Rooftop Santa

I decided b/c he causes us so much grief every year that I should tell all my blogger friends the story behind "Santa on the roof". About 3 or 4 yrs ago, when the ugly, giant, blow-up lawn creatures came out (can you tell how much I liked them?), I swore I would NEVER own one. That was until I saw Santa. This one was different. It's a chimney and Santa hides inside the chimney and then pops out every few minutes. I thought it was so fun, but it was $50.00!! I didn't like him that much. The rest of that Christmas season came and went and a few weeks later Derek and I were at Lowes for something and we saw that very same Santa on clearance! It was last one and only like $15.00, it was just meant to be! The next year when we were getting out our decorations, I pulled out Santa and Derek said "it's a chimney and I'm not putting a chimney in the front yard, he's going on the roof!" I thought he was absolutely crazy and that it would never work up there. Well, Derek proved me wrong. He built a platform that lays over the roof peak to stabilize it and it's then anchored to the platform as well! The problem we always have is that when he's deflated if it gets cold or we get the wet, heavy snow, he won't blow up! So, then Derek get mad that he won't blow up and risks his life to get him back up at least 2 or 3 times a year!! This year, he made a wicked long pole to poke him! It's so funny, I don't know why we do this to ourselves every year! Sometimes we see people driving slow in front of our house to check him out and that makes it worth it. I hope someday our kids will think we're pretty cool with a Santa on our roof! If he survives that long! Anyway, now you know the story, here's a few pictures of our famous rooftop Santa, enjoy!!

Where's Santa?

Here he is!!

The other day (before I got the tree up) when I got Ethan up, he saw one of his hats on the changing table and was trying to put it on his head. This is very odd because he hates wearing hats usually. So, I helped him put it on and he wore all morning! It was so cute, here's a couple pictures of him!

Thanksgiving Weekend

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did. On Thanksgiving Day, I had to work until 3pm so Derek and Bonnie did all of the cooking at our house while I was gone. It was great! I just came home, changed my clothes and ate a scrumptious meal! Props to our chefs! Everyone was able make it and stayed until around 10 or 1030pm talking! Great family time! The next morning, Bonnie and I decided to brave the crazy's and went shopping at 0630! We got a lot of great deals....but I still have a lot shopping to do! I never know what to get people....I need lists, lists, lists!!! Anyway, we really had a great time, but called it quits around 2pm, we were pooped! I took a nap when Ethan did, and we had fun night at home.

Saturday, the weather was actually pretty decent, so we all played outside. Derek got Santa on the roof and I did a little raking (we still have a couple inches of leaves on our lawn that we didn't have a chance to get up before the snow!!). I couldn't get much done b/c I was chasing Ethan. He had a ball! That night Derek and I went on a Date! It was really nice. Since he's started his new job, we hardly get a chance to talk it seems! He gets home an hour later now and it really makes a difference. We eat dinner, then it's tubby time, bed time and by the time I'm done with all that, Derek's sleeping on the couch! Not every night, but he has to get up so early and it's still all so new for him, so he's mentally drained. It will be better once he gets used to it, but he's so pooped when he gets home! Anyway, to make a long story short, we had some nice, quality time together, so Thanks Again Mom and Dad!!!

Sunday, we had our Thanksgiving at my mom's. Derek and I had to make pies in the morning and the green bean casserole! We were almost late waiting for the pies...but we made it and the pies were still warm when we ate them!! YUM, YUM!! It was weired w/o my brother there, but I psyched that he's going to be home for Christmas! He comes home on the 17th, I can't wait! I was supposed to go down to GA to see him graduate from Basic on the 11th, but I can't find anyone to drive down with me and I don't want to drive alone. I'm still checking to see if I can steal a last minute flight, but I'm not very optimistic :( Anyway, I hope he understands. I really wish I could be there. Anyway, my grandma was able to be there too, so we had a nice time. THEN...that night my dad and Justin came over for pizza! They only stayed a few hours, but it was nice to hang out. I haven't seen Justin in a while, he's 11 now and loves to play video games so that's what he and Derek did most of the time! Derek actually admitted he wished Justin lived a little closer so he could come over and play more often!! This funny b/c Justin used to LOVE to rub it in when he won or whatever and used to drive Derek nuts, he hated playing with him! Justin has really gotten so much better and he's polite and much better behaved now...it's amazing what a couple years will do! So, that was our busy, busy weekend! I don't really have any pictures from it, which I know is terrible! We were just having such a great time that it slipped my mind! I guess I'll have a little hole in my scrapbook this year!

Here's a few pictures of Ethan's 1st time in the snow a few days before Thanksgiving!

A few more...

Well, I can't take any credit for these pictures (except that adorable little boy b/t us) because my BFF Karen took them! She's awesome, as you can see!! Obviously, these weren't done in the past couple weeks as there's no snow! She did then right around Halloween and just sent them to me the other day. Ethan was less then a willing participant, especially at the marina around all the "wah-wah"! All he wanted to do was run around and try to get to the "wah-wah"! It was a little trying, but actually the candid photos are my favorites anyway!

That one warm weekend in Nov.....

I just thought I'd share these fun pics I took of Ethan and the dogs when we were enjoying our last warm weekend. And seeing all the snow today, I was really wishing that weather back! I'm not ready for snow yet!!

What do you think??

So I finally decided to actually TRY to get a new background uploaded to my blog today. What a retard I am....it was so stinkin easy!!!! Anyway, what's the word guys!

