Happy 3rd Birthday to Justin

Happy Birthday to Justin. He turned 3 today!

We had a family party planned for tonight, but Justin has a cold and we don't want to share our germs...so we cancelled that and will do another day. Also, our BFF's Reese and Carsten (And Aunt Dana) were in an auto accident and probably need to get more rest. Yes, they are fine, but probably a good weekend to get some R&R for all of us.

So, here we are again...celebrating with just us at home. Seems like Justin has a cold every year at his Birthday.

This mornig before lunch we made the cake. Justin got to lick the spatula....YUMMY.

And here is his cake...made by Mommy...

Blowing out the candles...

What else is there but anything "Thomas"

And, trusty little brother hanging out....

No more home phone

I decided to cut off our home phone. We never use it and only have it for telemarketers. Well, after getting the bill and noticing that we were paying $27.00 for a phone that isn't really plugged in...just the answering maching, I thought it was a serious waste of money. So, you can now get ahold of us via email or cell phones.

Picture Updates

I took a few pictures of the boys after bath this week. Justin loves the camera. After we take a picture - he wants to see. Today he has the snuffles...hoping it passes quickly.

Clayton is such a happy baby.

Sorry I have been flaky about posting pictures...here are a few from this past week.

a new year....

Okay, so everyone is always saying, I will loose weight this year...well. I am not going to be the one to have a "new years resolution", but I am getting back on track. I have been eating well...but today I am going to start counting points. I will have until August to go to WW, then I will have to pay, so I need to make the next 8 months worth it!

Thursday nights are my night to go to the meeting. Todd will take the kids and JoAnn and I will trek to the meeting! I just got out my pen and paper and wrote down what i have eaten for the day...so far a yogurt and coffee.....

I will post to the West Coast Weight Watchers group from now on about my progress. Hope to see a change :)

Saturday events..

Saturday was a huge day for my family. We had a total of 33 people out at Dad's for the family Christmas. My cousin sent some pics (I didn't take one picture all weekend long)...here are a few...

My happy boy

This was a little bit of a preview of the "boys" gift from Uncle Sean. This is for all the boys to share...right now Reese is the only one who can go Solo on it. I think they helped Justin and Carsten on it this weekend - we Mom's stayed indoors...hoping no emergencies!

a drum for Christmas.

This is another Christmas photo. Grandma Nellie sent us a "drum set". Up until today it has been pretty good...Justin gently beats the drum, etc....so, Reese and Carsten come over for dinner and they show him how it is "really" done...we will see what tomorrow brings for the drummer boy!

Merry Christmas...

After about 20 photo's I finally got one with both happy!

Todd had 4 days off...so on Thursday (Christmas Eve)....he started on the project....here is the before...

And the after...

Cousins visit.

We had the two boys over on Friday night for dinner and fun! This was there first time at our house without their Mom and Dad...originally was going to be a sleep over, but thought a 4 hour time period was a good starter...I tried to plan a fun activity for the evening..they couldn't wait to get all the loot out....we had to have dinner first....here they are all enjoying the crafts....My intent was to make decoration for Papa's tree...well, they sorta did, and then they got more creative, etc....we ended up with a few feet of links for the tree, too many paper plates with stickers, etc for Oma and Opa...and just a ton of fun.

This was Clayton for most of the evening...

And, after a full evening...knowing Mommy and Daddy were on their way..we decided for a quiet activity...

Busted...

Here is the photo shot of what I came out to after putting Clayton down for a nap...no, he didn't get into trouble...it was our fault for thinking something so tempting could be left out while I was putting Clayton down. We had discussed it the night before, but thought we would see...well, now they are all in my closet! Sorry Grandma...Clayton's gift got opened early...but he likes it...I let him play with it and he watched it very intently

Oh dear...

I wonder if Justin will live to 5pm when Daddy comes home. He has been not napping and fighting it..no nap yesterday, but he then sleeps in...but with no nap we are horrible, misbaved, and a POO!

