Pain in Butt, Dad!!!

Todd and I really need to start watching what we say around the boys, especially Peyton.  Last weekend, we went to get our trailer from storage to get a jump start on packing stuff in it for preparation for the "big move."  We stopped at the base gas station and got drinks.  Tucker got a sprite and Todd got Peyton some apple juice.  Well, Peyton took a sip of his apple juice and then realized that Tucker had sprite.  He said his apple juice was "yuck."  So we just made Tucker share some of his sprite with his brother. 

Well, later in the day, we got everything done that we were wanting to get done with the trailer and decided to take it back to the storage lot.  We had left Peyton's apple juice in the truck.  We got everyone buckled up in the truck and were on our way when Peyton was asking for his "bubba chew" (aka: apple juice).  Todd was teasing him and giving him a hard time saying that he thought the AJ was yuck.  Peyton was getting wound up and getting into arguing with dad when out blurts from his little mouth, "Pain in butt, dad."  Needless to say, we both looked at one another and immediately said, "Did he just say what we thought he just said?"  Well, to confirm our suspicion, Peyton repeated it many more times.  We were laughing the whole way. 

I didn't realize that we say it that often to the boys, but we must, as our youngest has picked up on this saying.  So, yes, we need to watch what we say from now on or pay the consequences of a 3 year old repeating what we say.

New Years Resolutions

Every year I always try to have a New Years Resolution and like most years, I don't keep my resolutions.  This year, like past years, I am setting New Years Resolutions but I am going to work hard to try to keep them.  I am not setting up high standards in which I will be setting myself up for failure, like I have done in the past.  In the past, I have said I want to lose 15-20 pounds.  Instead, this year I want to just lose weight.  If it is 1 pound or 15, I am going to be happy.  So, here are my New Years Resolutions:

1.  Lose Weight.
2.  Excercise more (whether it is just getting out to take a walk or getting into the gym).
3.  Eat healthier.
4.  Take a picture a day.
5.  Try to be more optimistic.
6.  To be a better mom to my boys and a better wife to my husband.

Starting Christmas Traditions

Todd and I have been trying to start our own family Christmas traditions.  We want our kids to always remember what we do on Christmas Eve and Christmas and to just make it fun and memorable for them.  For the past couple of years, we have been getting Christmas pj's for the boys.  That is the one present they get to open on Christmas Eve.  Tucker knew right away what the present was but he was still excited to see what his pj's were going to look like this year.

Also on Christmas Eve, we have to make sure to sprinkle oatmeal and glitter in the yard so that the reindeer can smell their way to our house and also see it by the glitter twinkling in the light.  This year, they got to make their own to sprinkle.

 

Also can't forget to watch special videos sent to each of them from Santa himself. 

We attempted to also make a Gingerbread house this year.  Not sure if this will stay on the list of traditions, though.

And last but not least, we had to leave some cookies, carrots, milk/eggnog and a special letter to Santa and his reindeer.

Visit from the Fritz's

My mom and step-father decided to come out over Christmas break this year.  The boys were so excited to have grandma and grandpa out here.  As was I, since I could tell them in person that we were moving back to Nebraska.  They flew into Sacramento on Wednesday and that is when we told them the good news.  Both were so excited and surprised by the news.

We also did a lot of sight seeing since my step-father, Darwin, had never been to California.  On Thursday, we drove into San Francisco and took a cable car up to Lombard Street (which boasts to be "The Most Crookedest Street in the World" but there is one other called Snake Alley in Burlington, IA).  I think my parents could have done without Lombard Street but hey, it was the 1st stop off of the cable car and we were pressed for time.

After Lombard Street, we hopped back on the cable car to go back down to the Piers.  We grabbed a bite to eat from a street vendor (very yummy clam chowder soup) and headed off to catch a ferry to go tour Alcatraz Island and Prison.

Once done with Alcatraz, we took them through Fisherman's Wharf (Pier 39) and then came back home.  To say the least, we had a pretty busy day. 

We had a good Christmas with an awesome dinner of Prime Rib.  Kids opened up gifts and just relaxed most of the day. 

We did some more sight seeing on December 27th.  We drove over to Muir Woods to take a look at the redwoods and sequia trees.

After walking through the forest, we then set out for the Golden Gate Bridge.

My mom and step-father left on Tuesday to head back to Nebraska.  It was hard saying good-bye (as it always is).  At least this time, we know when we are going to see them again. :)