family

Over Christmas break, we traveled to Savannah, MO to visit my grandma and some of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. My grandma is AMAZING! She has 6 children and 6 in-law children, 11 grandchildren, 1 in-law grandchild, 1 in-law grandchild to be in June, and 1 great-grandchild. She'll be 79 in February and she's helping my mom's youngest sister and her husband raise their 3 children, ages 11, 7, and 5. I think she and my mom could easily pass for sisters (for a comparison, check out their pictures below). My grandma has very little gray hair and is very active and probably in better health than some of her children and their spouses. Caden was really impressed by the new knowledge that he has 3 grandmas. He kept talking about Grandma J all the way up there and all the way home and several times since we've been back. I think she made quite an impression. And sometime will have to confuse him more and explain that in all truth he has 4 grandmas, Doug's mom's mom is still alive, too.

my mom

Grandma J

4 generations
Emma and Caden

pure orneriness

A note about the picture of Emma and Caden: Emma is Grandma J's youngest grandchild. She's 5 and looks exactly like her my mom, my aunt Elaine. Caden is Grandma J's oldest great-grandchild. He's 4 and at least 2 inches taller than Emma already. They got along fabulously. For once, Emma was the bigger . . .er, I mean, older kid.

cooking dress

Caden LOVES to help us prepare dinner. So for Christmas, Doug and I were looking for some more "unique" gifts for Caden in addition to the vehicles and board games he got. We found 2 that lean a bit more toward "unique". One is this chef's dress up outfit. Caden calls it his "cooking dress" even though we've tried many, many times to explain it's not a dress of any sort. Anyway, he loves it and asks to wear it every night while he kneels on a chair next to me "helping" me cook dinner. The outfit came complete with the chef's hat, jacket, 3 plastic cookie cutters, mini skillet, and 4 cooking utensils. Caden dons the get-up each night to help us and dutifully makes us cookies for dessert, rolling them out, cutting the shapes, and baking them in the utensil drawer he uses as his oven. I love his imagination and his passion about helping in the kitchen. It's so fun to see him using his creativity, plus I think he looks really cute in his cooking dress!

101 in 1001 challenge

I have been thinking a lot about the things I'd like to accomplish in my life. Now that I'm in my 30s and Caden seems to be growing up a warp speed, I want to make sure I'm living my life, not simply going through the motions. So I have challenged myself to complete my 101 things in 1,001 days (see complete list on left sidebar). I found this particular idea on this website. Wish me luck and if you're so inclined, ask me about my list and/or start your own list.

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks.

Christmas Day

We had both sets of our parents over to our house for Christmas Day. I made brunch (including a new coffee cake recipe, Thanks Lisa!). While I was making the coffee cake, Caden kept asking me if that was Jesus' birthday cake. We spent a lot of time talking to him about the real reason for the season. After brunch we opened gifts with my parents.

Caden loving up both grandmas
love this expression

very happy with his blue M&M's tin

helping Cane Papa unwrap

me and my favorite boy

making Cane Grandma proud by

sporting his new Jayhawk Jersey and hat

Chritsmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Doug's parents, Tim, Melissa, Tegan, and Jensen and Doug's parents' house. We had a yummy dinner and opened gifts. Caden and Tegan were quite spoiled with loads of new toys and games. The highlights of the evening included hearing Santa and his reindeer on the roof (the daddies throwing old potatoes on the roof to make it sound like hooves) and holding Jensen on his first Christmas. He is so cute and snuggly! Doug and I also got many wonderful gifts from his parents and Tim and Melissa. I know I'm loving everything I got this year!

Tim opening Jensen's first OU Sooners blanket
Caden opening a gift

sporting his new spiky hairdo

Tegan with Kerplunk (very fun game)

happy with a new 4-wheeler

pretty girl

Papa's excited!

Aunt Melissa and Tegan

our first gingerbread house

A few days before Christmas Cane Papa (my dad) came over to help Caden and I decorate Caden's first gingerbread house. Papa did the icing (glue), Caden did the decorating, and I supervised (kept Caden from eating the decorations).

a messy, but very fun project

frosting on the nose ~ Caden thought Papa was hilarious for

doing this very "un-grownup" thing

happy decorators

mostly finished project ~
except for the chimney and mini candy cane sidewalk