Happy 2009!

From our family to yours we wish you a happy and healthy 2009!

Mmm....Apple Cake!

Apple Cake

Dry
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 cups apples peeled and finely diced

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup pecans or walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl cream together the sugar and vegetable oil, then add the apples, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then add the nuts. Pour it into a well-greased bundt pan and bake about 45 minutes.

Dave and I made this cake the other night, it was a recipe that I had found on a lactose free site, and it is actually very good!!!

The day after Christmas...

And this is what our living room looked like this morning. But I do have to say that by the end of the day it was starting to look a little bit more organized...toys are starting to find homes in the basement and Dave's room.

Christmas and Nan and Pop's house (Merry Christmas round 4)

After stopping home to drop off our presents from Beegee and Pies, we then packed up the presents for Nana and Pop and headed to their house to open gifts and eat dinner! Of course had to open presents right away, it's very hard to a three old not to open presents the minute he sees them. After opening presents we had my favorite meal of the year...a traditional English Christmas dinner....prime rib, with roast potatoes, carrots and turnips and Yorkshire pudding!


Dave opening the first present.

Transformer shaving cream!

Reaching into his giant bag to get out another present.

If I remember right this was a Transformer book.

Deciding which one he should open next.

Mee-mee and Pops opening their presents.

Even Copper had presents to open. Yes, she really does open her own presents!

Christmas at Beegee and Pies house (Merry Christmas round 3)

Once we were finished opening presents at home we headed to Chris's parents to celebrate Christmas with them. We started off with opening presents and then had a nice lunch together. Below are a few pictures of Dave opening his presents.
A new Hess truck!!Good Night Moon Game!A Hotwheels ramp for his cars.And a game to go with his new Smart Cycle!Everyone enjoying opening their presents.

Santa was here!!! (Merry Christmas round 2)

Christmas morning at our house was so much fun this year!! We woke up to Dave yelling "Was Santa here?!" He usually will just say "Mom the suns up and so am I." After that he will usually play in his room by himself for about half an hour. But Christmas morning was too exciting for everyone to let him play. So up we got and down the stairs we came!! Dave was so excited to see that Santa had arrived and left presents for everyone! It was really hard to pick pictures to post. So I know that I picked a lot but he had so much fun and it was so hard not to post a whole bunch, the expressions on his face say a thousand words.

Dave checking out all the presents that Santa left.

Dave checking to see if Santa ate his cookie and drank his milk. And of course he did! He even left some crumbs and a note for Dave.

Starting to open his pile! Here he is opening big Transformers stickers to put on his wall in his room.

Opening his stocking....Hallie's trying to find her present too.

Since Hallie was on the hunt for her present, Dave stopped opening his and helped Hallie find and open her presents. She got two new hedgies, her most favorite toys ever!

And then it was back to opening. Look a Transformer!!!!

Some more Transformers.

"I always wanted this!"

So we had to stop and open his policed helmet up right away and try it out!

A transformer book that makes Transformer noises.

You can just feel the Christmas excitement in these next few pictures.

Opening his big present form Mommy and Daddy!

It's Spike the Dinosaur!!!!

As you can see we had a fantastic time opening presents with Dave. And then what made it even better....When I put him to bed tonight he said, "Mommy please thank Santa for all the great presents that he got me. I don't know how he knew to get all of the stuff that I wanted!" It was just a wonderful Christmas this year.

'Twas the night before Christmas....

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through our home,
We anxiously awaited the arrival of a special gnome.
Everyone was sleeping just like a log,
Everyone that is except for our dog!
Our stockings were hung on the wall nice and neat,

We even left a plate of fresh cookie for Santa to eat.


David was snuggled warm and comfy in his bed,
With visons of Transformers dancing in his head.


As mom cuddled with me she yawned and she sighed,
I wanted to sleep but there was a commotion outside.


Out on the lawn we heard this great sound,
I sprung from the bed and to the window I did bound.


I opened the window and looked all around,
Then I was shocked to see a man so jolly and round.
The moonlight glistened on his belt so bright,
I soon then remembered “This is Christmas night!”


I saw all the reindeer and a sleigh overflowing.
There were boxes, and dolls, and toy cars all showing.


Faster than an arrow his reindeer they came.
With a shout and a jingle he called them each by name.
First there was Dasher, then Dancer, then Prancer and Vixen.
Last but not least he called Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen.
Around in a circle he disappeared with a poof!
He then reappeared on top of our roof.


The jolly old elf parked his carriage and got out.
I would soon learn what his intentions were about.
He went to the door and opened it with a key,
My mind raced with wonder “what did he bring for me?”


I raced down the steps and hid behind a wall,
From this place I could see it all.
The plump old man wore a suit bright red.
“Now what belongs here” he said.
He reached into his sack and pulled out a box,
I hoped for a minute “please no more socks!”
He tiptoed around quiet as can be
And placed several presents under the Christmas tree.


As he finished his delivery he stopped and he looked,
Then he laughed out loud as his belly shook.
Content with leaving lots of treats and toys,
The merry old man thought of the happy girls and boys.
His cheeks were red like cherries,
His beard white like snow.
“Just one more cookie then I must go!”
He finished his snack and closed up his sack.
With the strength of a giant he slung it onto his back.


With a snap of his fingers and a wink of his eye,
It was time now for Santa to say goodbye.
He climbed into his sleigh then gave a shout.
His team of reindeer pranced about.
A few quick steps then up in flight
The sleigh and the reindeer flew into the night.
He exclaimed before he raced out of my sight
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Tracking Santa

We have been tracking Santa's progress today as he travels around the world. Check out NORAD. NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense Command, this is the branch to the military that tracks all air traffic. And annually they track Santa's travels around the world. They even post some videos of Santa and his reindeer. We watched some videos of Santa traveling over the Great Wall of China, Sydney Australia, and New Zealand. Dave is watching to see when he gets close to our house then he knows that it's time for bed!

Santa's Reindeer!?

Today, we braved the freezing cold weather and headed to Elmwood Park Zoo. And you may ask why would you ever go to the zoo in such cold weather? Well, to see Santa's reindeer (well not his actual reindeer that drive the sleigh these two are the sisters of the boy reindeer that drive Santa's sleigh.) Two of Santa's reindeer were visiting the zoo, but they do however have to leave today to travel back to the North Pole. And why do they have to go to back to the North Pole if they don't fly Santa's sleigh? These two are in charge of organizing the boy reindeer. (Cause we all know that women are good at organizing.) Dave had a great time seeing the reindeer they are actually a lot smaller than we excepted. Reindeer are about the size of regular deer. Below is a picture of Snowflake followed by a picture of Angel.

Nan and Dave checking out the reindeer. I think they look pretty cold, don't you?

We stopped quick to see the buffalo. The fox and wolves were also pretty active in this cold weather. But I didn't take any pictures of them since I was pretty cold myself.

And of course we must stop and see Dave's favorite turtle!! No trip to the zoo is complete without seeing at least one turtle.

Baking cookies for Santa!

Today, Dave and I baked some cookies for Santa. We started out making cut outs. Dave really enjoyed decorating them. We also made some peanut butter chip cookies (Dave's version of chocolate chip cookies, since he can't have the chocolate). And I hope to make a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies yet. But there are still presents to be wrapped so we'll see how much I can get accomplished tonight!

Getting the dough ready to roll out.

Rolling out the dough.

"Am I rolling this out right?"

Cutting out the cookies.

Choosing just the right decorations.

Decorating the first cookie.

The first cookie for Santa is complete. I think they will some of the best cookies Santa has ever eaten. And of course Dave is insisting that we leave Santa some milk to go with these great cookies.