The day has finally arrived

7:00am EST. Santa has arrived!

And he brought new big boy bikes!

In their stockings, the boys found candy, toys, and tape measures (so they can be just like Daddy and measure stuff). Even Keegan got one!


Gray was particularly excited about the Nerds he found at the bottom of his stocking.

And here we have the coveted Bat Cave.

This was not on the original Christmas list, but as Christmas drew closer and the advertising execs. had a ball pumping the cartoon channels with toy commercials, the Bat Cave rose to the top of the list and was repeatedly requested to Santa in person. So much so that "Santa" had to run around town on 12/23 in search of said Cave so as not to ruin Christmas for two "good" little boys. Luckily, he was successful seeing as Mommy really did not want to pay extra for overnight shipping. In all seriousness though, they have not stopped playing with it (or fighting over it) since Christmas morning. Christmas would surely have been ruined, despite the living room full of new toys, had Santa forgotten the Bat Cave.

Warm mittens and a hat from Mommy and Daddy. We wore shorts on Christmas day, so I'm not really sure when we'll really need these.

Keegan's favorite toy -- a ball and cup set from Ashley, our Nanny. Although you only see one picture of him here, every single picture of him from Christmas morning includes the yellow ball either in his hand or in his mouth. He simply would not put it down. We lost it on 12/26 amidst all the Christmas clutter, but subsequently found it again during the New-Year's-Day-Resolution-Clean-Up and it remains one of his favorite toys today.

Thank you to all our friends and family for the wonderful gifts you sent. If you sent a noisy gift (like the ones pictured here from Jenna and Patrick), and you have children of your own, then don't worry -- your time will come. We will resend obnoxiously loud gifts in return for your child's next birthday! But really, I must say that the band instruments are a hit (separate post about that later).

Yay! Transformers from Grandma Cathy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

the making of the gingerbread house

Mad because I won't let them eat the candy (Gavin refuses to even look at the camera).

After consuming a few pieces of candy, Gavin shows off his Gingerbread guy.

Logan...always posing properly so I can get good pictures for my scrapbook/blog.

Finished product.

Christmas Eve

This Christmas, for the first time, we made a budget and stuck to it. I did most of our shopping on Black Friday as well as Cyber Monday. I also managed to wrap the presents, pester Jay into assembling toys as needed, bake goodies, and prepare Christmas Day dinner all before December 24th. So, for the first time, I was able to relax and enjoy Christmas Eve. Here are the highlights of our day...

Baking cookies with Nana and Papa.

And eating the finished product.

(I'm at home wrapping a few last minute gifts, showering etc. Who knows where Jay is. Probably on another one of his two hour bike rides!)

Our annual trip to Dorothy B. Oven park to look at the lights and run the kids around till they're tired.

The train conductor is pouting for some reason that I can't recall. I think it's because we wouldn't let him in the front until the Daddy of the little girl in front of him took her picture as the train conductress. In other words, he was mad because we made him wait his turn.

Taking a ride on Santa's sleigh.

Do you have any idea how difficult it is to successfully photograph all three?

Mad at Daddy for another reason I can't recall.

Me like-e me food-e

The photo that didn't make it into this post, but was just too funny not to share.

He eats!

HE EATS!

...and eats...

... and eats!

In fact, he ate so well that I decided to try a jar of baby food one more time (sweet potatoes). I think he liked it! Do you?

So, I hadn't really intended on giving him food tonight. I'm getting tired of wasting little uneaten but opened jars of baby food. BUT, While I was juggling holding the hip-monkey this afternoon and getting the boys some Ritz crackers he kept trying to grab the cracker sleeve out of my hand. He cried when I wouldn't let him have it, so I thought, "Why not just give it to him? He's not going to like it anyway." So I plopped him down in his high chair and pulled out a couple of crackers with the hopes of simultaneously doing the dishes and giving my right bicep a break from carrying around a 24 pound 7 month old. And so the rest is history.

