Nick and Bikes

Nick was out of school over Christmas and his Mom and Dad had to work so he came to stay with us for a couple of nights.  It was fun to watch the boys all play.  Garrett is almost a year younger than Nick and they finally play together!  Watching movies, playing cars, and riding bikes filled our days and nights.  Garrett is really liking to ride his bike lately and Gannon loves to play outside so we rode bikes/played in front and it was funny to watch the battle/crisis of only 1 bike and 1 scooter.  Garrett is pouting below on the mini big wheel because he had to take turns riding his bike. 

Once they got in the groove and on the toys they wanted to play with it was no biggie.  Garrett was on his bike, Nick on the scooter going down the driveway, and Gannon following Nick on the big wheel.  Boys having fun!

Cousins

Heather, Juan, and Dante were in the valley with Juan's family for Christmas so they spent Christmas night at our house.  The boys enjoyed a fun glow stick bath with Dante.  Of course they could have stayed and played in the dark with their glow sticks all night!  It was fun to watch them be so excited. 

Cinnamon roll breakfast the next day and they were off.   

The Breakfast Tradition

It's not Christmas without breakfast at IHOP!!! Dave used to laugh at this tradition, but I think he actually enjoys it now.  Garrett and Gannon love pancakes so it's fun to raise them with our crazy Christmas morning tradition.  Tradition is tradition, even if if breakfast at IHOP!  I love it.

Christmas Morning

As Garrett and Gannon get older Christmas is much more fun.  They were both very aware that Santa was going to be bring them something fun.  Dave's job is "scouting" for Santa and Garrett had been keeping his on the bat cage and Gannon wanted to rocket!  About a month prior to Christmas and long after "Santa's order" was put in Garrett decided he wanted a Cars 2 race track.  We explained to him numerous times that Santa had lots of kids to bring gifts too and that he couldn't be sad if Santa didn't bring the new toy he wanted.  Plus we already have a race track.  (see below for more on this)  He wasn't convinced.  I thought for sure we were going to have our first Christmas breakdown because he didn't get what he wanted.  Thank God this didn't happen.  Both boys were THRILLED with what Santa brought them and Garrett never even mentioned the Cars 2 track.  They were showered with gifts from Grandma and Papa and Aunt Taylor.  It was a fun morning.  Gannon just wanted to be the profession unwrapper for the day.  Didn't matter whose present he was opening, he just wanted to open them all. 

Another hit was Aunt Shannon and Uncle Joe's football jersey and helmet gifts.  Look out we have football players running around - yes inside! I'm sure a broken something is in our future.  Dave's favorite was of course his new skull nuggie! 

As we know Garrett is a very detailed and particular child.  Very type A personality.  I don't know where he gets that! (ha ha)  Anyway, the Cars 1 cars do not get mixed (played) with while the Cars 2 cars are being played with.  Duh, they are from different scenes and different movies.  They surely can't go together.  So his theory on needing the Cars 2 race track was because his Cars 2 cars don't have a track, only the old cars do!  Much like Mommy not letting Barbie's wear each others clothes! 

Sparky and cookies for Santa

A few years ago my mom purchased "The Elf on the Shelf" book for the boys.  They were still a bit young to understand the concept and last year I couldn't find the book in storage.  I was excited that I not only found it, but the boys would do great with it this year. 

As soon as we moved we read the book and explained that they had to name the elf.  Very quickly Garrett said, "Sparky".  Okay Sparky it is!  We explained that Sparky is Santa's helper and he would report to the North Pole every night about their behavior to Santa and return to a new spot in the house each day.  Garrett is always the first boy up so he would stand at the top of the stairs and like he had Sparky radar vision he would instantly see him in his new spot.  Sparky was very fun to have around.  Dave loved helping Sparky into his new spots each day and the boys were great with Sparky watching. 

The plate of cookies was written just as Garrett spoke it and they together carried it by the fireplace for Santa to enjoy when he came to visit! 

Christmas Eve with the Hall's

I have to confess, I've been horrible about taking lots of pictures!  I know they say it's normal as your kids get older, but I don't like it.  I promise to be better!

We have always done a cousins shot and this year we didn't.  I'm sad it's always a pain to get, but so cute to watch the little kids grow.  The older Garrett and Gannon get the more comfortable they are running around at Aunti Gin and Uncle Bob's house.  They are becoming so independent playing with the bigger kids.  This Christmas Eve tradition has been going on for 27 years!  It's AWESOME to now include my kids in this fun family event. 

Papa Dave and Paula Visit

Papa Dave and Paula came over to visit and watch football on Christmas Eve.  Gannon had to wear his USC jersey, since Papa bought it! (and he obsessed with jerseys)  It always fun for the boys to see the Grandparents.  Dave brought over remote control monster trucks for the boys and man were they in heaven. 

