Elf

Getting ready for Christmas Baking Party 2012!

Completed Treehouse

inside the treehouse

Completed Treehouse

McD's Smile

Steve took Sean to McDonalds as a treat.  I LOVE this SMILE!

The Tree Fort aka "Slice of Heaven"

Awesome Moments

I have some of the best conversations with Sean as we are driving home from school. For the past week, he has asked me EVERYDAY if he can play golf when he gets home. To which I reply, that he needs to wait til the sun goes down a bit, it's too hot. Yesterday, I explained that golfers get up very early in the morning to play when it's cooler so they don't overheat and melt. Today he asked me if he could play golf when he gets home. I told him that he needed to wait til the sun goes down. He said ok. Then he said, Mom, can you get me one of those "golfing suits". I said, What?... he said what the golfers wear when they play. I said, well you kind of have on now what a golfer would wear. I told him that they wear a collared shirt like he has on today, and usually shorts or some kind of pants that aren't jeans. He tells me, "well, I need to remember to bring my clubs, extra balls, my tees, extra gloves, cold water so I don't get too hot." I said that sounds good, it looks like you've got it all covered. You'll have to tell Grandpa Steve about your plan, he can help you be a great golfer. He said he would.




Then he said, I just can't decide what I want to be when I grow up Mom!... I want to be a Firefighter, Lifeguard and Golfer. I said Oh, that sounds good.. well you could probably figure out a way to do all of those jobs if you really wanted to when you grow up. I said, a lifeguard usually only works in the summer, and firefighters get every other day off, so you could golf on the days that you aren't being a firefighter. So this is what he came up with... He said he's going to be a Fireman on Tuesdays, a Golfer on Fridays and a lifeguard on Saturdays. I said, that sounds like the best schedule!

Sign Right Here

Well, yes I know.. I go in waves with paying attention and updating this blog.  I'm terrible. I don't know how people do it.  Anyhow I thought I'd post this cute picture of our favorite boy in the whole world.  And share a funny story.  Maybe I've told you, but I post these things for myself so I can remember them too.

Sean seems to have a hunger for learning lately.  He's been wanting to do math problems when he gets home from daycare. Let's remember, he's 4 yrs old.  He's doing things like 8-5=3, 4+2=6, 9-5=4.... now it's been a long time since I was in kindergarten... (which he's not even in yet)... but I'm pretty sure this is first grade stuff.  Who knows maybe I'm way off  base.. but none the less, my point is, I'm so thrilled that he is LOVING to learn!

So after doing math problems at the dinner table for about an hour and a half, I tell him we can do one last problem .. and lets go relax before bedtime.  So he gets his jammies on, walks over to me with a pen and blank paper and says, "Mommy, sign right here!"... I said "What am I signing?", Sean says... "Just sign"... I sign.  He hands the paper to Steve, "Daddy, sign right here!" ... Dad says, "what am I signing".. Sean says, "You're going to jail"... So then Sean signs the paper.. I said, "why are you signing?"... He says, "because I'm the police man, and I'm writing you the ticket." .. I say, "ticket for what?" .. he says, "for speeding, that's why you're going to jail!" ...at this point, I am laughing my butt off.  I said, .... "Are you sure that isn't for Gigi?"   LOL

I've been pulled over for speeding one time in my life and I didn't get a ticket.  But that was long before Sean was around.  However I do warn him that I can't speed (when he's asking me to race another car), because otherwise the police man will pull me over and give me a ticket... And he naturally assumes that if you get pulled over by a police man, that he takes you to jail.  Funny.

Hail at the Hakes' House

First time rock wall climbing

Our gym has a rock climbing wall. You must be 4 yrs old to go climbing. Sean has been waiting and waiting til his 4th Birthday, to try the wall. He's done a few small ones on playgrounds.. but this one is TALL(maybe 40 feet)... and much harder. The rock pegs, or whatever they are called, are much smaller and NOT easy to get a footing or grip on, and I know... I tried! Since this first day, he has been back several times and it getting MUCH better. Too bad he's not wearing shorts, to show off his SWEET calves!

Superhero on duty

Watching over the neighborhood, and on constant patrol.

