Update

This is going to be a long post... I've been neglecting the blog and choosing to spend any "free" time with my husband and kids. It is so, so, so wonderful to have Jim home. Yes, I know and appreciate how incredibly lucky we are that he was able to be with us for the holidays. And, he has had pretty "normal" hours for work lately. We've been able to enjoy dinners together as a family and spend our evenings playing with the kids! As a bonus, I've made it to the gym several evenings alone. He even took the kids for me to visit Gymboree to redeem some Gymbucks last night. I do have an absolutely wonderful husband!! :)

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The day after Christmas, we headed to PA. It was a great trip. Jemma and James were excellent! It was so wonderful to be with family. Jemma and James ran to hug Elizabeth and the boys (Ken, Andy and Jim) unpacked the car and set up the pack-n-play... it is certainly easier to travel with lots of help! :) Here is Cassandra playing with the door. She is such a cutie! And all the kids loved playing with this toy!

Opening gifts was a little crazy, but so much fun! We all got so many wonderful, wonderful gifts... my favorite part was watching the kids open their presents. James was so excited for these simple plastic bracelets:Jemma loved her ballerina jewlrey:

On 12/27, GrandMary and the kids made an orange geletin salad with cool whip. Then, they made Christmas cookies.
Jemma took several dress up outfits to PA. She wore the bride dress almost everyday we were there. I had her pack the outfits and she chose to leave the Tinkerbell and Belle dresses at home because she didn't want to share those. So, we packed her dress up trunk with shoes, wands, gloves and dresses that she did share with Elizabeth and James. :)

On 12/28, Uncle Andy took the girls to the firehouse for a visit. Unfortnately, James was sick and couldn't go. (He caught an icky bug that we think was lingering from the previous week when Elizabeth, Ken, Karen, Andy, Suzanne and Cassandra had all been sick!)

After the firehouse visit and during some downtime, Jim opened Jemma's science kit and the girls watched reactions with household items (baking soda, vinegar, etc). They really enjoyed it and so did us older "kids."

On Monday, 12/29 we headed North to CT. We even convinced Ken and Karen to let Elizabeth join us! :) On the trip up, we stopped at a Children's Museum to visit with Jason and Melissa. The museum had the best water play area that the kids just positively loved! After arriving and having dinner at GrandMary's house, we put the kids in the tub. Here is James "cleaning" the toilet before his bath. He loves using the brush... I wonder if I could encourage that to continue for many years?!? GrandMary read the girls books. (GrandMary was so utterly happy to have the girls both visiting with each in a twin bed in the guest room!) After reading, we left the girls to go to sleep. They should have been tired from the car ride, museum visit and earlier playtime. However, after almost two hours of giggles and several attempts by the adults to encourage them to get to sleep they were both still wide awake! I finally went up and said, "GrandMary is going to bed. I am going to bed and Uncle Jim is going to bed. You must go to sleep." About 15 minutes later I went upstairs to find them both completely and soundly asleep! This was the scene after about 45 minutes and Jim's first attempt to get them to calm down. (They both wanted water... what a great stall tactic... "I'm thirsty...")The next morning I woke with a queasy stomach and Jemma saying, "I puked on the floor." She then puked in the toilet several times. Then it hit me. My wonderful husband played nurse for Jemma and me. GrandMary took James and Elizabeth to visit Nanny and the family. I am so sad that we didn't get to visit, too. Here are Nanny's kids: Dorothy, Mary, Terry and Billy:

James and Elizabeth enjoying brunch:Dorothy and Billy with the cousins:
Dorothy and James:

Upon their arrival back at GrandMary's house, Jim packed the car and kids and we headed back to PA. Thankfully, Jemma's illness was short and didn't seem to impact her very much. She was happy and playful. Unfortunately, it hit me with a vengeance and I felt horrible well into the next day. Thankfully, Jim never got sick.

Grandpa Jim visited on New Years Eve and Day. The kids love to hear him sing and play his guitar. Jemma has even asked several times for "a guitar like Grandpa Jim's" and I've caught her singing the words to "Grandma's Featherbed" a couple of times.

The boys:

We watched the bowl game and the Hokies won!!! Yippie!!!!

Although we were sad to leave PA (1/3), it is wonderful to be back in our own house. :)

After we ate our dinner of McD and unpacked the car, Jemma and James opened presents from Tracy. Tracy gave them each books and they loved them! We got an awesome planter with our name and address engraved! :)

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Jemma horsing around with Daddy (1/7):

I finally made goodies for the trashmen (fudge and chocolate chip cookies):

(1/9): I yell, "James, where are you." He replies, "Office... checking mail-mail, Mommy!"

James helping Daddy cook breakfast by "testing the bacon" on 1/11:

James playing doctor to chef Jemma:

Jemma (1/16) bouncing on her Christmas gift from Mya:
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Potty update: James used the potty every time that Jemma did and kept a dry diaper the entire trip to PA. He even laughed and happily used the potty while we were in PA. I thought that we were on our way to potty training. BUT, once we were home he has now refused to go on the potty. He runs away saying, "No, don't want to." Sometimes he just says, "Potty too cold." I'm not pushing because he isn't even two yet, but I had a few days of hope for early potty training.