7years and New Years.

 We had our first big snowstorm where the snow actually stuck around for 2 days.  Kailah was so excited, and i procrastinated til the very last minute and finally took kailah out to go play in the snow right before the sun set. It was freezing! I have never felt so cold in my life the minute I stepped outside. definitely a bitter new england cold. 

This year marks Jason and my 7year anniversary.  It was a very simple day.  Jason made me breakfast in bed and we went to the movie Les Miserables, which was amazing, and just the type of movie I needed to see.

 

We celebrated this New Years Eve as a family with our friends here in Hull at our home. It was so much fun! I always have thought of NYE as a party night with just Jason and I or with friends, and to include my kids this year was a lot of fun!  It was simple kind of thrown together, and perfect!

We made homemade mini pizza, decorated party hats, and set the clocks ahead so when it was really 9:30 our kids thought it was 12:00 and we watched an old times square countdown which made it feel real. We banged pots and pans and cheered with paper cups to ring in the new year. Kailah totally loved being apart of this holiday party, and I now look forward to more NYE's with my children.

Christmas 2012

I can't believe a year has come and gone since we last celebrated Christmas in California with our little family.  Looking back at pictures makes me nostalgic.

This year we celebrated on a completely different end of the country.
One of our family traditions that I like to carry on with my kids is Christmas Eve Jammie's.

Jason doesn't love getting Jammies every year so for now it's just the kids and I.

However we both love playing Santa and getting all set up while the kids are tucked in their beds.

We woke up to light snow falling on the ground.

Kailah knew Christmas was here when she saw the snowflakes, but it did take both the kids a while to venture downstairs and realize that Santa had come last night.
Once downstairs, Kailah wanted to open every single present as fast as she could and was not satisfied until every last one was open.

Kruz trampled all the wrapped gifts and made his way right to his big red car!  He knew that Santa had brought him that gift especially for him, he opened one or two gifts and i guess realized he liked his car the most and spent the rest of the day (and the next day, and the next)  glued to the seat of that car!

Jason and I gave each other a few simple gifts but usually our Christmases are all about the kids!  And Kailah did buy Dadda a remote control car, and Kruz a piano this year.  I hope to encourage my kids to buy gifts for others every year.

There were a lot of great things this year, It was so nice being home, not having anywhere we had to be. Staying in Pj's most the day, spending quality time with the kids.  But my heart was with the families who were victims of the Newtown shootings, spending their Christmases without their loved ones for the first time. 
I am so grateful for my family who are healthy and happy, and to live in an area where I feel safe.  I don't vocally say enough how much I just adore my kids, even through all the rough times. they are my reason for being and I am a better person because of them. I love them so much!

Kruz's 1st Birthday Party

I didn't want to stress out this year over a big party but I wanted to do something special for Kruz's 1st Birthday.
We invited a few friends from church and our neighborhood and I found some ideas on pinterest.com and put together a little nautical themed BBQ on our freshly stained back deck. It turned out perfect. Yes there were some things I wanted to do that didn't get done but because I made an effort to not sweat the small things we all enjoyed the evening and had a really great turnout.
Kruz enjoyed eating the food and digging into his cake.
Kailah really enjoyed opening all baby brothers presents. :) what's his is hers.

Kruz 1 year!

One year has come and gone and it feels like just yesterday we had out sweet little baby boy Kruz!
Kruz makes me smile and laugh everyday! He has the cutest faces and really knows how to tug at my heart strings.

1 year Stats:
Height: 30.5inches(77percentile)
Weight: 20lbs 10ounces(15percentile)

Kruz still uses his middle finger for everything.

He is the hardest baby to diaper! This kid will not just lay on his back and let you do it, he constantly is trying to get away and squirms trying to get out.

I have never seen a baby smile as much over the most random things as Kruz does. He is always so smiley and happy. But he is also very demanding and lets you know when he wants something. There is no happy medium for this kid he's either over the top happy or totally sad or mad.
The minute I go into the kitchen Kruz is there to follow and whine at my feet for food. He loves to eat and is such a great eater. Just recently he has been showing me what he doesn't like. He does not like milk, cheese, meat, anything with a weird texture. But he loves bananas and lots of fruit like his sister so that's no surprise. He likes pasta and juice and water for drinks. Kruz likes food so much sometimes he screams at you that he wants what your eating and you have to show him his hand so he can see that he actually has what he wants right in his hand the whole time.
Keeping Kruz entertained is a little tricky. He doesn't like to be by himself and prefers to follow Kailah around wherever she goes. And I don't think Kailah minds at all. In fact I don't know if Kailah even realizes that she has a little shadow that follows her around.

Kruz loves Kailah! She helps keep him entertained and is such a great big sister to him.
Even when I have been upset with Kruz and scolded him about throwing food on the floor Kailah tells me "momma, be nice to baby!" (as I tell her when she is mean.). I love how protective she has been of Kruz.
Kruz started walking at 11 and 1/2 months.

He loves climbing the stairs. Anytime the baby gate isn't up he beelines straight for the stairs he is now a pro at going up and down the stairs and has been for about a month now.

When Kruz takes a nap or goes to sleep at night he really likes to have his blanket over his head. He always falls right asleep and never complains about going to bed. Since our big move he has been sleeping through the night like its nothing. He really likes being on a schedule and being settled in his own crib it has really helped his sleeping.

We love Kruz so much and are so happy he is apart of our family. He fits in perfectly and has been just what we needed!

Our First House

Well, we bought our very first house!

I'm so happy to finally have a place of our own and be able to get back on a schedule and start making this house a home.
Our little 100year old home is anything but perfect. I always thought my first home would be brand new so entering into home ownership has been anything but the American dream for me. The first week we were here Jason had to go to Vietnam on business for two weeks so it was just me and the kids in a new area and a new house.
Within four days we had a mice problem! Yep I threw away loads of soiled food! Dang mice! They even got into my cookies first! Currently we have no mice but caught about ten mice.
Apparently someone left a fire alarm in our wall when they redid the ceiling and now it's dying so we have a beep that goes off every 30seconds. So unless we rip open the wall we get to listen to it all day.
I think every house has its quirks and we will learn as we go i guess.  We have lots of plans for this house and hope it can feel like a home soon.
It is located in the town of Hull which is a really cute, quaint, beach town on the south shore of Massachusetts.  Jason takes a ferry into the city everyday. It is the best commute for him.