Ringing in the new year with the folks.

 A few days after Christmas, my parents flew in for a visit.

So the kids had a second round of presents and holiday cheer!

The kids were so excited!

My parents are in their mid 60s, but you'd never know it by their boundless energy.  They are the most attentive and fun grandparents you can imagine.

 They wanted Grandma and Grandpa to watch Despicable Me.

 Tommy and Grandma doing a New Year's Eve conga.

 New Year's Eve wouldn't be complete without noisemakers!

 Wes had to go to work but I managed to sneak in a quick photo before he left.

 

As we start this new year, I resolve to take nothing for granted, to appreciate every moment, at home, at work, with my family and friends.

Cheers!

Just let me grab my purse.

 

That's what Tommy would say, if he could talk in sentences.

  He's been pretty happy to walk around the house sporting Dani's Hello Kitty purse lately.  It's pretty cute, and I actually think its cuter that there does not appear to be even the slightest sentiment among my children that there's anything odd about it--because, really, there isn't.  Dani and Tori don't really seem to identify anything of theirs as for girls, or of Tommy's as for boys.  Tori's as happy wearing a Spider Man shirt as she is Hello Kitty.  Tommy rocks the girls' hand-me-downs all the time.  Dani and Tori are just as likely to pretend they are Mario and Luigi as they are to play with their dress up dolls.  Tommy is as happy to chew on a Barbie leg as he is to chew on a toy car.

I think it's pretty cool. 

 

 This is the state they are usually in, however.  Running, chasing, shrieking and generally instigating each other into zaniness.  At any given time, one kid is acting silly enough to inspire the others to bounce off the walls.

 Inspired by one of my favorite nursery school toys, I picked up some building blocks last week.  Much to Big Man's dismay fatherly joy, they all required assembly. Strangely, Big Man kept referring to them as recyclables.

 We could not build them fast enough.

If you need me, I'll be in my castle.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Tommy went in the exersaucer for the first time tonight. He was captivated. I managed to eat dinner with Dani and Tori for 30 minutes or so before he wanted out. Why didn't I think of this sooner??

We bought Dani a "color me clubhouse" for her birthday, and set it up on Sunday in the hopes of actually being able to watch the Bears game. It was a big hit. They drew all over it and ran and screeched, opening windows and doors.

It is, seriously, the size of a garden shed. Hopefully this pic of Dani gives some perspective to the massive size of this thing--takes up our flippin' foyer! I SWEAR it looked smaller on the box!