Story Time with Sam

Sorry, we haven't been updating the blog regularly. We just haven't done a whole lot since New Year's Day. Not much to add, as I haven't been the best at taking pictures while we are at home. Alden is also not a very photogenic boy right now. He loves to run away just as the flash is about to capture the moment.

One of Samantha's favorite things to do to entertain Alden is to get out a book and pretend that she's reading the book to him. She makes up her own story and some of the them are fairly clever and she even uses some big words. I'll try to catch a few of her next "stories" and put them on her for you read. She always starts them with "Once Upon A Time..." and Alden just loves to sit and listen to her talk.

Gator Bowl

We went to Nebraska City to watch the Gator Bowl with my parents on New Year's Day. My aunt Lisa, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jim, and Cousins Kayla & Traci were all there to watch the game too. We had lots of good food and when the game wasn't entertaining enough, we always had the kids to watch. Alden played with his little Husker football. He would squat down and it almost looked like he was getting ready to run with it. :) Samantha was good at being a cheerleader and when she stood by the TV, it almost looked like she was at the game standing next to Bo. Samantha & papa also played with papa's race track and cars. Everyone enjoyed putting my old Cabbage Patch Doll's underwear on Alden's head. He seemed to really enjoy it....I think he was pretending it was a bandana? :) We were all just glad the Huskers won!!

New Year's Eve

Doug & I went to a movie on New Year's Eve ---- at 4:30pm. (I know we are getting old....) Doug's mom volunteered to watch the kids while we went to the movie and Jodi came down to help watch the kids. We saw "Yes, Man" and it was really good. Sadly, it was only the 4th movie we saw in 2008! After the movie, for some excitement we went grocery shopping! haha. The kids had a great time at Grandma McKnight's house. They wore their sweaters that match their stuffed monkeys! We watched a movie when we got the kids to bed and we barely made it to midnight!

Nebraska Basketball

Doug & I took the kids to the Nebraska Basketball game on December 30th. They were both pretty good considering they are only 3 and 1 years old. We got a hot dog and Alden pretty much ate all of it. Then, Samantha got some popcorn and that seemed to keep her occupied for most of the game. Alden had his share of popcorn, too! The basketballs kept Alden saying "Ball" "Ball" "Baaaaallllllllll" most of the game. We thought that Lil' Red would have been at the game, but he was in Florida for the Gator Bowl already, so the Runza Dino kept Alden's attention for quite awhile as well. We stayed for a little over 1/2 the game and then left because it was close to bed time. The Huskers ended up winning by double digits. The kids were so squirmy that we didn't get very good pictures.

Holman Christmas - Saturday, December 27th.

We had the Holman Christmas after Christmas this year because more people could be there on that date. We still weren't able to have everyone there this year though. It was a "wild" Christmas if you ask the adults! There were lots of kids, who made lots of noise! Jon & Nancy had their 2 boys: Aaron & Nick; And Danny & Amber had their 4 kids: Skylar, Riley, Jordan, & Colton; and our 2 kids. Every kid there was under the age of 6! Samantha had a lot of fun! She was excited about so many girls coming this year. They enjoyed the "kid" table that we had gotten for Jim for Christmas. Alden was constantly hugged by Riley (she was obsessed with babies) and he didn't seem to mind. The kids exchanged names this year and Samantha got a Princess rolling coloring pad with markers and colors and Alden got a toy guitar, both from Amber & Danny's family. The adults did a $10 gift card exchange and I ended up with a Starbucks card and Doug got a Runza card. Jon & Nancy stayed later than everyone else, so Sam, Nick, & Aaron put on their PJs and ran around Sandy & Jim's house. They had a lot of fun. They watched Madagascar and ran around the island in Sandy's kitchen alot (a Christmas time tradition for Sam & Nick-they even let Alden join in for a little bit, but then it got too dangerous!).

Christmas Day - Richardson Christmas (a.k.a. Grandma Farmer's House)one

For our 3rd & final Christmas for Christmas Day, we traveled to Pawnee City (about 90 minutes south of Plattsmouth) for the Richardson Christmas to Grandma "Farmer's" House. (When I was little, my grandma & grandpa lived on a farm south of Pawnee City, and I just started calling them "Farmer" instead of "Richardson" and I still do to this day!) The kids were able to nap in the car on the ride down, so Samantha was ready for some serious fun with Macy & Katie when she arrived. They are the 3 youngest girls: Macy is 9 months older than Sam and Katie is 9 years old. They played all day long. The only time they came downstairs was to open presents or to eat! Alden was a different story...as we discovered that he doesn't really like a lot of people in a tiny space. (We first learned this at Doug's parents' house for the McKnight-Weekly Christmas.) He wouldn't let me put him down and he wouldn't let anyone else hold him all day long. Samantha got a Doodle-Pro and My Little Pony from Traci for her name-exchange gift and Alden got a Toddler Tunes CD and a farm playset from Lyle. The adults tried something new this year and we all did a $10 gift card exchange. The girls were in one group and the guys in another. It was pretty fun as it forced us to interact with one another. :) I ended up with a Target gift card and Doug ended up with a Scheels gift card. Towards the end of the day, when people started to leave, Alden got a little more comfortable with his surroundings and I was able to relax for awhile. My cousin Traci got an Orange iPod Nano for Christmas and was jammin' out to it, when Samantha decided she needed to hear some of Traci's music. Traci let her wear one of her ear phones and Samantha loved it! We were able to stay until 8:30pm that night and then put the kids in their PJs and then head back home.

Christmas Morning Part II - @ Grandma & Grandpa McKnight's House

After our "Christmas Morning" at our house, we went to Doug's parents house and opened presents and had lunch. Samantha showed everyone her new camera from Santa and Alden showed them his new "sweater" monkey. Samantha and Alden got money for their college fund from Grandma & Grandpa McKnight and Samantha got a Little Einsteins Interactive Globe and Alden got some Husker balls. From Auntie Debra & Uncle Greg, we all got passes to CoCo Key Water Resort!! We gave Grandma McKnight stuff from our Disney trip and a new roaster pan to make TV Mix in. We gave Grandpa McKnight a little table and chairs so that we he has family over with little kids, they can have a "kids" table. We gave Greg silverware to go with his new dishes and we gave Debra a shirt from Disney World make from Recycled/Organic materials. After presents, the kids played with their toys while Sandy finished dinner, with a little help from Jim & I. Great-Grandma & Great-Grandpa Holman came out for lunch. We left for Pawnee City right after lunch to go to my grandma Farmer's house.... (You'll notice that some of the pictures we have on here are not the "best", as our kids were not in a photo taking mood!)

Christmas Morning - Our Christmas as a Family of 4

Santa came while we were all sleeping on Christmas Eve night. When we woke up on Christmas morning, we were surprised to find that Samantha & Alden had been good enough to get presents this year! (just kidding) Samantha was amazed that Santa ate all the cookies and drank the hot chocolate (our Santa doesn't like milk). Samantha got some dress up clothes and a couple Barbies from Santa and she got a Stroller/Playpen/Highchair/Swing combination for her dolly from us and a Mousketool Box and a Mouskedoodler (from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). Alden got a rocking panda from & Madagascar movie from Santa and we gave him the Little People's Noah's Ark & Animals to go with it. We gave Sam & Alden monkeys and matching sweaters for them to wear! :) Santa even gave Doug & I a present this year....we got a Wii! Thanks Santa Clause!!