Lost

If you thought that you had lost me as a blogger, it is because you really did....
And not only have I been lost, but I have been lost IN "Lost".

I know this doesn't make sense, because it doesn't make sense to me either.
But honestly, instead of blogging, I have been devoting myself to the television series from ABC.

When Richard was leaving Iraq, he asked me if there was anything I wanted him to bring home.

Many women may ask for scarves.
Many women may ask for area rugs.
Many women may ask for paintings.

Me. I asked him to bring me the boxed set of all the seasons of "Lost".

So $15 dollars and a few weeks later (I asked him not to mail it, but to bring it on his person), I am the proud owner of all 5 seasons.

I held out and we didn't begin watching until his return.

I absolutely never understood the hype around this show. Even still, I didn't take the time to find out....until now. I figured that for not very much money, I could get my feet wet and see what I was missing.

And once we turned it on, there was no going back.

Once the kids are in bed and the kitchen is cleaned up, we sit and talk and discuss and watch.
"Lost" is definately one of the most intricately written shows I have ever experienced - and I believe it is quite amazing.

Richard and I are quite invested. Perhaps at a later time, I can write more.

But for now, Season 5 - Episode 8 is calling!

Family Christmas

My mother guilted me into buying presents for my kids for Christmas. We haven't done this in the past because they receive so much from everyone else....

This year though, we have been holding onto things for a VERY long time. Things we probably would have allowed them to have in the moment.

Lucas insistantly wanted this dinosaur one day in Toys R Us. And after the quickest decision making we have ever encountered, we purchased it and hid it for months....

He absolutely LOVES it.

Then I had found my favorite CareBear - Funshine Bear -a Special
Edition, on clearance at Tar-jay a long while ago. Richard was super surprised I didn't buy all they had in the store to save for gifts. This bear is definately that cool.

Meredith putting pennies in her new piggy bank....

Lucas saw his a few months ago and insisted we put it in his room.

We learned that we have to be more sneaky with this child.

A mini Doodle Board, featuring "Toy Story"
I have been wanting one of these since last Christmas when my mom gave them a giant Doodle Board. Now they each have their own, which is great to pull out of my purse on the fly!

They recieved a few other things. But as with everything, you will probably see photos featuring those in the coming days. I have a lot of catching up to do.

Santa Arrives!

We woke up Christmas morning to the carefully placed items left from Santa. An easel greeted us with the message "Merry Christmas Lucas and Meredith!" Both children were in complete awe, repeating "Wow" over and over, frozen for minutes before actually moving into the living room.

We had to encourage them to examine their gifts chosen especially for them! An easel with all the necessary art supplies was to be shared. Meredith received the baby doll she wanted and all the necessary tools to raise one. Lucas received a wooden train track with an array of trains and a fire truck with lights and sounds!

Lucas was totally wowed by his new train set, which Santa so intricately built.

"Santa brought this all for ME?! I want to go see him and tell him thank-you!"

I passed out the stockings after a little while....Lucas was VERY happy to find out that Santa knows how much he likes Wow Wow Wubzy (The small yellow stuffed animal sticking out the top!)


Meredith carefully examining her Abby helicopter. (She loves Abby Caddaby from Sesame Street - Santa brought her a stuffed doll and a helicopter with her driving).

I love this photo. Richard looks so in shock of how the helicopter actually spins!

Santa also left a special stocking for Daddy and myself.

We really appreciate all that Santa did, but I am certain he overdid it a bit.

I know he is just trying to make up for past years that he wasn't allowed in our home, but golly!

I need to send that jolly old man a letter!

Christmas Eve-ening

My family gets together on Christmas Eve in celebration, so after my mom's we loaded up and headed to my Grandpa's house...
My Mere got sick all over her candy cane dress - (ha! and Richard critisized me for taking a change of clothes for everyone!), so we changed her...

She is still a happy girl...
Lucas put Buzz and Woody to sleep in the baby swing

Lucas opened a ton of presents in such an adorable way!

He jumped up and down for a dump truck. I don't think I will ever forget that memory.

Among other gifts, he got a musical set with drum, horn and the like..

Toot Toot!

Meredith toting her baby around in her carseat.

(She didn't get sick this time. She spilled green punch down the front of her, so jammie time it was!)

There is a new baby in the family. We took a ton of photos of Bryson, but in leiu of people telling me they look terrible in the shots - I will just post my husband.

He very much wanted to hold the baby. Doesn't he look like a Daddy??

Don't go getting ideas now...another reason I chose not to post photos of myself holding a baby.

He is just a little ball of love.

Lucas came up to me and said "Do you think I could carry Bryson to his mommy?"

"No, Lucas, I don't think you could."

