So This Is Christmas...

Aside from the Holiday Party at school, the boys are officially out of school for 2 weeks. Let the manic craziness begin! I love them to death but 2 weeks together is a heavy dose even for doting Mamas.;)

Today, I joined the Y down the street so I can at least exercise my way to a little personal sanity without having to push 80 lbs in the jogging stroller.

I have decided that 2 of the worst traits you can have as a Mom are:
1) Lack of patience
2) A Type A personality

Unfortunately, I have both. They served me well in my former lives as a very successful student and career woman but not so well when dealing with totally non-rational beings who depend on you for almost everything.

I am hoping for my most coveted Christmas gifts to be delivered: peace, patience, brotherly love, as few tantrums as Santa can manage and perhaps if I super lucky a large delivery of wine to my front door by one of the elves!

Luke's 2 Year Check-Up

Well, the little guy had his 2 year check up last week...a month late, I know.

He was officially about 28.5 lbs. I cannot remember the number for his height, but he is 40th percentile for weight and 65th for height. He is growing on a steady curve and is going to be my string bean. Evan was 30lbs at 1 year. He was not amused by the 2 shots or the blood draw but otherwise he is growing well. Developmentally, well he is just fine. His verbal skills are out of control. My pediatrician asked if talked this much all the time...yes he does. Just today he told me:

Mommy, I talking so much that I getting tired.

That's the story of my life right now. His big thing is "Why?" and "Mommy, I don't understand".

We need to get out the little potty, but I dread the process. I would rather go through labor again than potty train but he is interested so I need to get on it.

Still, a HUGE Mama's boy, but I can't complain. He comes to bed with me almost every morning and he is by far the best snuggler in the house!;)

Mark Your Hutcheson Almanac Folks!

So if the stomach virus is not awful enough on its own, what if you get it the same weekend 2 years in a row and everyone...yep, all 4 of us...get it at roughly the same time?! I mean, should I have bought a lottery ticket as well? We were all sick this past weekend starting with Evan this time ( the vector as we call him!!!). It was rough, but we persevered and we are ready for our next round of Guess What Illness You Get Next?. You must have a sense of humor or else you will go crazy!

The pics are of my puny kids during the bought...aren't the handsome?!;)

Did I mention that the Bears and Bengals got spanked this weekend as well!

The Boys

Some recent pics...most involve pizza making. I am not sure why they are lying in a plastic box in the one picure...pretty sure Daddy was in charge!

Hutcheson Happenings

Well, more blog slacking for me, but in my defense there have many "to-do" lists that I have been checking off. We haven't been up to too much except enjoying the holiday season...the boys (and me) love all things Christmas. We have made lots of cookies...store bought dough as I take any slacker out I can..., Christmas music, books, The Elf On the Shelf and lots of talk about presents.

I have made a major effort this year...I should have done it long ago so don't judge;)...to really include Jesus and the Christmas Story so the boys can begin to understand why we celebrate this holiday of gifts and gluttony. They are like sponges and love talking about the Christmas Story and Jesus. We also adopted an angel from church and included the boys in that.

It has been really cold here...like the 30s...and I have for sure realized I am now a weather wuss. If Jon got a job tomorrow in Arizona , I would be game for warm temps. I spent almost 20 years spending time in frigid temps and that's plenty.

We will be here for Christmas, but we will be sharing the day with our friends. If we can't be home, there is no better place to be than with friends sharing laughs, good food and of course good drink!;)

The Sweaters

These are Irish sweaters my mom knit for us when we were little. Grace and Quinn wear them all the time but it's too warm here for it....they are super heavy!

We wanted to get a few pics of the boys in them though.....mostly silly faces but at least we will remember them as they are....non-stop silly!

The Boys with Grandma and Papa!

This was pre-betime so that's why there is wiggling and pacis!

We had a great time with G &P over Thanksgiving. The boys went with Daddy and Papa to the zoo and bowling and thought both were a lot of fun!

Grandpa, Jon and I ran in the Turkey Trot. Jon managed to finish despite a hacking cough...very hard core he is!;)

There was lots of cooking, train building and playing and of course football.....very bad football as far as the Bears were concerned.

I think next year, I am ordering Thanksgiving dinner....lots of work for a 15 minute meal that includes 2 preschoolers! It was yummy though.

Grandma, Papa and the Train!

Grandma and Papa came for Thanksgiving and of course this means it's time to set up our Lionel Train and take our trip to the train store for Grandma and Papa to add some new stuff to our set! The boys spent Wednesday setting up the train with them and then we went to the train store and got some track, a new gate/crossing and 2 new cars (a car carrier (Evan) and a Mickey Car(Luke)). The crossing gate had some issues so we took it back and got a crossing with lights and whistles but no gates....too sensitive for little boys hands!;)

I am so happy that they do the set up...it is quite a project!

Fall Family Pics

I have been behind in my blogging. I have to stop eating so many bonbons and watching Oprah!

Here are some pictures we had taken in late October. They turned out pretty good. I think the boys are pretty handsome but I am slightly jaded!:)