Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  We moved up the holiday for our purposes to accomodate travel schedules, so today is our lounge around the house (Shields')/fly home (my parents)/detox with yoga (my brother) day.  

 

Our Christmas was three full days of fun!  On Saturday we ate yummy cookies that my mom brought from a woman in my hometown called the Cake Lady.  I enjoyed my favorite frosted sugar cookies and Will ate on this sugary square.  We think we identified it as a rice krispy treat covered in almond bark

Then Will opened a few of his presents. It ended up being a Mr. Potato Head themed day.  I got him the Toy Story 3 Potato Head set, and Ryan got him a Potato Head themed Playdoh set and LOTS of extra Playdoh.  Here, Will, Uncle Ryan and Grandpa Roger are busy making their creations.  For me the best part of Saturday was date night at the movies!  Jason and I found a cool movie theater with big recliner seats and food and drink service and went to see "This Is 40."

On Sunday we started the day with a trip to the gym to go swimming.   Then we all packed into one vehicle for a trip to the city.  First up was a stop at Macy's to (use the bathroom and) see the tree in the Walnut Room.  Beautiful! 

Then we headed down the street to Daley Plaza to Christkindlmarket Chicago.  It was tolerable until the wind came up.  By then we had indulged in enough brats, gluwein, candied pecans and cookies that we just packed up and headed home.  It was my parents' first time in the city for the holidays!

Back at home we unwrapped all of the presents under the tree before bedtime.  Will was very excited!  He was thrilled that his Daddy picked out Woody from Toy Story.  He was so excited to introduce Woody to his Buzz Lightyear that he couldn't sit still for a picture.  I was thrilled that Jason got me the Starbucks Verismo espresso machine I was coveting! 

Of course Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Ryan spoiled Will with lots of presents.  He got Cars-themed pajamas; Toy Story undies; and this cool construction apron!  Little boy heaven!

 

On Christmas Eve we played with our new toys (cappuccino anyone?!) and cooked a feast that included prime rib, roasted veggies, and chocolate cheesecake before retiring to the basement to watch A Christmas Story.   A very filling and satisfying Christmas!

We still have one last present under the tree that Will hasn't spotted, so we'll see how long that lasts.   No Santa and no Elf on the Shelf for us this year.  We dug out the Elf the day we put up the tree, but he was scared of it.  So it just hung in the tree all season as an ornament; we never read the book.  We also didn't talk about Santa coming, although he did point out Santa to us in pictures and on baked goods.   He didn't ask about or expect anything from Santa, so Mommy and Daddy got credit for the presents.  We'll see whether Elf and Santa come into play next year or not. 

Christmas Baking

Ryan and I did our traditional holiday baking on Saturday following our Grandma Leona's recipes for peppernuts and popcorn balls.  I was very concerned about the pink shade of the caramel syrup while it was cooking, but it turned out nicely.  One year we made green ones instead of pink ones, but it just didn't feel right. . . . I'm actually getting a good feel finally about those popcorn balls.  I barely have to watch the candy thermometer now that we've made them a half dozen times.  It gets a little less frantic each year!

Earlier in the day Will and I tried out a recipe that a friend posted on Facebook for Nutella cookies.   We're definitely going to make those again.  Next time I'll look for the Special Dark Cocoa!

We also had an early Christmas with Jason's parents.   Will LOVED that Grandma Hilary transformed a large cardboard box (that Jason was trying to throw away!) into a racecar - complete with door, steering wheel, "trunk," and vanity plates.  I'll have to get a picture.  It's amazing what scissors, crayons, and imagination can make!  He also made all of his guests play soccer with him.  I think Will's soccer is why I lost 2 pounds last week!  It certainly wasn't because of the sweets!

Preschool Program

Will's preschool class did their holiday program on Friday afternoon.  I sent Will to school wearing last year's Christmas photo sweater, and that may have been his downfall since he was overheated.   They sang the three songs we knew they were practicing (Five Little Snowmen, Itsy-Bitsy Snowflake, and Jingle Bells) and then a "surprise" song (We Wish You a Merry Christmas - sadly, they changed the words to We Wish You a Happy Holiday). 

