Christmas continues

Seeing Christmas through the eyes of our special 2 and 5 year old boys makes the holidays the best.  Everything about the holidays is amazing to them.  The lights, the trees, the music, the parties.  They get excited about everything and it's such a blessing to share that excitement with them.

Christmas Eve started with baking cookies for Santa!

Christmas Eve at the Anderson's!  The boys waited patiently through dinner then got into their Christmas pj's and then couldn't wait any longer!

 "Are these all for me?!"

We tried to show Evan that he had to take turns opening gifts and to watch other people open them.

Tyler & Grandpa opening his puzzle!

"Here Tyler, let me help you."

Once the boys were asleep, it was time for Santa!!

I find this under the tree.  Best gift ever.

The boys woke up to find out they officially made Santa's Nice List!!

 Skylanders!!!

Tyler loved opening presents, didn't matter if it was his gift or not!

Such a fun morning :)

Santa surprised the boys with a BOUNCE HOUSE in the basement!!

Relaxin' after the intense gift opening

We headed over to Grandma & Grandpa Dan's for Christmas Day with the Ellis' and our cousins!

Baby Howie & Colin were just too cute!

So adorable!

Grammie & the boys on their first Christmas

The cousins did a "secret santa" gift exchange and Tyler loved the Lego's from Howie

Tyler & his new scooter.  We were lucky to have great weather Christmas Day and the boys played outside.

"No pictures Mom."

Selfie with my sweet niece & Mr. T!

A busy Christmas dinner!

Evan received his first tool box!  Now it's time to put him to work around the house!

Tyler has his eye on this one little Santa all day....he finally snagged it off the tree and carried it around all night.

Tear it open Tyler!

Great Grandma and Baby Howie

The cousins!

 Our Christmas celebrations ended with a visit from Nia & Guh.  We were so happy they spent some time with us on their visit home for the holidays. 

Craft time with Nia

Tyler loved his piggy bank and wanted to keep putting money in it all night.  Hope he is always smart with his money!

Story time

We celebrated the new year with our friend's the Wolak's.  The kiddos made it 'til midnight with us!

This picture of Evan is hilarious...he couldn't get his noisemaker to work, hahaha!

 Pajamas & noise makers!  And champagne for us adults! 

We had an amazing, happy, healthy and blessed 2015.  Here's to an even better 2016!  :)

Christmas 2015 - meeting Santa...several times!

There are lots of Christmas photos to post so I'm breaking this into a few blog updates.  This update is all about SANTA!!!  This year we met Santa 3 times!  Pretty special!

This year we took the "Polar Express" to meet Santa!

Tyler, your smile just cracks me up!  Love you so much!

Lucky to have such great friends to join us at the North Pole!  And yes, Tyler is upside down because he was a little out of control after he ate a tub of frosting, sugar cookies and hot chocolate!

My love :)  He puts up with me and I'm a lucky woman!

The men

The frosting & sprinkles were supposed to be for all the kids but Tyler just couldn't control himself.

"Mom, this is the best place ever!!"

"Santa!"

His list for Santa changed every time he saw him

Ready for the Polar Express!

Mommy's & their "special" hot chocolate  :)

Cutest little Elf!

A special evening with the Anderson's at Greenfield Village.  Santa read his "nice list" and Evan & Tyler were on it!

Meeting Santa again at Henry Ford.  Tyler was excited, then scared, then unsure, then excited again. 

Evan had a lot to say to Santa.  Tyler was thinking "I'm ok over here, looking at that guy with the beard from a distance."

Grandma & Grandpa got to meet Santa too!

Our 2015 Santa pic, love my family!

Evan turned 5!

Dear Evan,

So you turned 5 back in September.....and mommy thought she published this post but just realized she did not!  OOPS!

Some of your highlights as a 5 year old:

- You love to draw.  You're super creative and a great artist.  Your teachers tell us during "free time" at school that you love to draw and write stories.  It's amazing to see what you create!
- You make the best paper airplanes ever.  I think you started those around 4 years old and the airplanes you "design" are so impressive.
- You continue to take swim lessons but you just hate back stroke and getting water in your ears!
- You are sooo energetic.  You'll spend the whole day at school, come home and play and still be ready for another activity at night.  Where do you get all this energy?!
- You've mastered the alphabet and your numbers...I think up to 30.
- You love to read and have us read to you.
- You love super heroes - Iron Man, The Hulk, Spider Man, Batman
- You're really a sweet boy.  You sure can be a stinker and drive Dad & I crazy, but at heart you're super sweet.  And while Tyler can "ruin" a lot of your activities or color all over a book you made and make you upset, it's really sweet to watch how much you truly care about him.  You're his older brother and he really does look up to you already!  You also care a lot about your friends.  Sometimes when we're shopping you want to buy gifts for them!
- You are competitive.  You played soccer this summer and are continuing with it this winter and you just hate if someone is getting in your way or better than you!  Hopefully as you get older you'll learn from this to make yourself better.  :)

Evan - 5 Years Old 

1. What is your favorite color? Blue

2. What is your favorite toy? Bounce house and anything I can build

3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries

4. What is your favorite tv show? PJ Mask

5. What is your favorite movie? Inside Out

6. What is your favorite thing to wear? Pajamas

7. What is your favorite animal? Tiger

8. What is your favorite song? Uptown Funk and Benny & The Jets

9. What is your favorite book? Marvel Reads books on my new Kindle

10. Who is your best friend? Grayson

11. What is your favorite snack? Pop Tarts

12. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk

13. What is your favorite food? Macaroni

14. What is your favorite game? My new engineering game

15. What is your favorite thing to play outside? Practice fishing and bow & arrow

16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas because I get presents

17. What do you sleep with at night? Green Bear or my Panda

18. What do you want to be when you grow up? Police Officer

19. What's your favorite thing to do with mom? Go biking or exercise in Mommy's office

20. What's your favorite thing to do with dad? Building things

Me: "OK Evan, hold Tyler's hand and run with him so we can get a cute picture."......

Evan had major attitude this day and sometimes the best way to deal with him is to be extra silly which drives him crazy, hahaha

5 Years Old!

This photo really captures Evan's pure happiness and energy.

And this photo really captures his ATTITUDE!!

A special gift from Grandma & Grandpa Anderson - a ukulele!

Proud of his new instrument :)

A birthday isn't complete without a celebration at Red Robin!

....and "Happy Birthday" sung by the Red Robin crew!

We surprised Evan with tickets to Marvel LIVE where he watched his favorite super heros perform right in front of him!

Tyler sat like this the entire show, clinging to us and covering his ears when he would hear loud noises (which was most of the show!). 

Evan, we love you so much!  Happy 5th birthday!

Love,
Mom & Dad