On Bike and by John Deer Tractor. Whatever it takes to catch the bad guys.
Even a Hero takes a break, though...

New Year, 2012

Last Night we said goodbye to 2011 and we welcomed 2012. I'd have to say, all and all, 2011 wasn't a bad year for us. I think like any year or time in life it was filled with hills and valleys, but we manage and make it through. Not as great as some, but probably better than most. So I have to say, we're blessed.

2012 brings the excitement of some fun things to look forward to. Steve has a new job that he's starting the new year off with, and so far is really loving where he's at. We've got a very exciting trip to Europe planned for the Fall sometime that I'm jumping out of my skin to think about. And as usual, I'm considering what changes I can make to improve our lives... I'm not sure what that means exactly... but it may involve going back to Real Estate School and pursuing that as a more serious career.

No matter what direction this new year takes us and our families, I pray that it is filled with good health, good opportunity and good decisions.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2012!

New Years Eve 2011

Yum Homemade Pizza

Polar express

Cookie time

Ollie Jingle has arrived

We adopted an "Elf on the Shelf" this year. Sean is LOVING this new tradition. Everyday, Ollie hides in a spot in the house, to watch over Sean to make sure he's being a good boy. Then each night, he flies back to the North Pole with magical Christmas powers and reports back to Santa about how the day went. Before dawn each day, Ollie flies back to our house and hides in a new spot for Sean to find him. These are a few of his hiding spots so far...




There is just one rule... No one, meaning children, are allowed to touch Ollie or he would lose his magical Christmas powers and then he would no longer be able to fly to the North Pole. Other great attributes: Ollie is a great listener, but is unable to speak, this cuts down on any additional noise in the house. While he appears to be a weakling, Ollie really has the stregth of an Ox, just look at him holding himself from that fan... he's been there for HOURS! He brings great JOY to Sean... and lots of Fun to Mom and Dad, who have fun assisting him find new hiding spots. :)

My turkey visited me at work on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving. It's the first Thanksgiving Day that we have not celebrated ON Thanksgiving day... and let me tell you...it will be the last. It feels so blahhhh. I know it's just seen as a day to EAT. But it's more about a day to get together with family. And today I am realizing how much I am missing out on that tradition....And when I say Family... I mean ALL Family, extended Family, friends, neighbors, people who aren't really Family by blood, but have been around so long that I feel their absence this year.

Marti and Bob have moved to Montana, so they won't be with us this holiday season. I can't think of a Thanksgiving or Christmas that Marti hasn't been with us for one or the other or both... or at the very least our baking party. I know their family up north will be more than thrilled to have them with them this year.. but I must say, the selfish side of me is very sad.

Grandma Susan and Grandpa Steve are on a fabulous trip to Turkey. ( I know, right? Turkey on Turkey day...hilarious!) And I hear they are having a wonderful trip. But I so wish they were here with us, making a big dinner.

Not that any of this would have mattered.. Mom and I are working this Holiday... so had Marti and Bob been living in AZ and Steve and Susan been in the US, we still would have been working.. but it just doesn't feel like the same Thanksgiving holiday as when I was growing up.

I remember the best Thanksgivings. We were usually at either my G-ma & G-pa Jennings or G-ma & G-pa Glass' house... and the house was FULL! I SOOOO appreciate those days and those memories. I hope that one day, Sean looks back at our holiday memories as fondly as I look back at mine. I wouldn't trade them for the world.

So I leave this blog with this one last thought... it's not a holiday about EATING... and maybe it should be more about "Giving Thanks"... But for me it's about making memories that we each look back on fondly as moments that we had the opportunity to do nothing but just enjoy each others presence and know that there is no other place that I'd rather be than with "Family", no matter how that term is defined.

Hold the one you love

Grandma Susan and Grandpa Steve came to visit this past weekend. It was a short but sweet visit. Sean LOVES when his Grandparents are around. He has such a special relationship with each and every one of them, and as he gets older, it's started to become more defined. It's so interesting and charming, and I just love to watch how he interacts with each of them. I snapped this photo of him snuggling with Grandma Susan on the couch... and I just love it.

It's so interesting to me how the most precious pictures that Sean takes, he holds the faces of those he loves..... here are a few other picture so show what I'm taking about...