Christmas

Whew.......what a busy couple of days for us. First we had our traditional Christmas Eve dinner with my grandmother and Uncle Carl at Carraba's. My sister and niece were able to come this year. After dinner we drive around and look at Christmas lights on houses. Evan says this is the funnest part of the night. When we got home we left out our cookies , took a few pics by the tree and headed for bed. I did not have to spend the whole night wrapping gifts because my sister came over earlier in the day and wrapped them all for me. Well...all the boys gifts. That was a huge relief for me. Aren't sisters wonderful beings to have around. I suggest you all get one.













On Christmas day the boys were awake especially early. Trey ripped through all his gift opening while Evan went slowly. It was fun to watch. Zane did not get as much as his brothers so he went more slowly and savored his toys. For the rest of the day until early evening the boys played with everything and daddy took a looonng Christmas nap. Then in the evening we went to my MIL house for Christmas with the family. It was nice to see everyone we do not see regularly.










Then on Sunday we spent the day with my family at my grandmothers house celebrating Christmas. I love my family. They were especially nice with the gifts this year for my kiddies(and DH and myself). We ate lunch, played games and just relaxed with each other. It was a really good day. I wish everyone a family like mine that you can just be yourself and relax.

Christmas Happenings

There have been a few things we have done this Holiday season that I have not blogged about.



First we went to Christmas Lane twice. The first time we went it started to drizzle and Santa was not there that evening. So I got a few pics and we headed home. We went again last night. Santa was there along with carolers and dozens of people. The boys enjoyed themselves. Evan is officially too tall for the train ride and that made him sad. Especially when Trey kept reminding him. But he lived through it and he understands.















A few weeks ago we went to Walk Through Bethlehem with our friend Karen and her kids. This has become a family tradition. It is nice to remember why we have Christmas in the first place. The kids seems to understand the ideas more and more each year.

There was a tour bus set up at Walk Through Bethlehem this year. Karen and I investigated what was happening we discovered something very unique and everlasting. The bus was with Bible Across America. This group is publishing a handwritten Bible in the Fall of 2009. Karen, Evan and I were able to contribute to this project. Evan was happy he was able to write a verse. I will let you all know when the Bible comes out.

Gingerbread House

This has become an annual thing in the Hydock household during the Christmas season. Decorating a gingerbread house. The boys really seem to like it. This was the first year Zane got into the action. Trey and Evan decided to each take a side of the roof, house and either the front or back and decorate. Evan let Zane decorate with him. Next year I may have to get a gingerbread tree as well so Zane can have his own gingerbread to decorate.

For those that remember last year and our slowly disappearing gingerbread house. I assure you this house is put high up away from greedy animals.

Trey's roof and side of house.

















Trey's back of house.















Evan and Zane's front of house. The gingerbread girl on the right is Trey's while the left side is Evan's and Zane's.













Evans and Zane's roof and side of house.

A Disney Christmas

This is just a glimpse of the lights. Awesome!!
Disney looks beautiful at Christmastime!! The boys and I park hopped yesterday. We did everything we set out to do and more. I only got confused once on the journeys between the parks. A young woman set me straight on where I needed to be. It seems I took the monorail when I was already at my destination. Oh well. A round trip on the monorail was not too bad off course. I blame it on the darkness. I did not have on my glasses. Things do not look the same at night then when they do during the day.

We saw the Osborne Lights at Hollywood Studios. We saw a few Santa's from around the world at Epcot and heard their stories. We saw a show at the Magic Kingdom.

I have to brag on my boys. Evan is a huge help when we travel without daddy. He know I need help holding things, opening doors, keeping up with Zane and etc. He steps right in and helps without whining or objecting. Trey is also helpful but he needs reminding and coaxing. It makes me feel like I am doing something right with my kiddies.


Evan and Zane with Father Christmas from the United Kingdom




















Evan with Papa Noel from Canada

















Evan with Pere Noel from France

Lost Tooth and Other Things

Whew!! It is Friday. It is the last day of school for the kiddies until January 6. I am one happy mommy right now. Why? because all the school celebrations, gift giving and receiving, thank you notes and all the other Holiday stuff is over. This has been a whirlwind of a week for me. I am happy to be part of my kids school and activities but these holiday things wear me down. So now I can just concentrate on my household and what needs to be done to complete Christmas at home. But before I begin that daunting task the kids and I are going to take a little break and head over to Disney tomorrow. We are going to park hop. We will see the Magic Kingdom in the morning, then Epcot in the afternoon so we can visit some Santa's around the world and at night head over to Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Lights. My friend Amy(from school) will be at Disney this weekend with her family so we will connect with them sometime tomorrow.