 

When we got there, Will was very excited to see us.   He was flush and overheated - whether it was from running around in a sweater or because he just woke up, we weren't sure.  He sang the first song like he was supposed to and then stood and rubbed his eyes throughout the second song.   During the third and fourth songs I went and sat by him but he wouldn't sing.   Afterwards he got a little cookie and was fine again.  We learned they had skipped after nap snack time in favor of the cookies after the program, and that he hadn't eaten much of his lunch since he didn't like it.  After we fed him and took his sweater off moods improved.

Will likes self-portraits with my iphone since we can see the picture we're taking.   Here he is checking himself out (and blocking out Daddy and Mommy).   We went out for coffee and chocolate milk at Starbucks and then out for an early dinner at a new restaurant.   Will's kid's meal came with macaroni and cheese, fruit cup, milk cup and a tuxedo-chocolate-covered strawberry.  He LOVED it.

Holiday Magic

Yesterday Will and I went to Holiday Magic at the Brookfield Zoo.  This is usually an event that I call Brrrr at the Zoo, but it was 60 degrees yesterday! 

Everything turned out at planned:  Will fell asleep on the car ride there for his afternoon nap; we got to see our favorite animals before dark (giraffes - including a new baby!, polar bears, dolphins, and gorillas) then enjoyed the beautiful lights before it got too late.  We also loved the model train exhibit.

Amazingly, we were home, showered and in bed by 8:30!  I am really thrilled with how it all worked out. 

The only part of our day that wasn't planned was that Will opened up his car door as we were driving through Chicago. . . .It was dark (around 6 p.m.) and the overhead lights suddenly turned on.  I couldn't tell that at first what it was, but the dashboard indicator showed it was his door.  I pulled over into a random driveway to get out and reclose his door.  My doors automatically lock, but I learned they also unlock when you pull on the door handle!   I guess this is why people have child safety locks on their back doors?   I had no idea he could reach the handle when he was buckled in his car seat.  I've now learned the disadvantage of the compact car.  Now I need to pull out the owner's manual and figure out how to "lock" the back doors!

Sports Quilt

When we knew Will was getting ready to transition to his big boy bed last year, we asked Jason's mom to make us a quilt for his bed. . . and this is the fantastic result!   Will now has his own, custom-made sports quilt designed and meticulously pieced together by his Grandma Hilary.  It includes retro prints of football, baseball and basketball.  One really fantastic feature is that the woman who did the finish quilting (a friend of Hilary's) made designs with the stitching of a baseball bat, football and basketball!  

Will is still getting used to the idea of having covers and hasn't used it yet.  But we know that when he's ready, he's got this awesome quilt waiting for him!

Christmas Kick-off

With the early Thanksgiving, we have a nice long run up to Christmas now.  Jason had already taken advantage of several mild weather weekends to start our outdoor lights, but yesterday was the traditional trip to pick out our Christmas tree.  For the third year, we went to the Cosley Zoo and enjoyed walking through to see the various regional animals (goats, sheep, cows, ponies, llamas, and this year's addition, a bobcat) before picking the perfect 8-foot Fraser Fir. 

Here's the one Will wanted to get!  Jason agreed. . . .until he found a more perfect one as we were hauling this one out.  The one was got was still stacked up in the back, but keen-eyed Jason spotted it in time to do a switcheroo. 

Ryan came over to do the light stringing, and this year I helped him with the ornaments.   Will was only interested in stepping on the lights during testing and posing with the tree at the end.  In the very long middle he wanted to chill out on the couch or play with other toys.  He was even downstairs for awhile so I got out his present and wrapped it.  Now our beautiful tree has presents underneath!  It's officially the season!