In the string of conversation, I was assured, it was okay if Lucas held him.

Past my baby girl's bedtime

I think this picture is great. I post it because anytime I let my brother use my camera, he cut my head off.

Playing tea party

Richard just informed me I should review toys that we recieved....However, that will have to wait until a later date.

Until then, I hope you had a Merry Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve....

On Thursday, we woke up and slowly got the day started. We opened gifts with my mom and brother after lunch. Here is a small sample of our time there.

Lucas is sooo happy! I just love this face.

Meredith surrounded with her presents!

Lucas super excited about his new Buzz and Woody!

Lucas happily hugging his new Buzz Lightyear pj's and shirt!

Meredith's face is in a wide open WOW! I am not sure if you can really see it, but that is what it is! Wow! Elmo movies are cool!

Mere now has a backpack like her big brother!

Lucas lined up all the cars he got in a perfect row...

All smiles with her baby doll

This picture isn't that great, but I have a story I want to remember...

Mere recieved this mini-Minnie purse.

She thought it was great and carried it around for a little while, EMPTY.

After a little while, she unzipped it and dumped in a HUGE ziplock bag full of coins that she and Lucas and my mom were counting earlier (as a sorting game - to give them pennies for their new piggy banks).
You can't tell me she isn't smart.....I don't even carry real money, but she knew what to do.

Snowmen and Shopping!

Days after the snow had fallen, I opted to take a nap with my Mere. Richard took Lucas outside to build a snow family -- at Lucas' request. I don't have all the details of the event - but I do know that Lucas conversed with the snow family....

Once inside, they undressed and demanded hot coffee.

Lucas finally listened and started calling it hot cocoa instead.
This is his first one EVER.

The next day, we packed up and headed to town to finish our Christmas shopping.

Here is our snow covered home....

With the snowmen...

Scenic photos from the drive around the mountain...

The uncovered roads....

The area around Monticello

After our shopping extravaganza, where we did find everything we needed/wanted, ect, we made it home.

I showed Lucas how to put a real nose in his snow family.

And with that, the deer were fed. Luckily, they didn't damage the snow family too much.

It's Snowing!

Exam time came to an end and I was allowed to come back home. While I was away, a forecast of 2 feet of snow kept looming.

Richard was skeptical, but he is a skeptic no more. The snow began to fall on Friday afternoon, just as I was pulling into the grocery store parking lot. I arrived home with time to bundle up the babies before it got dark to let them see the beauty and magic that was falling from the sky.

Lucas happily made footprints on the newly fallen snow...

Mere was quite timid and didn't want to venture out too far from the door.

Tasting a bit of the white stuff...

Exploring.

The trees in our backyard...

Daddy and Lucas catching snow in their mouths...

I love how you can see the breath in the air....

and yes, I know my child doesn't have on shoes or a coat....

He returned for shoes to make his mini-snowman

Then we convienced him to go inside...

But the snow fell all night. This photo is a good showing of how much we had that morning. The slide is on level ground and is nearly covered!

Our snow marker on the patio table....We were at 17" at this point in the morning

But when all was said and done, we made it up to about 19.5"

The babies begged to go outside, but were miserable once out there. They could not move - even after Richard dug a few paths for us.

I believe Meredith lasted all of 10 minutes...Lucas, MAYBE 20 minutes.

They were adorable while it lasted though.

Gingerbread Houses

During our "Exam Vacation", our days were filled with wrapping gifts, making Reese Balls, Christmas movies, Christmas shopping, and of course, visiting!

I also promised Lucas that we would make cookies and a gingerbread house. I wanted to be ambitious and bake gingerbread squares for the house -- but my mom's oven burns cookies like hell - so I swallowed the Martha Stewart (that often seeps out of me) and purchased a Gingerbread House Kit.

In the store, I came across 5 MINI gingerbread houses - and immediately thought how fun it would be because Lucas and Mere could each have their own house. I didn't realize how my vision of building a gingerbread house wouldn't really work....I had put last year's adventure behind me.

So we opened up the box and pulled each cookie piece out -- to my dismay, many of the pieces ended up looking like this....

After all the bites were taken out of the pieces, we ended up having only two houses we could make. So we attacked our project...Lucas thought the pieces would magically stand...

So I spread icing, which then got licked off....

then licked again...

and again....

You can see where I am going with this...
Lucas was super excited when he placed a piece of the house and it didn't fall over.

Oh so carefully, making the church

Meredith was totally not interested in the gingerbread house, but was very much in heaven with the icing bowl...

Lucas insisted on decorating them before the icing had set on the houses.

At this point, I didn't care anymore....

I had already put them back together several times, so I just let them do what they wanted.

And with that, you have our final product.