In other Keegan news -- he's such a trooper. He is currently working hard on pushing through those two front teeth, has a cold and a nasty little cough, and got a flu shot in his thigh yesterday. I mean, the boy is in pain to put it mildly, yet he never complains. If only his brothers would follow suit.

Christmas Cliff Notes

The unabridged version coming tomorrow....

Free Favorites Around Town

Here's a list of some things I enjoyed getting for free this week (and you can too):

CVS
Garnier shampoo/conditioner/styling products (use -$1 coupon from paper)
Children's Throat Coolers (Free plus $4.99 overage with coupon!)
CVS brand toddler bathroom wipes

Walgreens
Garnier shampoo/conditioner/styling products (use -$1 coupon from paper)
Electrosol Dishwashing Liquid (Free plus overage -- use coupon from paper plus Walgreen's Easy Saver Coupon)

I'm happy to report that I will not need shampoo or conditioner for a long, long time now. :)

Our little chat

Good news! Keegan and I had a little talk the other night about this not-yet-sleeping-through-the-night business. We agreed that he was no longer allowed to eat during the night. I mean, come on, you can tell by looking at him that he's not starving. So, he woke up once or twice for the past few nights and entertained himself by crying, playing in his crib, and/or kicking the wall with his feet. Then last night, he finally decided that he'd really rather just sleep since there's really no hope of eating before 6am. I slept 6 hours without interruption (got up once at midnight to return his missing pacifier to his mouth) and woke up feeling recharged and ready to work for a change. Hooray!

In other news, he still won't eat any solids and the doctor is still not concerned. He has a flu shot appointment tomorrow and I'll mention it again at that time.

Back to reality

Things are getting back to normal around here...whether I like it or not. I can't really say that I'm ready to go back to work. I've enjoyed my time at home with the boys. Keegan learns and grows every day. He's always happy and content, just as long as I put him on the floor with his toys surrounding him like a horseshoe. He likes to simply be in the same room as whatever is going on at the time. Which is a lot in our house. Never a dull moment as you can imagine. The boys like to play "big brother" with him -- they do something nice or something helpful and then say, "Look what I did, Mommy. That's what big brother's do. That's what makes Santa and God proud!". Logan and Gavin have been playing with all their new toys from Santa non-stop, but insist they're "bored" and having "nothing to do". Santa and all our relatives were quite good to them (Christmas photos to come). So, tomorrow it's back to work whether I like it or not...unless I win Powerball...which Jay reported tonight that I have a better chance of getting struck by lightening three times. In which case, I guess I better iron my clothes so I can go to work on time thereby reducing my chances of unwillingly becoming a single-income family. But getting back to normal also means getting back to posting. Stay tuned for more Allison Adventures from December and January!

Welcome 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

No, we are not letting them stay up till midnight. We'd pay for it tomorrow. And no, we probably won't stay up till midnight ourselves either. We are having a very grown-up, alcohol-free New Year's Eve. Did I hear someone say, "Boring"? We think it sounds relaxing. Something we don't get to do much of and something I plan to do more of in 2009!

Happy New Year to all our friends and loved ones. We wish you all the best in 2009.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

Lots of love from our home to yours. Merry Christmas to all our friends and family, near and far.

What does Ms. Tycia look like?

Logan has been dying to meet Ms. Tycia, Gavin's new teacher since Ms. Traci left. This probably somehow has something to do with Logan's crush on Ms. Traci. In any case, Jay has been promising to drop Gavin off first at school one day so Logan can finally meet Ms. Tycia and it's been the hot topic around our house for awhile now. This conversation ensued on the evening before the planned Ms. Tycia meet-and-greet:

LOGAN: Daddy's gonna drop me off first tomorrow.
GAVIN: I know.
LOGAN: So I can meet Ms. Tycia.
GAVIN: I know.
LOGAN: What does Ms. Tycia look like?
GAVIN: (after a thoughtful pause) Umm...she looks like happy. She looks like funny.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum

The Giant had his 6 month check-up today.

