The Boys' Room

Liam and Mason's room is just about done. I just have a couple more things to get to hang on the walls and then it will be completely done. I am so pleased with how it turned out and how everything fit together so nicely! I hope the boys like it as much I do and enjoy their very own forest!! (Thank you Kim Latrielle)

This has been our project for the past two weeks. The first week we moved all the furniture out of this room and Liam's old room. We repainted both rooms, then moved Liam into this room and moved the office/hunting room into the other bedroom. During this process, Liam stayed with Grandma Pam and Grandpa Tom so we could really focus on getting this all done and so we didn't have to worry about rushing to get Liam's room back together. The second week we hung the curtains, did a lot of organizing, and then Kim came over and painted this beautiful tree mural on the wall. She even surprised us with a deer picture that matched the room and theme perfectly! Thank you so much Kim!!

The project for this weekend is making this sign. We could buy it but why buy it when you can make it or should I say when my husband can make it!

Big Changes

Liam,

You've gone through quite a few changes the last couple months and there are still more BIG changes to come. The biggest change is your going to have a little brother the end of April. We've been busy getting everything ready and preparing you for this change. 

We turned your crib into a toddler bed so you could get used to having a big boy bed. Your little brother, Mason, will be using your crib and we wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to get used to your bed before he arrived. We don't want you wanting the crib again when you see your little brother in it!

You're doing really well sleeping in it and have only fallen out of it a couple times. You never want any help getting into bed, you always insist "I do it". Getting out is another story, you won't get out until one of us comes to get you. This is nice right now but hopefully you learn to get out by yourself. 

Since Mason is going to be using your crib/toddler bed we got you a new bed, bunk beds actually. They're in the other bedroom right now and you love playing on them already. Especially climbing up the ladder to go to the top bunk. You and Mason are going to be sharing a room so this weekend we're moving you into the bigger bedroom. You get to stay with Grandma Pam and Grandpa Tom while we paint and make the switch. When you get back home Sunday your room should be put back together and you might even be able to sleep in your new bunk bed Sunday night. We'll see how it goes!

Potty training is another thing we're working on with you. Our goal is have you potty trained and out of diapers by the time your little brother arrives. If you're still in diapers though that's okay but it'd be nice to just buy diapers for one kid! Right now you are showing some interest in going potty in the potty but you don't do it as much as we'd like. Usually you only go once or twice if we're lucky. We've transitioned you to pull-ups but I don't think you really notice a difference. So I think we may skip the pull-ups and try using big boy underwear and see if that helps.

Now just waiting for baby Mason to arrive....

Christmas Traditions - Old & New

A couple years ago we started a new tradition, going out to the woods and looking for the perfect Christmas tree. Well this year Christmas kind of snuck up on us! We just didn't have an open weekend to go into the woods and find a tree. So we went to the next best place, a tree lot in town that I went to every year growing up. We met Grandpa Dave and Grandma Terry there and picked out the perfect tree!

Ready to decorate!

Our little helper!

Another tradition we like to do (or I should say "I" like to do) is decorating the inside of the house with Christmas decorations and hanging the stockings. We also cover the outside of the house with lights. This year daddy got off easy and I only put up the lights around the deck. I was going to have daddy hang icicle lights around the whole house but again we ran out of time. So next year we'll be hanging lights everywhere! Nothing like the Griswold's but it will be close. Just kidding, daddy WOULD NOT be happy with me if I made him put up that many lights plus I wouldn't want to pay that electric bill!

Hanging lights has always been a favorite tradition of mine. Growing up I remember Grandpa Dave going out to hang our Christmas lights. He had a staple gun in hand and would always wear shorts or his sweats pulled up to his knees. He'd cover the house with lights. We would also drive to nearby neighborhoods looking at all their lights.

Celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve has always been my side of the family's tradition and daddy's side celebrates on Christmas Day. So it normally works out we can get together with everyone. But it's getting harder and harder to do this as our family grows and we and our siblings are having kids of our own. One of my fondest memories growing up is Christmas Eve at the ranch (aka - Great Grandma Garnett's house). We always had a crew with all my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We didn't have enough floor space for everyone so we'd have to do presents in two waves, the kids and the adults. Then all the cousins would bunk up in the upstairs bedrooms and get ready for Santa Claus to arrive. We were always giddy and excited that we never went to sleep right away. We'd talk and goof off until one of our parents came up the stairs and told us to go to sleep!

This year we went to my Aunt Staci and Uncle Mike's house for Christmas Eve. We've done this the last couple years and we always have a lot of fun. Grandpa Dave and Grandpa Terry were there and even Uncle Ryan got to join us this year. Aunt Sandi, Uncle Jay, cousins Kody and Alex, and Jenneca and Jesse were there too. It was a fun evening with great food, presents, and a game of Jeopardy that cousin Dani put together. It was guys vs. girls and the guys won but they definitely cheated! Rematch next year!!

Hanging out after dinner

Present Time!

Loving Dani's fur hat!

At the end of the night, we saved one special present for you, a present containing new Christmas Jammie's, a Christmas movie, and snacks to have with your movie. This is a new tradition we just started this year! You wore your Christmas Jammie's to bed and we watched the movie the next morning. Such a fun tradition we'll be doing every year!

Then we hosted Christmas morning at our house. Grandpa Dave & Grandma Terry came over along with Uncle Ryan and Grandpa Mike, Nana B, and Uncle Josh. But before everyone arrived we exchanged stockings and you saw what Santa brought you. A Hummer!

Seeing it for the first time!

Taking it for a cruise!

When everyone arrived we had a yummy brunch making Great Grandma Erickson's homemade donuts and Conner egg casserole. I'm hoping to make this tradition too, every few Christmas's at least. We spent the rest of the morning relaxing and opening presents.

Look at all those donuts!

Let the presents begin!

Testing out the boxing gloves on Uncle Josh!

Oh boy, a train set!

The boys setting it up!

This is what they're meant for, right!?!