Diesel's 2nd Birthday

Well, 2 years have come and gone since I gave birth to our 3rd and finale baby. My Little guy is now officially 2 years old. It's hard to grasp and let happen since I know he is my last baby.

The day started off with the girls and I getting him out of bed singing Happy Birthday to him. He didn't know what to think. He would hide under his pillow and then peak out and smile. When Jeremy woke up he was playing and calling him his little birthday boy. Diesel thought it was fun but wasn't sure what to think.

We got everything ready for his 2nd Birthday party. At 2pm the guest arrived.

First the kids all played outside in the Bounce House. We had blown up balloons to play with in the house but they ended up in the bouncy. Diesel thought it was great. It was too funny to see. With all the static cling the kids hair was everywhere and the balloons were sticking to the kids.
You can't really read it but Diesel's shirt said
I'm two.... You've been warned!
My Grams and Gramps got it for him and after 6 months he is finally able to wear it. I thought today was the prefect 1st time.

Diesel discovered you could pop the balloons by falling on them. Notice how thy are stuck to his whole body. It was so funny.

Taylor was very sad that she couldn't play. With her hurt ankle it wasn't a good idea for anyone. Instead she sat and watched and pouted a little. But, soon enough she will have fun at her 8th Birthday party!

Of course we had to get a car cake. Diesel loved this hot wheels. It was a wind up car and that in new to him.

When we sang to him he wasn't very happy. He yelled NO and covered his face then made Jeremy pick him up. We were able to get him to blow out his candles but I think it was more Spit on them as 2 of them were trick candles and they never came back on. It was pretty cute.

I had to take the cake away and serve it and he wasn't very happy about that. As you can see we had pizza too and it was all over him.

Now that's better mom Yummy!

Present time. He opened this really cool Cars rug and it has two cars to play with. He didn't want to open anything else. Instead he wanted to play with the cars. It worked out ok because all the kids got to open the presents they gave him.

Once everything was opened he saw that got some cool stuff and wanted to play with it all.

He even decided to climb up on the pool table and drive his car off the edge.

This car was so cute. It was a shape sorter and once all the shapes are in place it drive on it's own. He loved it.

I was able to get a good group shot.

Happy Birthday Diesel.

Our family wouldn't have been complete with out you in it!

My Gimp

So on Christmas night Taylor was playing with one of Diesel's new toys. A cars Bop Bag. Instead of bopping it she kicked it. But she missed the bag and kicked the entertainment center. It HURT very badly. But she seemed ok.

Then Firday morning Jer was taking a shower and Taylor tripped over his shoes that he left in the hallway. Her right ankel swelled up and she was in a lots of pain. We ended up going shopping all day and she was walking around on it. When we got home, she was favoring her right foot. When we looked at it was the size of a golf ball. Since we had been out shopping all day I decided to have her sleep all night and see how she felt in the AM.

Well Saturday morning it was still the size of a golf ball and she was still in pain. After 3 hours in Urgent Care this is what we have

It isn't a cast. She has a fiberglass brace and then that's wrapped in an ace bandage. We should hear on Monday if it's broken. They DR at urgent care defiantly saw a break but couldn't tell if it was her old one (she broke it when she was 5) or a new one. I think it's new because Taylor had re injured her ankle a few moths after she broke it and when they did the x-rays the DR then couldn't see a break at all. So we shall see. For now Taylor was so excited to get crutches but now realizes then hurt and really are no fun. Rylee has become Tay's personal maid (at her own choice) It's kind of cute to see Rylee helping Taylor so much. She sure loves her big sissy!

A Hanel Christmas

I felt like I was 10 again this morning. I woke up at 6, 7 and 8am. I am not sure if it was anticipation of the kids waking up or my excitement to see them open their gifts. Any matter, the girls came running in at 8:15. I hopped out of bed with help from Taylor tearing my covers off of me yelling "Mom get up, Santa came last night" I went into Diesel's room to get him up and he wasn't having it. So I made the girls sit on my bed while I went to wake up Jeremy. You see every year Jer just can't get his booty out of bed quick enough and ends up missing half the fun. So this year he decided to sleep on the couch knowing he would have to be up so he wouldn't miss anything. Once Jer was up I went back to get Diesel. Then we all worked our way to the Christmas Tree.

