Floundering and Quotes

I've just been floundering around trying to get everything put in order the last couple of weeks. I've been looking for the pictures I took of all the neat presents I made for people for Christmas, but I can't find them. And I was going to tell you about how I've been obsessed with decorating a house I don't own with money I don't have, but I was too busy doing it. Plus our camera and memory cards have been mutinying. Luckily, the boys have still been hilarious, so here are some contributions from our little folks. Enjoy!

(The boys have been in love with Mother Goose rhymes for the last couple weeks)
Zach: There was an old lady who lived in a shoe...
Sam: Whaaaaaa!? A Shoe!?

(After waving something around in my face for a while)
Ben: Look at this!
Katie: Oh...is it a booger?
Ben: I don't know.
Katie: Where did you find it?
Ben: In my nose.

Ben's Nutcrackers

Sam Tickles the Ivories

Ah, yes, Christmas in Maine

Our Christmas at my parents house up in Maine was great.  The boys were just about bursting at the seams with excitement to get there and see the snow.  They ended up having the first snowball fight of the trip outside the Boston airport while we waited for Dad.  Then they freaked out because the snow was sticking to them.  Good times.

Benjamin - expert snow angel maker

Once we got there the excitement shifted to when exactly Christmas was and when the presents would be opened.  Everyday they woke up and asked if it was Christmas morning.  We did manage to keep them busy with fun Maine trips to the beach and playing the snow though and managed to keep questions about whether or not it was Christmas yet to about four times an hour.

Ben, Me, Zach and Sam at Hendricks Beach.  Maine is really cold, by the way.

Of course, Christmas Eve finally came, as it usually does.  And then the boys reached full freak out mode.  They ran around all day singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" which is their absolute favorite Christmas song as it is the only one they know besides the chorus to "Jingle Bells."

Sam and Cousin Maddie at Christmas Eve dinner

(Sam's attempt to consume the yule log was thwarted)

After dinner (at which Ben and Sam got into a little tussle, fell off of their seats and Ben ended up with a bloody nose) we had our nativity play.  The boys were sheep.  

Ben and Sam - the most unherdable sheep ever.

Zach and I were Joseph and Mary.  We did an excellent job.  

Ben admiring the our "baby Jesus".

Maddie insisted I wear that towel on my head, by the way.

The last thing we did before bedtime was to hang up the stockings, put out cookies for Santa, and food for the reindeer.

Grammie and Sam give the reindeer food a close inspection.    

On Christmas morning Ben and Sam decided that this would be the morning that they would let us sleep in.  And Zach and I were the ones poking and prodding and being generally annoying.  But finally nature won out and Ben had to use the bathroom.  Yes!  Of course, once the realization of what day it was exactly, there was no stopping them.

Stockings!

Presents!

It was pretty amazing, really.  Christmas takes on a whole new meaning with the little ones, especially now that they understand the whole season.  It was wonderful and amazing.  

And Ben and Sam didn't break any ornaments this year.