Christmas Projects

I've started a few Christmas projects recently that I am super excited about. In the past I've made a few things here and there, but this is the first year that I've really gotten into it. I don't have a ton of spare time, but have been getting a little bit done each weekend. It's fun to have something to work on and look forward to doing. I love seeing the difference between the materials in the beginning and the final project. I'm planning on giving some things away as Christmas gifts so I can't post pictures of everything just yet, but here are a few. 'Tis the season!

 Advent Calendar- Each of the little boxes is filled with a piece of chocolate to eat each day leading up to Christmas. The trick will be getting Cason to stop at just 1 each day.

 You know those little paper boxes we used to make in middle school? Yep, that's them. Took me FOREVER to do all 24. I love the way it turned out though.

 Advent Calendar #2- Each of the pockets has a little card with a Christmas activity (watch a Christmas movie, drive around and look at lights, drink hot cocoa, etc) to do each day leading up to Christmas.

 I think Cason will love this one as he gets a little older. We can take the card out in the morning and anticipate the activity all day until daddy comes home from work :).

 Candy Cane Wreath- Because this was so cheap and easy to make I made several for different family members. Could be a cute neighbor gift too?

Thanksgiving

"Having someone to love is family.  Having somewhere to live is home.  Having both is a blessing."  This is a favorite quote of mine and kind of sums it up for me this year.  I have so much to be thankful for that I often take for granted.  I am blessed with an amazing family and we have everything that we need and more.  I'm thankful for the big things like my house, my job, and my health, but I am also thankful for all of the little things like being able to snuggle with Cason everynight before bed, the inside jokes that Jeff and I laugh at daily, and a nice warm bath and good book at the end of a long day.  I think it's the little things things that I appreciate the most.  Even though little wrenches often get thrown into our lives, life is really great!  It's all about family and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else than the amazing people I do.  Happy Thanksgiving!

We spent Thanksgiving at my parent's house this year with my sister's family and both sets of grandparents.  The boys went golfing while us girls prepared the food.  It was fun to spend the morning with my mom and sister.  The kids played with each other throughout the morning and made apple turkeys which was a lot of fun.  Dinner was delicious and it was so nice to spend quality time with everyone.  Later that night we stopped by Jeff's grandma's house to visit for a bit and then went to my grandparent's house to visit with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I love that the holidays bring us all together. 

Happy 1/2 Birthday to my Little Man

I can not believe that I have an 18 month old!  Boy does time fly.  It seems like just yesterday we found out we were expecting.  As Cason has grown up I have loved every new stage and 18 months is no different.  He is so much fun right now!  He has so much energy and spunk and sometimes is too rambunctious for his own good :).  He makes me smile and laugh on a daily basis and brightens up our home.  I am so proud to be his mom!!  I can already tell that he is going to be brilliant.  I can see his mind at work with each new thing that he sees.  He is always trying to figure out how things work and why.  I love to sit back and watch him as he experiences things for the first time. I can honestly say that there is nothing I love more in this world than to be his mother. 

Cason at 18 Months

25.2 lbs, 41st Percentile

34 in, 91st Percentile

• Finally has some teeth! We were stuck on 4 for the longest time, but he has recently shown us 2 molars and is pushing through at least 6 others.  He's taking it like a champ... thankfully!
• We're pretty sure he's left handed. 
• Newest medical concern is that he may have asthma.  Poor guy has been sick for about 6 weeks now.  What started out as an ear infection and croupe has turned into a horrible, persistent cough.  We've had multiple office visits, x-rays, medications, humidifiers, vaporizers, nebulizers... you name it, and nothing has worked.  We talk with the doctor again on Monday and the next step is to make an appointment with an allergist.  Hopefully all goes well.
• Loves to eat and still eats anything!  I'm glad he didn't inherit my picky eating habits.  His favorite right now is cereal.  He asks for it first thing in the morning and multiple times throughout the day.  It's so adorable to hear him say it too... sounds like "CEO."
• Sings and dances with his momma.  He always joins in to sign "EIEIO" in Old MacDonald, "up above" and "star" in Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and loves the actions to the Itsy Bitsy Spider.  He usually makes up the rest of the words :).
• Talks really well.  He repeats almost everything that we say and can tell us everything that he wants.  He says multiple 2-3 word combinations and just recently started saying "I love you."  Some of his favorite words right now are funny, blankie, button, tree, candy, light, cereal, remote, shoes, and others I'm sure I'm leaving out.
• Loves to make animal sounds.... especially cow, horse, and sheep.  He points out every animal that he sees.  Most that he doesn't know end up mooing. 
• Always wants to put on shoes and socks.  His or ours.  He also wants to help us put our shoes on.
• Still loves trucks.  He loves to go to the toy aisle at the stores and turn on all the trucks with sound and dance to them.  He can spend hours driving his trucks around the house, up the walls, and across the couches. 
• Recently LOVES pianos... real and toy.  This is another favorite for the toy aisle.  Perhaps an idea for Santa this year :).
• Is incredibly coordinated and a dare devil.  I'm not sure if this is a good combination.  He climbs on everything, throws and kicks balls well, and always wants to be involved in the action.
• Says "cheese" for the camera with a very cheesy grin, but HATES getting his picture taken. Professional photos are a nightmare.  We recently did family photos.  It will be interesting to see the results. 

