Christmas w/ the Shaws

The boys with their Papaw.

Watching Ice Age

My snuggle bug

Milk does Sam's body good. Our little bug goes through nearly two gallons each week! We should buy our own cow.

Uncle Garland lending a hand.

Henry checking on the donkeys, who were heehawing in the pasture.

I think Henry was a bit embarrassed when I made him wear Sam's Santa hat.

Sam didn't seem to mind.

A Toy Story dump truck! The only thing Sam loves more than Toy Story is Mickey Mouse. The dump truck was a huge hit.

Admiring his new treasure - the dump truck.

Another favorite - Little People Zoo. Sam was so excited that he showed everyone in the room.

Dragging it to show Daddy.

Finally got the zoo to Papaw. So proud of his new animals.

And more Thomas train! Mamaw and Papaw - we've been building tracks all over the living room floor since Christmas Eve. Henry has had so much fun "making GIANT tracks". Thanks for spoiling our boys rotten.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Sayonara 2011

I don't think I've ever been more excited for a new year. The year 2011 was full of highs and lows, and to be quite honest, I'd be perfectly content with a very uneventful 2012. More uninterrupted time with family and friends. In fact, I'm praying 2012 will be just that. Life with very few valleys and a year to pause and count my blessings.

My valleys and peaks in 2011 -


A kitchen floor remodel in our old house on Connell Court.
Grandmother Shirley battling for her life after having open-heart surgery in Arizona.
Aunt Debbie passed away in March. Henry, Sam and I road tripped to New Mexico to attend her funeral and visit family.
I ran my first 5K - Remember the Ten in Stillwater.
I ran in my first marathon relay (my leg was the equivalent of another 5K) - the OKC Memorial Marathon.
Grandmother Happy battled for her life in ICU at Integris. I went to visit her the same day I completed my second 5K run in OKC. I feared that would be the last day she would be with us on earth. Praise God we were able to wrap our arms around her for another Christmas.
On my 31st birthday, my mom was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. Let the battle begin.
Sam started "school" at the OSU Child Development Lab/Rise Program.
Minus a few accidents here and there, Henry is officially POTTY TRAINED. Yes!
I took a new job at the OSU Foundation.
Sam had an allergic reaction to what we believe was peanut butter and we made our first trip to the Emergency Room in 2011.
One of the best people I know, and a loyal confidant and friend, Katie...and the precious baby she was carrying...went to heaven.
Wade experienced hyper fibrillation and we made our second trip to the Emergency Room in 2011. He also got to have his first overnight experience in a hospital as the patient.
We moved (meaning we boxed, stored, unpacked, painted, installed, renovated, decorated...).
We experienced our second floor renovation, only this time it was our living and dining room.
My sister announced she was pregnant! Her baby girl is due sometime in late April/early May.
We hosted our first family Christmas. In our new home.


One of my favorite 2011 memories. Mom and Sam on Independence Day. Enjoying time with family in Grandmother Happy and Papa Bo's backyard after taking an afternoon swim.

An uber masculine kitchen

Okay, so I feel guilty considering opening a gift a Christmas highlight, but it was so much fun watching our boys open this gift. They were on cloud nine and opening it definitely put them in the Christmas spirit. Although for awhile I think they enjoyed the box as much as they did the kitchen.

The anticipation was HUGE. Sam wasn't quite sure what to think of a package twice his size. He was definitely going to need big brother to help open.

They circled it several times before they were brave enough to begin tearing paper.

This gift was also the cause for great debate this Christmas. Papaw and Daddy weren't quite sure they wanted their bug squashing boys playing with a kitchen. Actually, they were quite certain they did NOT want their boys playing with a kitchen. It didn't matter how much, or how often I tried to convince them of the masculinity of this particular kitchen, they were not going to be fans. Period.

Despite the kitchen being BLUE, there being a BOY on the cover of the box (see green shirt on box), or the number of famous manly chefs on the Food Network...it didn't matter.

Once they got started, it didn't take long

It looks like a kitchen...

It feels like a kitchen...

It smells like a kitchen...(see boy in green shirt on box)

It MUST be a KITCHEN!!!

My little chef

And, the phone...Sam's favorite kitchen feature

And let us not forget the box!

My famous last words...look how happy your little chefs are, Papaw and Daddy. Now, aren't you glad you gave in and bought them a kitchen. And for peace of mind, below are some famous male chefs, who are not only burly men, but also make quite a good living in the kitchen. Cheers.

Moms - If your little man has a kitchen, please, PLEASE speak up. Leave your comments for Henry and Sam's Daddy so he can see how many other blue kitchens exist in our circle of friends/readers.

Bobby Flay

Guy Fieri

Michael Symon

Sam Talbot

Curtis Stone

Rocco DiSpirito

Johnny Iuzzini

Aaron Sanchez

Chef Emeril Lagasse

A Love/Hate Relationship

Imagine...

Life with two sets of twins. Can you picture it? I give you Andrew and Henry (two weeks apart) and Addison and Sam (two weeks apart). If this were your life. 7 days a week. 24 hours a day. I'm guessing you'd a) need some SERIOUS hormones, or b) keep boxed wine in your fridge.

Santa vs. Pregnant Woman

So, it's obviously been awhile since I updated family and friends on our crazy life. There are many reasons for this, many of which I'll attempt to hash out via this blog in the coming weeks. But until then, I leave you with this painfully true depiction of Santa and a pregnant woman (stolen from howtobeadad.com).