We started out the week with Graham's green belt testing. We dropped Evan off at the mall with Tammy and Mark and they had a fun dinner and playdate, while we went to testing. Graham did really good on his form, and pretty good on his sparring. There was a pretty big crowd and Graham definitely enjoyed watching the black belts doing their board breaks! We picked up Evan and headed home for a late night.

On Thursday night, we had my work Christmas party and we used Graham's friend Theo's baby sitter. She lives close by to us and she did great with the kids. They both took to her and she had them both in bed and asleep by 830pm. We are very pleased to have found her and we look forward to using her again sometime!

We officially started celebrating Christmas on Friday. I picked up the boys right after lunch and headed to Blacksburg to have Christmas with Kelly and the kids. The kids had fun opening gifts and we had yummy cupcakes and the kids played and played and had a good time. We left there and went by Dean's new office to visit and so that was fun. They had a Christmas tree and we found candy and treats in the kitchen too. We headed home and watched the new Winnie the Pooh movie that Evan got!

On Saturday, Carol and Stacy and the kids came to our house for our annual Christmas get together. It was super fun having them at our house and the kids had a blast. We had pizza and lots of yummy snacks and the kids had a fun book exchange and then played and played. It was a lot of fun and Evan crashed hard right after they left. My mom came with Stacy and then daddy got there a little later and they kept the boys while we headed to Dean's work holiday party. It was an 80s prom theme and tons of fun. The had fun as well, decorating Christmas cookies and hanging out.

On Sunday, we had round three of Christmas as Tammy and Mark came over to exchange gifts and celebrate too. Kenneth, Danah and the girls joined us as well, so the kids got to play and play and we had a great afternoon. We even got the kids to pose by the tree for a picture (in their matchy clothes of course!). By the end of the evening, the boys were worn out and crashed early!!!!! They have already had a big Christmas!!!!!

The highlight of this week was the boy's school Christmas program, the first full blown CHristmas program that First Baptist has done since Graham started going there. It was in the chapel similar to graduation and I got there early and got us a seat on the front row! The kids were basically a real nativity scene and the music director narrated the Christmas story. They sang songs at various point, which Graham had been practicing for weeks! Graham was the American flag holder at the start of the program and then had the star role of Joseph in complete costume. He was super cute. Evan held a stuffed lamb with his classmates as if they were the animals. It was just after lunch, which was of course, Evan's nap time so he sat very quietly sucking his thumb, very sleepy, but he was good. I was afraid if he saw me, he would get fussy, but he didnt. After the program, we went to their classrooms and had cookies and visited with their classes, so that was neat, we really really enjoyed it!

Graham was prepping for testing for Taekwondo, he seemed pretty ready and was excited to go for his green belt. Evan hasn't backslid any at swimming and continues to just get further and further along. He is swimming on a noodle and jumping in from standing up off the side and just all smiles about it, we love it! He is just now the age that Graham was when he started so it is amazing to see how much further along he is!!!!!

On Saturday, we had another double bday party day. Dean and Evan headed home after swimming and Graham and I headed back to pump it for my coworker Stacy's daughter Ally's 3rd bday. It was a smaller party and Graham of course loved being back. We headed pizza and cake and then ran some errands before heading party number two. This one was for a First Baptist friend and was a new venue - Michael's craft room, they got to paint and then play around and have pizza and cake and presents, so that was fun. It was all FB kids, so they all had a blast! And, Graham was very worn out again!

On Sunday, we went back to the Episcopal church and the children's choir sang and they had a handbell choir and it was very nice. Graham said he wanted to sing with those kids, so that was neat!!!! We came home and Evan took a quick nap and then we headed back out to see the Nutcracker ballet with Tyler, Bobby and the girls. Graham was very excited and really enjoyed the soldiers and nutcrackers. Evan was up and down and wiggly, but mostly quiet. It was a lot of fun and we even posed with photos with some of the stars afterwards. Graham has talked about it a ton and even checked out the book from the library!

We are totally in the Christmas spirit and the boys enjoy spending time around tree and we sing Christmas songs in the car every day! It is a very exciting time. Evan is talking more and more too and so we are all loving that!

Graham pretty much had to recuperation from his ear surgery, we never saw any drainage and he never complained of any pain. So, now let's just hope we get through the winter without any ear infections! He does have a follow up appt six weeks from his surgery in early January. So, we will be anxious to see if the hole is healing up properly.

I was out of town Wednesday and Thursday and the boys got by okay on their own. Graham is busy prepping for testing at Taekwondo, hard to believe he is ready to go for his green belt! He is still really enjoying it and Evan is still loving his swim lessons and has moved up to the Toddler two level, so that is good. It is lots of running around and keeps us busy, but they are doing so well!

We headed in to a super busy weekend. Evan had swim lessons first thing on Saturday. We decided to keep Graham out of swimming just to make sure the paper patch was getting a chance to seal over the hole and instead he went to Taekwondo class. Then, Evan and Dean went back home and Graham and I headed out for a double birthday party day - two parties with about a two hour break in between at Pump It Up. Of course, Graham loved it, they were a little different and it had been awhile since we had been there. We ran some errands in between and ran in the mall, Graham rode the train a couple times and then we headed home after a long day out!

On Sunday, we headed to church, got some lunch and ran home for a quick change and then back out to see Sesame Street Live! We had gotten free tickets and Evan loves Elmo, so we thought it would be fun. Lot of First Baptist friends were there and we had lots of snacks and a really good time. There was lots of music and singing and dancing. We headed home and called the end to a very busy weekend!!!!

Graham pretty much had to recuperation from his ear surgery, we never saw any drainage and he never complained of any pain. So, now let's just hope we get through the winter without any ear infections! He does have a follow up appt six weeks from his surgery in early January. So, we will be anxious to see if the hole is healing up properly.

I was out of town Wednesday and Thursday and the boys got by okay on their own. Graham is busy prepping for testing at Taekwondo, hard to believe he is ready to go for his green belt! He is still really enjoying it and Evan is still loving his swim lessons and has moved up to the Toddler two level, so that is good. It is lots of running around and keeps us busy, but they are doing so well!

We headed in to a super busy weekend. Evan had swim lessons first thing on Saturday. We decided to keep Graham out of swimming just to make sure the paper patch was getting a chance to seal over the hole and instead he went to Taekwondo class. Then, Evan and Dean went back home and Graham and I headed out for a double birthday party day - two parties with about a two hour break in between at Pump It Up. Of course, Graham loved it, they were a little different and it had been awhile since we had been there. We ran some errands in between and ran in the mall, Graham rode the train a couple times and then we headed home after a long day out!

On Sunday, we headed to church, got some lunch and ran home for a quick change and then back out to see Sesame Street Live! We had gotten free tickets and Evan loves Elmo, so we thought it would be fun. Lot of First Baptist friends were there and we had lots of snacks and a really good time. There was lots of music and singing and dancing. We headed home and called the end to a very busy weekend!!!!