The Week Between Christmas and New Year

Oh Holy Night --- the kids are out of school the week between Christmas and New Year!!!...which, is why we have been able to travel these past couple of years.  After our trip to Destin, we were home for 2 days and we kept busy then too! 

We went to McWane with the Wallace's and had a blast.  Of course, Jules was still 'hung-over' from the trip where she would not sleep by herself in the crib or take naps unless they were in the car.  Yes, fun times you would say -- I know that is what you were thinking!

The girls had fun washing their hands in blowing bubbles.

As you might can tell, the girls had fun drenching themselves in the water area (from head to toe - Jules kept pouring it on herself like she was in the bathtub) and then they were off to sliding, playing with blocks, undercovering dinosaur bones and playing in the winter wonderland.



Shook had fun watching all this, I guess...he didn't complain at least!

One day Jules and I made Happy Birthday wrapping paper for Kathryn's birthday party with our new art supplies.

It largely turned into a body painting excursion...This is when we had to learn that markers and crayons and paint are for paper and not for your body, the floor, or your babies.

Santa Came!

Santa left us all kinds of goodies. He left so much that we had to take several breaks during all the activity.  It actually got to the point where we would ask her if she wanted to open a present and she would say 'no'.  She was much more interested in what she had just opened.  She wanted to play with it right then.  She is also a very meticulous present opener at this point.  She would remove a strip and hand it to whoever had the trash bag.  It was a slow process sometimes.

So, of course, Shook's Christmas was a little smaller this year but Jules definitely got some toys that Shook can use later on (I have a feeling he'll be all over the Lego table - which was actually a present from Honey to Shook and Jules together). 

You'll notice that Jules took her broom directly to the broom closet but used the hand broom as a hair brush - that was pretty funny!  At least you can tell that I do use the broom sometimes since she knows where they go! (She also went and got it out of the broom closet the other day after she made a mess on the floor with her food!)

I think the shopping cart was definitely her favorite and she gets it out everyday.  Her purse stays hung on her doll stroller (see following post) like mom's does with Shook.  She is starting to like her jump jump more and more but she has to have mom or dad come and watch her before she will jump.  It's silly. 

Shook got some silly Cookie Monster slippers and hat.  Jules does a really good impersonation of Cookie Monster now.  It cracks me up. 

You'll also notice in the last picture that Jules has every Christmas present she can get on.  A Cookie Monster shirt, pink tutu, new shoes and she is looking for money in her new purse. 

I asked her teachers what her favorite things to play with are right before Christmas and they said she LOVES the "homeliving" section.  I don't know why they call it that because it is scarfs, purses, vests, etc - the name doesn't seem to fit to me.  They said Jules has one purse there that is 'hers'.  She gets really mad if anyone else gets it.  They also said that she is constantly coming to them asking them to button her vests, etc.  So, for Christmas she got a purse and a vest!

Merry Christmas to the Deckers!

Christmas in Destin

So this year we left right after Santa presents for Destin.  We had a good time and got a lot more stuff!

Jules plays with her baby stuff and her art desk just about everyday.  Definitely good additions to the toy room!

Christmas Eve is Special

We love Christmas Eve at our house.  When we were older, my parents would let us open gifts on Christmas Eve night.  It's definitely one of those things you never forget.

Last year, my mom and dad came to Birmingham for Christmas Eve.  Jules had the flu.  It was really awful.  They had came the day before and my mom and I went to get THE ultrasound of Shook.  We had the doctor put it in an envelope and she fixed it up really cute.  I think she was as excited about it as we were.  Jules went with us to the appointment but we could tell she was starting to feel bad.  By Christmas Eve she had full blown flu systems.  I remember it well...we had to move the rocking chair into the living room because the only thing she would do was sit in my lap while I rocked her.  We slept this way for a couple days...I do not recommend it.  But, Michael opened our envelope at dinner and found out we were having a boy!  He was shocked!  I will never forget the look on his face!  I really think he thought we would have all girls!!!  Now, of course, he can't get enough of Jules!

This year was quite different.  Two healthy babies running around (well, almost running around).  My mom and granny came down again though which was really nice.  We had a great dinner.  I made beef tenderloin, bang bang shrimp, twice baked potato casserole, broccoli and pasta salad, rolls and banana pudding pie.  Oh my goodness, it was all delicious!  Michael says we have to have the same thing every year!  Jules especially enjoyed her banana pudding pie.

Shook had a special macaroni and cheese puree too!  As good as I'm sure you think it looks, he was definitely reaching for the banana pudding pie too!

We let Jules open a gift before bedtime - ELMO SLIPPERS!  She was having a blast!

Oh, and we got the walker back out for Shook and this is pretty much what you get to see with it...

....it tends to be more like a ride for Shook...

Jules did share her Elmo shoes (for once)!

We had a lot of fun!

Hold You

Jules' latest thing is: "Hold You Shook".  She wants to hold Shook while she is sitting down in the floor, on the couch, in the carseat, it doesn't matter to her.  She'll even hold him standing up - though that was has, for obvious reasons, not happened yet.  Its too cute.  Usually they are both smiling ear to ear.

I think he likes her to hold him more than me!

Here Comes Santa Claus

I haven’t posted in awhile but we have been getting ready for Santa. Shopping, wrapping, baking – the works! Oh, and putting up THREE Christmas trees! Here’s our first and our helpful ‘elf’.

So, this tree died after one week. We took it back to Old Baker and got another one but that was so crooked, there was no hope for it. We finally ended up getting one from Whole Foods. So far, so good.

Jules and I did a little baking in Arkansas with mom and Granny. We had fun --- well, we had fun eating the goods!

 Afterward we had to brush our teeth with Honey!

We’ve also done a lot of singing and dancing to Michael Buble’s Christmas special. Jules loves Christmas music. Here is Jules and Shook helping Daddy put the train around the FIRST tree.