Cousins

 Where to begin...I've been a bit MIA lately. For some reason, my kids don't care if I blog or not, and have been keeping me very busy, and tired.
So, let's start with the vacation that we have named...drumroll...

"Can We Have A Do Over?"

The idea of the trip was wonderful; Christine (a.k.a. Aunt Teenie Weanie), Jamie, Madalyn and Mirabelle would fly out for a week; we'd do whatever we can in February in Colorado (most importantly make sure the Floridians see snow). Simple, right?

Vacation started with a delayed flight; not too bad.

 Then starts the sickness; between the 8 of us there was something different EVERY day! We had headaches, UTI, pneumonia, an ear infection, colds, coughs, vomiting, lack of sleep; at least six trips to Walgreens for different medicines, a trip to urgent care, a trip to the pediatrician, a chest x-ray, did I mention lack of sleep?

Nurse Madalyn, making sure our pneumonia patient was well cared for

While it was great to see the kids interact and become friends, and we are so grateful for the additional distractions and parents in the house; we only got about two things checked off of our "to do" list. We took a week off work and ended up spending it in the house with our sick babies.

Lucy LOVED having Mirabelle around, she still asks for "Belle"

 

How to entertain kids for Florida? Give them a set of stairs. (they don't see them much down there)

Making business deals with Michael Michael

Finally getting out of the house (in our jammies) to the penny arcade in Manitou

Brother and sister, or the unibomber and Beverly Hills

 Guess when they all started feeling better? On Saturday, when they were going home...

 

Character

This girl's got it

 Tonight, Ethan and Michael were boxing (just practice, calm down, he saw Real Steel and wanted to practice his moves) in the living room. As they were trading punches back and forth, Mike asked Ethan where his blocks were. As in, he wasn't using the blocking techniques that he's been learning in karate.
Lucy ran to the kitchen, grabbed the Jenga game and came back saying "Blocks! Here they are!"
Yep, Jenga, blocks, Ethan's blocks. She's got the sass already.

Oh, and she's potty training, hence the no pants photo here.

Christmas and New Years

 Who doesn't enjoy a little marshmallow in a tutu running towards the playground?

 We spent Christmas Eve with the whole family at Mom's house, eating pizza, opening presents, throwing wrapping paper balls at each other...you know, the usual.

 And then this is what we usually look like:

 What a stud!! The kid loves to dress 'fancy'. He has been asking for a tie and bow tie since the school year started. Aunt Linda and Marissa came to the rescue!! They supplied him with both, which he has worn quite a few times.

 I wish I could've gotten more pictures of Christmas morning, but it was CHAOS! Most of the pics I do have are a blurry, pajama, mess of wrapping paper and toys. Next year, we have vowed to slow it down a bit. Not sure how that will work yet, but it will.
This girl is so routine, she had to have her cereal before she would open any presents.

 Here's a glimpse of our Christmas morning surprise, Santa brought Ethan a new bike and Lucy a stick horse

 She also got a stuffed puppy that needed immediate cuddling

 After opening gifts here at home, we hit the road to the parent's house and opened more there (we are so blessedly spoiled).
We dressed the kids up before we headed to dinner at the Brunson's

 It was fantastic, why can't Thanksgiving and Christmas happen more then once a year?
After dinner, we turned on Home Alone and Ethan and Grandma shared the laughs together.

 On New Year's Eve, we bundled up and went to the zoo for the electric safari. It was a great night to go, the chill wore off (a little) once we were in and walking around (helps that it's a lot of uphill hiking) and not crowded. Most of the animals were sleeping but the lights were beautiful and the animals that we did see were some of our favorites

 The zoo has been revamping the elephants' habitat so they have not been out for a long time. They were on display, kind of like a sneak peek, for the electric safari only. Then they'll be back when their new home opens in the spring. It will be beautiful! Both kids agreed that the elephants were their favorite animals that they saw.
 Although Ethan's favorite part of the whole experience was that Grandma and Papa were there. (I know, he'd something else)

 After the zoo, we came home where we had bought the ingredients for shirley temples for the kids and decided that we would just let them run crazy until they dropped or the ball did. Both made it to the 10pm drop on the East coast and went to bed. It was a very memorable New Years for Mike and I, and hopefully it was special for the kids too.

 Ethan trying out his new bike. I didn't realize how hard it is to teach a kid how to pedal! This is probably a daddy job.

Did anyone else hear angels singing tonight? There's something magical when they sit together, I can't get E to not pose when the camera comes out.

The Calm Before the Excitement Storm

 Is there anything sweeter than a Grandma and her granddaughter looking out the window for passing cars/people/dogs/horses?

Maybe just these little tiptoes.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

 (Which is good, cause Christmas is only a week away)

The Monday after Thanksgiving, as is the Lockhart tradition, we went to the Heidrich's Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas tree. Ethan really wanted a Charlie Brown, scraggly tree but we compromised.

 Then it was on to decorating. Snapped this adorable pic of the kids walking through Wal Mart to get some new lights

 Lucy LOVES Christmas lights. It's the most content she's ever been in her car seat. Although, she doesn't realize that Michael and I don't control where the lights are. She's always asking "More, please" (Yeah she says please and its adorable)

  So, while she's asking, we tell her "keep your eyes open" and this is the face she makes, saying "eyes"

 It's been a pretty mild Christmas season so far, i.e. not feeling much like Christmas. It has been nice to be able to get the kids out of the house, Lucy gets stir crazy pretty quickly and taking them both, well, anywhere gets a bit stressful.

 We did have one snow day.

 We tried busting out the sled, but between the below freezing temperatures and the very light dusting of snow, it only moved about three inches down the hill.

Fifth Birthday!

 How exciting would it be if I just retold Etan's birth story? Yeah, I'm probably the only one that enjoys that story...over, and over, and over.
HE'S FIVE!! That's an entire handful of fingers!! How did this happen?!?!

He's such a sweet, kind boy (that is crazy for presents!) He has at least three girls in preschool that are vying for his hand in marriage. He cares so much for others, is constantly helping and playing with his sister.

 His imagination is wild and crazy. And he seems to be growing two inches a month.

 And he is incredibly smart. He is always adding and subtracting numbers or telling me the first letters of words.

 I know I'm late on this post, but we had a hell of a week. We all came down with the stomach flu, and while the majority of the sickness passed after two days, it took a better part of the week to feel normal again. Because of all the sickness, we had to postpone Ethan's birthday party to this weekend. And then, because I procrastinated, I had to plan the party. Oh and I have two children that needed attention.

For his actual birthday, we took the kids up to the Denver Children's Museum. It was a blast! And, I guess, pretty educational.

Ball room

Future veterinarian

Brown bear

Fire truck driver

Rescue hero

 And of course the excitement of opening birthday gifts with the family

 Today was his party. He was allowed to invite five friends (you know, cause he's five). Only 3 came but two brought siblings so it was still a full house. Rather than planning games (and cause I'm a procrastinator) we just let the kids have some free play. Eat cupcakes and open presents.

He's a great kid. I couldn't have asked for a better boy to come into our lives. I hope he had a memorable day.

Thanksgiving Feast

 I'm a little behind on my posts, I've been having "storage" issues with this blog. Blogger thinks that I like to upload pictures, hmm. Oh well, things are up and running for now.

Through E's Pre K class he had a Thanksgiving program and feast that we were invited to. It was a quick little show, each class sang a few songs (Ethan's was the cutest, not to brag). Then we all got to watch the kids eat their feast. In other words, torture for Lucy, the girl loves food.

 They were indians and sang about squirrels. Ethan has wanted a tie or bow tie since the beginning of school and was surprised by this shirt a few days before. (The tie is Angry Birds)

 Lucy stayed busy coloring by our feet

and then bribed with a lollipop

 What a stud. (out of his class, I found out he has 3 girls asking for his hand in marriage)