Oh, and while I was putting Clayton down...somebody (don't know who) busted open a Christmas gift....it wasn't his though! HA

Tubby time with Justin

Clayton's first bath in the big tubby with big brother Justin...he loves the water and was a slippery little fella...

Christmas tree

Monday night we had the gang over for dinner and to help us decorate our tree....here are the troublesome 3...goofy boys..

The onlookers....

Napping....

a new bed

here is Justin's new bed...in the works of making it

Walgreens deals

So Walgreens has some deal s this week...I had to get in on some of them - just to see if they worked even! I paid 14.00 out of my pocket for all of this and got $20.00 back in register rewards...

My Rite Aid trip this weekend

Okay, here is the deal I snagged this past weekend....

4 boxes of Kellog's cereal at 2.22 each

2 Push up tape dispensers...2.14 each with a 3.29 rebate. Used (2) 1.00 coupons and made money on them.

Mitchum deoderant sale for 2.50 with a 1.00 rebate and a 1.00 coupon total OOP .50

Wreather hanger on sale 2.49

Magnum razor kit sale of 5.99, 2.00 rite aid coupon and 3.00 manuf. coupon = $.99

1 bottle of sparling juice on sale for $2.50, had a $1.50 coupon

2 bags of chex mix for Todd 99cents each

additional Coupons used

$5 off $25.00 puchase

$5.00 of 4 boxes of Kellogs cereal

Before coupons would have been 28.62, I paid 9.12 and will get back 4.29 in a rebate check. Plus, when I got home I saw that there is a rebate on one box of cereal, so I should get back an additional 2.22 from Kellogs....and...this goes towards Rite Aids Holiday Savings program, so I also made about 6.00 in addition that I will get in a gift certificate for Rite Aid...not to bad really!

I think this comes out to be 1.51 after rebates and then will get 6.00 towards certificate, so almost a profit of 4.50

Tree time..

We went yesterday to get our tree at a tree farm. We met up with Becky, Jason, Wyatt, and Jason and Beckys friends, Kim and Jeremy and kids...It was really fun. We rode on the wagon out to the tree farm, picked our tree, then they brought the trees back for us...we had hot cocoa and cookies in the barn...all tree were the same price so you could get a real deal if you wanted a huge tree...

These are not in order...Headed out taking the tree up to the road...

Helping..

Becky, Jason, and Wyatt

Todd and Justin riding in the wagon

We had other folks with us, and more pictures, but without permission, I don't want to post pictures of them or their children....More pics later of our day . . . A trip to IKEA!

More Thanksgiving with the family...at Aunt Elaines' house

After days of travel, our last stop was to the family Thanksgiving on Saturday (a tradition with my family is to have on Saturday after Thanksgiving).....pictures are in no particular order....

Sean enjoying visiting with Clayton

Grandpa and Carla...they are so cute together.

This picture actually from moving....

Justin has a new best bud! ELI was his friend the entire visit...they played together and he absolutely wore Eli out. Eli became protective of him...waiting at the door while Justin slept and Justin would go to ELi's door to let him out....very cute!

Great Papa

I love this picture..looks semi professional

Great Papa reading to Justin-this wasn't staged.

Here is Eli watching Greg flip Justin...Lins had to hold him back after a bit.

Aunt Elaine with Clayton..I think these two will have a great bond...Elaine came to stay with me for a few days after Oma had gone and I so value our relationship.....

Friday - Visiting...Part 3

We visting with Gina and her parents on Friday (Boone was working). Abigail loved to see Clayton...only had 2 hours together, but it was like we had never left....I sure miss my friends.

Abigail is very much a big sister....Treston is so cute....last I saw him he was only less than a month old. So glad for Blogs...I have been able to watch him grow.

Gina's parents were there too.....fun to see them and Carola was able to enjoy Clayton.