HaLLoWeeN

I took Halloween off of work this year to spend the day with Cason.  I wanted to make it a great day and possibly planned a bit too much :).  I didn't realize how hectic it would be to get everything in that I wanted.  (This is a common occurrence for me.)  The morning started out great.  Cason and I stayed in our pajamas until his afternoon nap and spent a big chunk of the morning jumping into piles of pillows and blankets in the living room.  After naptime it was on to our busy afternoon.  After dressing Cason up as THE CUTEST, LITTLE PIRATE EVER we met up with my sister and family at my grandparent's house before heading over to the mall for trick-or-treating.  After the mall we had planned to go to my ward trunk-or-treat, but plans changed and instead we stopped by Jeff's mom's house to show off our little pirate.  Afterward, my entire family, including my grandparents, came over for dinner and to celebrate my dad's birthday a bit late.  Jeff and I made delicious homemade chili for navajo tacos and apple crisp for dessert.  Yummmmmy!!  It was a good time, with good food and company, until tragedy struck....

Recently Cason has been intrigued by our oven.  He loves to watch and help me cook.  We have a gas stove which he loves to turn the knobs on.  The burners don't always light, but with each turn the gas comes on.  This scares me to death.  He also loves to open the oven and climb right in.  Also, SCARES ME TO DEATH.  We have a lock on the oven which we have been using.  However, the other day Cason saw Jeff lock it and now knows how to unlock it.  In the midst of all the chaos of dinner and Halloween night, it happened.  I guess it was bound to happen at some point, but I still wasn't prepared.  Poor little Cason opened the oven and stuck his hand right in.  He probably cried for a good hour straight.  I felt so horrible and tried everything, but couldn't really console him.  He was in such pain.  I know I am a first time mom, but this really was a big deal for me.  I'm just so grateful it wasn't worse.  The next morning he was happy as can be with just a few 2nd degree burns and blisters on the one hand.  Again, soooo grateful it wasn't worse.

Overall, it was a great day, but I definitely could have done without the last hour :). Here are some pictures of my adorable little man.

The bandana lasted about 1 minute :). He also had a skull and crossbones necklace (not in the picture) that lasted about as long.

 Doesn't he look so tough!

 Don't mind me in the background :/.

Vegas (part deux)

A few months ago we went to Vegas with some friends to see a concert and had such a great time that we decided to go again this past weekend.  It was a blast!  We always have such a good time with the Hilsmanns.  Jeff and I had been dying to see one of our favorite bands, Saves the Day, in concert.  I have to say that this band is one of my guilty pleasures. Their lyrics are terrible.... morbid even. In fact, some of their music is the type that I would turn down or change the station if Cason were in the car... but I love it!  Unfortunately, the show was a bit of a disappointment for me. Saves the Day sounded great, but it seemed that the lead singer got a bit frustrated with the crowd halfway through the show.  He became sarcastic and rude and ended the show horribly (ruining one of the songs I had been waiting to hear all night).  Needless to say, it was a bit of a let down.  However, they co-headlined with another band that I had never heard of called Bayside.  Bayside played after Saves the Day and were amazing, ending the show on a great note.

The second day in Vegas we played a lot of bingo.  Again, another of my guilty pleasures :).  Who would have thought that I would grow up to play bingo.... for fun!  Before our kiddos were born we always used to make trips to Mesquite to play, but this was the first time since having kids. 

Saturday night we went to the Cirque du Soliel show, Mystere, at Treasure Island.  It was AMAZING!  Seriously, some of the coolest things I have ever seen.  I do not even understand how these acrobats can do such amazing things with their bodies.  There were times I was in complete awe and other times that I had butterflies in my stomach for fear that they would hurt themselves.  I absolutely want to go back and see another show... and I think we will :).  It was incredible!

Sunday morning we made the journey home to see Cason. Two nights was quite a long time for this momma to be away :). It didn't help that I had just taken him to the doctor on Friday and found out that he had croupe. I promise you, this kid gets sick more than any other kid that I know. We started him on steroids before we left and I knew he was in good hands with my mom. Needless to say, I was ecstastic to rush home and see him. When we arrived though, all he wanted was daddy. Seriously?! I love this stage that he is in and absolutely love that he loves Jeff, but it honestly hurt a bit. I guess I need to get over it and come to terms with the fact that he is a daddy's boy. Love that kid!