Christmas Pajamas: A Story in Pictures

Our tradition is to open new pajamas on Christmas Eve and take a picture in front of the tree. This selections of photographs is a sampling of the fun our kids have while taking pictures. I wish I had taken video because Addy would do this cute little sidestep into Jack and then move right when Ryan took the picture. We were very entertained.

"The stabilizers"

Striking poses

Still fascinated with "Baby Jesus"

The tree is more interesting

sidestepping away

"Behold the babe and my new car"

"Baby Jesus, look at my new car."

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Christmas Photos

to give you the news that this cute little boy eating cookie dough

has been clean and dry, both day and night, for the past 5 days.


And not because he held it for 5 days, which we know he can.


The highlight of my Christmas day was when Jack called from downstairs "Mommy, can I use the potty?" He then walked upstairs, took off his footie pajamas and did the deed. I could not be any happier or more proud.

This is made even sweeter by the long struggle it has been to achieve a life without diapers for Jack. It may have taken some false starts but we are off and flying.

Toddler Sized Live Nativity

We had some pint sized friends and their parents over for
a casual Christmas Eve full of fun and good food.

Our attempt at acting out the Story of the Birth of Jesus. They all wanted to be right next to the manger so they stayed there while we read the story from the Bible.

Very entertaining for the parents, indeed.

Jack was both a Wiseman and a Shepard.

When informed that he would be wearing a costume,
Jack's response was "We're going trick or treating?"

Gingerbread houses, Kangaroos and surprise guests

We've had a busy week getting ready for Santa to arrive on Friday.

On Monday we made gingerbread houses with some friends. It was great fun and now I know the secret of sugar glue that keeps the houses from falling apart.

Jack decided to be a kangaroo and spent the good part of an evening hopping around with Addy's baby doll in his pants like a joey. He is getting way more creative with his play and makes us laugh with what he comes up with.

Look at this cutie who stopped by on his way from Minnesota to Albany.

He brought his sister who helped make sugar cookies with her cousin, Jack and his friend W1.

And Oscar himself got to ring the firetruck bell. Grandpa Parry provides joy to all of his grandkids. It was so nice to watch my sister's kids while she and her husband slept after driving all night. We always joke that we would take each others kids for the day if we lived near each other and it was nice to be able to do that this week. We can't wait until they come back next week to play some more.

A Little Monday Humor

Adeline loves to run, dance, skip and hop around in Jack's underwear. Her favorite is Lightening McQueen but she will settle for any that she can get her hands on. She puts them on herself and I laugh every time, so I guess I am encouraging the behavior.

Fortunately, she always chooses the clean underwear.

Grandpa Parry Santa

Look what came to our house yesterday!
A box bigger than Jack.

Grandpa said a BIG box would come and Jack could open it when it arrived.

Jack ran to get his Bob the Builder Tool set to help put this together. (Fortunately, Daddy had real tools that really helped with the assembly.)

The bell is one of his favorite parts. He's loves to ring it and announce there is a fire.

Then he unwinds the hose on the back and pretends to spray.

The first thing he told me this morning was "My fire engine is down stairs."

I have no idea if I will ever be able to get him out of the house again. He loves this truck.

Thanks Grandpa Parry!

Our Christmas Tree

We took a ride to find our perfect tree.

We found it and Ryan cut it down.

They loaded it back on the wagon,

While we smiled in triumph.

We road a horse and a slide while we waited for our tree to be shaken and wrapped.

Did I mention the hot chocolate, cookies, bunnies and chickens?

We brought it home and decorated it in record time.

Our Christmas Tree tradition makes me happy.

Child Labor

Snow Removal will be easier this year at the Shelton house.

(or at least more entertaining with Jack's help.)

Turkeys

We spent a whole week in Atlanta with Ryan's sisters and their families.

We roasted marshmallows and had S'mores.

Jack with his favorite things of the weekend. Cookies, his hat, his helicopter and Woody doll.

We helped change the landscaping at Mike and Steph's house.

The neighbors thought we were a bunch of hillbillies when we used a rope and a truck to tear out some of the bushes.

Trying to get 5 kids under the age of 5 to pose for a picture is quite entertaining.

Jack did some working out at the indoor play gym.

Can't wait to get back down to Atlanta.

Look what I found

while avoiding doing my house cleaning.

What a cool idea to help families.


http://www.smallcanbebig.org/

Spooky Season

I love Halloween so we spread out the joy all month long.

Remember when we got these beauties back in the beginning of October?

We we carved them at the end of October per Jack's specifications.
Addy's pumpkin is happy and Jack's is sad.


One of our favorite Halloween events is the ZooBoo at the Seneca Park Zoo. Where else can you go trick or treating with lions, polar bears and elephants.



Another favorite event is our church's "Trunk-or-Treat" and carnival.

Checkout Addy in the photo booth.

However, this race might be the highlight of the evening.
Kurt challenged Ryan, the Man and R1 to a race.

I am just glad no one was hurt. As you can see, Ryan learned his finish line lean from his son.

Addy enjoying the cake walk.

Jack had his first school Halloween party and came home with a large bag of candy eaten by yours truly.

We had our good friends Nora and Nicole join us for dinner on Halloween and then we hit our neighborhood streets. Addy walked almost the whole time while the older kids rode in the wagon. They loved climbing in and out of the wagon and even tried to make a dismount with the wagon still moving.

We met up with some more neighborhood friends, W1 and L1 (a knight and a dragon).

Then, to keep with tradition, we headed over to the Pulley's, when Ryan finished call, for chili and candy. Annabel took Jack and Addy trick or treating around their neighborhood. I don't know how Jack was able to carry his pumpkin at the end of the night.

Here's Jack's candy. He loves the suckers and nicely shares his chocolate with his mother and father. Annabel happily accepted Addy's candy as a gift for being so great with the kids that night.

Favorite Jack quote from the night:

Mom- "Ready to go Trick or treating?"
Jack- "At the Zoo?"
Mom- "No."
Jack- "At church?"
Mom- "No"
Jack- "School?
Mom- "No in our neighborhood."

Highlight of Addy trick or treating was her very enthusiastic "Dank Ooo
when she got her candy. Melted many a heart.

Can't wait until next year. I am already trying to think of costumes.