The Amanas

A few weekends ago we headed to the Amana Colonies with some friends of ours.  There are a lot of quaint shops and they had a barn with decorated trees from different organizations/groups.  We also go to see Santa...

Aiden really enjoying the scenery... or running by the trees.

Aiden's opinion of Santa... 'Get me away from here!'

I don't think I've sat on Santa's lap in over 15 years!  Aiden was just not having it.

Aiden touching the tree- which is a "no-no"

Aiden and his best friend Kinley

I think they were dancing.

Family Photo Attempt #1

Family Photo Attempt #2

New Trick

Look what Aiden can do now!  He climbed up there all by himself...

And the tree goes up!

This is a little delayed... We put the tree up the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Thanks to Parent-Teacher Conferences, I had the day off.  Aiden enjoyed the box more than the tree :)

Me separating the tree.

We got some window clings and decided to let Aiden try them out.  Fortunately I only gave him about 3 pieces (which are now about 15 pieces...).  Despite the fact that he ripped them up- it entertained him for a good 45 minutes, so it was a win!

Not all the pieces made it to the window.

Clapping for getting all the pieces up.  If you can't tell- it's supposed to be a snowman with a scarf and boots.

Window clings also work great on the table!

'Riding' the reindeer.

Our "Big" Boy

We've graduated from playing in the laundry basket to on the laundry basket.

This cool dude had to wear his hat and Mommy's slippers around.

He's been getting pretty good at walking around in big shoes.

Found our old bathtub when we were cleaning out the laundry room.  Aiden decided to give it one last run.

Ain't I cute?

Making Soup

My mom has a great recipe for Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Doug and I were in the mood for it- so we made it.  It was delicious!  Here are a few pictures of Aiden helping us cut up vegetables.

Our little Chef, ready to go.

Putting the chopped veggies in the pot.

"Come on Mom, I need more to put in"

Ignore the mess that is our kitchen...

tigers, mice and misc

Doug again:

I love to try on mommy's scarf, and look mighty dapper I must say...

 and my shoes too please...

 I was a tiger this year for Halloween (had to wear it a few times before so I was used to it...)

 the tiger ate Aiden!

 bye bye

And for the mice: we had heard something by our oven on Sunday night.  So we (Doug) went to look and see if there was anything, didn't see anything, nor remnants from a mouse, so we just kind of let it go.  We were getting ready for school Tuesday (Doug subbing in a special ed classroom), and Doug and (maybe) Aiden saw it run from stove to our shoe/furnace area.  Doug again looked for it while Briana crouched fearlessly on a barstool with Aiden.  Again, no sign.

Tuesday night, Briana spotted the mouse run from our love seat (that she's sitting on) to under our couch (that I'm sitting on.) So I go to our furnace room (after opening the front door-maybe he'll run out?) and get a broom.  I hit the back of the couch, he runs under the love seat.  I swipe under the love seat, he runs under the couch (Briana can be found on the fourth stair up, eyeing the mouse and screeching with each mouse move) finally he runs towards the stairs (and outside! maybe.)  We decide to get some live traps anyway, so we go and get those on Wednesday. We fill those with peanut butter on Tuesday, then some cheese on Thursday, but never catch anything.

Friday we go into town to get the oil changed in our cars, pick up some death traps (as seen below.)  We get home put Aiden to bed, relax for a bit, then decide to put them out.  I set it before we went to up to bed (around 1030) and by the time I walk upstairs, peek in at Aiden, put some clothes in the laundry, I hear the trap snap. (about 1040-1045)  I say to Briana, "Crikey, I think we got one mate" or some such, and walk downstairs to see my nemesis, put some gloves on and chuck the whole kit 'n kaboodle in the swampy marsh behind our house.

 Just in case the first one wasn't enough.

**Briana Note**: We didn't even have to bait the 'death' traps.  The silly mouse just ran right over it!

Yes, Aiden is crazy...

Aiden likes loves LOVES to dance.  He really loves it when Mommy and Daddy dance with him.  Here is just a few seconds of the craziness that is Aiden dancing (and a little of Doug :) ).