Christmas Day

It was an early Christmas morning for us, since we had plans to make breakfast and open presents with Randalicious, I wanted to make sure Aiden got to open some stuff at home (so I didn't have to drag as many packages back and forth) and so he could see that Santa came.

Something tells me this will be the last Christmas morning when I am awake before he is.

This is what was left of Santa's cookies and milk, and the heavy stockings in the back ground there - they weighed too much for the stocking hangers!

Dexter was very curious about Aiden's stocking and helping him empty it.

Look at all that candy -- after he ate a pound of it, I put the rest away to use as potty training ammo.

He opened mostly clothes at home, plus his presents from the North Pole (pretty gold paper) and when he saw How to Train Your Dragon, he had to turn on the tv and watch it immediately.

And he was of course, extremely excited to open this one from Santa...

After we got through everything at home, we went over to Randalicious' house where Aiden helped Dave and I make biscuits and gravy for breakfast.

While we waited for the biscuits to bake we opened stockings - MORE candy!

And after breakfast Aunt B used Aiden to get us all going on the presents under the tree :)

It was a lot of running around, and a lot of food for one day.

Finally, Aiden crashed.

And to all a good night.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Aiden was such a trooper this year, with all the confusing goings on I was worried he'd get a bit over whelmed for the holidays but he did great helping me get ready.

Of course it helped that he got to open some early presents - thanks to Aunt Rachel...

He got new, Christmas pajamas and of course hung them on the tree - he is so decorative!

And he was great about getting bundled up and bopping around town to help me shop too.

A couple days before Christmas, Steve and I took him to see Santa at Bass Pro Shops - which I highly recommend. The photo is free, they give you a "line up reservation" so that you don't have to stand there for 4 hours...you get to walk around the store, see the fish tanks, and they have a billion free, Santa's Workshop themed activities for the kids to do.

While we waiting in line, we rehearsed with Aiden what he would ask Santa for - How to Train Your Dragon, Race Cars, Books, etc. So of course when he sat in Santa's lap and asked for Rocket Man - I panicked. I didn't ever buy it and it was the one thing he had to ask Santa for...so the hunt was on for a Christmas miracle.

He also go to go see "Arthur Christmas" at the movie theater and LOVED it, it got him right in the mood for Santa and presents and it really helped him kinda piece together all the craziness that's been going on in the name of Holiday Spirit.

On Christmas Eve morning we had Choo-Choo, Airplane, and Christmas Tree shaped pancakes and considered ourselves ready for the big day!

It all started when...

I said I didn't want to be home alone on Friday night, and wouldn't you know, my weekend filled up quicker than the line at Khol's on a Khol's Cash weekend (and that's fast!)

I had a hair appointment Friday evening which always takes a good chunk of time but it's nice to just sit and chat/catch up with Kaitlin when I see her, and it's relaxing...call me crazy but that feeling when the foil is being pulled out of my hair - it nearly puts me to sleep!

Anyway, by the time my hair was done and I was on my way to a dinner date with Randalicious, it was nearly 9 and Bre and Dave were meeting us at the Morrison Inn. Also on the way was my uncle Brian who was being a bachelor for the weekend, and by the time Dad and I got there, everyone was working on margaritas already.

Excited about finishing up all my homework and being done with school I jumped right in.

I know this looks gross, but I have never tried raspberry before and I was a little worried when it came out brown but it tastes like they use raspberry iced tea to make it --- sooo good!

We spent the evening laughing and telling funny jokes - mostly at the expense of the men at the table and the waitress even brought a sparkler to the table with my sopapillas as a "Congratulations!" on graduation - I think she overheard a toast we all shared on the subject.

After her second margarita, Bre informed the table what time it was...

So we named as many presidents as we could and called it a night.

On Saturday, I spent the morning having a much delayed book club discussion over "Gone with the Wind" and then went shopping with one of my best friends. Can I just say, I love Khol's. Between their reusable coupons, every day sales and Khol's Cash, I finished up my shopping this weekend and came in under budget. Including something for myself which I skipped on last year.

When I got home with all my goodies it was time to start wrapping. For a while it seemed like Bre might have more presents under the tree than anyone - only because I forgot all the stuff I have been stock piling for Aiden. Now there's hardly any room for the presents from the North Pole!

