More Snow Pics!

First Big Snowfall of the Season!

From late Saturday night through Sunday we had a great snowstorm. The only reason it was great though was because I didn't have to drive in it! Luckily it didn't start snowing until I was almost home from work on Saturday night and then by the time I had to go back in Sunday the roads were pretty clear.
We got probably close to 18 inches maybe and had 3 foot drifts. It was hard to tell the exact amount with all the drifts. Of course all the 3 foot drifts were where I told Scott I would shovel while he did the snowblowing. I agreed to this before I went outside so I had no clue what I was getting myself into! Luckily the snow was light and fluffy so it wasn't too bad.
The boys had a blast playing in the snow! Tanner even helped me shovel. Poor Braden kept getting stuck in the snow because it was so deep. After the boys played for a couple hours outside they came in and hung out by the wood stove and enjoyed some hot chocolate! Perfect winter day!

My summer boys in the winter

So for some absurd reason my boys feel it is necessary to wear shorts and short-sleeved in this frigid New England weather. Thankfully I can get them to wear appropriate clothes when it is necessary to go out in public but at home it is a different story.
Today they were dressed in their t-shirts and shorts (Braden wearing 3 shirts, but all short-sleeved) and I was cold in the house wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants!

So Scott was heading outside to ready the snowblower and shovels for the storm and the boys wanted to go out with him but they were adament about not changing their clothes or wearing jackets. So Scott made them sign a waiver stating " I will be cold!" which they both signed and out they went ( Braden did add a winter hat and mittens to his outfit) Within minutes I witnessed them both shivering but trying to be strong since they said they would be fine without jackets. After about 5 minutes they did come in and retrieve their jackets and even with those they only lasted another few minutes outside with Dad!

I think this adventure helped proved the need for proper winter attire! (Although I bet they will dress in shorts and t-shirts in the morning even with a foot of snow on the ground!)

Livy and her motor skills..giving Dad and I gray hairs!

So Livy has decided she has a need to keep up with her big brothers and is EVERYWHERE! She can now climb the stairs from the family room to the playroom, has climbed out of her play tent and also decided to climb on the first step, lay down and almost roll off ( but Dad saved her!) She also pulls herself up to stand on the side of the tub.

She went for her 9 month well child check up and passed with flying colors. The doctor said she is hitting all the milestones she should and is still in the
50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height (no wonder all her pants are short!) So she is now 18lbs 7oz and 28 1/2 inches long. Plus no vaccines this appointment!

We have a climber!

Livy has learned to climb and boy does she go fast!

The other day the boys were making a fort and had a pile of pillows and blankets on the living room floor. She went right for the pile and climbed up it in about 5 seconds, onto the ottoman and onto the couch! Yesterday at a friends house she even went to try to climb up the stairs.
She has also learned to pull herself up on the side of the tub. That was the first time she ever pulled herself up! I think she is trying to get at all her bath stuff in the tub. (my guess is she'll be falling in the tub next as Tanner did that one time around her age fully-clothed while we were filling up the tub!)
I can't believe my baby is already 9 months. After the holidays I am going to have to start planning her first birthday party:)

I have been slacking

Well I haven't been keeping up with this blog very well(sorry Gramma!) So my goal tonight is to do some catch up. With all the Christmas preparations and working we have been a busy family.
Last week we had a great time with the boys making gingerbread trees and candy canes, for some reason I thought I had gingerbread people cookie cutters, but I didn't. The boys didn't mind and had a blast using the cookie cutters and decorating the cookies, with all the decorating goodies I could find in the pantry.

We also got a nice surprise of the Elf on the Shelf set with the book and elf so we have started that tradition for the kids. The kids have named the elf "High High Big Big" Not really sure why that name, but that is what it is! He is a creepy looking elf but it works wonders in curbing the kids less desirable behaviors as we tell them that the elf will be reporting back to Santa any bad behavior. The boys have fun searching for "High High Big Big's" new perch every morning.

Tanner told Scott and I that we were on the naughty list because we yell. We in turn told him that we wouldn't have to yell if he was behaving and that Santa puts him on the naughty list too!

Lots of Lights

Monday night we went to LaSallette Shrine in Attleboro to see the Christmas light display. It was beautiful and the kids had a great time walking around, seeing the lights and the donkey and sipping hot chocolate.
Livy stayed all bundled up in her stroller and actually stayed awake and enjoyed the scenery as well.
My parents used to bring me to see the lights when I was young and we lived in Attleboro. I used to call it "lots of lights" instead of LaSallette. It really is a lot of lights!

Breakfast with Santa

Yesterday we had an awesome breakfast with Santa experience at the Highfields Country Club.
When we got there Santa was seated and waiting for us so they kids went over to see him.
Of course Tanner jumped right on his lap and told Santa he wanted a flip over car for xmas and Santa gave him a matchbox car which he loved. Then we had to coax Braden to even get close to Santa, but once he saw that Tanner had gotten a car we got him on Santa's lap for a brief moment too!
Now Livy on the other hand was not so happy. She sat with Santa for about 10 seconds staring at him before she started to scream. But that was expected and Santa gave her a puzzle.
We then headed into breakfast which included a great buffett with really yummy food.
Grammy and Bumpy joined us for breakfast and we had a wonderful time. Livy was all about the pancakes even though she had already had breakfast at home. Grammy gave her a whole pancake and we couldn't pry it away from her.

Lunch is my least favorite time of the day

So my little cutey Braden is causing my lunch time (and most dinner times) to be very stressful.
For lunch everyday I let the kids pick out what they want. They can have PB&J, PB& fluff, oatmeal , cheese and crackers, mac and cheese, salad, tuna, yogurt etc. And everyday Braden picks what he wants, I make it and he doesn't eat it or eats only half..so annoying. I purposely only give him a small mid-morning snack, so it isn't like he is too full from that. I think he likes to push my buttons (and everyone elses for that matter)
At dinner time I try to get the kids to eat what everyone else is eating and lately they have been really good about it which makes me happy..but of course Braden has to be a pain about it sometimes. I will make something I know that he likes and he will refuse to eat it. If I am cooking something that I know the kids really don't like I will make them something different...and usually in these cases Braden decides he wants to eat what is on my plate. I swear he is just trying to be difficult. Hence why I drink a glass of wine at dinner time!

Not quite sure what to do with this..maybe he'll outgrow it..but right now it drives me bonkers!