Christmas Eve

The boys woke up to Grandaddy and Nana being here. They were so excited! They spent a good amount of time familiarizing their Grandparents with their things. They formed a pile of presented toys and costumes in the hall way where Grandaddy sat with his full attention on them. Adam and Zachary ate up their Nana's praises and Grandaddy's intrest and excitement. It was so nice to have those simple moments with my parents being with my children. I don't get many of those and so I thought it was worth remembering.

Those first moments really set the tone for the whole visit: relaxing, pleasant, & fun. We took the morning slow. When Josh got home from work we all went to a Christmas Eve matene movie. We saw "The princess and the frog" not my favorite disney movie. It was one of those that anything good in the movie you already saw it in the previews. Both Josh and Grandaddy fell asleep during the film. However the boys seemed to enjoy it and it did make the day go by quickly.

We came home to a clam cowder meal. It used to be tradition in my family but I don't think that I'm going to keep it any more. On account that you gain 1/2 of the Holiday weight in that meal alone! Wow, that stuff is fatting and not worth it. Now, on the other hand a steak dinner......that is worth it!

We went on to having another lesson about baby Jesus, and we opened up our jammies (that I made). We slipped the boys in their jammies and read "T'was the Night Before Christmas". It was pretty picture perfect for my family. Zachary payed no attention to anything. He just ran around being hiped up on sugar and lack of sleep. Adam behaved pretty good. He really didnt' want to stop at the jammies present. He kept on saying "umm, I want to open five presents." It was cute. When we told him that if he didn't go to bed Santa wouldn't be able to bring him his presents (nerf vulcan gun) he quickly went upstairs.

Because Nana and Grandaddy were here they called Kevin in Tokyo and I got to be in on the conversation. SO SO nice to be able to talk with him and hear how the mission experience is for him. I can tell that he is just blazing through that Japanese. I'm so proud of him.

Grandma comes to town

Family is what the Holiday's are about and since we weren't going to be able to go to Grandma's house this year she came to us. while she was here we kept busy. While she was here she cooked, cleaned and crafted. She never stoped! I would turn around to do a chore and there she was already doing it or it was done. What a treat during one of the most stressfull times of the year. Not only I enjoyed Grandma but the boys did too.

She made them little aprons and they jumped in to be her helpers. Adam was very interested in her ability to make pies, bread, rolls etc. as am I. As we watched a baking instructual dvd Adam states, "Grandma makes that. Grandma can to that." I am so glad that Grandma does do that. We ate so good while she was here. Her grand finale was her cinimon rolls. Oh, yeah! The way to an Engstrom Man's heart is through Grandma's Cinimon Rolls. She left extra frosting and Adam and Zachary had to have that over every square millimeter of their roll.

Jo really didn't waste time while she was here day two of her visit Josh took off of work and we all went into the big city. We got tickets to "West Side Story" and ate lunch at a really nice deli tootled around, saw "the tree" etc.... After our show was over we were done with the big city. I always enjoy my time in NYC and I always love coming home to quite NJ.

We dicided that it was too cold for the boys to go to the "the Big Chill 5k run" So it was just Grandma and Josh that went. I'm glad that Jo got her new running shirt.

Visiting Santa Clause

This year is the first year that Adam has really been into the Santa and gift thing. Around Thanksgiving time we got those wish catalogs. Adam scanned through those and even had a growing list, but then he found the Nerf Vulcan Gun. His list was wiped clean except for that gun. That was his only wish that Santa bring him the automatic Nerf machine gun. I told Adam that in order to get his wish that he needed to ask Santa Claus.

Now in the past taking Adam to see Santa was a torture session for our family. We would try to get that annual photo of our children on Father Chirstmas' lap while Adam, being totally freaked out by this strange old guy, would cry the whole time. We would try to calm him and he would resist even more. We were quite the scene. I'm sure that we got looks from passing empty-nesters that have long since forgotten what it is like to have a 2yr old.

Now that Adam had a mission and a purpose to accomplish he seemed to swallow his fears and do that which was necessary in order to accomplish his Christmas wish. After all he really wanted that gun. I took the boys to see our local Santa Claus at the mall. The BEST Santa that I have ever come across and I have even been to Macy's on 34th in NYC. He called Adam by name and they just had a nice conversation. Adam didn't sit on his lap but I didn't expect him to, that is just not Adam's style. When Santa asked "So, what would you like for Christmas?" Adam respectfully gave his rehearsed answer "I would like a NERF Vulcan Gun, please." Then Santa asked something that Adam wasn't prepared for, "Would you like anything else?" Adam just looked at him confused at the question. His reply "no."

After their exchange was over he gave Santa a hug and got a toy for Zachary and himself. Zachary really wasn't interested in sitting on this strange man's lap and wanted nothing to do with it. Being a smart person and learning from my past mistakes I didn't push it.

