Christmas in Pictures *2010*

Here are a few pics of the Esparza Christmas 2010...

THE NELSON HOUSE

Uncle Henry got both Scout and Sawyer stuffed animals that were each 3 feet tall.  The kids went nuts.  So did I, when I realized we were going to have to travel back to Austin squeezed inbetween 25 feet of stuffed animals.

This is Mirna's face when she received a laptop from her sister (my mother in law, Leticia) for Christmas. This is completely different from the face she made when opening up her present from us.  We gave her a caramel amaretto soy based candle - one of the most incredible smelling candles I've ever come across.  Shortly after she unwrapped it, we learned she had no sense of smell.

One of my favorite moments is when Carlos received a green gift card (not the one pictured) for Christmas, then turned to his wife, Rebecca, and said, "Look, honey, we're legal!"

Merrick kissing his beautiful (and sleepy) Aunt Lynda.  He was so excited about the talking microscope she gave him for Christmas.  

Bita (short for Abuelita, Spanish for Grandmother) gave each of her three youngest grandchildren a rocking horse.  I love Priscilla's face in this pic (in the back).  She's screaming, "Get me off of this thing!!!!"

AT THE HALL HOUSE

Mama looking good.  Shelby getting socks for Christmas.  

Once again, Scout is swallowed up by her Christmas gifts.

Mama opening her gift from me.  Subway Art!  Read that story here.

Daddy reading the real Christmas Story from Luke 2

Beautiful Christmas Decor

I love checking out my parents' tree every year and seeing all the ornaments from my childhood.

Grandmother came to visit and...

...brought us some North Carolina BBQ!!!

Mama's garland on her front door (1 of 2).  Isn't it beautiful?  I love the music theme.

The kids went outside to play with cousin Jack's helicopter.  I love how kids so quickly seek to destroy their toys.  One kid would fly the helicopter while another kid would try to knock it out of the sky with a soccer ball.  After that got old, they decided to use the soccer ball to try to hit BDaddy (my dad) "in the privates."  Sawyer loved every minute of this.

My favorite picture from Christmas.  Sawyer loves his BDaddy so much.

Merry Christmas to all.  :)

Sugar Plum Treats

Here are some pics of the little treat Merrick and I decided to make for all his friends in his class at Mother's Day Out.  This year, Merrick became obsessed with marshmallows and gingerbread houses (and anything else that was pure sugar) so when I stumbled across this recipe, I knew it was the perfect treat for us.   

I love making little treats like this with Merrick.  One, it keeps him within my line of vision and in an area of controlled chaos.  Secondly, I get to eat about seven or eight of them when he's not looking.  C, if I train him right now, I could have him cooking dinner by the time he's seven years old.  That's the plan, anyway.  

Tips: 

The best thing about this "recipe" is that it only takes about 10 minutes to complete.  There are two things I would suggest if you decide to make these yourself.  One, don't "dip" the candy coated marshmallows into the sprinkles.  Instead, put a few sprinkles in the palm of your hand and pour them on the marshmallow (over a bowl, of course).  The second tip is to buy a little piece of styrofoam to use to stand the sugar plums up as the candy coating is hardening.  Both these tips are to prevent the candy coating from getting smooshed.  

Crazy Christmas Shopping

I spent two and a half hours running Christmas errands with my three gremlins this morning.  I remember a few years ago when I completed my first year of shopping with a 6 month old in tow.  I thought life was soooo hard.

This morning, I spent 45 minutes in Hobby Lobby only to walk away 1 piece of black felt.  I had spent a whopping 27 cents (note to husband: not that my success while shopping is determined by the amount of money spent, of course...love you, baby).  Next, we went over to Target where the goal of my children was to impress upon every stranger passing that I was an abusive mother who had not showered in three days.  OK, maybe the not-showered-in-three-days impression had more to do with me than the kids, but you get the idea.

I'm not sure what drove me most nuts.  Was it when my 4 year old shouted out, "Mommy, that guy smells like the Stinky Cheese Man!" while pointing to a Target employee?  Perhaps when my twin boy kept throwing out every single thing I put in the basket forcing me to carry (and constantly drop) socks, toy cars,  and lady stuff even though I chose a cart the size of Texas itself.  No, despite the heavy competition from her brothers, the thing that I think drove me most nuts was the constant high pitched squealing from my daughter.  Put her in the basket - cry.  Hold her - scream.  Put her in the seat of the cart - wail.  Some times I wish I had a t-shirt that said, "Please don't call CPS.  I promise I don't beat my kids."***

During our crazy shopping time, I kept looking for the good.  "Sure," I told myself, "these kids make shopping insanely difficult, but it's all worth it because they are so adorable....right?"  I kept looking for adorable, cute things that they'd do, but they didn't really do any cute things.  It was mostly just wailing and hitting and pinching and biting.

However, once we got home they reminded me, as they always do, why I don't sell them to some under staffed sweat shop in China.  Merrick went to the restroom and, as he always does, came out with his hands held out proudly.  "Smell my hands, Mommy, " he said.  He loves for me to smell the candy cane soap after he washes his hands.  Then, my daughter, as she always does, imitated her big brother and held her hands out for me to smell as well.  "Mmmmm...." I said, even though she had not washed her hands and they smelled like boogers and mac and cheese.

I truly dislike shopping with my kids.  But, man, I loooooove, looooove, looooove my kids.

***As a side note, I think it would be hilarious if the back of the shirt said in very small print, "though if I did beat them, they probably deserved it..."