Christmas Eve Fun Run

Yes, a FUN run!  Somewhere between September and now I have fell in love with running.  I NEVER though it was possible, but it happened.  Running with friends, at the gym, or alone outside, I really come to love it.  I don't know exactly why, maybe the personal goals you set for distance and time, maybe because I'm free to just run and not think of anything else, and the obvious it's healthy.  Well, for most. (see later post)

Anyway, the Merced Running Club organized a Christmas Eve 5.2 fun run.  Fun meaning there are not "official" clocks or numbers and the crowd of runners is fairly small.  The time worked for our family, we don't have any gathering on Christmas Eve until the afternoon and it would only take 45-50 minutes to complete.  There were two options for the run, the short 4.2miles or the slightly longer 5.2.  At the start I thought I'd do the full run, but around mile 4 I wasn't so sure anymore!  There was a lady in front of me that I told my self I would use her for motivation and do which ever route she took.  She took the long of course!  I was happy I followed her and was happy I did when it was over. 

The boys know that I go for runs, but have never been to watch so Dave brought them out to watch the finish of the run.  It was cute to see them excited.    There was a gift exchange at the between all the runners.  Gannon really loved that part!

Christmas Eve, Eve

Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and since it worked out that everyone was off on Friday we decided to do Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Ingalls on the Friday before Christmas.  My grandparents from Oregon were also in town so it was a fun day.  George and Syenna joined too! An afternoon full of family and fun.  The kids were all so excited to play and even more excited to open presents (Grandpa and Grandma always go crazy).  Great Grandma Ingalls found a great car/track set up that the boys were instantly in LOVE with. 

Dad cooked my favorite stuffed pepper recipe from my Grandma Ockler and they were SO good!  Great Grandpa even loved them, minus the pepper!  It's fun to celebrate the holidays with everyone, even if it means on a different day.

 

Sharks Hockey Trip

The Atwater FFA Annual Hockey trip is always a fun day for Garrett and Gannon and this year didn't disappoint. 

We planned on driving our own car, but since kids didn't show up there were extra seats on the bus.  We hopped on the bus and I think Garrett and Gannon were more excited about riding the bus than the actual game! Gannon was so excited that he of course wouldn't take a nap.  I knew this could possibly mean a LONG night at the game!

A shopping stop is always planned and when we got to the mall we spotted the "mall" cars were fire trucks.  Dave had a gift certificate so he took Garrett to Sports Authority and I took Gannon in search of a double decker fire truck.  We walked all the way to the other end of the mall before we found one and the San Jose mall is huge!  Totally worth the walk, Gannon was so excited and sat the whole way back to Daddy and Garrett.  Garrett was equally as excited to join the truck.  At the mall we ran into an old friend of my Moms from Merced who now lives in the bay.  She had just found out that her son has cancer.  She asked where we were headed and I told her we had 5 tickets if they were interested.  They were thrilled. Tim, her son, is Taylor's age and he joined with his friend.  It was their first time to a pro hockey game, thank god they won. 

Before the game we hung out at our normal spot to watch the guys warm up. Garrett doesn't like to be too close and sat a few rows back.  Gannon of course has no fear and loved every minute of it.  Gannon and I even made it to the globe-a-tron.  During the game Garrett had his hands over his ears most of the time, but he soaked in all the details prior to falling asleep.  The next day at home he laid out his hockey sticks and pictures just like the game.  He even made me get a shark card out of our Go Fish game for the center of the "rink".  He is a funny guy. 

Christmas Program

Garrett's school Christmas program was held during the day which made it a little challenge to get to, but I took a period off and wouldn't miss it! They sang 6 songs and it was over.  Thank goodness it was short and sweet because it was cold!  Our poor child looked like a ragamuffin!  His gel didn't hold his fo-hawk.  It was cute. 

Continued Tradition

We normally put our tree up right after Thanksgiving, but since we were scheduled to move the first week of December we had to hold off.  On our calendar for December we put a tree on the day we would finally put the tree up so Garrett would stop asking when it would go up.  He was then of course on the countdown to the day.  The night prior to our big move my Mom and I put the tree up so that the next night it would be all ready for decorating...the boys favorite job. 

Keeping with our tradition of exchaning ornaments Garrett got a Cars 2 one and Gannon's was the Polar Express Bell.  Dave got me a wine cork one and I got him a "Two peas in a pod'.  A fun tradition, but our collection is gettig quite large!  Gannon did LOTS of decorating on the first two feet of the tree, it was loaded!  It was nice to have a big spot in the living room for the tree and a ceiling high enough for our topper to go on.