Home Sweet Home!

This is Carter's snapping demonstration

Cute matching pj's from Aunt Lindsey!

Even cuter girls!

The Little Hogan 6 pack

Linc driving!

The boys were rather obsessed with Red Dog - Linc was interested but got the tears flowing when Red Dog barked

Cookies, milk & a movie

Lincoln's Flinstone car that all the kids enjoyed - especially Carter

and Marah

Sean, Gwen & Michael

Carter's first pair of snow boots & first real adventure in a winter coat!

Linc & his polar bear from Papa - I suggested the name Nice for it

& Naughty for Carter's although he rejected these names!

We are officially home and back to the blog. We had a wonderful Christmas and were able to see most of our family while we were in Iowa. The boys really enjoyed opening too many gifts and playing with our families, they got lots of attention and more love. Thank you to our family for all of your help with the boys!

Carter thinks his cousins are so wonderful and loves to play with them, especially the older two who know about all sorts of school age things! He received a remote controlled (or tramote as he says) The King car from Grandma and Grandpa Hogan and kept calling it - the stupid car and I thought he was being ugly about it and then he came and announced "it is not being a stupid car anymore" which I think means they figured out how to use it - mostly the big girls running the remote and Carter chasing after it. He'll probably be asking to go play with the cousins soon and I'll again have to explain that Iowa is a bit of a drive.

Lincoln still just tries to stay out of the path of the moving kids but did seem more comfortable than on our last trip (aka was not attached to my hip!) but he did go to sleep at 8 each night and not stay up like the bigger kids. We've been working on identifying body parts with him and on the way home he did something "amazing" according to Carter when he showed us his nose, ear and eye. They were really great little travelers and we didn't have too much "sass" on the drive and they both slept alright for being away from home which makes this mommy really happy.

We'd been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my best friend, Katie's little girl and are very happy to report she has arrived! Tayah was welcomed on the 23rd and after a little observation for having an awfully hard time arriving will be ringing in the New Year at home. We can't wait to meet you, Tayah.

Happy New Year to all our friends and family!

Bath time fun & other pics

This is Carter's new way to sit, with his feet against the other side of the tub - like he can occupy the whole tub
One of Linc's many faces

The glare

This was a "mom, take my picture" picture

This is the most accurate Carter has ever been in taking a picture! And he's tried many, many times

This was him reading on my bed side table last week

Another face

Serious bubbles!

The boys are getting used to taking baths in our tub which is kind of nice for us since we have carpet instead of their cold, tile floor and they have been pretty excited about their baths so I've taken some pictures. The pictures of Lincoln are to show some of his funny expressions, he makes the funniest faces. Sometimes it looks like he's just bit a lemon, sometimes it is an intense glare. He's just started to swing his arm when he trots around which is kind of funny. We went to a cookie exchange this morning, and I let each of the boys have a cookie while we were there and when I looked back Carter had taken the Hershey kiss off his cookie and was exchanging it for another cookie with a kiss. Never a dull moment with these two!

I've been tagged - Things that make me happy

Kristen has tagged me! Sorry I was behind in realizing it (I must not have blog surfed for a few days!)

List six things that make you happy. Pass the award along to six more bloggers. Do not give the typical answers and go for the less obvious, as you all know that family, friends, God, etc would be on the list :)

1. "Mommy, I love you's" from my boys- Carter hadn't said it in a while but now tells me every night, "Mommy, I love you - see you in the morning", when I put him to bed and sometimes he calls me back for a - "I need to give you a kiss". It is super sweet! Linc's I love you is a nice head rub - he likes to put his forehead up against mine for a nice noggin' rub!

2. A clean, organized house makes me happy. I know it is silly but it really does. This morning I organized our medicine "bucket" and it made me feel as if I'd accomplished something. My house isn't always clean anymore but I do love when it is, specifically I think happiness can be a clean kitchen floor!

3. Finishing a good book - I don't take as much time as I'd like to read but I recently finished The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks and as always I love his books. I've just started the Twilight series and I wouldn't say I'm hooked just yet.

