The Cathcarts

We celebrated Christmas with my Dad and Brenda today at their home in Hubbard.  We had a lot of fun hanging out, eating, opening gifts, and playing "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?"  We all got spoiled again and I have decided that I really need to get Jaxson’s big toybox painted because we are absolutley running out of room for all of his goodies.  I look through his toys to try and put some of them in storage but he really plays with all of them.  Poor kid. 

Devon with Casey’s brother’s dog, Trip

A family divided

Yes, I know, we’ve had snow for a while now and you ask "Why has Jaxson not been outside to play in the snow?"  Well, it’s either been way too cold and windy or we’ve been sick and we also didn’t have a sled before.  So Bubbie and I went outside this morning and had fun with his new sled from G & G Cathcart.  He only wanted to ride around in the sled.  He didn’t care for walking around in the snow or sitting in it.  He also didn’t care for his Spiderman snow boots. 

We truly feel blessed this Christmas to spend time with our family.  We had a wonderful Christmas, which started out on Christmas Eve day when we went to Hubbard to celebrate with my mom and Mike.  We all went to church that evening and came home and enjoyed two homemade soups.  Then it was on to the pile of presents.  I think we were all very good this year judging by how packed the van was when we came home.  The big hit at the Hendricks’ house was the guitar that Jaxson got from his Great Aunt Wendy.  He loved jammin’ on it and dancing.  Now he can have jam sessions with Uncle Heath. 

Jaxson loves his new Iowa pillow

Brandon asked Santa for something to put on his nightstand.

Jammin’ on his Backyardigans guitar

Three sports nuts modeling their new sports gear

Christmas morning we headed to Gowrie to the Cathcart household.  And once again we got confirmation that we had been very good this year.  The big hit there was Jaxson’s new Elmo slippers.  It’s so cute how he tries to hug his slippers and rub them on his face while he is wearing them.  What a nut!  We enjoyed a wonderful prime rib dinner made by Grandpa Steve and Grandma Kris.  Karl, Lisa, and Laura also joined us for Christmas dinner. 

"Faster Grandma faster!"

"Whoo, I’m tired."

Jaxson wouldn’t let Laura out of his sight

Resting up for our next Christmas at Grandpa & Grandma Winter’s this weekend.

We had our own little family Christmas this evening before we take off for Hubbard and Gowrie tomorrow.  I didn’t want to wait until we got back from our Christmas travels because that would mean that I would have to wait longer to find out where we’re going on our January vacation. As you can tell from the title, we are going to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  If you want to check out where we will be, go to www.iberostarpuntacana.com.  I think it looks fabulous and we are very excited to go.  That wasn’t the only gift opened tonight.  Of course Bubbie had his share of presents to dive in to.  He didn’t know what to do at first, but once he figured out that there was usually something good underneath all that paper, he ripped right into them. 

"Yeah, I got a new Sesame Street coloring book and more crayons."

"Mom, I don’t want any socks!"

"These are my new blocks"

In other Christmas news, Brad, Jaxson, Tanya, and Heath did manage to make it to Eldora for the Buckley family Christmas on Saturday.  They were able to stay for a couple hours before having to leave because of the snow.  Once again for the forth Saturday in a row, we got a snow/ice storm.  Brad snapped a few photos for me.

Sitting with Uncle Brandon

The 2 clowns

The newlyweds first Christmas

"Daddy, I’m tired.  Can we go home and take these high-waters off?"

I haven’t updated in a while I know; Jaxson and I have been too busy getting over our illnesses.  He was so kind to pass it on to me.  Luckily I had some leftover antibiotics at home that I started myself on for what I’m thinking is a sinus infection. Hopefully Brad doesn’t come down with it now over Christmas; we’ll keep our fingers crossed. So to catch you up from my last blog. . . Mom and Mike came down on Friday night and we took them to see the Jolly Holiday Lights.  It was wonderful!  The displays are so creative and cute.  I think we will have to go every year.  While they were here, Mike also put in our new kitchen faucet.  Thank you Mike!!  No more drippy faucet!  I headed to work over the weekend while the boys played at home.  I had a very nice weekend at work because I had four very nice patients.  I tell ya, that makes all the difference in the world.  Three of them had huge surgeries with IV’s and tubes everywhere, but I didn’t care because they were so kind and appreciative.  That makes me want to do everything that I can for them and go above and beyond.  When I have patients like that, it reminds me of why I wanted to become a nurse.  So take note readers. . . be nice to the nurses.  Grandma Kris came down yesterday to Jaxson-sit so that I could go renew my CPR.  Of course Jaxson loved every second of it and even got a treat of cookies and kringla.  We’re hoping that the weather is good this weekend so that Brad and Jaxson can go to Eldora for the Buckley family Christmas while I go to work.  We are also getting very excited for Monday to come when we head up to Hubbard to celebrate with my family and then on to Gowrie on Christmas Day.  This might be my last blog until after Christmas, so in that case we wish all of you safe travels and a very Merry Christmas!

"This is how I brush my teeth."

So I finally took Jaxson to the Dr. today and of course he has bilateral ear infections, so back on antibiotics we go.  He also has a horrible cough and runny nose that I think are bothering him more than the ears. With all of that going on, he’s pretty much acting like his silly old self, except for when he gets tired. . . then he’s a bear!

"You can’t catch me!"

Jaxson likes to sit on the steps and stare at the Christmas tree.

Well, the weekend has come and gone again.  Work went very well for me this weekend and it was nice getting off on time considering the bad weather that we were having.  Saturday night was not very fun driving home.  The roads weren’t that bad, it was the rain that froze to the windshield that made it hard to see.  Brad was looking forward to taking Jaxson outside to play in the snow for the first time on Saturday, but Jaxson has come down with another cold (or something else, I’m not sure yet what it is).  As a result of this last illness, Brad and I have sworn off play areas at the malls.  I think that almost everytime he has been to the play areas, he comes down with some kind of illness within a few days.  So the boys were stuck inside all weekend so Daddy could continue to play nurse at home. Last night Jaxson woke up with a temp of 102.5, so we may be making a trip to the Dr. in the near future. 

Only 15 days until Christmas!  I swear that it comes faster and faster every year.  As always, we are very excited to spend the time with our families and start our own traditions with the three of us.  I think this year is the earliest that I’ve ever been done with Christmas shopping. . . and it feels good.  Everything is wrapped and ready to go.  As our family has been growing, I’ve been trying to get the gift giving toned down a little bit because it’s getting quite expensive and I think that we are starting to lose the true meaning of Christmas.  I went to the dentist last week and I was talking to my hygienist and she was telling me that her and her husband only get their two kids three presents each.  She has always told them, "If three presents were enough for Jesus, then three presents are enough for you."  I love that and plan to use that in the future.  So with that in mind, I told Brad not to spend too much on me this year because we could put the money towards Jaxson (like everything else).  So what does he do?  He spoils some of my Christmas present by telling me that we have to go get passports.  WHAT????  Yeah, I was shocked.  His reasoning for taking me out of the country is because Jaxson and I will be couped up in the house all winter and probably going a little nuts, so he thinks that I will need a break.  He won’t tell me where we are going, but he has told me that it’s hot and it’s the newest hot spot island that he’s never even heard of.  So stay tuned for the conclusion of this one.    

Grandpa Steve always asks me, "So when are you going to put more pictures on the blog?"  Here you go Steve, they aren’t too exciting.

Jaxson’s new favorite activity. 

Showing off for the camera

He now likes to do the puzzle in the "tent"

"DAD, SHE FOUND US!"