Christmas time at Brentwood Ct

Sunday Braylen and I put up Christmas decorations in our pjs all day!  We started off the day with toast

Messy and yummy

 and played with some of the Christmas beads,

Probably the most fun toy, ever!!

then we found Rudolph and his book

"How exactly do you get your nose to do that light up thing?"

 and lastly it was time for a bath.  I had to put my robe on to keep me warm on the way to the tub and couldn't dare to part with my own personal snow globe.

a new bath time toy

Thanksgiving in East Dubuque

We had so much fun with the Fluhr's during our Saturday Thanksgiving dinner.  The food was awesome!!  Seeing everyone and watching the kids together was a blast.  We also got some exciting news...Madison is going to be a big sister!!  Joleen is pregnant with her second and is about 12 weeks along, I think it's going to be a boy...we'll see.

Gavin has a perfect sized seat, just a little warm...

the beef jerky bag was passed around a lot

Joleen, Madison and grandpa

Hi five from Alana to uncle Pat

calmly watching the destruction occur

their own personal jungle gym

cuties

having a chugging contest

just in case the video's not working, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMXM-OOvmIg

This is the funny incident taking place near the end of the night after the sugar has set in!!

Thanksgiving in Highland

Brad and Angi were brave enough to have 46 crazy Scott's and spouses and kids to their house for Thanksgiving.  Fortunately they have an amazing house and it never felt crowded or full the entire day!  We had wonderful food, great conversations, cold drinks and fun games!!  It was a super fun day! 

the family sitting around the bar

Bray's probably thinking, "Don't take me away from my favorite person, mom!"

Apparently we had had a few drinks...

Braylen's wondering why everyone's looking at him?!

loungin on the couch watchin football

Kids corner

Mandi says, "Hey my Guinness is almost gone and where did my headband go?"
Andriy doesn't say anything at all

Jess and Clint and their favorite nephew!

I think Braylen was composing a song for papa here

best buds!

The Wii remotes really entertained

spoons- spoon- spoon- spoon- spoons

Thanks...

I'm mimicking this after an email we received from a professor here at UD and I felt the need to create a Thanksgiving list of my own, to put the day and season in prospective. 
I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband.  I give him a hard time and razz him about helping, or not, but really my life would not be the same without him.  Ever since I met him my sophomore year of college, oh how long ago that was, my life has changed for the better.  Thanks for being who you are and for helping make me who I am.
I feel this is an overly obvious statement, but I am thankful every day for my turkey pants, Braylen.  For all of the reasons I love and adore him, please refer to the past 240 blogs devote, mostly, to the Bugman!!
Of course our family and friends.  I feel we are so fortunate to have such a loving and caring support system of close family.  They love me, Jeremy and Braylen unconditionally.  Our friends provide a get away from our day to day and are such giving people.  We love and would do anything for you all, as I know would be reversed on any giving day or situation.
Our home, this is slightly material, I know, but I love our house that we have made a home.  I pray that we will be here for a very long time and have lots of cherished memories, as will our children, while our family grows and is protected by it's sturdy walls and warm rooms.  While so many are suffering or struggling to make ends meet day to day, we are truly so lucky to have so much and a place to call home for years to come.  Dubuque itself has also offered a wonderful home to us and as many communities are in economic downturn, we seem to flourish and rise above those difficulties. 
I am extremely thankful for those that are serving, have served or will serve to protect me and my family and our country.  I don't feel like I express regularly enough to those I know or come in contact with my gratitude and appreciation for all that they do and sacrifice for others.  My thoughts and prayers to go to those that have family oversees and I think of your often.  Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice.
I am also thankful to those of your who read this regularly.  Lots of love, Lara

Funny little things

The night before we left for Jacksonville I picked Braylen up from daycare and when I went to get him out of his car set this is what I found...

Bug monster sleeping with his hand in the snack container, ahhh

Then we went inside and while I was packing he decided to do some light reading...

It's an Oprah's book club recommendation!

And finally bath time again, I just can't help taking pics of Braylen during bath time!  This was his first bubble bath!

As well as his first bubble hat!

Mommy's little helper

This morning as we were getting ready and Braylen decided to help mommy water my plants.  I was slightly shocked by this because he's probably seen me water my plants a total of 2 times.  Everday I am amazed by what he does, yesterday he took my brush, which I have never used on him, and he started brushing his hair.  When he watches me chew gum and blow bubbles, he chews and then sticks his tongue out.  I knew becoming a parent would be great, but no one ever told me that a 2 foot tall little guy would stop me in my tracks to watch in awe and wonderment at him watering plants or brushing his hair.  Oh how my world has changed!

Helping water plants

I could do this all day

Helping mom is fun, until she takes my pitcher away :(

Bath time toys

Bath time is always a super fun time in our house. Braylen plays for hours and I usually have a glass of wine and watch.  He has lots of bath toys he loves and just recently decided to make a couple of "kitchen" toys into bath toys. WOW, was this fun!!!

tupperware and a wooden spoon, who would've thought

he liked to stand up and pour out the water

cheese ball mania

who doesn't love to chew on foam letters??

this is his, "I'm so strong" look

much focus is needed

Saturday with the kiddies

We visited with Angie, Alana and Gavin on Saturday. The Ready's and Jason went to the Iowa game and Angie agreed to babysit/play with Gavin. I stopped over with Bray on Saturday after work and the kids played, even though Braylen was being a little shy. Grandma and Grandpa were over too and Bray was sitting on Grandma's lap for a little bit while he was warming up. This is a kind of a new thing to him, he's always been a little somber and takes a few minutes to warm up, but any other time we've been over to the cousins houses where there's new toys, he usually runs over and starts playing. Maybe it's the fact that I'm there or just feeling overwhelmed when he walks in, but he did finally play around with Gavin and Alana and had a good time.

Alana playing in the tent

Angie and the kids

Gavin had an important call to make

"what's up?"

with uncle Jeremy's hat on

Everyone wanted to climb the stairs!!

playing around upstairs

Are you ready for some football??

We were!  We'll we were at least dressed like we were :)  I had to work Sunday, so the boys stayed at home and watched the Bears vs Vikings, Go Bears!  We decided it would be a great day to wear our favorite team jersey to work on Sunday, so it was football everywhere!  When I got home we had won and the boys were celebrating.

At the phon a thon with my coworker

Braylen getting some treats

GO BEARS

Touch down

Cutler what are you doing??

And now story time with dad, just chillin

Fall has fallen

After a few GORGEOUS November days I think we're on a downward plunge into winter :(  Unfortunately I didn't take advantage of the nice days, darn work schedule and darkness, but those days are few and far between now.  Well, cheers to a beautiful fall and, hopefully, a wonderful, short and mild winter!

Bray playing in the leaves at Gretchen's

Beautiful tree caught along my travels



our own little sumac turning a beautiful redish orange