Our First Snowman!

Surprise! Another post already!

We decided to tackle building a snowman yesterday since it was somewhat warm (34 degrees) and we had recently gotten a few inches of new snow. It was great packing snow for making our creation, but I don't think it is going to last long!

Brody didn't have much interest in helping with the building, but thought it was pretty fun to just walk around the yard while Jim and I worked on the snowman!

He did have some interest in adding the final touches. Jim and I struggled to find items to use for our snowman's features - so it turned out to be an interesting snowman/woman!

I thought the dried hydrangeas would be like "earmuffs" but instead our neighbors asked if this was a Princess Leah snowman!

Brody has been trying to help with the shoveling all winter. We finally got him a shovel that is more his size and he loves it!

Having a snowball fight with dad!

Brody decided that the snowman was an easier target!
I looked at our forecast for the next week and we should be in the 40s by next weekend! Maybe winter is on the way out!

Making Cookies!

We had a great time baking cookies together tonight. This is the first time that Brody has participated in the whole process. He really enjoyed getting all of the ingredients around, mixing and then putting the dough on the cookie sheets. The best part was eating the finished product of course!

I have come to realize that I don't take nearly as many pictures in the winter time - therefore I don't have much to add on to the blog! So it is probably time to accept that getting posts twice a month is pretty good for the winter months!

We have also been learning how to interact with Brody as he continues to push the limits to figure out who he is! Some days he leaves me ready to pull my hair out and other days he is just so darn cute that all I can do is laugh! My favorite moment in the last few weeks was both one of the scariest and funniest moments we have experienced. Jim had gotten Brody out of the car and I turned to see him halfway down our driveway (luckily we do not live on a very busy road). I told Brody to stop and come back towards us, but instead Brody looked back at me with devilish eyes and took off running towards the road. I started to yell with fear in my voice for him to stop and Jim took off running after him. Brody didn't stop before he got down to the road and Jim picked him up just as his feet hit the pavement. Brody instantly started crying and I asked him what was wrong. His answer was "I got hit by a car". I did my best to suppress my laughter as I looked at Jim and all we could say was "that is why you shouldn't run in the road". He is something else!

We are still progressing with the potty training. He doesn't ask to go to the bathroom, but does commonly use the potty at daycare and also when he gets up in the morning and before bed. The Worst part for me is that he insists on standing at the potty...which means a lot of floor mopping!

I hope everyone is enjoying their winter! Hopefully we will see spring soon!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Make a Smilebox collage

We've Been Busy!!!

Sorry for the long delay in updating the blog once again. January seems to have flown by, but looking back I can see why!

We started out the month with a visit from Jim's family. His mom, dad, brother Dave and Niece and Nephew were able to make the trip from Pennsylvania. Brody got to enjoy hanging out with Sydney and Dylan for almost a week! It was a great time to see everyone play!

Brody was also excited because there were more christmas presents!

He showed Sydney and Dylan how to unwrap presents with is power drill!

Dylan quickly got the hang of it with his screwdriver!


The kids spent a morning at the Children's Museum with Jim and Dave. They had a great time exploring!

Everyone loves bubbles!

We ended the month with a milestone birthday for Jim! I tried my best to pull off a surprise party for him the Saturday before his birthday. I made it all the way up until the day of the party before he started to become suspicious. I had our neighbor take him out for the day while I got things set around the house. By the time he was on his way home I had figured out that he was suspecting something, little did I know that our neighbor had told him all about the party! I guess he just couldn't take the pressure when Jim started questioning him! It still turned out to be a great night!

On his birthday we celebrated with my mom and dad (using the other half of the cream puff cake I made for the surprise party!). Brody had a great time singing and blowing out the candles for Jim!

Brody has also kept us very busy! The terrible two's have officially started! Every little thing we do seems to be wrong and leads to a melt down! Unfortunately for me Jim will be traveling this whole next week! I told him that he may come home to find either Brody or I living outside! I have my fingers crossed that there will be a miracle and he will turn back in to the little boy that enjoys his mommy (at all times!).

While Jim's mom was at her house she inspired me to try crocheting. It seems that Brody has also been inspired! He carried around one of the hooks and the square I had made all day today! He was so cute trying to wind the yarn around his "stick".

