Polar Express 2011

Last year Bennett and I found the Tom Hank movie The Polar Express and Bennett fell in Love! But whats not to love for a little boy that in enchanted with trains (especially steam trains) and was just getting to know all about Santa?! We spent the last year (yes even during the Summer) watching  this movie and loving it more each time. So when my cousin Teri got to volunteer on the local steam train last year when it went up to the North Pole to meet Santa himself... we were so excited about going in 2011! So Teri got it all set up for us and boy did she do it. She got seats for all of our family members (somewhere around 40 people including 10 toddlers & Babies) and threw a big party before hand, something our family hadn't done in years.

It was a magical night with lots of family laughs, lots of "oohs" and "aahs" from the kids and many many smiling faces. Thank you Teri and our whole family! Bennett climbed into bed late last night talking of how he met Santa and I listened to him ringing his bell as I fell asleep myself.

All Aboard!

The Olsen Family...

Uncle Joel laughing with Miss Evie...

"Tickets Please" Bennett handing over his precious ticket to the conductor to get punched

Waving furiously out the window on Uncle Marty's lap as we arrived at the North Pole and they got their first glimpse of Santa.

So the pregnancy hormones might have gotten the best of me but I nearly cried as I watched my little boy's eyes light up with Santa... I could tell he was so excited but a tiny bit nervous, he was so brave and talked about it all night!

High Five Santa!

 On the way back B and Evie spent about 20 minutes cuddled up with Grandma with their foreheads against the cold glass and their cheeks touching checking out everything about the train

 Bennett was pretty excited about the conductor



Santa and his helper Elves... Thanks guys!

"You and ME!! Tractor time!"

I woke up this morning to hearing our toddler yelling "You and ME Dad!" over and over again and pointing out the back window at the excavator in our back yard. He was dying to get out there with Daddy after watching the tree guys out there working all week. So Joel took him out for some boy time...

And after, I caught this little snuggle in our room while Bennett and Hurlie snuck in some cartoon time... He loves his Pup.

Happy 1st Cash Man!

One of our little men turned one... Our Nephew Cash! The last year has flown by! We can't believe he is one already! He is such a sweet little boy and was showing off by walking around like a crazy. The toddlers had a blast as usual. They loved the Elmo and Cookie Monster cakes, opening the presents and just running around together. I love all these kids!

Happy Birthday Cash! We love you!

One of the cutest birthday boys ever!

 Perfect cakes for the marquez boys that love Sesame! Cash's mom made them!

 The cupcakes were just as fun!

Bennett snuggling with Auntie Katie

 Aunt Teri and Cousin Jack

 Bennett showing Cash how to play with the toy he got him :)

Our lil Chainsaw Massacre

This little boy has been a 1000% boy since he was born.  Growing up in a house full of girls I spent most of my childhood days playing house, cabbage patch dolls and the occasional tea party... So all these boy activities are very new to me. I wont lie, we do slightly encourage it by purchasing trucks, tractors and trains... but there is no way this boy would think about anything else even if we didn't fill his toy box with these manly toys.

He has lived and breathed tractors for a couple years and has lately loved chainsaws and blowers. So this year for his Birthday he asked for this chainsaw and Grandma Jones came through for him. This is coincidentally on the same week that we are getting some trees removed from our property that we felt were a bit dangerous with some of the wind of the winter.

Bennett has spent the majority of the past two days staring out the window with his goggles on, his chainsaw in one hand and the other hand waving wildly at our tree guy. Aaron, the "tree guy" has been great, he waves back, gives thumbs up and lets us know when they have turned the machines off and he can come out and check stuff out. He got all bundled up with his fire hat (which looks like the construction hats they are wearing), his goggles and his chain saw and ran out the door on the first day and I thought the three people removing trees were going to pee their pants they were laughing so hard. They all love it and I must say it has made my last few days quite easy.

 The goggles make me laugh... so does his cheesy smile :)

 At nap time there was no removing the chainsaw from his grip so I gave in and let him sleep with it. I check on him after a bit and this is what I saw... yep, that is my son sleeping with his arms above his head and his chainsaw across his chest... man do I love this boy!