4. Funny Pictures - this week I have one of Linc trying to eat the camera, Sean wearing one of the boys santa hats & Carter sitting on my bedside table in the nude reading a book.

5. Nights out with Sean - we don't do them nearly enough but have Sean's xmas party tonight so tonight is a night out. I hope they boys behave for their babysitter.

6. Christmas music, we just dug out a good classic Christmas tunes cd and have been enjoying rather loudly in the car, Carter sings along and Linc even hums or howls some!

So I'm tagging - Becky, Carrie F., Carrie O., Kaylyn (this means you have to journal, my dear), Kristi & ...I don't think anyone else on my blog list is an active blogger, it will have to be 5!

Cupcakes with Santa!

Doing a craft with Daddy

Anticipating Santa (watching from afar)

Santa said "Let's be friends"

That Hogan frown

Mommy and Lincoln staying within arms reach

We made our trip today to see Santa. We went to an event at the Zoo called Cupcakes with Santa. We arrived a bit late (due to Linc's nap) and made a quick cupcake & then went to hear a story - The Santa Mouse, and then we met a chinchilla that Carter refused to touch, although believe it or not, I really wanted to pet it. We then made some crafts, a jingle bell to call Santa, a picture frame for our picture with Santa & a glittery ornament.

Carter's letter to Santa said:

Dear Santa,

I've been pretty good this year, well mostly.

I'd like 5 things for Christmas.

Love,

Carter

Of course the 5 things are unspecified - he just likes to say 5 things!

We concluded our trip with the actual Santa visit and we were the last ones to go see Santa. Linc sat but not long enough for a picture and Carter sat down with Santa but didn't really converse with him. Here are some pictures.

My toenail situation

The toenail saga has come to an end today. For those of you have not heard me complain and weep about the loss of my toenail the brief version is that on Mother's Day (what a day for an accident) I dropped a jar of Planter's Peanuts on my big toe. It hurt so stinking bad that I sat on the chair with my foot propped up and cried - while Lincoln watched me, being very confused (he was only 6 months old and not as wise as he is today). Anyway, Sean and I tried to take the pressure off using a drill bit which worked a little but then I had to go to the Dr. to get my toenail drained, kind of. It has been black and blue since.

Anyway, last week I noticed that it looked like there was real nail under the black and nasty part and today the black and nasty part came of and wha-la there is healthy nail! Like it almost looks normal! I took pictures, painted it up and am as good as new after over 7 months of stewing over a jar of peanuts!

I know this doesn't seem post-worthy to anyone but me but trust me for the girl who is mildly obsessed with her toenails it is a BIG deal! Yippee!

In other happenings at the Hogan house, Lincoln has discovered where we keep the candy and last night Sean wanted to know why he kept pointing to the top of the fridge and going "eh, eh" He's going to be my little chocolate lover. He is shifting his nap in the afternoon so now the little men aren't napping as much together which is causing me a bit of fear for the next few months but it gives us a little bit of time to read together - something he'd do much more willingly if I were to give him chocolate.

Today I walked into Linc's room and Carter was being so sweet to him, as most of you know this isn't always the case but he had his arm around Lincoln saying "aren't you tired, baby" in the softest voice. Sometimes, they may be few and far between but he can be so sweet to his little brother. Hope everyone has a good weekend. Oh and pictures of my toe are to come, just kidding - only my mom would look at those.

60's to Snow - only in Oklahoma!

This is something new that Lincoln has started, basically throwing himself on the floor and screaming - it is a pleasure to watch and I made sure to get a picture for reference!
I realized that none of our family will ever see our house decorated for Christmas so I took a few pictures, hopefully I'll get one of the boys in front of the tree

Lincoln took horrible naps today so I subjected him to trying on his winter attire & here he is!

This was the game of the morning - using an exercise band and pulling Lincoln around was a lot of fun for Carter - he called it train and the guest bed was the station, later he went to get his conductor hat so they could go faster. Lincoln loved this game too!