The Tree

We had a great time this Christmas. After our expensive fix-it summer we decided to change our travel plans to staying home. I got really excited and awoke all of those family holiday traditions of: chocolate dipping, klejner cookies, matching jammies, and going to cut down our own Christmas tree.
That was an adventure. We went to go cut down a tree at a local farm. We packed the boys in our little Saturn car, sang carols on the way, got to the farm, bundled up, plopped the boys in the wagon and were ready to start our search for the perfect tree. Then we learned the prices of these Jersey Fresh trees....$60! We got back in the car, went to the tree lot in front of the mall and bought a tree for $24 instead. It is cheaper to buy a cut tree that has been shipped from North Carolina than it is to cut your own in New Jersey. That is New Jersey property taxes for you.
The tree lot had some advantages over the farm. Adam and Zachary were greeted by a nice man that gave them candy canes, and they loved watching the tree go through the tree bailer. Shoot I liked it too. I mention the nice man becuase here in Jersey a pleasant person is a bonus.

It was our first year to have a real tree and it definitely set the "Christmas" mood with its charm and lovely smell. Our tree was worth it!

1st Movie Theater Experience

We took Zachary and Adam to see Astro Boy in the theater. It was Zach's first time to go to the thearer and we were a little bit nervous about the way he would behave. He did great! Josh got the boys a big popcorn (that is a big deal to me because that was never allowed for me growing up) and Zachary held it the whole time. He just sat in my lap ate popcorn, watched the movie and snuggeled me. It was a nice family outting.

Halloween PARTIESSSS

The parties started Wed. We attended a party at a Library with some of our friends. They boys were very proud to be in their costumes. Adam pretended to fight all of the older boys as Zach wooed a couple of the girls with his charms and cool cowboy hat.
Next the boys had their parties at the schools. As I was trying to get Zachary in his Woody costume he was resistant and didn't seem excited to ware it. Thanks to a cute friend from pre-school I had a dinosaur costume on hand and offered that to Zach. He got really excited about that. It was smooth sailing from there. When we got to Adam's school to drop him off there were several adults that had gathered to see the pre-school kids in the costumes. Man, Adam and Zachary were so excited to strut their stuff. They ripped off the jackets Adam threw on his wings and pretended to fly while Zachary stomped around like a T-rex. They soaked up the attention. I loved it too.


The next day we got to ware our costumes again at our Church party. It was a perfect party. Lots of people, food, games, and of course trick-or-treat candy. For Adam and Zachary the party was a little slow with the chili eating, and the socializing. They enjoyed the games but the best was when they went down the hallway trick-or-treating. As we left Adam exclaimed "that was awesome!"

The day finnally arrived. Halloween was upon us. I made gumbo and we gathered a group of friends over to go trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Our neighbors give out quality stuff! We just did our little loop and the boys came home happy, tired, hungry, and with a huge bag of candy. Near the end Adam didn't want to carrie his bag. He said it was "too heavy". We came back to our house with our little herd ate gumbo, played games and had a very nice evening. "Thanks" to every one that came.


I think that my favorite thing about Halloween this year wasn't the costumes (although my boys were SUPER cute) but it has been Adam's desire to share his candy with his little brother. Adam had me get out the sissors to cut his star burst in half so that he could give some to Zachary. He was excited that he had four of something to give on to everyone in the family. Adam is a challenge but then he can be so sweet and tender. I love being a mom and experiencing the joy that comes from seeing my child being kind to others.

Pumpkin Picking

The boys are doing well. Here are some pictures from yesterday. We went to Adam's soccer game and then we went pumpkin picking. Adam's game was as always a good time. I really enjoy watching Adam kick the ball during practice and run with the crowd during the game. This week was one to be remembered because he actually kicked the ball during the game. WooHoo! Zach wants to join his brother out on the field so we keep him entertained with a little one-on-one with daddy.
Our annual pumpkin picking was a little different this year b/c we went to a different farm. It wasn't as authentic as the other place that we have gone to in the past. But the boys don't care one way or the other. Zachary had a great time. The first thing that he did when we got there was plop down in the dirt and made tracks with this fingers and found some good rocks to put in this pockets. For the past few nights I have had to empty his pockets of rocks. We have a good collection going on right now. Adam and I had a good time looking for the perfect pumpkin. I made the mistake of pointing out some rotten places on some of the pumpkins and dirt. Well after that every pumkin with a little dirt on it (with is every pumpkin) wasn't good enough. He would find one that he liked and then inspect it only to find a little dirt. The pumpkin was then declared "gross" or "not perfect". We ended up going with the one that daddy picked and carted around the whole time we were there.