A Texas Thanksgiving and gearing up for Christmas!

Right before Thanksgiving we had a visit from Gramsey for Grandparents Day at school.  Clayton was very excited to show her around his Kindergarten classroom.  She also got to attend Clayton's last soccer game of the season and his awards ceremony.  It was a fun filled few days and the kids really enjoyed her visit!

We had fun celebrating Thanksgiving with family and cousins!  The kids had a great time and enjoyed each others company.

Gramsey came to visit!

Clayton's soccer team

Receiving his soccer trophy

Ready for Grandparents Day

Loving on Gramsey before she had to leave!

Cousin time in Texas!

Someone is a little busy!

Cousins!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!

And our friend Clark is back!

And we got our tree...

 Finally getting some help :)

I'm DONE!

Taking a break with the elves

Moving on to salt dough ornaments and gingerbread house!

More pictures to come! Stay tuned!

New Happenings...

Clayton 

- Enjoys building things out of legos

- Really into making robots out of pretty much anything 

- Funny conversation about Santa:

 Me: Clayton what do you want for Christmas?...

 Clayton: Transformers and a web shooter...

 Me: Oh I don't know if Santa knows how to make transformers?!

 Clayton: Yes mommy! He knows how to make everything - even Eve! (Eve is from the movie      Wall-E and he asked for Eve last Christmas and we found out she is "extinct" and he did not get her)

- We went to a Polar Express storytime at PB Kids.  At the end Santa came out and Clayton yelled at me as Santa got closer "That is a FAKE Santa! The REAL Santa has glasses!!"

Sam

- Talking a LOT! He is continuing his speech therapy.  He is talking in full sentences and asking full sentence questions.  

- He is still 3, and I can't wait for 4! :)

- He loves to FaceTime on daddy's phone! Especially calling Nana & Pops!

- Loves to help in the kitchen or setting the table at dinner

- Likes to help vacuum (sometimes we fight over it)

- He wants whatever Clayton has...

- He makes noises when he plays now (sounds of cars, etc)

- Becoming more independent in his play

- Still loving his Montessori school and all his teachers and friends

Merry Christmas!

We had a great Christmas here at home. It was a long day, as the kids took their sweet time opening presents. They managed to stretch it into the evening! Somewhere in there was a visit to see some good friends of ours - where we played games and overdosed on sugar :) We came back to finish unwrapping. Clayton's favorite quote of the day was "Yaaaaaay! I didn't get any coal!" He was very excited about his Spiderman watch and his Incredible Hulk toy, and we are working on magic tricks with his new magic kit. The plasma cars have been a huge hit for both boys as well. We hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Here was a final note from Clark giving the boys permission to give him a hug on his last day




At Christmas Eve service - these are 3 of his preschool classmates






Sam surprised us with his (mostly) good behavior


Waiting on dinner and watching The Grinch with friends


A new fishing game


One last story before bed


Ho! Ho! Ho!




Sam's favorite "toy"


This is what sidetracked Sam from opening presents on Christmas morning??


Santa pancakes!


Incredible Hulk!!


With his Incredible Hulk and new Spiderman watch


This lollipop drum was also a huge hit (no pun intended)


Watch out!


Clayton the magician


Plasma car fun!


Plasma car derby!


Some of Clayton's books....


Batman


More from the Batman book...




"The Incredibles"


A book about Dr. Seuss & Cat in the Hat


Santa Claus!

Here are a couple of videos from Christmas morning...

CLAYTON
- Here is a video of him making his slide outside "go faster!" - Slide!
- He will tell you that his favorite food is salmon - and chocolate cake
- He is very into making "books". We take 3 sheets of paper, fold them in half and staple down the center. He has made books about The Incredibles, Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Elf on the Shelf, Toy Story, Baby Jesus, and many others. I posted a few pictures up above.
- His favorite Christmas toys so far have been - plasma car, magic kit, & Incredible Hulk

SAM
- His favorite Christmas toy was his broom and dust pan set. He also is obsessed with the new remote controlled helicopters. We have to keep them out of sight or we will not quit bugging us about flying them!
- He really likes water fountains. He likes to bathe in them more than drink from them :)
- He has hit a new milestone - he can now remove plastic plug covers from outlets with his fingers...awesome
- He has a new favorite word - yuck!
- He does this new thing now when he is told something he does not want to hear (like "no Sam!"). He will start to storm off, turn around and with a quiver in his voice and his bottom lip out, say "Byyyye!!!" then run off to his room and slam the door. I'm still trying to get it captured on video
- He is still calling daddy "ma-ma!". He will not say da-da or daddy.
- Sam went on the potty! (12/29/11) - he got up and said "YUCK!"