Merry Belated Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!  I know we did!!  Philip's parents came into town and since my parents now live in town, we had a big throw down at our house.  Ethan opened presents on four consecutive days.  It was great!  I'll try to get pictures of Christmas day up soon, but until then you can watch our Christmas videos.

I'd like to take this time to discuss Christmas cards.  This year I sent out Asher's baby announcements that never got sent out this summer with the additional picture shown above.

My question to my readers out there is who do you send Christmas cards to?  With the cost of postage (and cards) going up each year I start to question who should be on my Christmas card list.  Don't get me wrong, I love making a Christmas card and I love sending them out, I just don't know how to edit my list.   Do you send cards to family only?  How about high school or college buddies that you don't talk to often, but still want to keep in touch with?  What about local friends that see you every week or month?  Or do you keep a list of who sent you a card so you can return the favor next year?

I'd love your input on this.  Our list consists of a mixture of these, but I did struggle with our Sunday School class members this year.  I mean, we see them every week, but I still want to wish them a Merry Christmas!  What I don't want to do is spend over $100 on cards and postage each year. 

Help!!

Quitting the Challenge

I don't quit many things, but after I started posting things on here that I would definitely not share with a stranger I figured it was in the best interest of my family to quit the challenge.  Instead I am here today to tell you that I am uploading new pictures on our Shutterfly site and new videos on our YouTube site.  I am especially going to add a lot more pictures to Ethan's tab on the site since he has been quiet the photographer lately!

I know this was kind of a "cheater" post but I hope you enjoy all the new media!

Also, for those of you who were confused about the picture below, the fifth letter on the mantel holds our dog's stockings (Emma and Dante).  I have a feeling that in a few years or so they will get booted from this place of honor.  Either that, or I need to buy some more stocking hangers!

Stockings

Yesterday afternoon (16 days before Christmas) I finally sat down and made Asher's stocking.  Out of the six stockings here I've sewn the first four and although they might not be the prettiest stockings ever they work for us.

In Philip's family each member of the family contributes to each stocking.  We have adopted this practice and I love it!  It is so much fun to buy things for everyone's stocking (including this year my inlaws and brother in law).  Then when it is time to "open" them everyone just dumps their stocking onto the floor and we figure out who bought what.

In my family our stockings were the only things we could open before our parents got out of bed on Christmas morning.  I remember my sister and I running out to the living room to grab the stockings and then returning to one of our beds to open them.  Then the agonizing wait would begin, but at least we had the contents of our stockings to keep us busy until 8am.

Does your family use stockings in their celebration of Christmas?  How do they work in your house?

Yesterday's Doctor's Visit

Asher's 6-month doctor's visit was yesterday and he did great.  Dr. Brice said everything looks fine.  At 6 months Asher weighs almost exactly the same as Ethan did (16 pounds) but the big difference with Asher is that he is 2 inches shorter than his brother was at this age!!

Here is a picture I took awhile ago, but I haven't posted it anywhere yet:

Asher did not appreciate the cup of water I poured on his head, but at least in these pictures you can see his chunky-ness!

Toddlers are easy to amaze

The following conversation was had between myself and my three year old before he took his nap today:

"Mommy can I play with my activities?"  (activities = Nativity set)
"No, I said you can read your train book and then go to bed."
"But, I don't know where my book is!"
"It's in the bathroom."
"HOW did you KNOW that?!"

Solids - the second time around

With Ethan I remember starting solid foods the day that the pediatrician said that we could.  My number one motivation was to spend less money on formula.  Little did I know the amount of dishes and ultimately money and time having a baby on solids can require.

This time around I have delayed starting solids until what seems like the last minute.  Even though I am not anti-spoon, after reading a blog post about baby-led weaning I got really stoked about not having to make purees this go-round.  I want Asher to get the majority from his calories from me for as long as possible anyway, so I am in no hurry to start solids.  Having said that, Asher has gone through periods this last month where after nursing in the evening he is still fussy.  It is at these times when I have offered oatmeal cereal made with formula (or some other liquid).   He does sit at the table with us during dinner and we also have tried to give him solids from our plates.  So far he has had some baked sweet potato, applesauce and a few grains of rice (all good Cajuns should have some rice in their diet).  Most of these foods have been processed and given right back to us, but he has swallowed a few mouthfuls of each.

Unlike this picture the last two nights have gone rather well as far as getting more food into his body then onto his bib.  He still is only eating about one tablespoon of cereal a night, but he seems to be getting better at opening his mouth when a spoon comes up to his mouth and then swallowing what is deposited there.

Today we are going to the pediatrician for Asher's six month check up.  After Ethan heard that Asher was going to have shots he said, "I want some throw-up in my nose."  He means that he does not want a flu shot, but instead wants the flu mist (up his nose).  Kids say the darnedest things.  Also, I couldn't think of it the other day but another funny word Ethan says incorrectly is "Mirr-e-u" for mirror.

Snickerdoodles

I have vivid memories of my family members fighting over my Mawmaw's Snickerdoodles.  I'm not exaggerating here!  After one Christmas where my dad literally hoarded the entire container for hours while he munched away, Mawmaw finally made certain family members their own gallon ziploc bags of the cookies. 

That being said every year when I set out to make them I think, "Do I even like these?" "Are they really as good as I remember?"  After all with such simple ingredients as veg. shortening, sugar, eggs, flour, etc. and with only a cinnamon sugar topping you don't expect anything spectacular.  But then you take the first bite.  mmmm.....the salty crumbly somewhat buttery tasting cookie melts in your mouth.  I have nothing left to say...I am speechless.

Here is an old picture, but it will have to do for now: