Burning off some energy

The best way I know how to do that is to get outside. This morning we spent about 1.5 hours outside in the backyard just playing, running, climbing, & snacking. It was a gorgeous (and a little chilly) morning, but we all had a great time enjoying being home with one another.

Yes... Abbigial can climb all the way to the third floor tower of the playground. Yes... me or Brian is always behind/next to her as she scales the ladders.
Getting ready to head up to the top but first Thomas stops to tuck his cars into his jacket pockets. He found it amusing to send his cars down the slide before he went down 1/2 a gazillion times.

On his way up!

Snack break... nothing interrupts Abby once there is food in her hands.

Oh the sweet taste of cheese with your pretzel. Doesn't it look like she is enjoying every last bit out of this snack?

Cracking herself up while she finishes.

Someone else relaxed as he kicked back with his snacks.

After reenergizing with snacks, my two munchkins thought they saw something on the other side of the fence. At one point, Thomas said it was a bear. After getting nervous for a slight second, he stood corrected and said it was "actually a cat."

Thank goodness for that slight mistake.

A sweet brother stops to help Abby zip up her jacket because he thought

she might be getting cold.

Thomas relaxing in the sun on the top floor.

Vacation sleep-in?

Yeah, right. Not in our household. The clock can say 6am and my kids are up. It makes no difference if it is a Tuesday or Saturday. I'm chalking it up to be their little body clocks. In the middle of the week they are woken up at 5:15 to start our busy day... so I guess it is no wonder that even on our vacation/weekend days... it is early to rise.

Catching some PBS cartoons while enjoying some hot chocolate & morning snack cereal on the cozy couch.

Not sure if Ziggy wishes he was still sleeping at this early hour or happy that he now has company to play with?

Although he might be rethinking who he wants to play with - or who he will let play with him - after this little play incident this morning:

Abby decided she wanted Ziggy all wrapped up cozy in her blankets just like her baby.

I'm not sure if I should feel bad for him or not?

Love. Affection. Attention. Being played with.

Nope... Ziggy is just fine. Even if he has pink drapped all over him.

Christmas ZooLights

Last night, we headed over to the zoo to catch the Christmas ZooLights. We figured it was a warm evening (60s) and we were just days away from the big day... it was a perfect time. Amongst the pretty lights (designed like animals & xmas scenes) were lots of animals to feed. Thomas & Abby had a great time feeding the goats, sheeps, rabbits & Guinea pigs. The zebras, giraffes, lions, bears, and antelope were all too far away (or sleeping).

Abby was in awe at first; once she warmed up to the animals though... she was all business when it came time to feeding and touching them.
If we let her, Abby would have crawled into the bunny house with them and hoped around.

The final leg of the evening was a ride on the train; as you can see... Thomas was holding the "golden tickets" for us to ride.

Unfortunately, we made one big mistake when it came to the train ride. We thought it would be great to take the front seats - we figured great view. Mommy & Daddy failed to realize we would be right ontop of the engine. It was loud. Now granted, Thomas is a little dramatic... but we probably should have opted for a seat towards the caboose.

Just a glimpse

Sunday afternoon we had an opportunity to have our pictures taken at a local park by Drew Buchanan.  It's not the first time that he has taken our pics (Dec 2008), but the images & moments he gets on film are ALL priceless!  Here is just a taste of what he captured with Thomas & Abbigail.  I can't wait to get all the pictures back - these are certainly lasting memories that he has created for our family!  Thanks Drew!

Boy Talk

Over the course of the last few months, I have noticed that there is more & more "boy talk" going on in our house. Clearly Daddy & Thomas are on the same wave length when it comes to discussing tools, cars, trucks............................................ and boy parts.

Prime example for you:

What seems like at least once a day for the last two weeks or so, Thomas has been "adjusting" himself after he goes to the bathroom or puts clean underwear on in the morning or at night before bedtime. When I ask if he is OK or what he is doing, his reply is simple & to the point:

• "I'm fix'in my junk" OR
• "I'm tucking my junk" OR
• "My pee-pee is getting so big that I have to tell it to get down in my underwear" OR even
• "It's my hunk junk, Mommy"

Oh and let's not forget that Daddy has also introduced Thomas to things like "clean your crack" while he is in the tubby bath and how to give a wedgy.  Yeap... these are the classic moments happening in the Heck household lately.  Lovely.

At first I was mortified (but found it down right hilarious); now it's just becoming the "norm" in the house.  As long as Abby doesn't start saying it and he's not screaming it from the rooftops... I guess I'm OK with it.

Snuggler & Snacker

Thomas was up bright and early this morning... despite the fact that I turned his alarm clock OFF because there was no need to hurry to school today (Christmas break). So while I was in the shower and Brian was getting dressed, our little munchkin #1 turned the TV on to the Disney Club Channel and climbed up in bed and got cozy under the covers. He is definately the snuggler of the two.

On the other hand, Abby is our snacker. She could eat all day long if you let her. Here she is up in Thomas' booster seat eating away and thinking she is big stuff in this chair. She is still quite awhile away from getting her own "big girl" chair (Thomas was almost 2 years old).

Elf helper

Today was productive.  Heck, the last several days have been productive when it comes to anything related to Christmas preparations - shopping, decorating, gift wrapping, packaging, mailing boxes off, etc.  But there is no doubt that today felt like I was a one-man Elf shop with the amount of presents I wrapped with TLC.  But as I was acting like one of Santa's little Elf helpers... I realized why I do most of my present wrapping all in one big "scha-bang":

It's simple.  I have all of my present wrapping stuff tucked away (so that little eyes & hands do not see or touch).  If I need all of the essential elements for good present wrapping... it will take about 10 minutes just to pull it all out and put it on the dining room table.  Once I think I'm ready, then I have to go through the list... do I have everything so that there is no unnecessary need to get up?  Tape, scissors, all different kinds of wrapping paper, bows, ribbons, name stickers, more bows, marker(s), containers, boxes, etc.  What a pain in the butt to drag everything out!  However, once it is all out... I sit and wrap presents for hours (while listening to Mr. Bing Crosby and get a tremendous amount done).  Why do I do that instead of just doing a little bit at a time & tucking it away when I'm done temporarily?  Let me repeat for you... there are two little munchkins who live here who will not only find it, but pull it out, ask a million questions as to why I need all of it and does Santa know that I am doing some of his work????

  Oh Lord... see what I mean?  It is just easier to mass present wrap and then put it all away for another day/night of last minute wrapping.  It is just easier to be one of Santa's Elf helpers...

Happy Birthday Daddy!

It was a birthday weekend in the Heck household - Daddy turned one year older. Wiser? Maybe. Regardless, we enjoyed ourselves and were surrounded by loved ones to add to the celebration.

Early in the birthday... Daddy + kiddos playing outback!

Dinner is prepped and ready for the grill; Daddy has expensive taste when it comes to his birthday dinners... tenderloins and lobster tails!  Oh... were they tasty!

I had a slight present wrapping "snaffu" with Brian's presents; I was well underway with the whole process when I realized that 1/2 the gifts were wrapped in "Birthday GIRL" paper... oops!  After a split second though of thinking I should redo it, I decided he was man enough to just have "girly wrapped" gifts.  Oh well.

To add to that mix up, the kids chose Daddy's birthday balloons based on their own interests.  We certainly hope that Daddy didn't mind the Minnie Mouse and Lightening McQueen balloons!

A watchful little boy who stayed close to Daddy as he opened his personalized birthday cards & presents!

See what I mean?  It was like Thomas was Daddy's personal assistant when it came to opening the gifts!

Abby was just content playing with the wrapping paper and bows...

... well, and also smooshing chocolate birthday cake all throughout her hair!  You got to love a party girl!

Classic moment of the evening though was when Thomas was licking the frosting off of the candles; apparently it was so yummy that he mistakenly took a bite out of the candle itself to eat.  Yuck!  Needless to say, we had to brush our teeth pretty good to get the waxyness out of the mouth!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

A Night out

It just isn't very often that Brian and I have an opportunity or a (real) reason to have a night out just for ourselves. Friday Night was one of those rare times. Nana graciously volunteered to watch the kids at our house for the night so that we could enjoy Brian's Christmas party and then stay the night at the resort where the festivities were happening.

The party wasn't quite as eventful as the 2008 party (click here for excitement), but the chance to enjoy the company of the person you love, without interruptions like screaming children, coaxing children to eat, and wiping children down throughout dinner is priceless. On top of that we stayed at a gorgeous resort, slept in passed 6 am on Saturday, had a nice breakfast at a great cafe, and then did some Christmas shopping together that morning. Missed the kids, but absolutely loved every minute with my hubby... alone.