Yesterday afternoon it really was sixty something and now we have baby flurries - I tried to show them to Lincoln and he was like - what is the crazy lady talking about now! When we got the mail earlier today there was a bit of ice accumulated on the mailbox. We only hope to not have a rotten ice storm like last year, we will take some yucky weather if it doesn't include loosing power for 36 hours!

More film

At the Pumpkin Patch
Lincoln would have let the goats lick him if I'd let him - yuck!!

This is Carter on top of the hay maze

Lincoln and the pumkins he eventually took a bite out of

Linc on his birthday

I guess I loved my last set of pictures because they were black & white, I was a bit disappointed in these, although it may have been because I used a slower speed of film too. Here are some I've taken in the past few months.

We had a pretty quiet weekend and the boys get better each week at playing together which is so nice for me! We have our first chance of snow this week so that would certainly be interesting, last year I had a great excuse to stay inside named Lincoln but this year I'll have to get both of them out in it!

Our little elves

We had a great, low-key Thanksgiving. We almost don't know what to do when we stay home for an entire day but it was nice to do so. We had a warm enough day to spend some time playing outside.

The boys got Christmas jammies from Mimi and Papa with little hats that they both refused to wear until last night. Carter decided to put on some of our stockings that were hanging by his room after his bath (this means naked!) and the hat and dance around the house. It was too funny! They both like the Christmas tree - Lincoln likes to take the glitter sticks off of it and beat things with them and Carter likes to plug it in, this morning he told me it wasn't pretty anymore because the lights were off. Both boys assisted Sean in putting up the tree by laying on the floor and inspecting everything. Lincoln has also mastered the unplugging and when he does he runs away because he knows he isn't supposed to do that!

They got to open an early Christmas present from Mimi and Papa and have already spent hours cooking in the kitchen that took daddy hours to put together. After they had opened it, my mom said to Carter - "what else could you need?" and Carter responded "plates, cups..." - I guess that is a reminder that 3 year olds are literal! His sayings this week are - my feelings are hurt, I don't feel well (but he can't say what doesn't feel well, I think he just knows it is good from some extra TLC).

Lincoln and I are both battling colds so we will spend much of this week recuperating, he also ran into the wall tonight and gave himself a nice bruise on his head. It is probably the worst one we've had in this house but he recovered really well and turned the tears off quickly.

So much to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! We have a lot to be thankful for including two healthy and mostly happy little boys, a great loving family & amazing friends. We love you all.

The boys and I are enjoying this holiday week and playing at home more than usual. They also have hair appointments scheduled for tomorrow evening - this is exciting on so many levels, first it is Lincoln's first haircut by anyone other than his daddy and Carter's cow-lick is out of control and he has Dennis the Menace hair that can't be tamed right now!

Yesterday we went to the pet store with some of our MOMS friends and Carter was not the least bit interested in touching any of the animals. He backed way from all of them unless they were in their cages (if any of my college roommates read this - they are thinking - just like his mom with the bunnies!) He liked the hamster but only because it had a little toy car to play with in it's cage. Lincoln on the other hand actually tried to grab the hamster which frightened me! I couldn't believe how brave some of the little kids were- touching the python and hooded dragon. Carter must have been traumatized because when I woke him up from his nap he started screaming that there was a snake in his bed and without really thinking it through I jumped up off his bed too! Guess he was dreaming but I wasn't taking any chances either.

Here are a few other things that Carter has said recently that have cracked me up - Grandma's store is no longer the Fickle Frog - he calls it the Pickle Frog, he often refers to Lincoln as "Lincoln Hogan" now when he is doing something he isn't allowed to do and he is starting to understand that he doesn't want to have anything girly- he told me - that is girly the other day. Always a laugh with him. Lincoln has been hearing "Lincoln Hogan" a lot lately as he has started crawling onto the train track. He isn't the kind of road block you would want on your train track.

Have a great Thanksgiving & enjoy your turkey as we enjoy our beef!