Sure enough Santa had come and all the gifts that had been patiently waiting to be opened over the the last few weeks were finally going to meet their fate of the kids. As always stockings first. Then their Santa gifts and then anything they want.

Daddy helped Diesel check out his new Cars slippers from Santa

Rylee loved the Hannah Montana Wig and Hannah Montana Blanket from Grandma Nae Nae, Papa Glenn and her Auntie Sami

Taylor was so excited with her new RED DS that Grandma Nae Nae, Papa Glenn and Auntie Sami got her. She hasn't put the darn thing down. Santa and Grandma Nae Nae must have been talking because Santa brought Taylor an extra game as well as a carrying case to keep it safe.

My soccer girl was very happy with her soccer kit that Mommy and Daddy got her.

Diesel liked opening his gifts. But once he opened clothes he was done and wanted to take his trucks and play on the pool table.

He knows he is up to no good. Look at that face!!!

Rylee was so excited to get more books. This girls Loves Books! Thank you Uncle Tony, Auntie Kimberly and Baby Jake!

Diesel finally decided to come back over and see what was going on. He loved the Hot Wheel storage case from Grandma May and Papa Bob and sitting is his new Car Chair from the Solem Clan was perfect so that he could use his foot and spin the spinners.

Rye thought it was pretty funny too!

Both the girls made Mommy and Daddy gifts as school. Rye made us 2 ornaments for the tree and Taylor made us a picture snow globe. They were the best gifts we got by far!!!

As you can see Taylor made out. Santa knew she needed a new scooter and she LOVED all of her clothes but her DS was her favorite!

Rylee was spoiled too. She asked for lots of Hannah Montana stuff and she got it! She is already wearing her new Hannah Montana PJs to bed!

Diesel Diesel Diesel. Sure is different having a boy. We left the sea of Pink to go to Red and CARS!! He loved it all. But of course his Cars were his favorite. See he wouldn't even look at me for the picture he was too busy looking at the cars.

Aren't his slippers too cute! And he was thrilled to catch the ball with his new mitt and ball set.

Hey Where's Rylee.... hehe... She looked very cute in her Hannah Montana Wig.

Diesel of course wanted to watch his favorite movie CARS and he decided to cuddle up in his new Cars chair with is new Cars blanket and Cars Pillow. It was priceless. He was off for a nap right after this one. Do you think he was tired?

So all my kids got some sort of game for Christmas. Santa brought Rylee a new Leapster 2, My mom and dad got Taylor her DS and Jeremy some new Xbox games. Of course while I was busy SLAVING away at our Yummy Christmas dinner the kids were all playing games. I had to get a picture. Yes Taylor is in Diesel's chair and no Rylee isn't posed. She was like that the who time she was playing it was just too funny. And Kane didn't want to miss out and what his daddy was doing.

So as I said I slaved away at our very delicious Christmas dinner. I made mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, green bean casserole, yams and rolls.

Jeremy deep fried our 13lb turkey.

Then he got to cut it up. It was so good!

Even though we were all alone it was a very nice Christmas with our Hanel 5. We watched some new movies, I washed all the kids new clothes and we put everything away. The kids got some money and gift cards so we are going to go hit some sales tomorrow.

Hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas too!

Christmas Eve

Jeremy has Christmas Day and Friday off with out pay so to make up the lost hours of work he has been working long days well into the night. Unfortunately just because it is Christmas Eve that wont change. And once again we find our selves with out any Family this Christmas. But I have the next best thing My Best Friend Shonna and her Family. They are so nice to always include us in any family gatherings they have.

After a lounge full day we got ready and headed to Shonna's parent's house. They had Tamales and Menudo (yuck). So to go with the "Mexican" theme I brought over my corn casserole. It was so nice to be around so many people and over the past few years I have gotten to know her family well. The kids all played and it was fun.

