Fun In The Snow

We took Sam out for some fun in the snow this weekend. While he wasn't all that impressed with the snow itself, he did like watching Maddie run and jump and yelp in it.

We got all bundled up...

...and made a snow angel!

Okay, so maybe our technique needs a little work, but it's about the experience, right?

My friend Amanda gave Sam this little sled to ride on. He loved letting Daddy pull him all over the yard.

In fact, I'm not sure who had more fun.

Oh wait...maybe Maddie had the most fun.

The snow got her so full of happiness she was willing to give Sam a kiss...

...which he thought was hilarious.

And finally, a short video of my little snow bunnies:

Good Advice

I once had a hair-dresser tell me you shouldn't fight with your hair. If your hair naturally wants to part on the left, he recommended, don't try to make it part on the right. Just let your hair do it's thing and you'll be much happier with the results. I decided to take his advice with Sam's hair. Since it naturally wants to stand up, why not just help it out a little?

We Took The Christmas Tree Down

The cats are sad...

Phase II...Christmas With The Kiddos

Christmas Eve, we drove up to my sister's house to visit with her clan. I say clan because when you have 5 kids, that's really the only word that fits.

Maybe circus.

Anyway, after Sam had a little practice with opening presents, he was eager to have another opportunity to do so.

As you can see, he has perfected his tear-the-paper-then-immediately-put-it-in-your-mouth technique. Such a smart boy...

Sam loves to hang out with Izzy. I'm not sure, but I think he feels a little bit superior to her since she has to use a Bumbo to sit up, while Sam can do it all by himself.

Izzy, what are you thinking letting them put shoes on your feet?! Here, let me show you how to get them off.

This my niece, Elli. I think she will be the mastermind behind all of the evil schemes in which the Cline kids will partake. I'm pretty sure Dr. Evil has her on speed-dial for consultation. You can just see it in her eyes. I think she is awesome.

With 5 kids, my sister probably needs a little help remembering all of their names...

This is my nephew, Will. Could someone please tell me when he got to be 10 feet tall??? I mean, look at those legs!

This was taken just before the wrestling match ensued. I can't imagine what caused it...

Alex was very proud of the fact that he pulled his tooth Christmas Eve morning. And he was also very excited about the prospect of Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy coming to visit in the same night.

Love my sweet boy!!!

Phase I...Christmas in Western Kentucky

With family spread out all over the state, we have to do Christmas in phases. In some ways, it makes it nice because I don't have to have all the presents bought wrapped at the same time. It also means I get multiple blog posts out of one holiday! Here is Christmas With the Kings...Phase I:

Sam got lots of snuggle time in with his cousins while we were in Western Kentucky.

He really appreciated all of his gifts. He said they were all delicious.

He had a really great time watching all of the other kids play. In not time at all, he'll be right there in the middle of it.

He even did a pretty good job of opening his own presents, although it apparently requires a lot of effort.

My cousin has her entire basement designated as a game room. With two teenage boys, I'm sure it comes in handy. With a husband named Shawn, it would come in handy as well. Shawn thinks it's the greatest thing ever. It's decorated with a UK theme (wonder why he likes it so much?) and she even put a UK Christmas tree up.

We had a great time visiting with my side of the family. Sam got lots of cute gifts, including some books, bath toys, blocks, trucks and a DVD with classic cartoons. Stay tuned for Phase II!

Santa Came!!!

We were so excited to wake up Christmas morning and realize that Santa had been to visit!

He left Sam some really nice presents including...

...a wagon...

...some puzzles...

...a book...

...a rocking Tigger (look at how long his legs are!), and his very own cell phone. (Unfortunately, there is no picture of Sam joyfully playing with his phone. Santa thought he would really dig that since Daddy's is so fun to play with. However, when we showed it to Sam, he looked at us like, "Why do I need this? I already have an iPhone." Oh well...at least he liked his other toys.)

Um....we didn't know he could do that!

When did my little boy get big enough to stand up without our help?

