Ty's Top Favorite Christmas Presents!

How can one choose which gift he likes best when you've been showered with so many! Here are a list of Ty's top five favorite gifts:

1. A Mini Pool Table

2. Mario Cart for the Nintendo Wii

3. Geo Trax Airport

4. Buzz Light Year and Woody Dolls

5. Books, Books, and More Books

He has yet to indulge in many of the gifts he received. Most of them are still in their original packaging. I think that's a true sign, we bought him too much! I'm sure next year will be a whole different ball game.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

In honor of Jesus' birthday, we made him a cake. Our kodak album explains all the details about the cake. Attached, here, is the video clip of us singing Happy Birthday to Jesus before getting to eat it. Soli Deo Gloria ~ Glory to God Alone.

Getting Clever Before the Christmas Gifts Arrive!

The other day, I was so beyond BORED being at home, afterall, it's been almost 6 months or more since Tyson has really received a replenishment of toys. I know that might sound spoiled or materialistic, but when you play with your child's toys as much as they do, you too get tired of their toys. Anyway, with less than 4 days before CHRISTmas presents arrived, Tyson and I got clever and decided to build a fort in his room. The fort consisted of two boxes, a hula hoop, a folding chair, his duvet cover, and mounds of pillows. He fully enjoyed hanging out in there. He was quite entertained by being pretty imaginative with his flashlight, ax, telescope, and microphone (just to name a few of his "survival" tools). When I was a kid, I once recall telling my dad, "I'm so bored" and he replied, "Sometimes it's okay to be bored!" I think he was implying that life is not always filled with excitement and sometimes boredom leads to great things, such as building a fort. The "good ol'days" included building forts, riding bikes, and playing chase. We've come along way since those days! It's kind of sad, but it's truly reality.

The First Christmas Present Has Arrived...From Gram!!!!

Gram sent Tyson a nice Christmas package early! She figured it was better that he opens his gift now before all the gifts arrive and it becomes too overwhelming. He woke up from his nap to this nice surprise and was excited to see what she bought for him. He received a great "Cars" sticker and coloring book with over 700 stickers in it (every child's favorite thing). He also received a gift card to Best Buy and this weekend he "blew it!" He purchased, for himself, a new Nintendo Wii Game called, Carnival Games. He is really enjoying it.

Gram has been sending so many little trinkets in the mail that now when the mailman comes he expects to see something from her everyday. It's ashame Gram doesn't live closer because I know that she would love spending her spare time with him!

The Elf on the Shelf - A Christmas Tradition

As I said in my previous post, "Gingerbread House Fun", I'm big on family traditions, especially at Christmas time. If you and your family do not have many traditions or are looking to adopt a new family tradition this holiday season, be certain to READ this post. You still have plenty of time to introduce this fun event to your child.

It's called, "The Elf on the Shelf". For the first time, we chose to begin this charming tradition this year. Most children want to know how Santa really knows who's naughty and who's nice. The answer... "a pixie-elf".

Let me explain...

I purchased this fun tradition at the "stocked market", but you can get it most anywhere or at www.elfontheshelf.com. It arrives in a really nice and thick BOX and includes a storybook and a dainty little stuffed elf. The idea behind this tradition is to place the elf on the tree within days after it has been decorated. Surprise your child by making him aware of the sudden arrival of this elf. The elf's sole responsibility is to watch your child's behavior daily and to report it to Santa each night. Every morning, after the child wakes, they will discover that the elf has returned from the North Pole (with a little parental encouragement), but is now resting in a new and different place. You will have so much fun watching your child race out of bed to try and find his new position.

You can even become a bit more creative and clever with this tradition, by telling your child that the elf is not allowed to be touched, but that they are able to speak to him as much as they wish. The elf, on the other hand, is under strict orders, by Santa, not to speak back. And finally, all grown-ups are under no such rules or restrictions.

This is not only a FUN tradition, but is also a great way to get your child to better control themselves before the fews weeks leading up to Christmas Day! All it takes is a gentle reminder that the "elf is watching" for the unacceptable behavior to be modified.

This product even provides you with the opportunity to register your elf's name at www.elfontheshelf.com and recieve a special response from Santa.

This is just a temporary tradition, obviously, as children will not believe these stories for long, but it's certainly worth adopting just to see the look on their faces as the elf arrives each year!!!!!

Gingerbread House Fun!

I am BIG on family traditions, especially at Christmas time. My mom always found ways to create and add fun to the holidays. Decorating a gingerbread house was always one of those things that she insisted we do. So... I figured I would continue the tradition and today I invited Tabby and her two boys over for some gingerbread house fun. Word to the wise, never attempt something of this much detail with a multiple of age ranges. You've got some kids eating the candy, some kids throwing the candy, and some kids throwing themselves on the floor while the others are pulling the Christmas Tree ornaments off the trees etc., etc., etc. You get the drift. Pretty darn stressful.

As many of you know my personality, I am beyond neurotic when it comes to my cleaning habbits and the need to keep things OVERLY organized and straight. I'm convinced Tabby is truly trying to break me of my obsessive compulsiveness. As a matter of fact, I think she's paying Jude to do her dirty work. LOL! I am still finding frosting (3 hours later) everywhere, thanks to him. Gotta love those curious little 2 year olds.

Let's just say, those darn gingerbread houses, NEVER, turn out as pretty as the picture looks on the box. It's always harder in real life than it appears from the directions. Tabby and I got a real chuckle out of the fact that her house CRUMBLED to the ground, while mine stayed in tact. She said, "It's just the way I expected this adventure to turn out." Poor James... after seeing his house crumble, he asked, "Who broke my gingerbread house?" And Tabby replied, "I did honey. I am so sorry!" He kindly exclaimed, "That's okay mommy, I still love you anyways!" Very sweet.

I will definitely be keeping this event in mind when Easter rolls around. JUDE, you are not welcomed in my home when we bring out the DYES for the Easter Eggs. LOL! In any event, I always have a fantastic time when spending it with the Sheilor family.

Until next time Tabby...

A Visit With Santa Claus

On Friday, we took the kids to the Triangle Town Center Mall, in Raleigh, to visit with Santa. Surprisingly, there was little to no line. We got a BIG chuckle out of this picture and contemplated making this our Christmas Card to read, "Have Yourself a Cranky Little Christmas!" Tyson and Aeila handled the visit fine, but Salene was NOT a fan of Santa at all.

Children... they add so much humor to your life!!!!

Christmas Decorating Has Begun....

Our household got a JUMP start, two weekends ago, on Christmas decorating. Due to the cold weather, we still have yet to be able to accomplish decorating the outside of our home, but the indoor decorating is complete. Hallelujah!

We purchased Tyson a 4-foot tree, with colored lights, for his room, and he had a blast from opening the box, to assembling the tree, to fluffing the tree, and finally to decorating it. Tyson also set up his Mickey Mouse Porcelain Snow Village that Poppy and Cee Cee bought him for his second year of Christmas. He always enjoys making his room look festive.

Afer assembling our BIG tree, in our living room, Ty insisted on sitting next to it while eating lunch. He is a true lover of the Christmas Holidays. We are focusing most of our Christmas celebrations, this year, on the TRUE meaning of Christmas - the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - but DEFINITELY want him to be able to enjoy ALL of the traditions we enjoyed as children.

Be on the look out for a few other posts this week.