Happy 1st Birthday, LJ!

All I Want for Christmas is....

If you think LJ looks tired in this picture, you should see his parents.

Santa brought LJ the necessary fun presents, but also an ear infection and a trip to ER. Yes, just like how we celebrated the Super Bowl, we celebrated Christmas Eve into Christmas Day at Children's Hospital. LJ woke up at midnight (only 20 minutes after JLO went to bed) screaming. After two hours, we made the trek down to the ER. Four hours later, we were on our way home with antibiotics, a much happier buddy, and some pretty exhausted parents.

Christmas 2011

It has become tradition that JLO and I host Christmas Eve with my family at our house. It usually is pretty chaotic as we try to cook, celebrate birthdays (three!), go sledding (obviously, not this year though), eat, be merry, and open presents. It's always entertaining to say the least.

This is my favorite picture from this year: JLO and my brother trying to get their sons ready for church at 3:56 (church starts at 4, mind you) while watching football. Classic.

Happy Holidays to all!

I Heart Hockey

We took LJ to his first hockey game tonight (Armstrong vs. Maple Grove).
He loved it! JLO taught LJ all about being a hockey player while I was happy to show him off to my students that were there. Surprisingly, he only winced once when a kid got slammed into the boards and made it through two periods before we realized how very much past his bedtime he was up. Looks like we know what we'll be doing for the rest of the winter....

GF Peanut Butter Cookies

It started one day in class. Somehow my AP classes got me talking about food and being gluten-free and the next thing you know I'm sharing my favorite, easy-easy- easy peanut butter cookie recipe. I bake these cookies year round, but this time of year I mix it up a bit. You know, put in some chocolate and you got yourself a good old fashion Christmas cookie.

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Mix together in a bowl.
Roll into small balls.
Roll through sugar.

Put in mini-muffin tin (or on a baking sheet)
Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Immediately put in Reeses Peanut Butter Cups or Hershey Kisses. Let cool. Eat. And eat some more.

Poor Santa

This is how LJ felt about meeting Santa for the first time. Yep, we waited in line for an hour and paid $20 to make our kid cry. JLO claims, "it's a rite of passage."

Sick Little Buddy

For the last two weeks, our little squirmy guy has been less than squirmy. He had his first really bad cold that turned into pneumonia. He spent a lot of time sleeping on my or Grandma's lap while he didn't feel well. Thanks to some antibiotics and lots of love from Grandma (and his parents, too) he is on his way to feeling better.

The Christmas Mambo!

JLO and LJ doing a little Christmas Mambo Dancing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThVxE3E7mLk&feature=youtube_gdata_player