Oh, Christmas Tree

I had this wonderful vision of our family jamming to Christmas music, sipping hot chocolate and decorating the tree. Oh, and of course laughing merrily and bright! Not so much.

 

What did happen was a very tired and whiny 2 year old who only got involved with decorating for about 10 minutes when we worked on her tree while we waited for Daddy to get home, but that is all the work she was determined to do.

 So while Daddy and Mommy strung lights, without Christmas music. But the TV was going... does that count? It might have been on frosty, too.

 Easton was having a "parade" with ribbon, all the ribbon....

 While Daddy took our crazy 2 year old up for bath and bed. Mommy finished the tree with ornaments and put up the stockings and other Christmas decorations. So it wasn't a picture perfect evening putting the tree up, but it sure the heck turned out beautifully.

The Adventures of getting a Freaking Tree

Like every year, we headed out to chopped down a Christmas tree. But this year it was a DISASTER.  We loaded up and headed south to Louisburg. A co-worker of mine told me about a tree farm just off 69 hwy. After an hour and half of walking and looking at trees, we decided to bail. Everything looked dry and dead. If I am going to spend $52 on a tree it better not look like its on the brink of death.

 

At least the trip wasn't a total waste... Easton loved the tractor ride.

She kept saying "Momma, I am playing in the forest. Come find me!"

 By the time we arrived to tree farm #2, Bug was out. She sleep on Josh's shoulder the entire time we searched for a tree. Once again, we were really disappointed. Finally I decided, Screw this! There is a Home Depot down the street. We loaded up and headed to Home Depot.

 Tree farm #3... a little more concrete than we would like, but hey....

 

 

 We rolled out with a Christmas Tree!

Thanksgiving... a tumble... Bambi...

Well, I don't know about your Thanksgiving, but I have to be thankful for. What I was not thankful for, however, is the bloody mouth and busted lip from Easton's tumble down the stairs and the toddler turd I cleaned up off the bathroom floor. All this before noon. Nonetheless, I am thankful for my family and friends. 

This year was different. I am not usually a big fan of spending holidays away from each other, but with our busy schedule this year it looked like Thanksgiving week was the only time Josh would be able to get some hunting in. So off to Fort Scott he went to spend time freezing his bickets off in a deer stand. The trip was a success and we now have a beety eyed deer head hanging out in our deep freeze...

 

While Daddy was out shooting Bambi, Easton and enjoyed the parade with my family.

 

Ready to do some cooking.

Saturday we headed out to see Christmas in the Park and Easton had her first introduction to QT hot chocolate. Like her Momma, she LOVED it! So much she gulped it down in no time.

After an hour and fifteen minute wait, we finally made it into Christmas in the Park. Easton enjoyed seeing the lights, but I don't think we will be back anytime soon. Fifteen minutes of lights for over an hour wait just isn't worth it.

 



Bug Update!

Boy, have we entered into a whole new territory. Recently Easton has been 2 going on 30. She is smart, scary smart. Repeating sayings and phrases in context. Sassy, too.

One night on our way home from daycare, Easton kept using the word stupid. Ugh.... So after many threats, I busted out the liquid hand soap. A squirt and spanking later, I had a very upset 2 year who learned a tough lesson. Not only are we dealing with the word stupid, but damn it also. As in, "Damn it, Harlie!" Yep, correct use of the word. No, we don't say "Damn it, Harlie", but Papa has been known to drop the d-word a time or two. Since the mouth washing episode, we haven't heard stupid or other bad words. It had such an affect on her that she heard her Papa say a bad word and went and grabbed the hand soap off out bathroom and handed it to her. Fair is fair! She is also very straight forward with telling EVERYONE that we don't say bad words because we get soap in our mouth. Was is it extreme or dramatic? Maybe, but the point I was trying to make.. stuck... and hasn't left.

Time out is a thing of the past. It just doesn't work on her. Taking toys away and swatting her bottom gets better results aside from the whole soap thing.

Other than her sailor mouth, Easton is stinking cute. She cracks me up all the time. Here are some favorites:

• As she runs around the house naked she yells "I'm streaking!"
• In her sweetest, kindest voice she tells me "Momma, your my best friend".
• Not that we are regulars at McDonald's, but she will say "Cheeseburger and fries, Momma! Go to Donalds!"
• Every time we stop at QT to get gas, she says "Need drink, Momma!" As in, she wants to go inside and get a drink, a juice or slushy.

We still have Easton her crib. I honestly don't know when we will transition into a toddler bed. I fear that as soon as we take the plunge into toddler bed, we will have nightly 3:00 am wake up calls. And quiet frankly, I am selfish and want my sleep. Don't fix what ain't broke... right?!

Easton is a people pleaser, especially a Mommy and Daddy pleaser. She wants to do good and she says "Momma, I am a good girl?". One time when she had an accident she told my dad "Hurry Papa! Put them on quick. Momma is coming!" He was changing her undies and I was coming in to talk to her about peeing in them. She didn't want me to know. She will tell people "It upsets Mommy when I pee in my undies". Because I have told her so many times, that peeing in her undies makes me upset because you are such a big girl and know what you are supposed to do.

