Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 is officially on the record books and it was good. I only have one small regret and I figure that isn't to bad. I totally forgot in the hubub of Christmas Eve to have Max and I leave out the raindeer food, oops. But if that is my biggest regret I'm doing pretty good. Max woke up bright and early to see that Santa had come to visit and Papa and Granny were even there. He was excited and has been obsessed with his Toy Story Slinky Dog ever since. After everything calmed down I made our traditional monkey bread breakfast and it was DELISHIOUS as always! It was a great day especially since I didn't have to go to work thanks to some very sweet ladies at work who came in for me. I wouldn't trade days like yesterday for anything. Playing with new toys, eating yummy food and spending time with the ones I love. Days like yesterday are what life is all about!

Santa definatly brought the GOODS!

Good morning sunshine!

The infamous Slinky Dog.

This is a video of him waking up. A little overwhelemd but he caught on quickly.

Christmas Eve 2011

After getting home from my dad's on Christmas Eve I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies for Santa and then we got to the business of opening presents. Our family opens gifts from each other on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is all about Santa. So after the cookies were baked we divided everything and got down to it. Every year Max is more fun. And in the end I think we all got some really nice stuff. Jeff got some baseball cards he was wanting and a few other things, and I got a new camera and a Fossil purse I have been wanting just to name a few.

I think Jeff and I finally did good about not going to crazy with the gifts. The past few years there were WAY to many gifts. We had a nice balance this year.

Toy Story Figures that turned out to be Maxwell's favorite gift that night.

 Helping Daddy open a present.

The last day of school Max came home with a package marked for Jeff and I. I was so curious the whole time and was happily surprised to find this from Maxwell.

And of course it's not Christmas Eve without reading The Night Before Christmas before bed.

Richardson Christmas

After I got off work on Christmas Eve the Browns packed up and made the trip a little less than 10 miles to my dad's house. We had our typical dirty Santa exchange and the my nephews and Max opened presents. It was a good time just hanging out and spending time together. I made out like a bandit too. I got the gift I brought (a cookie press and cookie jar), and Jeff's (Pampered Chef gift certificate) booyah!

Uncle Jeff and Aunt Andrea got Max Chuck the Tonka Truck that comes with a cool track.

 Clearly he loved it!

My Jeff decided to get 120 batteries for his Dirty Santa gift. Poor Andrea got stuck with those.

My nephews got some good stuff too!

Christmas Lights

Apparently I jinxed myself by saying we were on the mend at my house when I really meant to say that Maxwell was on the mend. I however have finally conquered bronchitis just in time for Christmas. And, ***knock on wood*** looks like the boys are dodging this bullet. On Saturday before I came down with bronchitis we went out with my brother Jake and sister-in-law Brittney to dinner. Afterward we all piled into the Jeep stopped for hot chocolate and went around town looking at lights. We went back to Chesapeake again this year and it delivered as usual. Then we went to some posh neighborhoods and looked around. We ended it in Edmond at some houses that we heard a lot about. Plus the best house that I saw was a house just Max and I went and saw the night before, FANTASTIC! Overall it was a nice evening out and ended with Max falling asleep on Aunt Brittney's baby bump.

Chesapeake

Nichols Hills (side note, but has anyone noticed that not as many people puts lights up this year?)

This house was here in Edmond and it doesn't look like much but the house was set to music over a low power radio signal and flashed with the beat.

My personal favorite from the night before.

A Crafty Christmas!

Max and I have been fighting colds this past week and so we haven't done much except lay around watching Christmas movies and eating ice cream. Today is my first day back at work and Max missed 3 days of school but I think we are on the mend. I cant wait for the days of if Max is sick I get sick to be done. So while we were feeling sick we did get around to doing a couple things for Christmas and one was to make salt dough ornaments. We made them for us and for Maxwell's teachers. Along with their gifts I wanted them to have something that Max made too. We gave soup mixes from a little place here in Oklahoma that I got at Affair of the Heart, and a nice loaf of bread from a local bakery. I think it went over well, but really what do I know. I was just trying to avoid the usual candles and lotion gift. Also we have 6 teachers/ therapist to buy for so I had to think economical. Making the ornaments was pretty fun. I had to let go a little and just let the ornaments be. Max was having to much fun I didn't want to stop him. Toward the end we had a pretty good groove working.

My little helper is kneading the dough!

Max and I had different ideas of how to use the rolling pin. Thank goodness I decided to put him in play pants before we started making the ornaments.

On a side note I am LOVING the oil cloth mat that I got from Affair of the Heat a few months ago. One of my best purchases there!

In the oven to bake and they are ready to go!

A Special Message For Maxwell

Click HERE to see a special message for Maxwell!!!

Movie Attempt Take 2

I took Max to go see the new Muppet Movie with my dad. If you'll remember I took Max to see Cars 2 this summer. This time was a little better and we only missed the last 20 minutes. So maybe in a few months we will make the entire thing, fingers crossed!

Fuzzy but I have to work with what I have.

Parade of Lights

Last night was the annual Parade of Lights in downtown Edmond. It was just as I remembered last year and what was even better was we had the new car this year so we piled some blankets in the back and it was a great for blocking the wind. We also met up with Silas and Nicholas which is always a good time!

Santa Clause has come to town!