Now on to the lost tooth. Trey lost his first tooth this week. It has been loose for a while. It fell out while he was sleeping. He woke up with a tooth in his mouth during the middle of the night. I sleepily had to inform him that the Tooth Fairy will not come that night. She has not put him on her list but that she will do that first thing in the morning for the next night. Evan informed Trey that the Tooth Fairy brings a special toy for your first lost tooth. I told Evan I did not remember this but Evan was adamant he got a neat remote control car. Okay then! Off to the store I went the next day. My sister reminded me that Trey wanted a Shamu webkinz(which he was NOT getting for Christmas because I said no more webkinz!!!). So that is what he got. Thanks Les! Oh well...you only lose your first tooth once. Trey was thrilled and that is what counts. I tried taking a picture of Trey and his tooth gap but there is none. The tooth was so loose and very late falling out that the other tooth is half way grown in already.

Elf Dancing

I stole this off Julie's blog. Thanks for the laughs Julie!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Chritmas Wishes

The boys spent the afternoon looking through the toy catalogs(for the third or fourth time since November). They made out their Christmas List for Santa. I find the idea of them truly believing that what they ask for Santa may bring so childlike and innocent. It feels as if the world and their desires are at their fingertips just for the asking. I say.....go ahead and ask and dream boys. What is to lose.

Do not get me wrong...my boys know they do not get everything they put on the list. But the idea of 'maybe' is so intoxicating!

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas

A family tradition. The Lakeland Christmas Parade. A great start to the month of December. It was a great night for the parade. Not too hot or cold. Just right. Both boys remembered the parade from last year. Ahhh....the memories. The main park near the parade route was decked out as usual with Christmas lights. It makes for a great background drop for pictures.

Jen's Thoughts

I know you all have been dying for me to reveal my inner most thoughts. So I decided to reveal what I was thinking last night and this morning.



My sister called me last night about 8:30/9pm. She was going to pick up my niece from an activity. What was i doing? I was already in bed reading a book about to fall asleep. Life can not get any more boring and mundane than that. So I got to thinking about myself and and my life. I decided something.........ready for my epiphany..........it is ground breaking..........

I am a boring person with no excitement/drama in my life AND I think I really like it that way. Shocking I know. I have no desire to be out and about at 9am. No late night Starbucks for me. I enjoy the peace and quiet of my household at night when the kiddies are asleep. I wonder if I will like this much quietness when all my children have left the house and I am alone ALWAYS. I may seek out the night life at Starbucks. But for now......know that I can be found in bed, reading and enjoying my time.....night after night after night.

Another thing I like is to putter around my house and never leave it for days. I have no problem with this. I have no desire to adventure into the world(aka. Town), meet and greet people and be social. My house is like my refuge. Am I weird , depressed, antisocial or just have a mundane life? I guess it doesn't matter. I like my boring, old self.

Hollywood Studios

The boys have a couple of days off from school due to the Thanksgiving Holiday so DH and I decided to go to Hollywood Studios for the day. We need to maximize our use of the Disney passes. I was the only one who had eve been before and it was with a few girlfriends a few years ago and we only rode two rides and left. So in essence none of us had ever been to this park.

We had a good day. The boys loved the Star Wars ride and the Indiana Jones show. I got my pic taken with Michael Landon(see my profile pic). John was not impressed with the park but he did like the Stunt Show. The boys and I decided to go again as we missed a few things. The one thing that I did not like about the park was the inability to navigate to the different areas. This park is not map friendly.

















Evan was sitting on a railing and fell backwards. Being the great mom I am I snapped a pic before helping my baby. Hey.......all the days events need to be remembered.

An Alafia Thanksgiving

I am sorry I have been amiss with the blog. My camera broke. I had to borrow my MIL's until I am able to afford another one(next year sometime). Then I had to wait to get her cables to download my pics. But I am back now and ready to share how the boys have celebrated Thanksgiving at school.


Trey had a small Thanksgiving play in his kindergarten class. He was an Indian brave. They sang songs as well. The kiddies were too cute!





Trey's Thanksgiving Indian Song





A part of Trey's Thanksgiving play.






Since I was not blogging when Evan was in kindergarten I thought I would show his Thanksgiving play. Same school but different teachers. Evan was an Indian brave as well.

