Chugga Chugga

Noah loves trains. Any kind of train. I wish you could have seen this boy's mind whirling when he was finally introduced to Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends. The names, the colors, the numbers, the wheels, the steam...so fascinating. He lines up his cars and hooks them all together. "Where are your tracks?" is the first question asked when we walk into someone's house. Some days he chooses his clothes based on what engine he wants to be that day: green shirt is Henry the long fast engine, red shirt is James the red engine, and of course blue for Thomas. About a month ago he started calling everyone by their engine color: If Dave was wearing a red shirt it was "James can I have some juice?" his little playmates were renamed Percy or Toby. There was an entire day where I could not get him to call me Mommy....I was Emily. This boy loves trains. Grandpa Woodworth took Noah out to this old steam engine during our Christmas trip to WA. It was huge. The wheels were almost as tall as Noah's 6'5'' Grandpa. They even got to climb inside the cab and see the firebox and controls.
Another day Grandpa took Noah to a hobby store in downtown Kennewick to see their elaborate model train all set up and chugging.
Another big ol' steam engine out in Pasco.
Playing with his Idaho cousins and their trains. Trains trains trains. We love trains.

Idaho Wagners

Boise is about a 5 hour drive from my parents' house. 4 1/2 says mapquest, 5 1/2 says a nursing baby. We weren't planning on going there but we woke up Thursday morning with ideas "Dave, you want to go to Idaho?" "What, today? Sure!" We packed the kids up in Grandma's mini van and made the drive to visit the Idaho Wagners.
Ted and Leslie are good sports and didn't seem to mind our last minute crash at their house. We had such a great visit. It has been way too long. We got to see their beautiful new house and meet our beautiful new neice, Tessa. It was so good to see them we wished we could have seen the whole Wagner family too and met our 2 other new nieces.

Leslie cooked us a beautiful salmon dinner, the kids played great (here's a picture of some Wii tennis) and we love talking to Ted and Leslie late at night with Otis Spunkmeyer. And of course no visit is complete without a wild chicken ride.

Christmas trip

We're recuperating from our trip. We spent almost two weeks in WA with my family. We're tired from the travel and schedules are off....but it's always worth it. Now we get to sleep in our own beds and have first dibs on the computer...but we're already missing the Woodworths. First off, we want to thank everyone for putting up with our sleep deprived crankiness, fussy baby and independent toddler. And big thanks to Brinna for letting us take over her bedroom, bathroom and all. Thanks for all the helping hands, Gagey bouncing, Noah entertaining, mall runs, loud guns and big machines for the guys, late late nights playing games with my fiesty mom and the food food food. As usual I'm not a good picture taker when I'm enjoying myself so I never get as many pictures at Christmas time as I would like, but here are some highlights:
Christmas morning: Early wake-up, cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer, stockings filled, yes we would still do all of this even without the kids. So fun. I'm still trying to mentally burn the image of Noah running down the hall ...trot trot trot... after waking up the house, excited about what Santa may have brought. Everyone's gifts were so thoughtful and we had so much fun this year planning what we were giving.
Here's my sister Dana holding baby G. Gage was held and loved by all his aunts and Noah had many playmates. Dana was a patty cake pro, Erin the merp lady and Brinna bounced until her arms were jell-o.
Kate and Justin drove up from Rexburg. So fun to see them...even if Justin did get that metropolis... Miss you guys!
Great Grandma and Grandpa Brown. Four generations in one room. He says that never happened when he was growing up, no such thing as great grandparents...I'm so glad there is today! I've learned so much from these great people.
Long stay, long trip home, back to our little routine.

Merry Christmas

sNoW DaY

The other day we got dumped with snow. This did NOT put a smile on my face as I forecasted the hassle the snow would bring us. So we shoveled our car out and made it safely to church with only a couple brodys in the parking lot....I still have my suspicions on how necessary these were. I envied our fellow church goers who were clad in snow boots under their dresses and over their suit pants as that cold water jumped right into my black wedges. I chased the 2 year old (who refuses to wear a coat) but couldn't stop him in time from stomping into the big piles of snow the snowplow left us. Somehow we got in the building and made it through the 3 hours. It was the same story on the way home..."Momma, I'm SO cold"...wet wet feet....shovel shovel....stomp stomp...wet carpet....coat, gloves, hats, bags, boots strewn all over the entry way. Don't we love snow?

But the next day baby number two was asleep and I had a burst of energy. Noah and I bundled up (snowpants, gloves, hat, snowboots, and YES! a coat) and went outside. We rode the sled down to the mail box, fell backwards into untouched snow to make angels, made a snowman and even rode the sled down the little hill a few times. This time when we were done the story went like this.... "Momma, will you help me take off my coat please?"....wet wet feet...stomp stomp stomp...wet carpet...coat, gloves, hats, boots strewn all over the entry way. But this time WE LOVE SNOW! It always amazes me that when I embrace something instead of gloomily anticipate something...I find joy. The snow is still snow, but I can love it.

"There seems to be magic in the very name of Christmas" ~Charles Dickens

Busy busy week. Lots of Christmas. Here's a peek at our Christmas fun....

Christmas tradition #1 We love fresh cut Christmas trees.

Christmas tradition #2 Creme Brulee with Cherice. There is one more sitting in my fridge and I'm thinking if my husband isn't home by the time I finish this post its all mine...

Christmas tradition #3 Treats treats and more treats. Kate M. taught me how to make these little guys. Perfect to make with kids. (Step 1 Place caramel hershey kisses on baking sheet. Step 2 Place round pretzel over top of kisses. Step 3 Bake at 200 for 2 min. Step 4 Squish melty kiss down with m&m. Done!)

Christmas tradition #4 Oh the advent calendar.... There's a really fun one I want to make out of burlap, twine, some red paint... but during my unambitious days I borrowed this idea from Mrs. S. A muffin tin filled with candy and wrapped with wrapping paper. Every day until Christmas Noah gets to punch through the paper and eat a candy. Today was the first day, he says "I want to poke holes, eat the candy all gone, and then it will be Christmas!" We might need to work on this advent concept a little more.

Christmas tradition #5 More Treats! For neighbors and friends. My VTs helped me do the tags today (and my dishes).

Christmas tradition #6 24 chapters in Luke, one for every day until Christmas.

Christmas tradition #7 Play Nativity

There have been other things and there will be more things. But I'm trying not to make it about things. It's about LOVE. Love for my friends and family. Love with my Noah. Love of, for and from the Savior. Do you feel it?

PS Dave is eating his creme brulee. Lucky man. He did let me have a bite though :)

Gagey has found his toes