Our Holidays in a Nutshell

We spent our holiday in PA this year. With our recent addition of a mini van it made the drive super comfortable, and we even had enough room to bring the dogs along. We got to PA on Thursday night and spent a week at home with our families. Our holiday was busy but so much fun! We started Christmas morning with my parents and brother, then headed to Tom's parents for the afternoon with his parents, brothers and grandmother and finished it off at my Grandparent's house with my huge extended family for the evening with our tradition of Dirty Bingo(Yankee Swap). It was really an amazing day.
The boys were beyond spoiled by our families. The attention they got alone was crazy. Jack definitely loved the spot light. It took Ty a while to warm up to everyone, but once he did, it was game on. Hahahah! The boys really don't know how lucky they are having so many people who love them. They essentially had 4 Christmases (we celebrated our own little Christmas when we got back to KY on New Year's Day). Our families went way beyond what they needed to do for the kids. I really hate being so far away because I wish family gatherings could happen more often in their everyday lives so it would be more common for them! Just seeing everyone on the holidays isn't enough! I miss stopping by my grandparent's house on a weekend when she makes her homemade pot pie or meeting my mom and aunts for lunch and shopping or going to my cousins sporting events or just seeing everyone more frequently and not having guilt when we run out of time and have to head back home. But enough about missing everyone, it goes without saying....

All in all we had a great holiday!!! I have over 600 pictures from our week at home. I'm not sure how to narrow them down so I'll do my best to pick out a few to post. But before you get to check out the pics I have to tell you about one of the greatest gifts we got this year and it was from Jack....he's POTTY TRAINED! YEAH!! We started potty training in March. That's right....March. I think we pushed him before he was ready and that's half of why it took 9 months, but by golly, he's got it now! When we got to KY I had to get the boys physicals to get registered for day care in case we'd ever use it. The pediatrician gave me great advice about potty training. See, Jack got #1 down pretty well months ago but #2 was a huge fight with crying and hissy fits of all kinds. He'd go once on the potty then we'd regress completely for weeks. So the Dr. told me to give him a prune at breakfast and by dinner he'd have to go. Do this every day with making him sit on the potty a few times a day just to get used to it. Well, with that advice and a special reward of these gummy strawberry things I found Jack is now pooping on the potty like a champ! We're so proud!! It's been a few weeks now, but I didn't want to jinx it by saying it out loud. :-) Even with traveling over the holidays he went at other people's houses and even at a Wendy's on the trip home! We don't even use the prunes now, he's got it! I assume that your first kiddo is always your guinea pig, right? Ty you're lucky, I have a few things we'll be doing differently when your time comes! Hopefully with less tears for all of us! :-) So......... YEAH for Jack!

Hope everyone out there had a great holiday too! Here's to 2011!!!

Jack got to open the first gift. It was a very special gift that Santa left at Oma and Pop Pop's because it wasn't going to be left at our house (ya know what I'm sayin'??).....a purple unicorn pillow pet. He's been asking for that thing for 2 months. He LOVES it!

Oma and the boys

Tom was REALLY excited about his coffee! Ty....not so much.

Pop Pop in his new fancy hat! Tom was jealous!

Tim demonstrating the straw glasses he got for the boys.

Building towers with Uncle Tim

Boobie and Jack tearing into a present.

Ty and Uncle Luke

Uncle Bruce was on battery duty.

Uncle Bruce and Ty

My extended family with a few missing...

Who doesn't love Mouse Trap?

Poor Lexie.....This gives a whole new meaning to the "I've got your nose" game.

Aunt Lisa bribing Ty with a jelly filled munchkin! He was pretending to be shy. A donut hole can cure anything for that kid! :-)

Back in KY, Santa left a few gifts that were from Oma and Pop Pop and Boobie and Umpa. This rocking horse was from Boobie's house. Ty LOVES it....

He loves it so much he did NOT want to share with Jack.

Ty demonstrating "Safety First"!

The boys discussing what they should grill first on their new kitchen.

A cement mixer and dump truck....I'd say he loved them!

A ride on loader.....like I said, the toys are growing just like the kids....we need a bigger house! :-)