When we went to preschool this morning we were outside and I told him to put away his chainsaw. He ran full speed into the garage back to where we keep all the tools so I followed him because I don't like him back there and this is what I found. He said "Bennett's chainsaw next to daddy's!"

Already 3?!

I can not believe my baby is three years old this week. It is a little sad for me because he is growing up WAY too fast... but there wasn't a bit of Bennett that was sad this afternoon! He had all of his family over for a party! We decided to keep it small and just have immediate family but boy, we have a lot of family and there were still kids running around like crazy, tons of presents and lots of love for our little boy.

I desperately hope the time starts slowing down even though I am sure that is an empty hope because in the blink of an eye he will be off to college.

I love you Bennett more than anything in life and I am sooo proud of the three year old man you have become! Happy Birthday Buddy!

Loving his birthday balloons that dad got him from work and his birthday shirt Mom made...

 Grandma and Grandpa Olsen laughing at Bennett...

Birthday Boy waiting for present time!

Getting some help with his presents from his girl Lily...

 Bennett asked for this awesome chain saw from Grandma and Grandpa Jones... boy does he love it... he turned into a little chain saw massacre for the rest of the party and carried it around the whole time.

The goggles gave him these goggle lines for the rest of the night.

Bennett and his buddy Charli showing everyone where their "babies" are...

Chocolate Peppermint cupcakes... YUM!

Bennett loved Mom's cupcakes

Bennett got his very own Polar Express for around the Christmas tree from Mom and Dad.

Pretty sure he would sit and run it all night long...

My Favorite Week!

So this week is pretty darn close to my favorite week all year long. Not only is it our wedding anniversary (FIVE WHOLE YEARS!) but it is also our son's 3rd Birthday AND we get to decorate for Christmas!

There is already lots of fun Christmas stuff going on around our house but our tree is usually one of my favorite parts because our living room fits quite a monster of a Noble Fir.... but this year Joel talked me out of it because picturing myself on a ladder in the living room scares us all and we went for one a bit smaller... but still just a pretty :)

We have been going out to Tom's U-Cut out on Yelm Hwy and they are affordable and friendly. Bennett loves the whole experience because it involves stomping around in the dirt with Dad and a saw! These boys were too cute today!

B found one appropriate for cutting...

The tree we chose... ok after looking at the picture, maybe it wasnt as small as I thought... oops

Dragging it in... notice I was busy taking pictures and not helping :)

I finally get the kid to say "cheese" and smile and this is what I get... still cute :)

At home drinking some well deserved hot chocolate!

Finally December and 28 weeks!

I must say I have been counting the days until December 1st for a few reasons.

First of all, it marks the first of 25 days of two fun advent calendars at our house. I made both of these things last year and knew it would be something Bennett would remember. He LOVES the Serendipity Santa. It is a sewn Santa bag full of 25 treats so he can reach in after dad gets home from work and pick one treat from Santa! He clearly remembered it from last year and was delighted to get it started today.

Also in his little treat bag was one ornament for the advent tree I sewed last year. The 25 little felt ornaments (all different and still working on them :) go on one by one and Bennett picked the train out. He understood right away and ran over and placed it high on the tree. He obviously wanted to start it all over again immediately with picking another treat from Santa but hopefully we will get used to just picking one for the next 24 days.

I know how silly this all sounds to most people but it is truly a memory I had from my childhood and love that I can recreate that same memory with my kids. Who knows, maybe someday Bennett's grandchildren will wait patiently for another treat from Serendipity Santa.

Here are the stockings I have been working endless hours on... They are all appliqued and hand embroidered. They each have a different line from "Twas the Night Before Christmas" I love them! I know they are the stockings that will be riped down on Christmas morning full of treats from Santa for at least 20 Christmases to come! Thank you Aunt Pam and Grandma Ruth for helping me so much with these.
And yes, that is an ultrasound picture in the far right frame...

We have also been counting down until today because we had our 28 week appointment for our baby girl. I remember when I was pregnant with Bennett and we counted down the days until 28 weeks because the chance of survival with very little long term effects at this point is great. Although everything looks like we will be having a February baby, it is still a little sigh of relief for our little girl. She cooperated and finally gave me a good look at her sweet little cheeks and mouth. She is usually pretty stubborn about this and today was yawning and blinking and just cute as can be!