The Verdict:

clear ears (YAY!)

height -- 97th percentile (29 inches)

weight -- off the charts (23.5 pounds)

The doctor said he's "a healthy boy" (read: doesn't look like he misses many meals). Actually, according to the doctor, Keegan has "thinned out" some since his height is catching up to his weight. Then he mentioned that if Jay and I were fat people, he would begin talking to us about the importance of a healthy diet in children to try to prevent us from having an obese pre-schooler. Yep, he's huge. My right bicep is proof.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch. I wanted to get pictures of the whole family together, but Keegan slept the entire time and I didn't have the heart to wake him. Of course, he woke up as soon as we were leaving!
Sleeping through all the fun.

Ugly Duckling

Daddy's boys..well, some of them.

two little cuties

saving $$$, week by week

I can't believe I'm saying this on December 2nd, but I think we have almost ALL of our Christmas shopping done! Thanks to all the pre-Thanksgiving sales coupled with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we are all set to go! The sales at Publix this week were mediocre at best, and with all the Thanksgiving leftovers, we really didn't need much, but check out the CVS purchase! If you're not "CVSing" already, you should be. Here's a link to tell you how to do it:

How to CVS by Jenny at Southern Savers

Weekly Publix Shopping Trip

Total before sales/coupons: $84.06

Total spent out of pocket: $52.20

Total saved: $31.86 or 48%

CVS

Total before sales/coupons: $55.62

Total spent out of pocket: $1.75
Total saved: $53.87 or 96.9%

Best deal: new earbuds for my Zune (FREE)

pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere

Too cute not to post...even if it is December.

the stockings were hung by the chimney with care

Yesterday, the long-awaited, much-anticipated annual package from Gram and Gramps came in the mail. Since we average a new baby each year (2004, 2005, & 2008!), this package usually includes the following items:

1. Jay's birthday present

2. Jay's annual Hess truck (which the kids are not allowed to touch and they never understand why. Neither do I, but apparently the Hess truck is for looking at only.)

3. Chocolate Advent calenders (those are exactly as big of a hit as you can imagine...and then some)

"Can we eat these NOW?"

(10 seconds later) "NOW can we eat these?"

"Is it December? Then why can't we eat these NOW?"

This goes on and on and on until they can actually eat them...then they start asking about tomorrow's piece.

4. New Baby Stocking...a.k.a. FINAL baby stocking!

Mmmm....more food. Thanks, Gram!

Christmas 2008: The year our mantel was complete.

Good thing S-A-N-T-A has 5 letters! 5 letters...5 Allison's. Now we really can't have any more children!

THANKS GRAM!

"I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And gosh-darn-it, people LIKE me!"

Fearless ninja warriors

Halloween was a month ago...I'm such a slacker!!! So, this is what the Allison's were doing while the Petro's were in labor...

We got all ready to go at Nana's house

The boys wanted to be Ninjas this year. Actually, they just wanted to be anything that came with a sword, as in: "Hey Logan, do you want to be a fireman?", "Does it come with a sword?" and "Hey Gavin, do you want to be Spiderman?", "Does it come with a sword?"

These were the safest and best swords I could find. From the Dollar Store of all places.

We practiced "Trick or Treating" at the Presbyterian Church by my mom's house. Baby Keegan was in a great mood and had lots to say. Here he is giving me some lovin'.

The boys went fishing for candy.

And took a break to eat some hot dogs. Everyone knows a ninja needs to eat some food so he has the energy to trick or treat all night long!

Then we went back to our house for the real deal!

And here they are holding their first baby captive by throat!

It was FREEZING, but Gavin was on a mission.

"Just one more piece of candy, Mommy!"

monkey see, monkey do

Gavin had to get blue hair too!