Dancing Diva

I am a dance mom! Well, not the crazy, screaming, crying, TLC dance mom, but our little bug started dance class last Monday. She is enrolled at Bryd's Dance and Gymnastics. Her class consists of 15 minutes of tap, 15 minutes of ballet, and 30 minutes of gymnastics.

Monday was our trial class, which really means... a free class to see if you are kid is going to freak out and scream their head off or cry the entire hour of class. I am happy to report Easton did neither. Thank God! It helped that her friend Izzy was in the class. Izzy use to go to daycare with Easton, but recently began a private preschool. They were inseparable. Izzy had been going to dance for awhile, so she kept showing Easton how to do things. Going as far as moving her leg for her. It was adorable.

I was not able to go into the studio with Easton. As much as I wanted to photograph every freaking adorable second of it, I refrained and followed the rules. They took Easton into the studio and fitted her for tap shoes. She was hesitant at first and clung onto my hand, but with a little nudging and help from Ms. Hannah, Easton walked into the studio with her.

I was THAT Mom. The one who is hovering outside the dance room, peeking in between the blinds, just trying to get a glimpse of what they were doing. Normally the blinds are completely closed, but that night they were slightly opened enough to where I could watch Easton, but she could not see me. I get keeping parents out. Toddlers are non-listening hellions when there parents are around. But I still asked for a tour of where Easton would be for her session. Do you think I am just going to let you take my baby into a room for an hour without checking it out first? Don't think so!  They actually are in two rooms, one is for dance and the other is a freaking awesome padded fun house for gymanstics! Anyways, Easton was very still, wide-eyed, and in awe for the first 10 minutes of class. Taking it all in. She was quiet, not smiling, just not sure of what to do or what was going on. I being her Mom, wanted to run in there and help her. Save her. Show her what she was supposed to be doing. Make her feel more comfortable. Make her fit in. But I didn't, because I know she is smart. She needed time to soak the new environment in. She needed to watch everyone for a bit and find her place. Then she did and loved it. She was smiling, following instructions, dancing around with her ballerina bear. She relaxed and just had fun!

Izzy shared her snack with Easton. Seriously, how cute are those two!

Our little dancing bug and getting fitted for her tap shoes

Standing in her circle next to Izzy. This was the best picture I could get.

I am lucky enough to work for a boss that didn't think twice when I asked to leave at 4 pm on Monday's to take Easton to class. His response was "They grow up too fast and you need to be apart of special things like this. Enjoy them." I must agree they do grow up way too fast!

SHAKE IT for me! DATE NIGHT!

Fort Scott or BUST! Last Saturday, after lunch, we loaded up and trucked it to Fort Scott. Josh and I have been trying to do more date nights, so waaaay back in June my In-laws stood in line for Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan concert tickets. For $100 bucks we got two tickets and one fantastic date night. It seriously was the best concert I have ever been to, Josh agrees. The entire concert was acoustic and completely relaxed. Jason and Luke drank whisky and beer, sang some of their hits, bull shitted, clowned on each other, and  sang some more. It was the funniest and best atmosphere ever for a concert!

 

Loaded and headed out!

We hit up the local bar for a quick drink. (read: I chugged a rum and sprite!)

The other duo that joined us, some family.

Josh and I sat down in the seat and pretty much ate our knees. Another couple down from us began laughing was we said "Shit! We don't fit!" The seating is the original seating from when the hall was built... needless to say midgets would have fit comfortably.

I will remind you that we were in Fort Scott, America, the venue was... hmmmm... small. There was only 1,300 seats and to be in the back row was nothing like the nose bleed section at the Sprint Center.

While we were at the concert, Easton spent some quality time with her Grandpa Bosley and Grandma Chris.

 

Truly a FIRST haircut!

I finally took Easton in for an actual haircut instead of just a bang trim, with much dismay from the Hubby. He was stinking worried about her looking like a boy. But the fact is E isn't going to have luscious long locks. Nope, she was cursed blessed with her Momma's fine, thin hair. Short bobs will be her hair's BFF for a long time.

To lighten the blow to the hubby, Jessi only took off about an inch. Nothing too dramatic for the first time.  Just get rid of all the crazy different lengths.

Not sure about this whole washing the hair thing

Hmmm.. pretty sure she is giving me the evil eye for taking so many damn pictures

She sat still and didn't fuss. Pretty sure she didn't say a word, actually.

Looking Good!

She received a certificate and bag of her cut off hair.

Check out Jessi Romo at Uptown Image in downtown Bonner Springs... She rocks!

Of course, QT donut for being such a big girl!

Yee-Haw! Halloween 2012

Halloween this year was lots of fun, even though Easton was perfectly with just trick or treating one house and enjoying the candy. She didn't quite understand the concept of the more houses you hit the more candy you get. She was happy to just start digging into the candy she received at our first stop of the night. I am sure that will change next year.

This year, once again, we kept our trick or treating route limited to family and friends. By 8:30 pm we were home with a tired, sugar crazy 2 year old. She loved knocking on the doors and attempting to say "Trick or Treat!", but in the end I think she was still too shy to get trick or treat out when the door was opened.

Yee-Haw and Trick or Treat from our little Cowgirl!