Holiday Catch Up

Brody left a cookie and milk for Santa this year

Sorry it has taken me so long to get these posted. I think it was because I was in denial last week that my vacation was coming to an end. I guess now that I am back to work I should start in to my old routines again!

We were lucky to have my family here for Christmas. Brody enjoyed pretend sleeping with Uncle Neal!
Aunt Kathy and Uncle Brian gave Brody the coolest race car driver pajamas! They were a big hit because Brody is really in to cars this year (especially "Queen" aka Lighting McQueen)

Opening presents took a while this year. It was so fun to see Brody get so excited about each present, but that also meant that it was another 15 minutes before he would agree to stop playing with what he just opened and move on the the next present.

As you can see he wasn't short on presents!

Last year he was so dainty handing each piece of ripped paper to someone....but not this year!

We got Wii Fit Plus on Christmas Eve to play. We never really thought Brody was very interested in playing - but then he saw the ski jump and the flying bird game!

Last but not least....Jim's FAVORITE video!

Do you think Brody has been brainwashed?

Merry Christmas!

We decorated cookies yesterday. If you look closely at Brody's face you will see the life of a 2 year old! One minute he is crying because the cookies and sprinkles weren't on the table fast enough and then the next he is so happy to be decorating cookies!

We tried our best to keep him from licking his fingers too much while decorating! But I guess anyone who eats a cookie decorated by a 2 year old should know it probably comes with some germs!

The finished product! I think he did a great job decorating! Hopefully some people will want A LOT of sugar on their cookies!

AHHH! Finally he got to enjoy one of his masterpieces!


Last night I just had to get a picture of what Brody takes to bed each night! He must be a farm boy!

What a Great Time to Be Two!

Sorry for the delay in posting this time. It seems like December is flying by! Jim was traveling all of last week and a day this week, so it seems like the night is over before I realize it! I have so many pictures to share!

After Thanksgiving we had some great weather! We were able to go for a walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the warmth and even got the house decorated with our Christmas stuff.

Brody really enjoys being in charge of everything right now! He rode halfway down the road in his wagon and then insisted on pulling the rest of the way!

I put the decorations out on the front porch, which include some deer. Brody had a great time riding them and then feeding them. That seems to be another one of his recent obsessions. He feeds a lot of his animals and we even pretend eat different things off pages of books. He is always entertaining!

Jim even broke down this year to buy a blowup bear for the porch!

The following weekend we went to get our Christmas Tree (of course this weekend we had just gotten a foot of snow and it was 30 degrees out!)

We decided to let Brody pick out our tree each year. Unfortunately, the snow was too deep for him to walk around. So he pointed and we took him to the trees he wanted to see. He ended up picking one of the best trees that we have had!

That same weekend Santa came to Rockford in the Santa Parade. Brody had a lot of fun seeing the Fire Trucks and Horses.

His favorite part of the whole day was being pulled in the sled and dragging his arms through the snow! It was so fun to watch him see snow for the first time when he could play in it and tell us what he was thinking!

We also took Brody to see Santa. While we were waiting in line Brody seemed like he was excited to see Santa. He watched all the other little kids get a candy cane from him and even told us that he was going to ask for a Pig and Horse for Christmas.

When it came time for Brody to sit on Santa's lap - he changed his mind! As you can see in this picture he was clinging to my vest trying to stay away from Santa!

He did at least tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas and was excited to get a candy cane at the end.

After that traumatic experience, it was time for a nap!

We had to make sure to get a coordinated picture with dad! My two polo guys!

I think Brody's favorite part of the Holiday Season is all of the Treats!

Thanks Felicia and Chris for the great gift! Brody was so excited to find the snowman cookies!

I wanted to start the tradition of making a gingerbread house together each year. I quickly learned this year that I am to much of a perfectionist to make a gingerbread house with a 2 year old! I think next year I will just put the house together for him and then turn my back until he is done!

In follow-up to the last blog...Brody is still taking off his pajamas! We did have a few nights of him taking off his diaper too! I will leave you with two of my favorite pictures from the last few weeks.