Surprise Trip to Iowa :)

So we took a surprise trip to Iowa this weekend. Dad always puts up all sorts of lights up outside and Mom does the same on the inside. Life got busy and they hadn't had the time or the energy to get it done. Well, when Dad said "They're just not going to get put up this year" I said NO WAY ;) So we decided to go surprise them and help with getting decorations up! They didn't have a CLUE we were coming! It was great. I even called Mom a couple times on the way up, pretending that we were going to town to go Christmas shopping, asking questions about what she'd gotten people or what she thought I should get someone. Anyway, we got there about 8:30 I think Friday night. I sent Anna up to ring the doorbell while I hid behind the porch railing. When he opened the door, she said "suhpiiiize!!!" :) I forgot that the door opens the wrong way to get a good picture, but I could see Dad walk up to the door and he didn't have a clue who was there. He said he thought it was Girl Scouts selling cookies! haha

I think it took several seconds for Dad to realize it was Anna!

We left right after lunch, so Aaron had to make a delivery on the way. The door barely fit and the way we had to angle it, Anna couldn't see the TV screen (heaven forbid!!). So Jacob watched Dora on the TV (I actually don't think he ever even noticed the door!) and Anna watched The Tangerine Bear on my laptop! HA It was only an hour from home to where we dropped the door off. They are spoiled!

There was a leak that Anna & I discovered in the bathroom, so she helped Papa fix it! When I found the water, I told her to go tell Papa that there was water all over the floor. She RUNS out the door, frantically hollering "Papa! Papa! Dhere's watah all ober the bafroom!!!!!!" It was cute. I walked by the first time w/out my camera and Anna even had a little plumber's crack goin' on! ha

A complete switch from last year, Anna LOVES playing in the snow now! She begged and begged to go play in the snow. So we bundled her up and she went out and played around while Dad & Aaron got all the lights down and ready to go. Did I mention that it didn't get above 20 degrees all weekend? And that doesn't factor in the wind chill! Poor guys nearly froze to death! But they got all the lights on the garage and roof up (about 1/3 of what usually goes up!).

When she got too cold (or too bored from not having anyone play with her!), she came in and helped decorate the tree. She did a great job. She had the most fun getting ornaments, climbing up the step ladder, and handing them to me:)

My camera is not very good with night scenes :( Mom & Dad got a bunch of LED lights this year to add. They are so pretty and brilliantly bright! The gold ones on the tree are the new ones. The purple ones are regular lights.


In case you couldn't tell, Mom's color theme for the living room is purple and gold :)

And then Saturday evening after a DELICIOUS supper of Famous Dave's, Aaron & I went Christmas shopping while Papa & Binga babysat! We got it ALL done!!!!!

For unforeseen reasons, we ended up leaving quite late. Anticipating a horrendous trip the last 3 hrs., I let them open a Christmas present early...
A new Veggie Tales movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
I have to say, they did amazing on the trip home. We didn't get home until 11pm, Anna never slept, Jacob only slept for 30 min, and we only stopped once! It's a 7 hr. drive with stopping once for 30 min. And of course when we got home, they caught a 2nd wind and were up for another hour! At least they were happy, and they went to bed very easily and slept pretty late. Whew!

Any time there's a dishwasher open, this boy high-tails it over and climbs aboard! He is just completely fascinated with the wheels and seeing how the racks go in and out. Isn't he just so cute?? :D

Our favorite meal

*Lots of pictures again! My kids are just so cute, I can't help it! ;)*

My kids have always loved spaghetti and Iowa sweet corn. And when I say love, I mean they eat a LOT when I fix this meal! Case in point:

He is a MESS!!!

Don't even THINK about takin' my corn Mama!

Contrary to her face here, she loves this meal (she had 2 helpings!). She was having a little bit of trouble staying awake during supper.

Jacob loves the dishwasher. He very quietly climbed up there tonight. I'm surprised he didn't bust the door!

Oh my stars. Look at that boy! He is so ornery. It makes me tired just seeing that face!!!

And this one's got the sass! She's 3 and already talks on the phone with her hand on her hip! Look out teenage years (I think I'm going gray just thinking about it!)

Telling us all about what she's cooking. She was very persistent about me bringing her kitchen set to the real kitchen so she could cook supper with me. I think she made as big of a mess as I did!!

I'm suddenly very tired... ;)

The men did the dishes tonight after supper. This picture is so precious :)

And Jacob is getting his FIRST haircut tomorrow!!!! I'm excited b/c let's be honest...he's got a mullet (and we don't do mullets in our house). But I'm also sad b/c I know he'll look like a "big boy" after it's cut. Time goes so fast. I really hope he does okay. I think as long as she doesn't use the clippers, he'll be fine (he's not fond of loud noises). In a couple years, I'm sure I'll be cutting his hair (like I cut Aaron's and like my mom cut the men's in our family growing up). But I don't want to try on a squirmy 1 yr. old for his 1st haircut!

Hello Gomer Pyle! ha

This boy was T.I.R.E.D. at lunch today! I was emailing and he screamed, so I turned around to tell him "Use your man voice!" (for the 999,999,999th time today!) and he was having trouble keeping his head upright. Nevermind the eyes...he knew keeping those open was hopeless. But he valiantly tried keeping his head up. I let him bob for a bit so I could get a good video (I don't have a fancy video camera, so I can't post the video on here). He didn't even move when I picked him up (except for his head falling even farther when I moved his tray!). It was quite comical :)

My little mother hen :) Feeding her baby (one of her hundred)

Today was laundry day. Not only did I have a couple loads to catch up on folding, our foster son (foster as in college kid (who happens to be my 2nd cousin) we "adopt" for the school year) brought over about 4 loads of laundry, too! I love doing it for them (3 of my cousins are students here, plus Aaron brought in another one this year!!) So I washed, hung out, dried, and folded clothes all day today! I actually don't mind doing laundry...I just don't like putting it away! Which is why there's a basket full of folded clothes waiting to be put away!!! Anyway, Anna decided she would use Seth's laundry basket as her lounging spot to watch cartoons. I thought she was asleep at first, but she wasn't. Just very comfy!