The National Zoo, and in the Nation, there was sledding.

The National Aquarium.

I have assumed if the word NATIONAL is in a description, it will be good, whatever it is.

NOT the case for the Aquarium. It was small, over priced, and the kids couldn't see very well into the tanks. So, now for my honest opionion....

Really, it was a fun thing to do, once.

The weather, before a few storms has been fantastic! (like in the 50s)

so the kids and I packed a lunch, and headed to the zoo.

This picture reminds me of an old couple, sunning themselves, as they reminisce of the good old days. We found ourselves a sunny bench, and enjoyed lunch.

The zoo was Awesome! The lions had just welcomed 6 new cubs!! They were out, roaring the morning away.

We managed to get to the zoo with everything BUT a spoon for Henrys yogurt.

What to my wondering eyes should appear but a dusty old sucker, in the depths of the diaper bag.

Oh yes, he finished the yogurt that day.

My little poopers.

So proud of this stinker!

So, it snowed, which I am learning is BIG news.

And this picture just makes me chuckle. If you look at Charlies face, its almost as if I told them, (before I took the picture),

Ok Chars, look really sad and depressed about going sledding. Ok, perfect. 1,2,3.

So naturally, we went sledding.

Yes, we adorned our rain boots and levis (and pink gloves for the boys)

The kids had a fun time, and I can't wait to get real snow stuff, and make this party official!

This is why dads go to work. If they don't, nothing gets done.

Work was delayed 2 days this week from the weather, and schools were out by Wednesdays.

I love this arrangement.

And cute little Lucy.

She's having a tea party, with baby betty, hippo and the polar baby.

Oh, and you're invited!

Rate R: contains brief nudity

When you can't get to the fun, bring the fun to you!

The outside slide has re-located (for now) in our dining room.

It HAD to be done!! (photograph Chars undie bod.)

This little cutie, sweet boy, char bars, che, chars, officially begun, and I may say ENDED potty training!

He has rocked the potty world, inside and out!

Lucy, my heavens, I hoped I'd never potty train another child after her.

'sit on the potty and yell like your in labor' was Lucys idea to train.

(it only lasted 3 days, but still, 3 DAYS!)

Chars, just do it!!

He's done!

We are DIAPER FREE! (at least for him)

He mastered this art in just 4 short days!

What I did:

My kids don't have candy (I'm talking not even fruit snacks) so he did get to choose a treat (one mike n'ike, one chocolate chip or one m&m) and he got to choose a sticker for his chart.

Oh, he did have 2 accidents, which he got punished for.

Can I say its been a joy? It has, and well done, well done my son!!!

Are you kidding me? Really!! Cannot get enough!

He chose his undies.

I'm thrilled with his selection, but even more thrilled with his muffin top!

His bum has gotten a lot of squeezes!

Really! Look at those hands!

Chars was up from a nap, and the other were not yet.

Just practicing threading beads onto a toothpick.

A lot can be said about a boy who can thread pink beads onto a tooth pick,

with blue nail polish. Tender little boy I tell ya!

With out my making it official, by the new year, I've got a fresh outlook on life.

I will admit, my home use to be run like a military camp!

There was very little margin for error.

Snacks were under lock and key.

Clean up was ALWAYS done.

There was no tolerance for indecision.

And I'd occasionally not stop what I was doing to give them a squeeze.

NOW:

You may see a child of mine walking around with a cheese string, or pretzel stick.

I will clean up toys after them (on occasion)

When something is dropped on the floor (EVEN if I mopped that day) ww3 will not break out.

Hide and seek has become a favorite.

The phrase 'and thats ok' has been heard a lot at our house.

Crayons, trains and puzzles can be reached at any time.

LIFE IS SO GREAT!

Who would have known that all the things I thought were keeping it together,

really were making things so much more difficult.

I wanted to change.

I needed to change.

My children are my world, and I don't think they knew that.

Rub a dub dub, all my babies in the tub.

It was a slow friday afternoon, and what better to do then soak in a nice warm bubble bath.

(if only we had a HUGE tub, I may have joined them)

Its Wafer time!

The following pictures are depicting the damage done after the consumption of one wafer.

Henry sure knows how to shake his groove thing!

This is how my sweet pea sleeps.

Hands under his cheeks, face in the covers.

Welcome 2011. Welcome rug #1.

We've been wanting a rug for our living room, and VOILA!!! Here she is!

We also got a new one for the den, and we've been having a lot of down time around here!

Still lovin' on baby Betty.

We sure did! The Zoo lights.

Our dress is perhaps misleading.

It was a GORGEOUS, warm evening in the DC valley.

Perhaps we'll forgo the lights next year. The chillins didn't quite get the concept

of: light animals at the zoo, instead of real animals at the zoo.