Sam really likes his wagon. He and Daddy spent the afternoon making laps in the living room. I can't wait until it gets warm so we can get outside and haul some stuff.

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

-

Shawn's mom got Sam this singing dog. Like all dogs, he thinks it is hilarious.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Sam,



I'm sorry your letter is a little late this month. We went to Western Kentucky this weekend for Christmas with the Spillmans, and between getting everything ready for that trip and the craziness of the weekend, your letter got lost in the shuffle.



You have been so incredibly fun this month, and you've added several skills to your repertoire. I think I'm most excited that you learned how to give kisses this month. Daddy or I will stand you on our lap and say, "Give me kisses" then say, "Mmmmmmmmm-WHAW!" You get very still and lean in to give us a big open-mouthed kiss. Sometimes the stars all line up right and you even grab our cheeks to give us a kiss. Then we cheer for you and you laugh your belly laugh because kisses are funny! I could play this game with you for hours, but usually the dog has to come see what you're laughing about, and as soon as she comes into sight you forget all about kissing Mommy.



You really like to sing, too. Because it's the Christmas season, you and I have been singing Christmas songs. While I have always favored the slower-tempo, more meaningful Christmas songs in the past, this year we're singing the upbeat songs a lot because they seem to be your favorites. A lot of times, just as I'm getting to the good part of Jingle Bells, you'll jump in and sing with me.

Blah, blah, blah, blah. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I'm pretty sure you have a musical career in your future.



Your third tooth is almost completely through, and you're biting everything. The tray on your highchair looks like it fought a werewolf and lost. As soon as we put you in your carseat, you start gnawing on the strap. You'll lean in like you're going to give me a hug then bite my shoulder instead. (And I'm such a sucker for your hugs, I fall for it every time.)



Your hair sticks up in the back just like Alfalfa. It's kinda become your trademark. Everywhere we go, someone always comments on your wild hair. I have to admit, it's so you, I'm just not sure I want it to lay down.



Sam, I love watching you explore our world and seeing it through your eyes. Every day brings a new experience, a new skill, a new reason to laugh. Every morning I get a smile and every night I get to snuggle you close. I couldn't ask for a better Christmas present.

I love you always and forever,
Mommy

A Christmas Story

Several years ago, Shawn and I were preparing to buy our first house. The first time we visited the house we would eventually buy, I told Shawn that it would require an obscenely large Christmas tree in the living room. The house had this to-die-for stone chimney in a cathedral-ceiling living room with two giant windows on either side of the fireplace. Not to mention that the lot was carved into the side of a mountain where the dogwoods and redbuds bloomed in the spring and the fog hung just so over the trees on brisk fall mornings. It was the stuff that nostalgia is made of.

But anyway...the Christmas tree.

That first Christmas, we went out and bought a 10-foot, pre-lit tree. That thing is mammoth. One chilly evening, Shawn went to a football game with his uncle & cousin while I decided my time would be better spent assembling our tree. I had visions of myself sitting in front of a crackling fire with the lights turned out and my beautiful tree with it's twinkling white lights shining brightly out our living room window. I would curl up on the couch with a cat on my lap and a mug of hot cocoa in my hand while Josh Groban hit the high note in Oh Holy Night on the stereo.

Three hours later, every light in the house was blazing, the cat was hiding under the bed (I might have thrown something at her), the middle portion of the tree wouldn't light up, I was ready to add a little vodka to my hot cocoa, and for all I cared, Josh Groban could take a flying leap. I was tired, I was frustrated, my hands had scratches all over them from handling those prickly branches, and I was pretty sure I had given myself a hernia. Turns out, all those little twinkling lights are heavy.

So, I did what any reasonable female would have done. I cried for a minute, I directed a few curse words at my husband and his stupid football game, I took a deep breath, and turned the instruction manual back to page one to see where I had screwed up.

Just a short time later, I had all of the lights on the Christmas tree working, and life was looking better. I didn't have the top portion on the tree because I couldn't reach it, even with my stepladder, but other than that, the tree was ready for ornaments. I decided that was good enough for one night, so I did the turn-your-head-and-cough test on myself, only to be informed later by my husband that it only works on boys. (Okay, so that last part didn't really happen, but I'll bet you laughed.)