Thanksgiving Days

We enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving over the course of several days.  First up was lunch and playtime at Will's preschool.  It was our first glimpse at what Will would enjoy for Thanksgiving dinner:  rolls with cranberry sauce as jelly, and nothing else!  After our "feast," Builder Will constructed this marble tower.  We played there for awhile until the parents started leaving.  In prior years, people took their kids home with them after lunch, so we planned on that.  Turns out most left the kids there this year, but Will happily headed home with us.  I took the afternoon off, and we took a nap (well, he watched the iPad while I napped) and then went to our health club to swim before my tennis league.  Will enjoyed playing at Kids Club while I was at tennis, so he did get his share of preschool for the day.

On Thursday, we got up early to head to the Indianapolis suburbs for Thanksgiving dinner with Jason's family.  We miraculously made it by noon - even accounting for the loss of the hour due to the time change across the state line.  Of course we were excited to see our family since we had missed Thanksgiving 2011 due to illness, but I think the Starbucks run helped, too!  

Pat, Kelly, and Lily were wonderful hosts!  Kelly made a delicious and beautiful meal for the 8 adults and 3 kids in attendance, and Pat kept the kids entertained outside on the beautiful 65 degree day.   Before lunch, Will (and I) enjoyed a spin or two on the battery powered Dora car. 

And when he wasn't racing the Dora car, he was manning the remote for the monster truck racing.  Ah, the beauty of cul-de-sac living:  playing in the street in front of the house!

On Friday, we all retreated to Jason's parents' house for fun at the farm.  It was too windy (and COLD!) for our traditional bon fire and cookout, but we had hotdogs and chili and games indoors. The grandparents are still working out their schedule to see all the grandkids at the holidays, so they decided Will could get his present early!  He was thrilled to get a set of Home Depot power tools and a tool box with tools.

Will also enjoyed terrorizing playing with grandma and grandpa's three dogs.  They spent a lot of time trying to get away from him.  In the picture above, their littlest dog is unsuccessfully trying to get away from Will by burying herself in Ed's neck. 

Will was a fantastic traveler on both legs of our drive.   He slept some, read some, colored some, narrated things out the window some (Look, Mommy, another car trailer truck!!) and cried/whined none.  He also never asked for an ipad.  Whoo hoo!   The funniest thing from this weekend is that he heard so many people calling me by my name that he called me Lisa or Mommy Lisa a few times.  I guess it makes sense since everyone else had a title of Uncle, Aunt, etc, but we had a little talk about how just Mommy would do!

Sky Diving

As we were thinking of ways to round out our weekend, somehow Jason came up with the idea of skydiving.   And so that's how we spent our early Sunday morning: tandem diving with instructors from Sky Dive Las Vegas.  It was amazing!  We jumped over Boulder City, Nevada, so the views were Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, the Vegas Strip, and Red Rock Canyon.  Wow!

Las Vegas

As I write this, I am flying home from a fantastic long weekend in Vegas (whoo hoo for Southwest wifi!). I must admit my expectations for Vegas were very low considering my disdain for gambling, smoking, and mini dresses. However, thanks to my well traveled husband and his great planning (and my great restaurant picks), we enjoyed Vegas in our style and it was wonderful!

Friday

We landed around 9 am local time and crammed a crazy amount of luggage into our rental convertible. Smart move one: rental car so we are not confined to the strip. First stop was the Hilton Grand Vacation Club to drop off all the bags. Smart move two: a non-casino hotel. Food was the center of our trip. We brunched at The Venetian at Thomas Keller's Bouchon where we had egg dishes and a side of delicious pommes frites! We were not the only table with French fries for breakfast. We had dinner at CUT at The Palazzo, Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse. To use cruise terminology, our excursions that day were a drive around Hoover Dam and the Cirque du Soleil Beatles show, LOVE, at Mirage.

