Starting up 2020 ya'll

Okay so I don't know where the title for this post is going but let's roll with it!  We spent New Years at our neighbors.  They totally went all out with decorations and making the entrance a 'speak easy' as well as making the theme the "20s" and it was a total blast!  John and I didn't have any flapper type clothing so we tried to go 1920's gangster.  I borrowed this hat from my 7 year old son and put some feathers on the side.  I think we looked pretty good!  We had so many yummy snacks and drinks and candy cigarettes and silly fun!  We almost made it to midnight, but I was just so tired!  We partied til about 11:15 then went home.  Thankfully we got to just walk across the street so it wasn't long before we were in bed!  I can't remember the last time I made it til midnight.  

 

 
One of our Christmas presents was a giant 2,000 piece STAR WARS puzzle.  It took a whole week to complete and annoyingly enough there were 3 pieces missing!  It's so disappointing to put so much time and effort into something and it doesn't quite pay off.  Still pretty awesome though!

Silly kids.  EZ got some dipping sauce on his nose and didn't know it, ha ha!  Bruce can't seem to NOT pose in one way or another for pictures.  I love the next one of EZ scratching Bruce's back while they laid on the couch together.  It is just so sweet to see them be friends.  I also love this picture of Bruce where he can't help but look at the camera.  He asked me to draw an "X" on his face but then he couldn't see it.  I told him I'd take a picture and then show it to him but he didn't quite understand to keep his head turned.  The other picture of them at the store is of what they bought with their birthday money from Grandpa and Grandma.  They were SO excited!  The last picture is a reminder of a video I took of Bruce saying "that tickles (tick-o's)" over and over with that cute little voice.  He asks to be tickled then has to tell me over and over that it does in fact tickle!  I love it.

 

 

 
Bruce kept giving me kisses.  He'd wrap his arms around my neck then give me kisses on my cheek over and over.  The other picture is from his preschool.  I love his face so freaking much!  He loves preschool and carpooling with the neighbor boy.  I also signed up both boys for Karate.  They were in a tumbling class that got cancelled for a time so we found another way to keep busy.  Again, I love Bruce's expressions!  I don't have any of EZ but he has really enjoyed it!  The other two are just my little dude being a cutie!

 

Does anything entertain kids as much as silly selfies?  Anyway, check out this tree that fell over!  It's right next to a park.  I'm not sure how it happened but it fell and knocked down the fence with it.  It took about a month to get completely removed and cleaned up.  I think there's still some caution tape around the fence.  Pretty wild to see!

 

One particular day we ran some errands and both boys fell asleep in the car.  They get up so early sometimes!  We gotta work on telling the time better.  The doodles are from Bruce.  He draws these guys all the time and he kept adding to it and then giving them weapons as well.  One had a gun and I don't remember what the other one had.. but so awesome to see his little mind create!

Bruce took John's beanie one day and looked like a little hoodlum in it.  Yo!  We went out to eat another time and they had these funky saloon style doors.  Bruce nearly looked trapped inside!  Okay and this last picture is so strange.  My phone had some sort of mix up because the weather was sunny and clear.  But for a few minutes it said there was a Tornado about!   Bruce was pretty concerned.  He'd look out the window every few hours and tell us he saw the tornado and it was coming for us.  It took a few days for him to be convinced that a tornado wasn't actually coming.   Haha!

 

Christmas 2019

Christmas Eve Pajamas.  EZ got Teen Titans Go! and Bruce got Robin.

I think we went a little overboard this year... I mean Santa did!  I remember spending money on stuff and then weeks later finding things for so cheap that I couldn't pass them up!  There's something to be said of getting your shopping done early.. but sometimes if you wait til crunch time, you can find great deals and sales!  We got stockings for my parents too.  Their visit felt short but I was able to get them some things that they were happy to get and that I know they'll use.  It had to be small enough to fit in their suitcases too.  I got my Mom a blue-tooth shower speaker so she can listen to music in the shower.  (she says she uses it all the time and loves it!) I got my Dad a lint roller and some safety glasses because while he was here he needed both of those things and didn't have them.  It was sorta funny but he seemed to appreciate it actually! 

 

The kids know that they can't get started until we're all up!  They have great patience!  I had tried to sleep the night before but I was too excited and couldn't relax.  In my mid 30's and I still get excited for Christmas!  I think having my parents here made my excitement higher than normal!  It's always the best when family can join you.  You can see in these first pictures that we let our dog have her gift first, a new rope.  She always has lots of energy first thing in the morning and the rest of us do not.  But on Christmas morning you can bet we were all eager to dive in! 

 

 

 

We started with stockings, which are mostly filled with candy (and dollar store type stuffers).  Yes that is Bruce holding a whoopee cushion.  I know my boys!  (Sadly they don't last long but they are a blast while they do!)  Some of EZ's top gifts were a Star Wars Scream Saber.  That's the main thing he wanted.  It lights up and plays lots of the funny sounds of Star Wars.  You can also record your voice and swing the saber around to change the sound.  It is hilarious and has been a real entertainment!  He also got a baby shark!  His is a puppet one where when you stick your hand in the back and when you move the mouth, it sings!  It sings fast if you move your hand fast and sings slow if you move your hand slowly.  Also lots of fun and slightly annoying to the adults!  EZ also got lots of Mario posters and clothes.  As well as a new Mario Switch game. 

 

 

Speaking of Mario and going a little overboard, the gifts kept coming.  Including a yoshi backpack and theme music-playing slippers. Bruce got slippers too but his are Batman.  His name is Bruce after all. 

We had a great big breakfast with my Mom's biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, bacon, fruits, the works!  Then John made us a delicious steak dinner.  Here he is burning the alcohol off for the sauce.  This picture of the kids waving their legs is because I got some new nail polish which means the kids want painted toes too!  Who am I to deny them that?  I mean, look how happy they are!  The book they are painting in is pretty neat.  They only add water and the colors come out of the page!  Easy to do and minimal mess, my ideal situation!  My parents left the next day to beat a coming storm and their timing was right on.  John and I often talk about how nice it was to have them here and how badly we wish we had ANY family here.  Spending time with people I love is all I really want.  It's so hard to say goodbye too because I know it's going to be a long time before we see each other again.  Fun to be reliving those memories now!

 

The rest of our break was pretty chill.  I had to snap this picture of John and Bruce all snuggled up on our love seat couch watching TV.  Bruce copying John's every move it seems.  He spends a lot of time with me and having Dad home this week has definitely been a highlight!  We had such a good Christmas, one of the better ones we've had in a while.  There's always a feeling of sadness when it ends.  Thankfully there is New Year's around the corner!  Oh and the glasses, they were in a party favors party bag and I couldn't resist.  They are super uncomfortable and not good at blocking out much light but still, how fun are those pictures?