Thanksgiving thru New Years

I know, I know...it's been over TWO months since I've blogged but I promise I've not been lounging on the couch eating bon-bons instead of blogging! We've been going non-stop since Thanksgiving and looking forward to slowing down in the new year. ''I'm serious! It is one of my new years resolutions this year...to stop overcommitting and slow down!!!

So let's go back to November...Thanksgiving was a quite event for us. We were here in Orlando and had a nice dinner at my mom's house. Mark wooed us with a new grilled turkey recipe...it's a hit! Brooks even enjoyed the food this year!

The weekend after Turkey Day we headed up to God's Country (i.e. Gainesville) for the UF vs FSU game. It was great to be back in our old stomping grounds...even if it was only for the day. It was also great to watch Tim Tebow play his last home game in the Swamp...talk about bitter sweet! It's always great to be a Florida Gator!!!!

Soon after Thanksgiving we had some pretty bad thunderstorms come through Orlando. One morning we woke up to find that one of our beautiful oak trees in the front yard had split into two pieces!!!! There is nothing like walking out the front door on your way to work to find that your car has been crushed by a tree!!! Ugh!!! Long story short the Honda took the brunt of the force and it took over three weeks to get it back from the body shop. But now it is as good as new and looks like we just bought it!

The first weekend in December I ran a half marathon here on Orlando. It was a wet, chilly morning but the race went well! I ran with Ny and Cyndy and it was a blast! We finished in just over 2 hours...thanks to Ny kicking my rear in gear at the end!

Once December rolled around it was non-stop fun for all of us! Brooks and I had lots of fun Christmas playdates to attend. Here we are at Gracyn's Christmas party...what a fun time! Kindermusik was even there and we all know how much Brooks loves music!!!

Here is Brooks with Miss Ella and Gracyn...what a little mack-daddy!

Brooks was taking a sleigh-ride in the laundry basket...so much fun!

And here he is watching the animal puppet show...Kindermusik is SO much fun!!!

Brooks also got a lot of fun new clothes in the mail from his Uncle Rick and Aunt Lyn for Christmas...we couldn't wait to open them! Take a little at his little man-hat!!!! Is he so cute or what??? I told Mark that it is sad that our son is more fashion forward than he and I!!!!

We started a few home renovations in December too...thank goodness! We are in the middle of making the old office into an indoor laundry room and renovating the hall bathroom. We've added a tub so now Brooks won't have to take a bath in the sink anymore!!! Yay!!!! He is SO excited!!!

Look at my crazy hair-do mama gave me!

We also took advantage of our Disney passes and went to see the Osborn Festival of Lights a few times. Brooks LOVED seeing all the Christmas displays and the light show. It even "snowed" while we were there!!!

Brooks was have a great time...I mean look at that face!!!! Ha!

He even stole a little Ella smooch under all those pretty Christmas lights! Don't tell her daddy!

Mid-December we drove over to Biloxi to see all of Mark's family. Brooks loved seeing his Pops and all of his cousins. He especially liked hanging out with all the "kids"...well they are not little anymore! Here he is with Garrett Batia...he loved sitting in his lap and feeding him his snacks...Garrett was such a trooper about it too!

And here he is with Sarah and Hannah Ryan...I really do think Brooks thinks he is one of the big kids too!

One Sunday we drove over towards Deland to go to the Historic Spanish Sugarmill. It was a really cool restaurant where you sit family style and cook your own pancakes right at the table! It was so much fun and SO yummy too! It was a chilly morning but we still went on a nature walk with the kiddies and we even got some time in at the playground!

Before Christmas we got to help Andrew celebrate his first birthday Disney style! We all met up at Hollywood Studios and took the kids to see Beauty and the Beast (which Brooks LOVED) and then we had cake and presents in the park! We all had so much fun! Happy Birthday Andrew!!!!

Balloons for everyone!!!!

Ahrrr! It's pirate-Mickey Brooks!

