Christmas Magic

Jaxon - "Mommy, did you know that Jesus & Santa are friends?"

Awww, the "Christmas questions"... this year it's more like the "Christmas statements"! Jaxon's been really curious about how Santa gets down our chimney and what happens when people have fires going in their fireplaces. He's also really concerned about his friends who don't have fireplaces at their houses! "How does he get in?" We've been explaining that like Harry Potter, Santa knows magic... works like a charm! Here's a bit of a conversation we had yesterday regarding Christmas!

Jaxon - "Does Santa bring you presents Mom?"
Me - "No, he just brings presents for you & Max."
Jaxon - "Who brings you presents?"
Me - "Grandma gets presents for Mommy."
Jaxon - "Oh, well you better be good, Grandma's watching!"

Me - "You're right!"
Jaxon - "Mom?"
Me- "Yes, Jaxon."
Jaxon - "Is Grandma your Mom?"
Me - "Yes."
Jaxon - "Oh. She's my Mom too."
Me - "No... Mommy's your Mom."
Jaxon - "But Grandma's my Mom too!"
Me - "OK... if you say so!"

Arguing w/ a 4 year old is pointless! The running joke at our house is that Jaxon is destined to one day become a lawyer... after all, he argues better than anyone else we know!!!

This conversation went on and on and finally ended w/ a bedtime story and Jaxon falling asleep. Last year my Mom gave Jaxon a book that has her voice recorded reading a story to him. The story is, "The Night Before Christmas", and I thought since we are about a week away, that'd be appropriate to read before bed. Jaxon was really quiet when I opened the book. He listened very intently. When the story had finished he looked at me and said, "Mom? How did Grandma get in this book?" My response... "Grandma's kinda like Harry Potter too!"

This Mother's Work

Being a "Stay At Home Mom" is a full-time job and I love it, but some days I wish I could do this all day everyday! Mural painting, (next to blogging of course), is my passion and if it wasn't for my full-time commitment to my boys, I'd be elbow deep in a mural everyday of the week, as long as I could find work that is! This project was a sign I made for a family friend who along with her husband and children are giving it as a gift to her in-laws for Christmas. (Since the in-laws don't read my blog I knew I could get away w/ showing it off a little early!) A neighbor had made a sign for the couple years ago, the sign had weathered over time and the kids thought it'd be fun to replace it w/ a new one. Here's the original!

So much fun!

One Can't Make This Stuff Up

As I mentioned in my last post, Jaxon has been busy working on his Christmas list. He has requested that I draw a picture next to each wish list item so that Santa won't be confused about what it is he's asking for. He's asking for things like a big airplane, a robot, a toy honey maker he dreamt about the other night and even a Cheesy Bite pizza from Pizza Hut! I have to say, I love the idea of Santa delivering Pizza Hut pizza... my child's a genius!

Earlier today while working on his list, Jaxon asked me to add something that caught me completely off guard. He asked me to add a toy replica of his cousin to the list. He told me that if Santa could bring him this wish, he could play w/ her whenever he wanted.

One can't make this stuff up and if there really is a Santa, he'd grant this wish for sure... only there would be no need for a "toy replica"!

Favorite Things ~ Motherhood & the Holidays

One of my favorite things about the holidays is the Oprah's Favorite Things episode! This year, being that it's her last season, she had a 2 part episode... I thought I'd died and gone to daytime heaven! Being that this is my 100th post, I thought I'd share 25 of my fave, and not so fave things about motherhood during the holidays! Enjoy!

25. Having kids means having a good excuse to watch Christmas movies like Polar Express (Jaxon's fave), The Grinch (my fave), and A Christmas Story (Daddy's fave)! However, could someone please tell Jaxon that Christmas movies are only for Christmas time?! We watch Polar Express all year long and though it's a great movie, I'd really prefer to watch it when it's 30 degrees outside not 106!

24. Jaxon & Maddox's Texas grandparents always send the cutest Christmas jammies this time of year. I love jammies, especially the footie kind with a Christmas theme... they make for adorable pictures Christmas morning! The only downside is that Jaxon (who is now dressing himself), sometimes chooses to wear his footie jammies w/out the underwear... this requires special attention when using the toilet!

23. Going to look at Christmas Lights w/ the Kerns!!! This is a tradition that we hope to keep alive every year we can con our kids into going w/us, course it'll be fun when they decide they have better things to do too! This year we are facing a dilemma, not only do we have another child to seat belt in, but the one vehicle we were all able to fit into was recently involved in a car accident. Still trying to figure out how we are all going to squeeze into a different car!

22. Picking out the perfect tree from "Bird's Nest" tree farm! I always look forward to this but forget how cold one can get while scouring the acreage for the "shine a light down from heaven", perfect tree!

21. Decorating the tree! This fun, family event took three days this year and the boxes are still cluttering up my dining room floor!

20. Visiting Santa! Jaxon is terrified of Santa! I thought this would change w/ age... nope! We go every year anyway mainly because I like the idea of planting my child on the big man's lap. Maybe Max will feel differently about the Santa visit!

19. Making Christmas lists! I love making lists and this is a fun excuse to make another, however, Jaxon's list keeps getting longer and longer. Earlier this evening he added the cheesy crust pizza from Pizza Hut to his list... I think I'll add that one to mine too!

18. Making Christmas cookies! Making anything food-wise w/ the help of children can be a little stressful to say the least, but add in food coloring and it takes it up a few notches! I still have stains on my mixer from last year... might be using Max as a good excuse to get out of this tradition this year!