Over the years, we have learned a few things about getting the Christmas tree put together. Shawn does the heavy lifting and assembly. I wear a pair of gardening gloves while I'm shaping the branches. I have thrown away my preconceived ideas about decorating the tree together while listening to Christmas carols and sipping hot cocoa. I don't fuss too much if there's a basketball game (or in this year's case...an ESPN documentary) playing in the background instead of Bing Crosby.

And every great now and then, I come home to a fire in the fireplace, all of the lights turned off, my twinkling lights on the tree, and Josh Groban on the stereo...because my sweet husband really does pay attention sometimes.

Random Thoughts Thursday

Shawn got offered a ticket to the UK game last night. In Louisville. With tip-off at 9:30. That's pm.

After much inner turmoil and personal angst, he turned the ticket down because he had to be at the hospital by 7am the next day. When I told him I was proud of him for making such an adult decision, he reminded me of the time in pharmacy school that he and a friend (noteworthy point...the wives were NOT present for this trip) drove to Knoxville in the middle of a snow-storm for a basketball game and were back for an 8am class the next morning. Yes, but that was before we got old. Welcome to adulthood.

~~~~~~~~~~

We took Sam to see Santa last night. I was a little worried about how it would all go down because we're starting to be a little afraid of strangers. I became a lot worried about how it would go down when I temporarily parked Sam's stroller where he couldn't see me just prior to getting in the Santa line and he had a complete meltdown.

Everything worked out fine, although I'm pretty sure if Sam had sat there much longer he would have helped himself to a handful of Santa's beard.

By the way, he told Santa all he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth. Mommy and Daddy wouldn't fuss about that too much, either.

~~~~~~~~~~

I neither have a Christmas tree up nor have I wrapped a single gift. Nary a one. Nada. I wonder how people would feel about a WalMart bag with a bow on it this year.

The Long-Awaited Thanksgiving Post

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year. We have done this a few times before, and I really love doing it despite all of the work that goes into it. I had lists upon lists to help me stay organized, from our menu on Thursday to my pre-Thanksgiving week shopping lists to my can-only-buy-the-week-of-Thanksgiving list. Somehow, with all of these lists, I still ended sending Shawn to the grocery on Wednesday for a couple of things I forgot. Here are a few of the highlights of our day:

Somehow, Shawn mysteriously disappeared when it was time to carve the turkey and the ham. Come to think of it, every year he mysteriously disappears right around this time. Good thing Andrew doesn't mind & is pretty good at it.

We broke out the fancy dishes and everything!

The kids even got to have their version of fancy dishes. Elli says when you drink out of glasses like this, you have to clink them together & say, "Cheers!"

After dinner, we retired to the Man Cave for a friendly Guitar Hero tournament. (It was friendly once it got started, but there was a lot of trash talk being thrown around before-hand.) Drew was more than happy to offer assistance to anyone who wanted it...or even if they didn't.

Very serious business...

Will was in charge of the brackets. More serious business...

Nobody was exempt from the tournament. Even my grandmother took a turn.

By the way...this is the official Guitar Hero. But he kinda cheated. I will have my vengeance.

After I got sandbagged eliminated, I sat down in the floor to play a game of dominoes with Elli, Alex & Alecia. Until Godzilla came through & the game came to an abrupt & unfortunate end.

But with eyes that blue, you just can't stay mad at him.

These two topped my Thankful list this year...

Somehow when the Cline kids are around, my camera always ends up with pictures on it that I don't remember taking.

Whoops. Busted.

I have a suspicion as to who is responsible for these pictures. But I'm not mentioning any names. She has great fashion sense, though.

Sam and Izzy had a marvelous conversation. I'm not really sure what they talked about, but he thought whatever she said was hilarious. He kept trying to grab her with those monkey toes of his.

We had a great time. I love having everyone there together. I love the chaos and the noise and the memories that are created. Sam loved when the house was finally quiet again.