It took all day, but everything I have is wrapped, so as long as I can wrap things as they come in the mail I will be stress free Christmas Eve!

For dinner on Saturday night I met Bre, Dave and Dalton for dinner -- Bre and I have been competing for check in points on FourSquare and had to clue Dave in so we could get free chips and salsa...this is becoming my favorite app very quickly - second free appetizer in less that 5 days.

Then we headed over to the Denver Botanical Gardens Trail of Lights at Chatfield.

First, it was very pretty and some of the displays were highly impressive.

Secondly, it was freeeeezing!

All in all, really pretty lights but for $9.50 a person you can probably enjoy hot chocolate in your warm car and much funnier displays in your neighborhood. But I was really happy to get out of the house and spend more time with my sister - if you had told me 5 years ago I would think she was one of my best friends - I would have laughed at you. But I couldn't be more grateful, especially at this time of year and at this point in my life, that I have her so close to me.

I am also really glad to have Aiden so close and cuddly these days too!

Here's to keeping ahead at the holidays!

A Love Like That

Today, I asked my sister to tell me some things about her boyfriend. I have hung out with him a lot, shared many giggles and love how happy he makes her. But I just don't know enough to get a good, non-gag gift for him for Christmas.

When she responded back to me with a list of things to know about him, I laughed at first -- it's funny the things we notice about people and find important. It was truly touching.

And whenever I go to his facebook wall to make a joke about/at him, I see that they are sharing inside jokes of their own that come from tv commercials or funny youtube videos. In my mind's eye, I can see the two of them sitting on the couch together at night, laughing and talking and connecting.

I want that. I am so inspired by the journey my sister has taken to become a happy person and it makes me want to put everything I have into doing the same.

After Graduation

I have had a lot of people asking what my plans are after I graduate, relatives, friends, friends who live far away, even the CU Alumni Association asked (no I don't want to donate my enrollment deposit - I'd rather go Christmas shopping...)

Anyway, no I don't have the rest of my life planned out...I have been working full time for 3 years now, at a job in my desired career field and I have a stable place to live and no really exciting, life-changing plans for the next few months.

But, after graduation my plans are to get through all this:

Thats "The Biology of Horror - An Analysis of Gothic Literature," "The End of Mr. Y," "The 13th Tale," "Shades of Grey," "The Woman in White," and "The Beetle."

Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays

OutNumbered is officially a year old! Thank you for all of your support and interest and especially for your inspiration!

Anyway, last time I posted I mentioned Aiden's speech therapy -- this week "Miss Jo" continued to impress. Aiden woke up from a nap shortly before she arrived and was very cranky. Since he needs minimal intervention, she was only supposed to stay half and hour and Aiden wasted 20 minutes of it crying and whining -- so she stayed a full hour to make sure we actually got some stuff done.

She was impressed with his sign language and thinks he is a good candidate to learn more, not that he won't learn and speak English just fine, but his best shot at being bilingual is going to be signing.

He got a wonderful snowy weekend with Grandma and Papa Tennant and came home shouting "Go Broncos! Run Fast!" So cute...

Tonight we decided that we should get serious about the holidays and write Santa and letter -- and opps! Mom forgot to show him the Advent calendar last week.

So we sat down with the calendar first, and we got about as far as "this is the day Santa comes..." but when I asked what else was important about that day he figured out how to get candy out of the calendar.

Of course, after we set the calendar up on the shelf, he was back ten minutes later asking about a "Christmas treat."

After my failed attempt at explaining the advent calendar I had him crawl up in my lap at the table and helped him write a Christmas list...I suggested the last thing ;) but he requested all that's listed. Pretty funny -- and I let him write his name with a little assistance.

Happy Holidays!!

A few things to finish up - the list

2 weeks to finish this to-do list

1. Read "A River Runs Through It" - pretend to care about it for 800 words or so

2. Pass psych final

3. Watch "Higher Learning" and focus on what happens when teens go to college instead of Tyra Bank's horrible  "acting"

4. Narrow list of potential new cars from 20 to 10

5. Watch Sons of Anarchy Finale with my besticles

6. Buy cap & gown

7. FIND MY PANTS!

8. Figure out how to open my mailbox

9. be excited -Be BE EXCITED!