The true start of our Chrismas season began with taking Brooks to see Santa. We decided to skip the whole mall frenzy and we went to a little children shoe store. Brooks wasn't so sure about all that was going on. Here he is checking out that big guy in the red suit...he seems harmless enough from here...

Inching a little closer for a better look...

See, even mommy thinks this guy is ok...

But I'm not so sure why you set me on his lap...NOT cool!!!!

I want down NOW!!!!!!! Put me DOWN!!!!! But good ol' Santa is hanging in there!

Brooks is still not buying it...nothing phases the big guy though...he's all smiles all the time!

Ok...now we are going to try this again...but this time we will be all together! Look maybe this candycane will help!!! Who knew visiting Santa could be so traumatic!

Christmas day was SO much fun!!!! Brooks had a great time opening up all of his presents! I think it was the thrill of being allowed to tear all of that paper!!! Here he is opening up his first present...this one was from his Pops. It was a special comfy chair that he adores!!!!

He loved his chair so much that we ended up opening up all of his gifts while sitting in it...I don't think he moved all morning!

Check out his new camo hat that his daddy gave him...so cool!

Christmas night we went over to my mom's for dinner and to go to downtown Celebration to watch it "snow"...it was so much fun to see Brooks reaction to all the "snow" and music!

Afterwards Aunt Lyn and GJ stopped by on their way home from the airport to see Brooks. Brooks loved seeing his Aunt Lyn...he couldn't get enough hugs and snuggles from her!!!

GJ even got in on all the fun!

The next day we had Christmas at GJ's house...Brooks got a really cool slide for the backyard from his Uncle Rick, Aunt Lyn and Tom! Thanks guys!!!!

A few days later it was Christmas in Perry with all the Schwabs! It was so much fun to watch Brooks open presents and interact with all his cousins. Fletcher was such a great big cousin and helped Brooks open his bigger gifts from his PopPop.

Check out the cute moose towel and big plush deer rug he got from my dad...oh dear!!!!

All the Schwab grandkids...what a good looking bunch of kids!

To end a wonderful 2009 we decided to ring in the new year in style! We decided to hire the best babysitter in Orlando, get all dressed up and hit the town! My mom so graciously opened her home to all of us and watched three sleeping babies while we went to dinner at Kobe. It wasn't the New Years Eve of the past but we all had a lot of fun!

Julie Ann and Caroline even joined us for "wild and crazy" fun in downtown Celebration...fun that pretty much consisted of Ny, Mark and Mike playing little ditties on their New Years horns!!! Oh Geeze!!!!

Mike and Mark had too much fun and ended up falling asleep on air mattress in the livingroom...awww...how sweet!

New Years Day 2010!!!! Sweet Cooper in his festive bib!

Brooks was so funny and went in and woke Julie and Caroline all on his own...he needed no coaxing from me! They were thrilled I am sure!

After breakfast we had a New Years dance party...Ella and Brooks had too much fun showing off all their moves!

Be sure to check out all of Brooks' and Ella's dance moves on this short YouTube video!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfqTQ32r220

What an adorable family!!!!

That evening we decided it was time for some PR's Taco Shack...Brooks loved their queso dip...no worries...we didn't let him double dip!!!

Mmmmm...this is good stuff mama!!!

Brooks continues to amaze us everyday. He is growing up so fast...I mean only last year at this time we was just a little lump of love that was barely holding up his head on his own! Now he is running circles around us and trying to repeat everything you say! He is growing like a weed...taller everyday I swear! He is starting to put words together and to point and name things on his own. He can point out all the pictures in his books and he can point to and name all the features on his face...his eyes and nose are his favorite!!!! He'll even point/poke your eyes too! Brooks still is a great eater and he loves to try new foods...today it was feta cheese! He loved it! He loves to take a bath...he'll stick his face in the water and blow bubbles...he just laughs if the water goes up his nose! I hope this is a good sign that swimming lessons will be easy this spring!
There is not a day that goes by that he doesn't do at least one thing that makes laugh out loud! We love him so much and it is so much fun now that he is able to express his love back to us...he is very generous with his kisses!!!! Talk about melt your heart!!!