santa came to our house...

Will: Is dis for me (pointing at new kitchen)?

chris: That's from Santa.

will: whoooaaa....wook at all dis sthtuuuffff.

will: Is that is for me wight here? wight there?

Malia: I think so...

will: Look at all this sthtuuuffff....look at all this sthtuuufff.

malia: look at all of it. what do you think? Merry Christmas.

will: ...and the pwates...and da cuppps...wot of sthtuuufff...look at all this sthtuuufff.

malia: huh, huh, huh...

will: look at all that sthtuuufff.

malia: look at all of it...do you think you like that stuff?

will: yeeethhhhh (he now answers every question with Yethhh (lisp at the end))

malia: you do?

will: did you brought it for me for Christmas?

malia: Santa brought it for you.

will: tan you open dis one for me?

malia: sure. you want me to open it?

will: I may have to...I may have to dough dit da scissors.

you can turn it off after that. Even Chris agrees that it made my overspending totally worth it.

And thankfully this:

was my gift from Santa so our future family memories won't need translation. whoo hoo!

this holiday season i loved...

this

I bought it for all the gift exchanges I participated in (3)

and even took my own gift at one of them so I could keep it.
(I went back to Target today and bought the large and small

ones at 50% off so I'd have a collection for next year.)

(don't tell chris :)

my boys' (matching) Christmas outfits.

my new bedding

...on my new KING size bed.

If you don't have one, go get one.

Best money ever spent.

our little home depot tree.

Our FOUR stockings.

Watching this...BEST. MOVIE. EVER.

and these little houses that belonged to Chris' grandma.

lovin' lulu.

Ho, Ho, Hum

After last year's visit and picture

maybe I had great expectations...

but it was a pretty lame visit with Santa this year.

Getting siked about meeting the big dude in red

peeping tom in the dressing rooms waiting for Santa

there was more excitement (trying to) take their picture before

than when they landed on the lap.

Charlie did let loose later that afternoon when

I told him he could take off his matchy matchy monkey suit.

I think he's laughing AT me...

We won't be winning any contests.

We bought a cheater gingerbread house at Costco.

We couldn't even get that right.

While Chris and I tried to get the frosting to frost

without popping open the pastry bag (for about 30 min.)

Will consumed most of the candy.

Then Charlie started screaming.

So Chris ended up frosting the thing with

his finger and "finishing" it by himself.

Charlie's "fart"

Charlie seriously digs his hand-me-down

exersaucer (Thanks, R & C McDougall).

Will took some time out of his busy day to

show Charlie the ropes and

how to get the most out of his time in the toy.

cooking dinner one night I hear yelling...

"MOM! I BUILD CHAR-CHAR A FART!"

lucky Charlie.

earwax free

"I t-leanin' my ears, mom."

That's kinda how it works, bud...

---------------------------------------------------------------

Other recent Will-isms...

"Oh, oh mama (kinda panicked)...where's da barf blankie?"

after Charlie had urped in the car.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Auntie Erin: "Will, come into Noni's room with me

and watch a movie..."

Will: "no, I tan't...I to busy."

---------------------------------------------------------------

When we get to the top of the elevator at the mall

for no apparent reason Charlie went from smiling at me

to sobbing inconsolably...

me: "what's the matter Char? what happened?"

(pulled the stroller over, etc.)

will: "oh, mom...he's cryin' because I bit him."

(only funny after the timeout that followed)

----------------------------------------------------------------
Chris found Will in the living room early Monday morning

trying to cut open (with his butterknife)

the Polly Pockets and My Little Pony's

(we specifically chose girls so we would

avoid him wanting the toys)

we bought for the kids on the giving tree at Nordstrom

after we spent the weekend trying to teach him that

Christmas is about giving and helping people less fortunate.

All weekend he was fixated on "sharing wif da kids"

but the pull of the dollies and dress up must have been too much.

judge me

For the record...

I make fun of people who do this to their kids.

And I feel sorry for their kids.

Stay tuned for their matching Christmas outfits.

when head meets bed

Charlie looking how we all felt yesterday.

Will after his head met the bed.

His screaming renditions of no more monkeys jumping

on the bed at 5:30 am bit him back yesterday.

my heart is full of thanks...

for my handsome, hard-working, supportive, funny, sometimes

obnoxious husband who is ALWAYS there for us

and loves us unconditionally.

for 2 happy, healthy boys.

Their smiles light up my world.

I love watching them become a team.

today Will said to me while Charlie was screaming in the back seat...

"mama, it's ok...I talkin' to char-char"

to Charlie: "it's ok little buddy, it's ok"

for our families

who take care of us

and spoil us and our kids

and always want to hang out with us

even though our kids run them ragged.

for my job (can't believe I'm saying this)

which I have to go back to next week.

If I have to be away from my boys,

there is no place I'd rather be

or people I'd rather hang out with.

for fantastic friends

for freedom

for 12 weeks of maternity leave

for lazy weekends

for Pao's donuts on Saturday

for vacations in Maui

for blogs

for the mall on rainy days

for golf (it makes Chris happy)

for the 5 pounds I am going to gain tomorrow

and on and on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Museum of Flight

We found a gem of a spot to waste a Sunday at the Museum of Flight.

The Williams' kiddos and Will had a blast playing with their dads...

who may have had more fun than the kids in the flight simulator.

my apologies...

Chris: "You should blog tonight."

Me: "I know. I have a bunch of pictures to load."

Chris: "You kind of have a boring life."

Me: "Are you saying that because I haven't been blogging

much or because my blog posts have been so lame."

Chris: "Kinda both."

Well, I apologize if I haven't appeared very fun lately

but today this...

and this...

and this...

and this...

were pretty fun to me.

take a picture

Me: "Will, can I take your picture in your cute new vest?"

Will: "yaaaaa..."

Me: "Why don't you show me your best pose..."

Will: "oookkkkk!" This is it...