But as usual, the loved the metro ride in.

Buddy the Elf has come to stay for the new year.

Luce for some reason ate lunch in Henrys chair.

It had been a while since I'd seen her in one, but my goodness, it really has been a while!

A holly jolly Christmas!

(You've been warned, this post will be MASSIVE!)

Henry, just thinking he can keep up with the big kids!

Love this stinker. Not walking yet, but I keep thinking, any day.

Here I go a caroling.

Jeff would not carol with me, so I hosted a girls caroling/cookie exchange party.

It was a blast, and super success.

We had a great time, great weather and enjoyed tasty cookies, bread pudding,

cheese ball and wassel.

We had some super neighbors (Thanks E family!!) who did a random Christmas Elf to our family. (like the 12 days of Christmas, but random)

They sent over these HUGE marshmallows and all the accessories to make very

large snow men.

Funniest thing. Lucy has never build a real snow man, so after we did our candy snow man,

she loudly proclaimed "lets take him outside".

I feel 100% responsible that she's never played in the snow. But, to my credit, there has not been any to play in.

My dear Lucy, until then, we'll just build our marshmallow men.

Chars showing off his snow man. He carried that thing around for hours.

The volunteer fire department of FairFax Co. gets engine #9, decks it with

Christmas lights, blaring christmas music AND santa (seen on top)

and makes its way around the streets, various nights in December.

If you think you'll miss it, thats not possible.

Sirens, music, and an occasional "ho, ho, ho" will draw you from your home!

This was by far the coolest christmas thing I've ever seen.

I ran out of the house, yelling and singing!

You can't help but let that little believer in you shine a bit this night.

Lucy still talks about santa on the fire truck, and pines for the candy cane given by his helpers!

And this is where it all begins.

The Ellis fam and us decided we needed to make gingerbread houses.

As we planned our Thursday evening, we decided to have mexican food for dinner.

Thus began the Christmas Eve Eve Mexican dinner tradition!

We enjoyed a fabulous mexican feast (all the while listening to Mexican Christmas songs)

and then the craziness began.

There was hardly a detail left out when it came to decorating the gingerbread houses!

Oh, papa Ellis, after his TRAGIC fire encounter,

(which resulted in an ER visit, and hospital stay)

filming the evening events.

This picture just makes me laugh!!!

Holly and i did work on our house for HOURS, but not nearly enough to have her fall asleep during the creation.

The kiddies hard at work. Well, actually,

my kiddies hard at work eating all the candy they

could muster.

Tada!!! It is not being done justice in this picture!

We called it the WV house. Complete with fire pit, yard train, santas sleigh, and christmas tree.

Check out this fire pit. Tell me it doesn't ROCK! Complete with chairs AND accent pillows.

(Don't tell me I didn't do anything with my design degree)

Holly was so kind to let her house turn into reck for the evening.

This place was amazing!

This is more sugar then I think I've eaten in my life time!

Fast forward to 20 hours later.

Christmas Eve dinner.

(How did we not just sleep over for the last 3 nights?)

Let the feast begin!

Designer salad, honey baked ham, funeral potatoes, orange rolls,

brussel sprouts, shrimp, cheese ball, apple pie, monkey bread....

tasty tasty tasty!

Just enjoying a little chuckel after stuffing ourselves from dinner.

Every good story has to have a bad character, right?

Or what exactly was our roll in these events?

Acting out the nativity.

Henry made a beautiful baby Jesus,

lucy really was a sweet angel,

and Chars played a pretty good wise man.

It was DARLING to see these kids do this!

I've waited all year long, and it was perfect.

The traditional Christmas Eve jammies.

And the children were nestled all snug in their beds, wearing the new Christmas jammies

And good morning!! Christmas 2010

Had we not told the kids it was Christmas, they would never have known.

We finally got things started around 8:30 or so.

By the looks of this picture (a yawn, not a yell)

you would have thought we woke the kids up before dawn to welcome Christmas.

Just making sure Henry is as cute of a girl as he is a boy.

Yep! Still a darling stinker.

Chars trying out the new bilibo.

Oh, yes, and eating a sucker, from Santa.

Pink always has suited Jeff very well.

Lucys probably lost 10 lbs in 2 days jumping on this tramp.

Chars hasn't yet got the thrill from it yet, but we'll give it some time.

I guess there is more then one way to enjoy a pull toy, eh Henry?

The partial disaster, but very manageable mess after Christmas.

It was a day filled with lots of happiness, gratitude, and of corse, missing family!

It was weird, having the whole day to ourselves, not rushing here and there, but just enjoying each other.

Family WAS missed, but fun was had.

Hope your Christmas was merry and bright.