CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS

Bye Mama!!
How many Neyens men does it take to put together a big wheel?
Um...can somebody put this together?
Wow my new big wheel!


Playing tractors with DJ
Who needs presents when you have an empty box!
I got a helmet for my soon to open bike!
Ruby wanted in on some present action

Christmas morning opening stockings
All ready for Santa to come!

YAY!  TRACTOR!!
Helping Papa open his gift

Opening his first present of Christmas
Nana & Xavier
Christmas Eve!

This year we decided to split Christmas between two days.  We spent Christmas Eve with my side of the family, my mom and step dad Tim and we spent Christmas up in Nooksack with Steve's family.  It worked out really well!  We had lots of time to spend with everyone and we had a great time both days!  My mom and Tim got Xavier a John Deere Gator and he LOVED it!!!  He couldn't ride it outside because of the snow, so he would just sit on it and press the horn....over and over and over!  Steve's family got Xavier a train set and a big wheels bike. Xavier loves playing with the train! He will ask you to come play with him in his room and then he shuts the door to keep you there FOREVER!!!
We had so much fun on both days! This was the first year that Xavier got what was going. I can't wait for all the Christmas' to come...it is so much more fun with kids!

A LITTLE TRACTOR SLEDDING!

I finally get to drive!!!  Check out Xavier's seat!

When we bought our tractor 2 years ago I'll admit I complained about the price and the usage intent.  I just didn't think we needed it!  So it has been 2 years and it has provided many hours of entertainment!  Steve's dad built a seat for it so Xavier can ride on the side of it when they are mowing the grass and today Xavier was in his seat when Steve went out to plow driveways!  After Xavier's nap we promised him we would take him out in the snow.  I was feeling a little guilty because we hadn't played much in the snow lately(it's so deep, it comes up to his waist)!  Ace Hardware got a new shipment of sleds in this afternoon so we bought one and tied it to the tractor!  Steve pulled me and Xavier and then by some miracle, Steve let me drive the tractor while Xavier went by himself!  It was sooo much fun!  So, once again, I have been proven wrong with our tractor purchase because it has provided many many hours of fun entertainment for the whole family, even me!!

WATCH OUT MARTHA STEWART!

So, a long time ago for my bridal shower my friend Hue gave me this paint can decorated with a gift inside!  I loved it, but never tried it myself.  A couple of days ago my friend Kirstie reminded me of the can and she was going to do some Christmas ones and put smores kits in them!  Since we are pretty much stuck inside I thought this sounded fun, so I went to Michael's and got the supplies to create my own little buckets to give away.  Here are a few pictures of my creations.  I filled the little ones with chex mix on the bottom and then reindeer mix on the top.  The big ones I did the same, but I also put cookies on the top! Yes, I did make the chex mix, reindeer mix and cookies myself!!  Wow I sound so domestic!  I've also included a picture of Xavier's gingerbread house he made at school.  I had nothing to do with this project, but I thought it was cute!!!

MORE SNOW PICS!

Although I think the snow needs to go now, I am still fascinated with it!  Here are some of the latest pictures from our house with all of the snow.  I think the picture of the bench is a good estimate of how much has fallen over the past couple of days.  I have also been watching our swing set because to the far right is a rope with a red disc on it and it was just sitting on top of the snow but now it is completely covered!  The icicle shows just how cold it has been and oh did I mention it is STILL SNOWING!!!  They are predicting another 4 inches tonight...at this point I am ok with it because I only have one day of work left and I am hoping for a white Christmas, which my husband assures me we will have!!  

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

It is STILL snowing!!  It stopped for awhile last night and then started again around 11pm and it hasn't stopped!  I think by now we have around 15"!!!  It is so cold out that I haven't taken Xavier outside yet today to play in it....we might save that for tomorrow, but it is suppose to be even colder tomorrow!  I love the snow so much, but I think it gets to a point where I really just want to jump in my car and go somewhere...anywhere!!!  Even Ruby is going stir crazy!  I am waiting for Xavier to fall asleep so I can start wrapping presents and addressing Christmas cards, but of course he hasn't burned much energy today so he is having a hard time relaxing!!  This may be the longest day in history!  At least I have something pretty to look at outside even if it is preventing me from going shopping oh and to work!!

