Weekly Happenings - December 19

• Did I really not post last week?  I know I typed up something... maybe I hit delete instead of publish?  I remember typing about my birthday.  It was on the 7th.  We started the day out slow, then ran errands, ate lunch at Jason's Deli (and we've already gone back b/c we enjoyed it so much), got a pedicure, ate some turtle pie, and spent the evening with my little family.  I got flowers, accessories, jamberry nails, clothes, cash, gift certificates, and a "climbing clip" (I think that's what they are called) from Hayden.  It was a great day!
  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  

  
  

• I've spent most of the month in the kitchen and I have no complaints about that!  I've tried many new recipes for dinner, and I have every good intention in the world to blog about them, but I never seem to find the time!  New Years Resolution maybe!?  I need to share them though because they have all been keepers!  I've also wanted to spend time baking for other people.  Kevin took a haul of food into work yesterday, and Hayden's teacher and bus driver have been given sweets too.  I would like to still bake for my neighbors & friends, make sugar cookies with Hayden and Allie, and do a couple Christmas crafts early next week.

Here's a run down of what I baked up this week:
Sugar cookies

Gingersnaps

Gingerbread men

Buckeyes

Snickerdoodles

Caramel Corn

• On top of gearing up for Christmas, I keep thinking in the back of my mind that I really need to be planning a 1st Birthday Party too :-X  It's going to be thrown together, but I know it will be great.  I'm trying to keep the food on the simple side, and remind myself that Austin will enjoy anything we do, and obviously he won't remember any part of it, so I don't need to stress about it!
  

  
  

  

  
  

  

  
  

• Hayden got some recognition for his great year of popcorn sales at the pack Christmas party on Tuesday.  His name was on the t-shirt for selling over $1,000, he received a gold medal with his name and total sales, and he was recognized by the council's popcorn chair person.  She told us he ranked #17 out of all the scouts in Southwestern Indiana and Southern Illinois (which consists of 132 packs, and our pack alone has 87 scouts).  We were proud of him :)
  
  
  

  

• Hayden also had his first sick day of school.  I was told Tuesday evening that 3 kids were out in Hayden's class due to the flu.  Hayden woke up Wednesday morning dry heaving and I just knew that spelled trouble.  I called the office and said he hadn't thrown up yet, but I wasn't even going to chance sending him to school - and I should have because he ended up being just fine!  Not sure what caused the little mishap that morning, but I'm so thankful it wasn't the full blown flu right before Christmas.

• The last highlight I want to mention is on the 18th we decided to start weening Austin off his bottles.  We went to two bottles a day and the kid didn't bat an eye.  He's drinking milk out of a sippy cup like a champ and eating literally everything we put in front of him (and anything he can get his hands on - which includes what his sisters don't eat!)  Our plan is when this last container of formula is gone, the bottles will be gone too!  That will probably happen this coming week!
  
  
  
  

The girls are doing great, getting along most of the time, and tend to keep me smiling all day! 

Check back in throughout the rest of the month and I promise to have some more frequent posts!  Lots going on around here that I want to write down and remember :)