Christians Unite!!

I am proud to say I am a member of BayLife Church. The church does many amazing things over the course of a year. Two that are dear to my heart are the homeless and the needy in our local area.





BayLife is the founding church for a project called Feed The Bay. This year we have fourteen plus churches involved in the event. On November 23 all the participating church members will go to their local grocery store and purchase food items for our local food banks. It is such an amazing site to behold when dozens of families take over the grocery stores in the name of love for their fellow man.










Another area BayLife Church has become involved with is feeding the homeless. Several churches in the area help through the means of providing food, clothing and medical assistance to the growing population of homeless. The I Am Hope Cafe is a place where I hope to volunteer my time in the near future along with my children.

Trey's Field Trip

Trey went on his first kindergarten field trip this week to Granma's Hug-N-Farm. He rode on his first school bus as well. He was in heaven that day as were most of the kiddies. School buses hold a fascination with them. I was able to accompany the class on the field trip. It was alot of fun playing with the kids and seeing their enjoyment from the farm animals. The farm had a cute little piggy and baby chicks. Even I was thrilled when the pig squealed around his pen.



Trey enjoying the garden

One of the things I love best about the farm is that Granma has a wonderful garden. It is full of butterfly plants and other different type plants. She also has a vegetable garden where she uses chickens to keep the bugs away. She also has a fifty year old orchid plant. That is amazing!

Fun at the Zoo #9

It is Veterans Day here in sunny Florida and that means no school for my boys. We headed to the zoo. The other two boys that tagged along are the kiddies I watch after school. Considering I had five boys with me ranging in ages from 3yr to 8yr it was not a bad day with them at all. I was expecting chaos and craziness. But they surprised me and behaved like gentlemen. I am teaching them oh so well....LOL!
The zoo was more crowded than usual but not as bad as I predicted. We got there when they opened and left about 1pm. Many people were entering as we left.



Those Meerkats are so exciting to watch.













Up close and personal with the Giraffe.















The Siamang monkey was very interested in those ducks.



















But when he tried to touch them they quickly scurried away. Smart ducks!




















A rare sighting.........The white tiger was playing in the water with a ball. I immediately thought of you Karlise. I know how much you love the Big Cats. So these pics are especially for your enjoyment.


















(click on the box to make image larger)

Twins

Could these two children be the same? No...they are just brothers. Only they are five years apart in age.


Zane on Halloween at 3yrs old.

















Evan on Halloween at 2yrs old.

Halloween

Halloween was a long long day for the Hydock boys(and mommy). Trey had his kindergarten Hoe Down at school. All the kindergartners got to go from station to station and experience life at a farm. Some of the stations included planting pumpkin seeds, milking a cow(not real of course), needles in haystacks, square dancing, wagon rides and so much more. Between set up, take down, goody bags for Evan and Trey's classes and class stuff I was at school from start to finish. This made for one very tired mommy but our day was not over yet.


For trick or treating we went to a friends house. Some of the dads took over the trick or treating part of the evening so I just followed the kiddies and took pictures. It was nice not to be in charge and just enjoy the moment. Yes you all heard me.....I liked not being the controlling one at an event. Shocker!! My boys got so much candy from school and trick or treating. The chocolate is stashed away in the fridge. A perfect place for mommy and daddy to eat it all.




The gang!














Evan holding a squishy fake eyeball. Rays Rule!


















Looking for the perfect piece of candy.













HMMM.....Indiana Jones says......which house has the best candy?

Baseball

The Rays are awesome and I am proud we have a great baseball league in the area. Evan has been playing Little League baseball for a few years now but this year he has taken a great interest in the sport. We have been able to go to a few Rays games this past season. The finer points of baseball seem to be clicking with Evan. I think a love of the sport has definitely emerged for him.


Evan is playing Little League Winter Ball. This is where he gets to improve on skills necessary for the spring season. This season he moved up to a kid pitch game. No more machine pitch for him. I am seeing a lot more kids get hit by balls. The kids are just learning how to pitch and boy do those balls fly around like crazy wild things.



Trey is not crazy about going to all those practices and BB games. Sports are not his thing. Zane seems to have taken a liking to the sport. He will dress up like a baseball player for Halloween.




Evan moving away from a crazy pitch ball.















Evan trying his hand at pitching.














Evan and his daddy having a mid-game conference.













Evan playing catcher position for an inning.