"CAW"

At least I think that's how to phonetically spell how Ethan says color! He LOVES to color now!! He even knows a lot of colors too! He can correctly pick out Blue ("Bru"), Green ("GEE"), Red, Black, Brown. Orange and Yellow usually, but those two are the ones he gets a little mixed up yet! I'm impressed....I'm sure it's advanced or something, right?? Just kidding, he amazes me every day though! He's also learned the word "poo-poo" and he'll even try to say "stinky poo-poo" when I'm changing a dirty diaper! I think it's cute now, but I'm sure I won't when he announces it in the middle of grocery store or something!! Oh, he says paper too, but it sounds more like "papoo".

He has a cold right now, or is getting another moler - or both! He's just miserable! The first couple nights he got me up EVERY HOUR and then it would take me a while to calm him down, and just about the the time I fell back to sleep, he'd wake up screaming again. I feel alot like I did when he was a newborn...but not NEARLY as bad! Boy, it seems like those days were soooo long ago! I had almost forgotten.....almost!



Well, here he is coloring and drawing on his chalkboard (my awesome Goodwill find!!)

Here's a little video of him saying his colors. The reason I laugh at first, is because right when I hit record, he let out a big belch!!

Lot's to share...

Well, most people already know our latest and greatest news.....DEREK GOT A NEW JOB!!!! We are so excited! This is truly an answer to LOTS of prayers! Derek will now be working for Dan Vos Construction Company in Grand Rapids. This is an AWESOME company, one of the best in Michigan! They are constantly getting very prestigious awards for their work. Derek had the privilege of working with them on many occasions when he was at Gentex. They have been wanting to hire him for months, but as you know the economy hasn't been real condussive to new commercial construction, but Dan Vos is starting to pick up and they're really excited to have Derek on board! Derek has been on cloud 9 ever since! He gave his 2wks notice at his previous job, but really only had enough work for 1 wk, so he wrapped things up there last Friday and has been working on his "Honey Do" list this week! It's been fun having him home, he got a lot done! I'm really glad he had a week to wrap his head around this new chapter he's about to start. This really is his dream job and he SO deserves it! Here's Ethan helping Daddy out the other day (steeling his trim!!)

Daddy, went on his "Man Weekend" this weekend so it's just been me and Ethan since Thursday night! It's been fun actually. It worked out that I had almost the whole week off since I worked last weekend. I've really enjoyed spending one-on-one time with Ethan, although last night I hardly slept b/c I was freaked out with all the wind and creapy sounds in my house! I triple checked all the doors, brought the phone to bed with me and locked my door with me and the dogs in my room with the baby monitor right next to my head! What a freak! Oh well, I finally got some sleep anyway!

Halloween

Ethan was a Froggy for Halloween. We were invited to a kid Halloween party at Rob and Denise's and I was really excited! Ethan, not so much! He actually did good with the costume this year, but there were a lot of kids there and none (except Max) he knew, so he wanted to play at the end of their driveway where noone else was! It was so frustrating! The games were all a little to old for him, but I thought he'd enjoy watching them...nope! Rob and Denise worked so hard on their decorations and little haunted trail and we had to leave before we saw any of it! I was bummed, but Ethan had had enough and why make the entire party listen to him scream! So, we left before the party really got started. I think next year will be much different...if we get invited again!! After we left we debated on stopping at Chris and Ali's, which has been a little Halloween tradition. We decided we couldn't mess with tradition...even though it was really late. When we got there, Ethan turned around and started banging on the door to leave! He'd had enough of people he didn't know! After a couple mins. he warmed up to everyone, especially Brianna (their 2 y/o)! They were watching TV and drinking from their sippy cups together! He did so good, despite not getting to bed until 10pm!!Here's Ethan At Denise's just before we left.

Ethan LOVED carrying his trick-or-treat bucket around, but did NOT want anything it!! It was so cute!

Here we are just before we left for the Brinks!

My little froggy!

Froggy and Daisi!

Always playing "Catch-up"

Once again, I'm behind on my blog! I'm always behind on something it seems! Anyway, the weekend before Halloween, Derek and I went to a Halloween party (a friend of a friend's). My friends wanted to go as the Golden Girls and here we are!

Erin (Dorothy), Karen (Rose), Amber (Sophia) and Shelly (Blanche)

Here's my friend Dave (Amber's hubby) as Andy Warhol (sp?)

What kind of Halloween party would it be without Sara Palin? (Christine)

Kid Rock (Shannon) and Pam Anderson (Derek) even got back together for the event!

That weekend we finally finished carving our pumpkins! I had decorated our porch about a week before in a huge spider web and found some super cute ghost lights to hang. So here's our "scary" decorations this year!

Pumpkins

The other night I was going through some old pictures that were on our hard-drive and I came across this one of Derek and I on our wedding day (and he thought I'd be nice!). He was totally caught off gaurd, it was great! So I had to put it on the blog for a while, for old times sake!!

Ethan was really cute the other night cuddling with Daisy, here's a couple pictures.



On Sunday, Ethan and I went to get pick out our pumpkins. We went to a place just off 31, they had TONS! Ethan had fun with all of the "balls" as he calls them. When we got there they had some really huge pumkins as you walked in so I got Ethan with the biggest one! He kept patting it and even laid his head on it! I got some more pictures too, but they're on my other camera!