Christmas 2017 is a WRAP, folks! The boys had a great day (with a few "he's not sharing" cries) and we enjoyed being really, really lazy this weekend and today.
After a fun-filled first week of Christmas Break, we greeted Saturday morning in lazy fashion. RA made breakfast while the boys and I lounged on the couch.
A box...a room full of toys and these two play in a box...
Ellis and I headed to Home Depot to grab a few flowers for my back porch and swing set flower pots. This kid hunts acorns and rocks everywhere we go!
Mama's helper at Home Depot!
We headed home for to work on a few things around the house after planting our flowers before the rain came rolling in. I decided to do some more organizing/cleaning out today - this time the kitchen was my target. But first, I needed to get a game plan together which meant lounging in bed while I got my thoughts together...
Really comfortable lounging in bed with a beagle, but I suppose I should get up and be productive.
RA and RF hung my new spice cabinet, I cleaned out and organized the pantry, the glass/plate/coffee cup cabinet, and the Tupperware cabinet. I threw away every Tupperware container that didn't have a top or a top that didn't have a matching container. #praise
I wandered back into my bedroom to gather laundry and found two sleepy beagles...
And a sleepy Gracie...
After lunch, the boys went down for a nap while I binge watched The Crown (FAVORITE!) and Fuller House (FAVORITE 2.0) and made homemade chicken and corn chowder for dinner. RA cleaned out the fireplace as we have some colder weather headed our way in the next week. We ended the evening with another Christmas movie and double checking the Fernbank Museum's website and our membership cards for our adventure on Sunday.
Sunday morning fire...Daisy LOVES the fireplace...
Looking dapper and headed to the Fernbank Museum...
Looking dapper, too.
We made it! This daddy loves taking his boys on adventures.
The Fernbank has an exhibit right now where there are Christmas trees all over the museum decorated in traditional and cultural décor from countries all over the world. The boys really liked seeing each tree. And it was fun for RA and I to guess the country of the tree based on the decor before reading the sign. #historynerds
Beautiful handmade ornaments...
With traditional greetings in traditional/native languages...
Fish made out of ribbons...
Ellis liked this one...
There was a display all about Hanukkah as well...RF immediately recognized the menorah. He saw a blow-up outside decoration one day that was a menorah and asked what it was so I explained it to him.
Handcrafted nativity scenes. The boys loved the movie The Star, so of course RF was looking for the funny camel...
Taking a closer look at different gems...
Learning about being an archaeologist. RF really like this. He even asked today for a paintbrush because he needed to do some excavating. Funny story - he's been interested in archaeology for a while and so after Thanksgiving RA and I cleaned the bones from our Thanksgiving turkey and buried the bones (pretty deep) in our backyard. In a few months we plan on letting him do his own archaeology dig and "discover" some "dinosaur" bones. He has no idea and is going to LOVE it!
Taking another look at archaeological artifacts...
More artifacts...
More traditional Christmas trees...
So pretty!
Kenya!
Wandering through the Culture exhibit...
Learning how a tornado forms in the science exhibit...
More science fun!
Soap bubbles!
Daddy helping Ellis make soap bubbles...
Phillippines!
Japan!
Turkey! Each ornament on this one was carved out of a thin slice of wood. Such amazing craftsmanship...
Mexico!
Guatemala!
Cornhusk angel ornament...
A touch board with the different species of animals that live in Georgia...
Stegasaurus, mama!!
He was pretty amazed at the footprints...
Notice that there haven't been many photos of Ellis? Yea. He decided to act like a three-nager throughout most of the museum as seen in the photo above where he refused to look at any of the exhibit choosing instead to flop himself down on the floor.
This mural has a pretty funny story. RF saw the T-Rex and then saw the bleeding dinosaur laying on the ground next to the T-Rex. RF said, "Well that's puzzling. If the other dinosaur saw the T-Rex coming, why didn't he just run away. Then he wouldn't have been lunch for the T-Rex. The T-Rex is a cool dinosaur, but it's not cool to me anymore because it took a huge chunk out of that other dinosaur."
Welcome back, Ellis! Taking a peek at a model of a dinosaur nest...
Learning about archaeology on the GA coast...
He was confused as to why there was a "big hole" in the side of the pitcher. "They won't be able to keep any water or milk in a pitcher with a big hole in it."
And Ellis is down again...
Taking a peek at the animals that live in the reefs off the GA coast. It was like an episode of the Octonauts. He was telling us about each and every (seriously, EVERY) animal in the display.
Italy!
Ireland!
He found some photo props...we love Charlie Brown!
RF's new catchphrase...
Exploring the dinosaur skeletons on the main floor of the museum...
Ellis decided to join us for a photo op...
RA joined the fun, too!
GLADIATORS!
Taking a look at early versions of gladiators...
