Carter + Sharpie = permanent cups. So cute to see his printing.

Around the house

Baby Clark

This is Carter's "No Big People Allowed" sign

Eww- even stuffed snakes bother me

2011

We are ringing in 2011 quietly - with some home projects - I've updated the office just a bit and have tackled nearly every closet, cabinet and drawer (a few more to go maybe) - does everyone feel a sudden urge to do this on 1/1? or is it just me and my O.C.D.?

While I've been doing my crazy projects the boys have been basically doing the other pictures - yep, Sean got a Wii for Christmas and we are enjoying it, especially the boys - and I think that Sean is enjoying it way more than he thought possible - in fact, since both of the boys are knocked out, maybe we can get a round of bowling in this evening! I plan to beat, he-who-took-bowling-in-college yet! I may never have enough coordination to beat him in ping-pong but I intend to take him out as his own game - just once!

Christmas 2010

Ok, I'm making time today for a long post, maybe since I waited so long it won't be such a long one! We had one fab Christmas - the boys are at such a great age, they were thrilled to be in Iowa and thrilled for Santa to be visiting plus being that naps are becoming optional we didn't have to fight the nap and bedtime monsters nearly as hard! Yay, for us! We were even able to attend all Hogan and Graf celebrations, see nearly all of even the extended family which was a treat.

Santa brought Carter some K'nex, I must say Santa must have more patience that my VERY patient (at least that day) husband. Sean worked for about 3 hours putting together one stinking piece of his gift, after which it was placed up high as if not to be broken and has since found a similar hiding spot in our house, so my honest opinion is that K'nex suck! Buyer, beware! The other 2 Knex cars are still in their boxes and I don't see them finding daylight anytime soon.

I think he was more excited about some of the items that arrived via the stocking - like the ZuZu pets that had to have a hotel built for them by Papa, or the HexBugs that found their way under Mimi's oven right before Christmas brunch, making a lovely jittery noise until the oven could be moved and thus cleaned because how often does one more their oven? My dad declared that next year we will clean the fridge for Christmas (wonder what I can find to loose under there!).

Lincoln was pretty pleased with his "Handy Manny Big F-ruction site" set (that is construction, for those of you who aren't into Lincoln lingo). He was way more pleased, however, with his many rides in the Jeep to look for turkey and deer - he was awfully cute standing (in the field only, for those of you who know I'm a seat belt freak!) in the Jeep and every bump in the field his little head would hit the window - lucky he just had some red marks but no bruises from this.

The boys are also able to turkey and deer watch from Grandma's back porch - it is CRAZY how close those things get and crazy that the boys' (and girls') can sometimes be quiet enough to let them graze for long periods of time, and other times, well, Lincoln forgets to use his inside voice and aggravates the other kids' when the animals scatter.

We had 2 big moments at the Hogan house for Christmas, one was that my EVIL sister-in-law and brother-in-law (although Linz, I'm blaming this one on you) told us the ultrasound tech had a family emergency earlier in the week and they were unable to find out the sex of the baby. We were SO disappointed, well, as predicted by everyone else (I was giving them the benefit of the doubt that they wouldn't try to keep secrets) they knew! The last gift of the night was a pair of pink booties! We are excited to have another niece, well at least Sean and I are, Carter stomped off when he learned the boys had not won this contest and I don't think Linc has an opinion just yet - maybe because he's not much of a baby fan - hopefully that will change before she arrives!

Our 2nd big moment was that Grandpa had bought Grandma a new diamond (she lost hers this summer) and planned a BIG joke that we were all to be in on, he was giving her an ugly diamond before the beautiful one....well we all thought the ugly one was in some setting, so she opened it and was excited, and we were confused! The ugly one wasn't ugly enough but the beautiful one given later was awfully beautiful! It will be a Christmas memory for all of us - especially Donna who didn't get what was so damn funny, until we told her!

Sean and I even got out and about for a night with the rest of his family thanks to my parents keeping the little men for a night. We got to go race go-karts, have dinner & see a movie, too bad we let the boys talk us out of seeing The Little Fockers as True Grit wasn't really our thing - lucky for me, I got to see The Fockers later, maybe not great but WAY better than True Grit - but I'd prefer laughs over blood any old day.

The weather even cooperated in Iowa - it was cold but the snow was perfect and the roads not too bad and the boys got to walk on the ice for the first time and play in the snow on Christmas day.

Random December Pictures

Carter's outfit he put together to give Lincoln his review - he has been his employee for a few months (YIKES!)

Lincoln sleeping on his trampoline

The Hogan boy band

Sean putting together Lego's - a never ending job!

Cousins!

I have now been twice reminded that I'm behind on bloggin'! So here are a few of the Hogan cousins at Christmas - what a cute, fun crew they are. More pictures to come and maybe I'll even take some for the month of January - not sure I've done that just yet!

Pretty Food!

Yep, it has been a while but I feel I must take some time to do Christmas justice, it was a great Christmas and needs some blog space, however, today I must share a food picture. Usually I think food pictures are a big odd to post but I'm pretty proud of the way my cinnamon rolls looked today and I must say getting my hands back in dough feels really good - it has been too many years since I took my baking obsession seriously and maybe I need to do so more often - IT FEELS GOOD! I even channeled my Grandma's patience and let the boys help this morning, so glad that my Grandma took the time to teach me to bake, must pass on to the boys!