Puking, Diarrhea, and Santa Clause

While most families spread lots of holiday cheer, ours likes to bump it up a notch and spread a bit of the flu! There's nothing more bonding! Oh boy, let me tell you... What a delight it was to be at the Cardon home for Christmas! I'll be positive and tell you the highlights. In between us hacking up a bone and constant trips to the bathroom we did have a memorable time. It's so fun to have kids old enough to finally understand Santa Clause. It is so MAGICAL. Sprinkling the reindeer food on the lawn (thanks Aunt Jeri), making sugar cookies, dancing to "guitar music", Christmas parties, Fondue, Aunt Cindi's YUMMY breakfast, a white Christmas morning, cousin bear hugs, shopping, movies, Christmas rap songs, Aunts and Uncles, Mamie's wedding and "the dance", pedicures, pizza with the cousins, and having Doug, Sara, Tanner, and Jake here.

Christmas Eve Jammies

Three Months!

Kendall turned three months on Christmas eve. I really can't believe it. Time has gone by so FAST! I have enjoyed every minute with this little guy (18lbs). He is such a HAPPY baby.He loves to be nibbled on. He has lots of smiles and plenty of giggles to go around.

There's Just Nothin' Better!

Our family was able to make another neat memory at Grandpa and Grandmas house. Christmas came early! Justin's parents are spending it in Texas this year so we celebrated our pants off! Grandma knows exactly how to make it feel so festive with her yummy dinner, pumpkin cobbler, and her table decorated to the hilt! We made a gingerbread house, opened packages, sang songs, laughed, and (my favorite) visited!

It's Back.........

Nathan- 2 1/2 months

Kendall- 2 1/2 months

The fist, that is. I thought this was just a "Nathan" thing, but it turns out it's in the genes. When Nathan was a baby, I would find him staring at his fist ALL THE TIME. In fact I would hear him awake at 2am. Bam! There he is staring at his fist in the dark. In the bathtub, at the grocery store, in the car, on the couch. I'm not kidding - he did it everywhere! And now it's Kendall! Same thing! This provides hours of entertainment-for both of us!

Trying to get just ONE Picture!

Wow! Can I just say it is almost impossible to get a family picture with a two year old?! This day was interesting to say the least. Thank goodness for Cody! She had a lot of patience as the "picture taker!" She and her husband are our Fred and Ethel, (I Love Lucy). They are our neighbors across from us. They are tons of FUN! In fact, they really feel like cousins.

Oh Yes... We can Save the World!

Saturday night and it's snowing outside. What do you do? You have Nathan bring out every hat he owns. Then just when you think you've had about all the fun you can handle- Nathan blows into the room like a firecracker with his underwear on his head. Oh don't worry, he has a special pair for everyone and we transform ourselves into the "U-TEAM!" (just a little FYI- Nathan refuses to be potty trained so... these underwear are really clean!)

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G.G.'s Stockings and Holiday Traditions!

I think I'm the biggest sucker for a good tradition! Coming in at a close second is my Gram, (or as Nathan calls her, GG- Great Gram) She has always made Christmas so special and FUN! I LOVE when the doorbell rings and there is a package from her. Christmas tins overflowing with goodies - her special fudge, English toffee, peanut brittle, and delicious popcorn. Gifts wrapped with love and big bows. Ever since I can remember, we got to open a package, topped with a little bear personally selected for each grandchild on Christmas eve. Inside the gift is always jammies. A few years ago she began a new tradition for all of her great grand babies. She creates a stocking just for them. They are so detailed and I appreciate all her work she does on them especially since she has arthritis in her hands and I know this must be so hard.
Thank you!
It seems like I'm always on the hunt for the perfect tradition to start with my own family. A friend shared this with me and I thought it sounded so fun, (this would especially make good memories for kids). A few nights before Christmas, The family gets their pillows and blankets out and puts them by the Christmas tree. A treasure hunt is planned. In the treasure box are lots of items, such as: a Christmas movie, Christmas books, flashlights, yo-yo's, games, treats- and pretty much whatever else you want. The family goes on the treasure hunt. They spend the evening playing with the items in the treasure box then all fall asleep by the tree. If you have any good traditions- let me know!

This is GG, when she was little. I think she is so cute!

GG in her Christmas jammies- laughing as Kendall squawks.

I’m pretty sure things can only get better!

I had a bunch of errands to run and was saving them all for Saturday so I wouldn’t have to take kids, (it’s soo much faster!) I was moving right along until I pulled out of the Target parking lot. I heard the most halatious noise I have ever heard. Basically whenever I put the car into drive (or reverse for that matter) it sounded like I was pulling an enormous iceberg- and no I promise I’m not exaggerating! I got out and examined the bottom of the car- like I know what to look for. Nothing seemed to look out of place so I proceeded to go home, with my hazards, going 5 mph, pulling my iceberg. People can be so rude, honking, rolling their eyes, and speeding around. Happy Holidays I would say as I waved! By the time I get home and switch out the car, the post office has closed 10 minutes earlier. Thank goodness for the lobby stamp vending machine! I was still going to get to buy my Christmas card stamps. I put my money in the machine and out comes my first book of stamps. I wait, and wait, and wait for my other books and nothing. I then give the machine a slight tap (okay , it was a good few pounds) and off goes every alarm and flashing light you could imagine. By the time I dig out my cell phone to call the number on the machine- here come the police cars (all 4 of them because apparently they need lots of back up to arrest the burglar), whipping around the corner . Finally out come the workers from the back (where were they when I just needed to purchase a few holiday stamps- what ever happened to holiday hours?) Lots of explaining took place, (I barely brushed against the machine- yada, yada) and basically I did not get my money or my stamps- yet. (I’m expecting a call from the president of the post office sometime this week). I get home and Justin takes our car into the shop, (dragging the iceberg) and comes home to tell me it was the fuel tank! Spark, spark. I guess I can be grateful I didn’t get arrested or blown up in the same day!

8 Weeks

I started a little tradition with my babies. At 8 weeks I have a picture taken with them of their mom giving (or almost giving) them a big smooch. It's just fun to see how alike or different they are at that age. The time is going SO fast. I don't want to miss out on a second. I love every smile and every coo. Kendall is such a sweet baby. It's so fun to see how Nathan interacts with him. My favorite is when Nathan tries to comfort Kendall when he is sad. I never knew motherhood could be so fulfilling.