Our Holiday Break

So I was accused of not posting anything for the last few weeks. So here is an update:
Christmas Eve: Tim and Alexandra went on a "Daddy/Daughter Date" and went shopping together. They were gone for 4 hours!! All he took with him was a 4oz. bottle (no diapers/wipes/nothing!) They went to Target, Toys R Us and Fry's and stopped at McDonald's for lunch. Tim picked out new shoes for her -- they are so cute! He did a great job, and they had fun together. Miles went with Grandma & Grandpa Doll & Aunt Suzi up to Sacramento area to visit Uncle Mark (and family) & Great-Grandpa Doll. They were gone most of the day. Caden & I stayed home. I made sure everything was ready for the next day. That night the kids opened their Christmas jammies and then we watched the "Bourne Supremacy." Miles was tracking Santa on Google Earth. He finally went to bed about 9:30. But he would wake up about every hour, come look at the computer screen to see where Santa was then would get back in bed. (That happened about 4 times). Tim and I stayed up and watched Heroes Season 1 on DVD. We finally went to bed. And then Santa came. We knew he had come because the boys were in the front room emptying out their stockings at 2 a.m. We told them they had to go back to bed, but knew that they wouldn't stay in there so they slept in our room the rest of the night.

Christmas Day: They woke up about 7:00 that morning. Miles got a guitar from Santa. Caden got the Chick Hicks die-cast car and a Cars play mat. Alexandra got a stand-up play table.


















{Miles Rocking out & Shaking his bootie}






















{Caden very excited that he got Chick Hicks}
Miles also got his own MP3 player. (And he is beginning to act like a teenager ... tuning us out and listening to music instead!) Caden got more Cars to add to his collection. And Alexandra got her own Christmas Cabbage Patch Doll, and a cute pink pig. Grandma & Grandpa Redding got each of the kids Disneyland hoodies and Alexandra got her first set of Mickey Ears.

Here is Miles' first song he wrote called "JeffMelinda"

Aunt Suzi came over and watched them open the rest of their presents. Tim made our Christmas breakfast. We had cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon and hash browns.

Later in the afternoon, We went over to Tim's parents. More family was there: Steve & Jessica, Aunt Denise & Great-Grandma Duncan. We had our Christmas dinner and then opened more presents. (Actually Tim and I got our present from Tim's parents a week earlier -- they sent us a package of Omaha Steaks. Yum!) We played baseball with the boys in their front yard. Boys vs. Girls. I think the boys ended up winning. (I think they cheated.) Though, I have to say it is hard hitting a whiffle ball very far. And Caden tagged me out once. And watching Great-Grandma Duncan try to swing a bat was pretty funny. Then we celebrated Steve's birthday, by singing "Happy Birthday" and eating pie. It was a pretty good day, but the kids were tired and ready for BED!

Friday (Dec. 28): Tim and I went to Brother Ralph Baird's funeral. He is Jeremy Jacobs' grandpa. We went to support Jeremy and his family. Brother Baird was 93 when he passed. He accomplished many things and many nice things were said about him. (I hope that when I die people can say many nice things about me!!) Tim and I went out to lunch together afterwards. Suzi, Jana and Anthony watched the kids for us.

Saturday (Dec. 29): We went over to the Jacobs' house and visited along with our friends the Stuart's (who were visiting from Oregon.) Their house was full. Total: Adults-6, Kids-12 (4 boys, 8 girls). We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chatted for a few hours. Tim, Jeremy (Jacobs) and Jon (Stuart) have know each other since they were 4 years old. Then we went back to Tim's parents house and had pizza and played a few rounds of Apples to Apples. Great-Grandpa Doll had come down to visit for a while. We stayed there until Jeff, Melinda & Dylan drove in (about 9:00 p.m.) Suzi and I made a quick trip to the mall while we were waiting.

Sunday (December 30): We went to Church (the last 9:00 church for 2 more years), and then had some Prime Rib afterwards courtesy of Tim's mom. We came home and took naps (or tried to). Then went back to Tim's parents to play games and hang out. Miles played "Risk" with Tim, Jeff, Jana and Anthony. Steve brought his Wii, so we all took turns playing it. (I heard Grandma & Grandpa Doll were considering buying a Wii for their house - Hint Hint).

New Years Eve: We celebrated by going over to the Crawford's for an Adult only party. We had appetizers and sparkling cider and played Dance Dance Revolution on Tara's Wii. Tim and I both tried it once, but everyone got their butts kicked by Janelle and Jeremy Evans. A new bet hasn't been finalized, but Tim has put himself on the Special K diet and is trying to work out more. Chris told him that he was cheating -- he has to eat fast food like everyone else in on the bet.

New Years Day: I got to sleep in!!! Then we went over to Tim's parents house and played baseball with the boys again. And tried some 4-square. Then they took us out to lunch at Claim Jumper! I was so good and, as always, too much food. So we all got boxes for take home food, and that is what we ate for dinner! We watched High School Musical 2 that night as a family.

That about sums up our holiday break. I didn't take many pictures but we had a great time. Miles starts back at school on Monday and the routine starts again.

Things we are looking forward to in the next few weeks: Miles gets to attend his first scout meeting: the Pinewood derby. Miles turning 8. Our Disneyland trip. Miles getting baptized. Caden turning 5. Baseball season starting.