and ever!

Many blessings be poured upon those who are in Christ Jesus this coming year.

Our Christmas

I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas. Sorry for the delay of this (but you're used to that by now, right?) and the lack of posting lately. I got overly ambitious this year and piled my plate high with all sorts of holiday projects. Why did I do that? Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I guess. Who knows.

To start off my ambitious Christmas season, I took it upon myself to make all crochet gifts for my family, since they're impossible to shop for. Along with "commission work", I had a total of about thirteen projects to finish in about a month's time. Somehow, I managed to do all but one - which was finished a day or so after Christmas, but it was going to be shipped later. Still needs to be shipped. Argh. Anyhoo, the projects were a grand success and I challenged myself with some patterns I wouldn't normally attempt. Thank you Ravelry! On the downside, I think I may have given myself Carpal Tunnel. Bummer.

Part two of my ambitious Christmas season was an insane amount of goodie-making (for me, atleast). I baked severally types of cookies and even made caramels for the first time. I will post recipes later (as they were also a huge success!), but I made these yummy Mint Kiss Cookies, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for my grandpa, Oreo Cookie Balls (YUM!), and Apple Cider Caramels. I wanted to make Root Beer Float Cookies, but I ran out of time. Finishing a gift seemed a little more important on Christmas Eve night. Talk about cutting it close!

But on to the fun stuff! Here's the boys on Christmas Eve night, both sporting their new PJ's and begging Daddy to spin them in his chair. Drew, of course, was oblivious to all the going's on's, but Rob was extremely excited about Christmas. He just couldn't wait to see what all those funny-looking packages under the tree were!

Prior to this, we had enjoyed a nice day together as a family (Matt had the day off - yay!) and then went to my grandma's house for dinner and fun. It was such a blessing to have everyone "home" for Christmas this year - Aunt Janice and Cousin Emily included! It's just not Christmas without everyone there. Everyone thought the boys were delightful and enjoyed their playful youth, as they flitted about the room, chasing dogs and playing with toys Grams had set out for them. We were having so much fun, we kind of forgot to go to Christmas Eve Service. Oops.

We spent the initial part of Christmas morning as a family, letting the boys have a chance to unwrap their gifts at home. We were awoken by Rob at 6am, but he had completely forgotten about Christmas all together, until we reminded him. Things were quite different after that - he couldn't sit still in our bed! Finally, Drew woke up around 7am and we opened gifts. Matt and I had already "opened" our gifts - a mutual gift of a new HDTV and Blu-ray Player. We're finally caught up with the rest of society!

The boys made out like thieves, of course. Rob got various things - his favorites being a Thomas toy and Lightening McQueen car. Both things he asked for and asked for, which is unusual for him. Drew got a walking-along/ride-on car and some books he can chew on. They both got completely spoiled by my folks, of course. We had quite a bit to lug back from Buhl!

Here's the disaster area of a living room. I'm pretty sure they enjoyed every moment of destroying it.

And yes - Baby Boy is now standing and cruising! We're waiting for him to walk anytime, now!

Sugarbean's first Christmas. I think he enjoyed playing with Brother's toys more than his - and vice versa.

I'm quite surprised how well-behaved they were. They even both got a decent nap. I was really expecting a rough day with them, but they both did really well.

I'm totally in love with this photo. Drew absolutely LOVES his great-grandpa. He was climbing all over him any chance he got, it seemed. It makes my heart smile. :)

Maybe they get along so well because they share a personality? Either way, it's a very sweet relationship they have.

My beautiful cousin, Emily, modeling the hat I made for her. I accidentally made it too small, but she loved it and said it was "perfect". If she's happy, I'm happy!

I love this girl - fake blonde hair and all.

We decided to bring our Wii over to play. It was a huge hit with everyone, so I'm glad we decided to do so! We even got Grams and Cher involved. Grams played a couple games of bowling and here's Cher showing off her mad archery skillz.

I love seeing you happy, Mama. It looks good on you.

After dinner, we started playing with all the little wind-up toys we had attached to our gifts thanks to Jan. We had initially set out to "race" them, but being a sadistic bunch, we ended up making them fight each other. Yep, that's my family.

We tied up the evening with playing with the boys to wear them out a little more - as if they weren't worn out from the day enough.

It was a great day all around. I'm so glad everyone could be there this year. It makes Christmas so much more delightful. We can't wait to have everyone back together again.

So, thank you to all our family and friends who made this Christmas season so wonderful. You blessed us in so many ways! Merry (belated) Christmas!

Drew at Eight Months - Part Two

So, my brain is gone. I just now realized that I had posted a picture of Drew, but no update. Sorry about that.

Drew is growing like a weed. Despite being only 8-months-old, he's already wearing 18-month-clothes and size 4 diapers. Yes, you read that correctly. He's also trying to pull up on everything, even though he just learned how to crawl not two weeks ago. He's been able to pull himself to a standing position onto various objects, usually something unsteady. He's smarter than we think he is and regularly surprises us with his stealth. Whether it be lunging for your feet when you're not looking or escaping the confines of the baby gate - he's quick. He's started playing with Robby more and more and has even started chasing him around the room or attacking him if he's laying on the floor, unsuspecting. Their favorite activity to do together is screaming and giggling in the backseat of the car, taking turns setting each other off. Drew has earned the new nickname of Tiny Terror because he will scour the living room for anything he can get his hands on, promptly rough it up/drool on it/chew on it, and then move on to the next item. We've had to "hide" our Christmas tree on the other side of the baby gate to ensure it's safety. He currently has 1 1/2 teeth that are driving us all crazy, but he is a completely different baby healthwise than he was a month ago. I am a new believer when it comes to herbal alternatives. The chlorophyll is doing it's job quite well. Now if we could just get his second tear duct to unplug, we'd be doing good.

I think we're finally forming a good relationship with our youngest son. He's happy, he's playful, and he's mellow...the majority of the time. He still has a moody side to him, but we've definitely enjoyed him for the first time in eight months. Sad, but true.

Drew at Eight Months

Drew - Twin Falls, Idaho - 2010, originally uploaded by The Shutterbugette.

Getting geared up for his very first Christmas. No smiles, but this little stinker is FAST, so I was lucky to get this one. Even the shiny garland wasn't enough to keep him distracted.