Exploring the training process and tools of gladiators...
Explaining to me how this horn worked...he was right, by the way...
#eyeroll --- this kid is going to cause me to have a full head of gray hair by 35...
We decided to wander out onto the nature train for a little while...
Holding mama's hand until he can get. it. together.
Exploring the rope bridge. RF started to go across, but got scared...
Ellis has NO FEAR, so he led the way...
Making it all the way across...
Heading down a rope tunnel...
Once we were positive that the boys were approaching meltdown mode, we decided to head back to Covington for lunch at one of our favorite places...
Waffle House!
Selfie with mama!
Another selfie with mama!
We got home and put the boys down for a nap while I binge-watched more Netflix and finished wrapping all of our Christmas presents. Once the boys woke up we played for a while before cooking dinner and starting to work on setting up everything for Santa...
We baked some Christmas cookies for ourselves...
Proud of his work...
And chocolate chip for Santa...
This big ole' belly laugh is from watching Home Alone. He thought it was HILARIOUS. Mama had to cough in a few strategic places (bad language), but both boys enjoyed this Christmas classic.
After we put out the reindeer food, we put out the cookies and milk for Santa and wrote him a letter.
One last look at the tree before bed...
Once the boys were asleep, Santa got to work putting out the gifts...
Santa drank the milk, chowed down on the cookies, and wrote the boys a letter back...
Stockings are out and ready to go...
Once everything was ready, RA and I sat down to watch It's A Wonderful Life together (we do every Christmas Eve). I made it almost to the end this year. Mama was exhausted.
The boys woke up pretty early (6:00ish), but lounged with us in bed for a little bit. RA and RF got up and made us a fire while E and I made breakfast. We listened to Christmas music and lounged on the couch for a little while before heading to see (Christmas tree is in our dining room - because puppies!)
Roaring Christmas morning fire...
A little Charlie Brown Christmas music...
And cinnamon rolls...
And snuggles with my boys...
Time for Christmas presents! Ellis went straight for the candy in everyone's stocking! He had already eaten half of one of the candy canes of Skittles by 9:30AM.
Santa brought the boys a ride on John Deere toy!
Time to open gifts from mommy and daddy...a little Nerf blaster...
P.S. For most of their presents, they got the same thing. Obviously they aren't twins, but when one gets something the other doesn't mass chaos breaks out. So, mama avoids that situation at all cost by getting them lots of the same things for joint celebrations like Christmas...
A new Star Wars t-shirt (RF got one, too)...
Ellis waiting "patiently" while RF opened one of his gifts...
Two new books - Llama Llama Holiday Drama and Dream Snow...
Let's Go Fishing game! He was so excited about this one. Unfortunately, mama forgot to get a C battery. UGH.
Connect Four for RF...a good introduction to strategy games...
Hot Wheels Millenium Falcon toy from Aunts Hartley and Haydn!
Puppies opening their gift - new bones!
Time for some Nerf blaster fun! We've only had to take away the Nerf blaster half a dozen times today...we've had the talk about not shooting at anyone or the dogs or the furniture or the pictures on the walls. A few ricochets to the face, but they have had a lot of fun with them.
Stretching before doing some target practice in the hallway. He even changed into real pants (instead of pajama pants) so that he could have a pocket to put his Nerf blaster in while he and Ellis were pretending to be the police and chasing down bad guys...
The boys also got a subscription to Highlights magazine...they love mail!
RA got a new fireplace tool set and A Christmas Story glasses (that he will no doubt use all year long)...
RA's gift to me was so thoughtful and cool. He found these on eBay. A gentleman was cleaning out an attic and found these wrapped in newspaper from the 1940s. They have been sitting untouched for over almost 70 years! Each one is an individual miniature painting of locations all along the east coast - mostly New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. They are each a pin (and one set of earrings). We began brainstorming today how/where to display all 30 of them.
Maine was so amazing! LOVE this one.
Covered bridge...
Little Red Schoolhouse...
The boys wandered off to their room and were pretty quiet. When I checked in on them I found them playing (nicely) with one of their new gifts!
I started working on lunch - turkey, dressing, macaroni and cheese, creamed corn, and rolls - while RA turned on another Christmas classic - A Christmas Story.
Doesn't get much better than this...
I dragged the big box with the John Deere toy into our living room and began to open it to put it together for the boys only to see that the front right wheel axle was broken. #sadface
Definitely broken. I sent an email to their customer service account and will call tomorrow to see about how to get a replacement, but the boys were pretty bummed.
After lunch and a nice nap, we spent the afternoon playing more with our new toys, had leftovers for dinner, and packed our day bag for a trip to Nana and Babu's house tomorrow to see the aunts, uncles, and cousins!
We hope your day has been full of love, laughter, and fun. Merry Christmas, friends!
Christmas card 2017