Saturday

Brunch at Serendipity 3 was paid for by Hilton since we agreed to listen to their time share presentation. Chicken and waffles and frozen hot chocolate were a decadent start to our day! The afternoon was golf for Jason and spa and nap for me. I have had dozens of massages and would put this one in the top three. The Hilton spa, eforea, was really a hidden gem! We celebrated Jason's birthday early with the signature warm butter cake at Mastro's in the Crystal Shops of City Center.

Sunday

Sadly, we had to set an early alarm for our morning excursion. Happily, it was because we were going sky diving over the desert! (Pictures coming soon!)  After safely landing back on the ground, we had breakfast at Starbucks (best cappuccino ever!) while plotting out the rest of our last day. We settled on a scenic drive around Red Rock Canyon conservation area and a short hike in the sunshine. Did I mention it was 70 and sunny all weekend? We were so lucky! After lunch, we switched hotels to where Jason has meetings this week. I snuck in another nap before we met up with his customers for dinner the Japonais at Mirage. With an itinerary like this, how can Vegas not have been fantastic?!

Giraffe - Year 2

As I was blogging about Halloween 2013, I went back and looked at 2010 (Monkey), 2011 (Giraffe) and 2012 (Giraffe - year 2).   Only. . . there was no 2012 post!  I just put a bunch of pictures on Facebook apparently and didn't post them here.  We decorated two pumpkins from our garden.  It was a fun painting project that we did on our new (to us) picnic table.

When I asked Will what he wanted to be for Halloween, he pointed to last year's costume hanging in the closet and said his costume was a giraffe.  Reuse last year's?  Awesome!  The costume was a little short, but he was so darn cute for the second year in a row.  We did a lot more houses this year than in the prior year.   Something about a 3 1/2 year old and candy?! 

Jason was traveling for Giraffe (year 1), but for Giraffe (year 2), we both got to see the cuteness in action.  So much fun to watch!

 

Fall Photos

We had professional (non-mall) pictures taken for the first time this year, and I think they turned out great!  Our neighbor recommended the photographer that she's always gone to for their newborn and family pictures.  I'm going to go ahead and post them here now, but expect to be using them again on my Christmas card in December.

Of course that last one is my favorite.  A mommy and her little boy is a very special bond.

Raking Leaves

Everyone except me raked leaves yesterday:  Ryan and Will used rakes (while Rachel tried to attack the rake) for some afternoon exercise.  Then Jason used the leaf blower to push them to the street.  I just hung out inside making food for everyone to enjoy after they worked up a big appetite!

Morton Arboretum

Saturday was a great day!  Kansas State won in convincing fashion over West Virginia on Saturday evening, and we got to spend the afternoon enjoying the sunshine at local gem, the Morton Arboretum.  We went last year this time, as well.  Check out last year's pictures.

The arboretum was decked out for fall with beautiful leaves (one of the top 10 places in the U.S. according to an article I read) as well as cute displays and plantings like the one below.  There may or may not have been (ok, there was) a promise of an M&M covered caramel apple to get this cute picture below. 

First stop, the Children's Garden and the frog water feature.  This was also a favorite last year.  Jason and I couldn't find the discs to stand on to make the frog spit; they were just going continuously. 

I had really been looking forward to seeing Will play on the slides in the Children's Garden since he loved them last year.  But, they were roped off and closed.  Not sure why.  However, he was adventuresome and climbed on these rocks that he found.  My only little billy goat - or a Willy goat, I guess!  This was great practice for playing in the big treehouses.

I eventually climbed the rocks, as well, and got this picture of the fall colors.  As a side note, I got an iphone last week and am thrilled with the pictures versus my old Blackberry!  Of course I love using my phone instead of a "real" camera since I can email them directly to myself or send them straight to Facebook.  One more efficiency for this overworked mom!

After playing in the Children's Garden and having the coveted caramel apple snack, we rode the Acorn Express tram - a narrated 30 minute ride through the park to see the various species of trees and learn about their conservation goals.  It was getting a little chilly by our 4 p.m. departure, but the leaves were absolutely beautiful.