Diesel found a Santa Hat and wanted me to put it on him. Then I was actually able to get a picture. He usually sees the camera and runs.

Rylee was right there with me and wanted a picture too

We left after about 2 and half hours and came home. I wasn't sure if Jer would be there yet or not and to your pleasant surprise he was. The Girls were thrilled with the fact as it's tradition to open on present on Xmas eve and I told them couldn't if daddy wasn't home.

Rylee picked a Make-up set that Mommy and Daddy bought her.

Taylor had her eye on a "book" as she thought it was from her Uncle Tony, Aunt Kimberly and Cousin Jake. She Loves books. And she was right it was the Journey of Shiloh.

I put 3 gifts in front of Diesel to choose from. He picked one from Grandma NaeNae, Papa Glenn and Auntie Sami. It was a Cars blanket and pillow set. Jeremy was laying on the couch watching the kids open gifts and I showed Diesel the pillow and told him Ni-Night and laid my head down. He took the pillow lifted Jer's head and put it under him the covered him with the blanket and climbed on top and laid down. It was so cute!

Shortly after the kids opened their gifts off to bed they went him hopes Old St. Nick would come!

Christmas Cookies

Growing up my Grandma Gloria was a HUGE baker and cook. Everything was from scratch (still is) She would have me over for a day every year right around Christmas and we would make homemade sugar cookies. It was GREAT! She let me do them how every I wanted. (they looked awful) But looking back it's the best memory I have with her and it was so nice that she would do all that with me. I want my kids to grow up and have that memory with me. I usually bake goodies for my friends and neighbors every year. But, After deciding I didn't want to bake my usual Christmas goodies this year, I kept hearing people talk about all the goodies they were baking or the cookie parties they were going to. I then contemplated the daunting task of baking with myself and 3 kids. In the end the verdict was yes and we set out on our long baking adventure.

I went straight to my recipe box and got my paper and pen. I grabbed my holiday favorites as well as some family recipes. Dug to the back of my pantry and made a shopping list of the things we would need. We set out to the store and 3 hours after I decided we would bake the Baking actually began.

I laid Diesel down for his nap and put Christmas tunes on. As I was setting up I looked up to see the girls dancing away to the Christmas songs. If they weren't dancing they were singing. It was very cute!

The girls traded off in helping. They each would help with a recipe. There were some things they both could do like adding the kisses to the Peanut butter Kiss cookies.

When I was little at Grandma Gloria's house for dinner she always had some homemade desert. Some things I would never try or thought I didn't like. Lemon Squares was one of them. I think they just sounded gross. I decided I would switch things up this year and make some new goodies and Lemon Squares was one of them. After I made a small batch I decided to try them. I must say all theses years I have been missing out. They are Delicious!!! I even made another batch just so I could have some for me!

Every year I make Haystacks. They are so yummy. The girls liked eating the butterscotch chips. I think half the bag ended up in their bellys.

Another dessert I wouldn't eat as a child was Magic Cookie Bars. I am not a fan of coconut. I knew if I made them I would have to give them all away. In the end I am still not a fan but Taylor loved the coconut. I think I might have made them wrong too they didn't seem right.

The Peanut Butter Kiss cookies. They had extra special love this year as the girls placed each kiss on the cookies.

Then there was my mom's famous Chocolate Chip Pumpkin muffins. I again am not a huge fan but I swear everyone else loves them.

We also made Chex Muddy Buddies. So good and Jer's favorite. He was happy when I sent him to work with 2 plates full of Holiday cheer. I bet he saved the muddy buddies for himself.

We started at 2 and finished after 8pm. I had planned on making Crescent cookies My favorite but I was so worn out by the time we were done. I was also going to make Homemade Carmel Corn but I was using all my cookie pans and knew it would be a few more hours it I went ahead with them. I think in all everything turned out great. The kids got to lick the spoons. No one died from the cooking and I handed out all my plates!