Santa has made it to town and while I'm on vacation this week we decided to take Max for a little visit. There was no line and it was really great because Max signed to Santa what he wanted, a car, a dinosaur and a book, and Santa even signed back a little. Max was so excited he was all smiles! When the helper moved the velvet rope Max couldn't seem to run fast enough to a waiting Santa with open arms. The picture doesn't even begin to show how excited Max was.

Christmas Helper

The tree has been trimmed and the stockings hung with care. And the best part was that this was the first year that Max helped. Mind you helping included Max putting on about 6 ornaments and taking off half as many. But he put on more ornaments than daddy since he was napping so it was nice to have a helper. Max is really starting to understand more about the magic of Christmas and that is making tis year even more fun!

 

2011 Christmas Card

The official unveiling of our Christmas Card will help open the Christmas season. Have I mentioned I LOVE  this time of year!!!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

He's Back

Our Elf on a Shelf Angus is back for the season. We found him on the kitchen table and we are trying our best not to touch him. If your not familiar with this little guy he is spent specially from Santa's workshop to watch over our house. He flies away every night back to the North Pole and tells Santa if you are being naughty or nice. And when you wake up in the morning you have to search out your elf (Angus in our case) and see where he ended up. So far we found him on the kitchen table, in the Christmas tree and in the bathroom. But you have to be careful not to touch him because it will take his magic away.

Stuffed and Dressed!

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now on to Christmas! I'm not going to lie I feel a little bad for Thanksgiving. It's a fun time of food and togetherness. But sometimes it gets overshadowed by the fun costumes and candy of Halloween and the greatness that is Christmas. But Thanksgiving was good and lumped in with Black Friday was also absolutely good. My sister and her family came from Texas and everyone but my brother Jake and his wife made it. And to top it off only one person got shot! My nephews (20 and 17) were playing with what they thought were toy guns and one shot the other in the back with a BB, oops. Poor guy had to sit around with a bag of frozen corn on his back for the better part of the afternoon. But now we keep on trucking to Christmas. So here we are 28 days and counting for the most wonderful time of the year!!!

 I think that Max shows best how everyone felt after a long afternoon of stuffing our faces!

Oh Sunny Day!

Today was a beautiful mid November day. It was an awesome 68 degrees and Max and I just had to get out in it. I had no plans so I decided to start driving. We headed to the park where apparently I was not the only person taking advantage of the fantastic weather so I drove up the street a few blocks to a hidden park that most people forget about and it was deserted. We had the entire place to ourselves! Max's walking and climbing is getting so good. However when it was time to go Max wasn't quite ready and sat his happy but on the side walk. Ugh! Ultimately I had to pick him up and cart him to the car. After that was a run through the car wash and home for some tasty homemade toscana soup, delicious and a great end to the day. This is basically the recipe I used, but I have to admit I tweeked it here and there. Also on a bleh note. Max had a genetics appointment today and we came out know exactly what we know now and nothing else. I hated that I couldn't make it to the appointment, especially since Jeff and Max had to wait 40 minutes and they were both getting cranky. But we have no answers and we don't know what the future holds. I understand that his doctors, all of them, cant tell us what they don't know but I feel like we are shooting blind. I guess we just have to hope that what we are doing is helping and maybe Max will start really talking and catch up with his peers. It just feels like they are leaving them in their dust and it's hard to watch. But here is to being thankful for the beautiful day we had and we can worry about the future later.

 Max kept trying to give me the wood from the playground, silly kid.

 I was so proud! He climbed and went down the slide himself!!!

Pee Pee Pre-Season Has Begun

This post is most definitely premature but I'm just to excited to hold it in. Max went pee pee on the potty!!! Max signed that he wanted to go potty and even though I thought it was weird I took him to the bathroom any way.  walked out of the room for a second and I hear pee hitting the floor!!! I was gross but fantastic. Apparently at school they take him twice a day but he has never actually gone, but now, yup, we have PEE! I went a little nuts the next day and we are backing off again. I'm just trying to take cues from Max. We are just starting but if I learned anything with the big boy bed switch it is to let Max move at his own pace.

My boy is so proud of himself!

 Love that tushy!

Guess who is expecting!

If you guessed me then you are definitely wrong. Some of you may or may not remember my slight obsession with the Duggars. If you don't know who they are then you have been living under a rock. But they are the couple on TLC that have 19 children, wait make that 20!!! Yup, they are expecting their 20 child in April. I'm a little embarrassed to admit when I read the story I literally screamed out while here at work and scared the bejezus out of my girlfriend Christie, oops. I know it's dumb and weird but I think it is interesting. And I'm a little shocked they are having another. So my congratulations go out to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar!

First Christmas Craft of the Season

I saw this really awesome post on pinterest about how to make an ornament wreath. Also I just couldn't wait to get my hands on a Christmas craft. Seeing as how I have been wanting to make one for just about FOR-EVER I got my butt in gear!!! The other great part is it only cost me $8 to make it.

 Cant wait to hang this on the door come December 1st!

A Monday Morning Quicky

My incredible talented girlfriend Christie took some quick photos for us to use for our Christmas card this year. Max was starting to get sick so we made it even faster. I wont show you the one that is on the christmas card until later but here are a few others for now.

 I had to throw this in. I was getting on to Max and trying to tell him he could have a sucker but he needed to sit still and take a picture.