A human feeder?

Who doesn't LOVE this yearly tradition of making homemade bird feeders out of pine cones and peanut butter? It's a bit messy, but oh so fun! The biggest problem we had: keeping little brother from eating the bird seed!!!

Since little brother wanted so badly to eat the bird seed, we decided to make 'human feeders'. With a little imagination and of course, some sugary sweets, we invented 'human feeders':

All of life's problems can seriously be fixed with a little peanut butter....

The yearly outing for the tree...

I like to think of myself as the more adventurous one and my husband as more of the realist. The past couple of years, we've gone to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree. Those places tend to be expensive, I know -- but I like the experience of it -- making memories. This year, I told my husband that I would let him choose where to get the tree. I found some cheaper, great farms on-line that weren't too far from us and let him look at the websites. But, since I did say I would let him choose this year, I wasn't too surprised when he told me we were going to to go Menard's to buy a tree! Oh well, I guess next year will be my year.

The kids look excited -- they don't really know what they're missing by just going to Menards to buy a tree...

It does look lovely in our living room, I must say.

No matter where we bought the tree, the experience of choosing the tree, bringing it home (without catastrophe!) and decorating it was well worth each moment! (even though I'm convinced that the needles are falling out left and right like crazy because it was a pre-cut tree and not officially 'fresh'! Oh well, at this point we only have 2 more weeks to keep it standing in one piece.)

The most wonderful time of the year, huh?

We have hit full-blown '2 year old attitude' at our house! When he's in his mood (typical development, I'm told) nothing, and I mean, nothing can make this kid happy. He has this screetch that he makes when big sister looks at him, when mommy or daddy look at him or when the cat walks past him. It takes all of our energy to not laugh, scream, cry or lock him in his bedrood when he's in one of these moods. But, you know what the funny thing is -- we still love him to pieces!

Then, there are wonderful moments when big sister and little brother play nicely together, bond in ways only siblings can bond....

Look at big sister -- so proud and happy to be sitting on santa's lap -- I wonder why little brother is so upset? He hasn't learned yet that this large man with the red suit can bring him some wonderful toy on Christmas Eve....he'll learn someday...