17. Listening to Christmas music like Alvin & the Chipmunks! Again, this is something I like to save for the holidays but we've been jamming all year long to the same song.

16. WRAPPING PRESENTS... my absolute favorite thing to do during the holidays! I can be a little picky when it comes to my wrapping so I choose to do all of it after everyone goes to bed. This way I can save myself from a fight w/ a four year old on his less than perfect wrapping skills! (My OCD takes control of me in ways I can not explain when it comes to wrapping paper!)

15. Picking out Christmas outfits for the boys! I wish this was a much fun when it comes to choosing outfits for myself!

14. Opening Christmas cards from friends and family w/ Jaxon! Trying to explain to him who everyone is however, is not so much fun!

13. Taking a picture for our Christmas card! Need I say more?!

12. Shopping w/ Mom, w/out Jaxon!!!

11. Going to church on Christmas Eve and this year watching Jaxon in his 1st program! Getting to church on time, not so much fun!

10. Watching the "special family movie" Santa brings on Christmas morning after we open presents! Santa always brings our family the new Disney, Dreamworks or Pixar movie so we have something new to watch together! Hopefully this year Mommy won't sit and cry during the movie. Last year Santa brought "Up", I did more explaining than viewing and if you've ever seen "Up", you'll know why!

9. Carrying on the tradition of soup for supper & presents from Mom & Dad after the Christmas Eve program.

8. Searching the Internet for the perfect gift ideas! Time consuming but I love doing my research!

7. Stuffing the boys' stockings w/ hygiene friendly accessories and having them love it because they are too young to care!

6. Being able to get away w/ wrapping up a box of "special treats" from Santa... you know, the stuff your kids walk past in Wal-Mart every time you go, the stuff they beg you to buy. Stuff like, Lightning McQueen crackers or Bob the Builder juice drinks! It's really inexpensive, something they only get once a year and it ends up being healthier than candy and they don't know the difference!

5. Baby Max's 1st Christmas... there's something about a baby's 1st Christmas!

4. Having an excuse to move some of the older toys to the playroom basement!

3. Making special gift tags w/ Jaxon to put on the Grandpa & Grandma gifts!

2. Being able to get all my kids shopping done at the Dollar Store!!!

1. Being able to use the "Santa's Watching Card" for an entire month... & having it work (sometimes)!!!

What We are Thankful for this Year

Jaxon & Maddox are Thankful for having each other to play tractors with!

Daddy is Thankful to have another son to watch football with!
Maddox is Thankful to have warm, fuzzy Jammie's!
Jaxon was Thankful for a giant turkey leg!

Mommy is Thankful to have 3 wonderful males in her life!

Who's Who?!

Can you guess who's who?!

On Sunday we celebrated Maddox's baptism, (almost 4 years to the day that we celebrated Jaxon's). They both wore a little white suit which fit Max a little better than Jax and a handmade white sweater made by my Grandma who passed earlier this year. The blanket they are lying on was also made by Grandma... it's the only time either one has or will use that blankie or sweater again! My plan is to pass the outfit & socks and the sweater & blanket on to their boys to wear someday at their baptisms...

that is as long as their wives are OK w/ it!

Could you figure out who's who above?! Jaxon's on the left and Maddox on the right. Max is starting to look more and more like Jax everyday, although I think Max may look a little more like Daddy while Jaxon looks more like Mommy.

Missing the Chaos

Jax & Max - at hospital day after Max was born

And the Adventure continues... in more ways then I have time to share unfortunately!

Baby Brother Maddox is 4 weeks old today. He is growing fast and while that is what's supposed to happen, I find myself weepy at the idea that this precious infant stage is going by so quickly! He has been showing off some sleepy smiles over the last few days, spending more and more time awake checking out his surroundings and getting to go lots of new places! He got to experience a family trip to Wal-Mart this weekend that was less than enjoyable but usually is when it comes to shopping at Wally World! He slept through his first church service on Sunday and met the ladies at the bank & post office last week. Other than that, life has been pretty simple at home for him... he eats when he wants, gets his diaper changed often & sleeps whenever he pleases. Ahhhhhh, to be a baby!

Big Brother Jaxon is adjusting... and boy, oh boy, has it been an adjustment! He's having a terrible time adjusting to not only getting exactly what he wants, when he wants it, but also adjusting to the idea that Summer is no longer here and Winter is right around the corner! Brushing teeth, taking medicine, putting on outside clothes and not answering the phone when he's told not to, have been more trouble than I'd like to admit these days! To sum it all up, his listening skills have been lacking here at home and Daddy & I are having trouble adjusting to that!!!

There are lots of positives that have been taking place over the past month though too! Jaxon couldn't love Maddox more! We now have conversations w/ Max instead of the rubbery friends, I play the part of Max and Jaxon of course plays himself! Just this morning, they were talking all about what Jaxon does at school and what Maddox & Mommy do while he is away. Jaxon is very gentle with him and asks to hold him often. He loves showing him off to anyone and everyone and begged last week to take him in when I dropped him off at school... he was really excited to show his school friends his little brother for the first time!

Life is hectic but good! I have two very healthy & happy (most of the time) little boys, who could ask for more?! And while I wish I had more hours in the day to blog, clean, cook and bathe I take comfort in knowing that I will have time again one of these days for all of those things and will be weepy at the idea of missing the chaos!

Jax & Max - Halloween night

Jax & Max - 1st big boy bath