SNOW SNOW AND MORE SNOW!

Well the news was actually right...well kind of!  The news did say that Seattle was going to get snow so they closed the schools there and of course not a flake in sight!!  Mount Vernon however got hammered with the white stuff!  We probably have a total of 8-9" at our house (combination of what was left over and todays), so Xavier and I finally got to go out and play!  We built a snowman and went down the slide into a pile of snow.  I also taught him how to make a snowball and throw it at Ruby!!  We had so much fun and then it was hot chocolate with marshmallows and whip cream to get warm.  Xavier isn't a big fan of hot chocolate(takes after his dad), but he does love marshmallows and whip cream!  Steve also took Xavier out on the tractor and went down the street to plow the neighbors driveways.  With all of the busy activity today Xavier and Steve crashed together in the chair for an afternoon nap!  What a fun day!  Now lets hope it snows more tonight so I don't have to go to work tomorrow!! :-)

SNOW!

I live for snow!!  I just love the way it looks and the excitement it brings....oh and did I mention that if it snows enough I usually can't drive around for work....so that is nice too!!  However, I was very surprised that it snowed as much as it did this past weekend!  I've included a picture of our backyard so you can see how much we got!  I think we had about 6-8 inches and the temperature still hasn't been above 30!  We are suppose to be getting more snow tonight and again on Sunday, but I will wait to see if the news is correct!

SANTA TRAIN

Last Saturday we took the Santa train with my mom, Tim and Jordan.  It was so much fun!  It was very cold, but we drank hot chocolate, ate candy canes, sang songs and of course met Santa!  The Swapp Family were also on the train, but getting Ty and Xavier to sit still and pose for a picture with each other was pretty much impossible!  Hopefully we will make this a Neyens tradition and Xavier and the new baby will enjoy it year after year!

IT'S A.....

GIRL!

90% of you were correct!  All looked good with baby girl Neyens and the due date is still the same, April 23rd!  We still don't have a single girl name so any suggestions would be great!

OH CHRISTMAS TREE

We finally ventured out today to find the perfect tree!  Last year we decided to wait until Christmas Eve to get a tree and we couldn't find one place open, so we ended up finding a tree in a parking lot just sitting there...so we loaded it up for free!  It was dry and ugly and I only put lights on it, so this year I was determined to get one early and make it look nice!!  We went to a U-Cut place in Stanwood looking for an inexpensive tree and of course the one we found ended up being the most expensive one on the farm!  Steve picked it out and then him and Xavier took turns cutting it down!  I know, a 2 year old with a hand saw...trust me I was nervous too, but he loved it!

HAIRCUTS!

Does your kid hate haircuts?  Mine use to too!  It use to take Steve restraining Xavier while I cut fast to get him an OK cut!  Well I thought it was ok until my friend Kirstie saw him one day and asked where I take him and that I shouldn't go back there!  So, it has now gotten easier, no more restraining!  I take my turn cutting and then we let Xavier have his turn!  He can't mess it up...it's not like we are doing a fade on the sides!  He usually gets the #2 all the way around!

XAVIER LOVES HIS DOG!

I'd like to introduce you to our boxer Ruby.  She is a bitch...no really she is!  She loves everyone in our family except me, I take that back, she loves me when she wants something or when Steve isn't home!  Xavier loves her though and Ruby loves him so that is very important.  Although Xavier does have a scar on his head from her and now he has started to let me know when Ruby is in trouble!!  He will walk right up to Ruby and grab her head and ask her if she wants a kiss and then he lays one on her, but don't worry, she gets him right back!  When Ruby is sleeping he will go over to her and cuddle up with her and then of course he will say, "Mama, Mama look CHEESE!"  So here are some great pics of Ruby and her boy Cheesin!

20 WEEKS...1/2 WAY THERE!

Ok here is my first belly pic.  Not the greatest because my photographer was not wanting to be a photographer!  I am 20 weeks and 1 day!  8 days until we find out the sex of the baby!  It is going to be a long week of waiting!