Christmas and new years

This year for Christmas, we did both families on Christmas eve and spent christmas day at home with just us at home.

Needless to say, Christmas eve was hectic but good. We started the day by spending it with Joy's mom and brother. We had lunch over there. This year, the boys weren't too into opening presents but they loved playing with the toys and taking stuff off the tree. After opening presents we put fantastic mr fox on but the boys weren't too into it. We then put on how to train your dragon which they did. Jacob fell asleep on Joy's brother.

Jasper took a nap on the way to my parents' house. The boys loved playing with their cousins and running around my parents house. Their cousin Aidan had a star wars lightsaber, which the boys took and loved. The next day, they pretended a wrappng paper roll was a lightsaber.

My parents got the boys big cat trucks which make a lot of noise and move. So aside from running around and lightsabering, they loved playing with the trucks.


On Christmas morning we headed upstairs for the big unveiling of their playroom! The boys quickly ran for the bed and the drums. They also loved the car, that we already had for them. I don't think they understood the greatness of the playhouse yet but I showed them the basketball hoop which they love. Joy played with the megablocks which they loved to


destroy.

On Christmas the boys seemed a little beat from the previous day, so we did some movie time.

Great Christmas.

I had the rest of the week off because I took a vacation. We had plenty of time upstairs. Just yesterday, they seemed to really love the playhouse. Joy and I both took turns going in the house. Jasper loves climbing through the windows and Jacob loves playing peekaboo.

Tonight, we're planing on going to first night for new years eve.

-- that was written dec 31, 2011.

Last night, we headed to Akron's first night. We all had a blast seeing lot of bands play. The boys enjoyed clapping with the music. We saw a Yiddish band that was a lot of fun. Lots of dancing which we all enjoyed watching. We then headed out to watch the fireworks at nine. The boys perked up during the fireworks.

We headed home after the fireworks and we had fries and ravioli. Our plan was going to let them stay up to watch the ball drop but Jasper fell asleep on Joy before. Jacob almost fell asleep on me but then took off to play. After the ball drop he fell asleep easily in his bed.

-- that was written on jan 1st.



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Vacation!

I had a great vacation at home with the boys, though we didn't stay home too much but we kinda treated it like we were tourists in the our city.

Friday night, Joy's mom watched the boys so we could have a date night. We went to beaver marsh where we rode our bikes and waited till dark to see the beavers. Blossom music center is on the other side, so we hears Neil Diamond.

Saturday, we went to summit county fair. It was so-so. It was really hot. We caught the end of a circus act and then wandered around.

Sunday, we took the boys to a jungle gym in Fairlawn. The playground was empty so the boys had free range. We put them in our laps and went down the slides. After that we went for a walk at the nature realm.

Monday, we went to the Cleveland zoo. we thought it would be empty but instead was packed! Turns out zoo is free for cuyahoga county residents on Monday. We had fun though. The boys seemed more aware of the animals and pointed. At night, we caught the concert in the park.

Tuesday, joy's mom came over so we could go to the eye doctor. Afterwards we worked on cutting down a tree.

Wednesday, we took the boys in the bike trailer and went biking on the towpath. The boys loved it. They were singing and having a great time.



Thursday, we did some grocery shopping and then stayed in most of the day.


Friday, we visited my grandma in the nursing home. She was feeling depressed in the nursing home. She had been in the hospital. The boys cheered her up greatly and just about everyone else in the nursing home. After that, we went to my parents house for pizza and to let the boys swing on their jungle gym.



Saturday, we went to twins day in twinsburg. That was a lot of fun!! It was really neat seeing all the twins for newborns to twins in the seventies.

The boys had a Popsicle and got it all over themselves. It was really cute. Can't wait to take them again next year.

Today, we just taking it easy.



It was great being home! Joy said the boys treat me the way they treat her during the day. They are a handful. The most challenging though is keeping them off the coffee table. Hope Monday isn't too bad for her.


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The boys' first vacation!

We had our first vacation with the boys last weekend. We, including Joy's mom drove 9 hours to Asheville, North Carolina to spend the weekend in a cabin.

We left Friday morning around 4:30am. We hoped the boys would fall right back to sleep in the car but they were up for awhile. It didn't help that I was in the backseat goofing with them a bit. Jacob was really interested on what was going on and Jasper was laughing.






They were really great in the car. There were no big freak outs. They got a little antsy as we got closer but it was nothing the Mary Poppins soundtrack couldn't fix.

We had directions to Emma's rd but we needed directions to Emma's cove. Emma's road took us to a scary backwoods mouton area. We were relived when Joy discovered the problem.

The cabin was really nice. It had two bed rooms, a loft, kitchen, living room, big porch over looking a creek. The place was called Mountain Springs.






The boys loved discovering things around the cabin. They were able to get into the lower kitchen cabinets and get out pans and various other kitchen objects. They also enjoyed the fireplace, which we had to constantly get them away from.

Outside, they loved running around the big porch and we let them play a little bit in the creek.

Also outside was a large field with a play ground. They both loved playing in the sandbox. Jacob loved getting in and out of the sandbox. Jasper loved having the freedom to run around the field. On night, I played the "I'm gonna get'cha" game with him as he tried to run away laughing and falling.

Friday night Joy, I and the boys headed into downtown Asheville for a drum circle. The city was awesome. Very musical, a lot of street musicians. We also watched the Marine Corp band play too. They were doing a big concert.






I think the boys were tired and weren't that into the drum circle. We tried to get them to clap their hands or saw "ahh" but had no luck.

Saturday we went to a family picnic. Joy's aunt got ordained as a minister and they had a whole bunch of family get together for a picnic at someone's house. The boys loved playing with their cousin Elizabeth who also adored the boys.





Sunday, we stayed around the cabin. Joy's mom watched the boys while Joy and I got inter-tubes and hung out in the creek.

That night the boys weren't feeling too good and we thought they got sick. So instead of leaving in the morning we left at 11pm and drove all night.

Joy and I took turns driving and trying to sleep in the car. The boys did pretty good in the car but we has to play Mary Poppins a bunch.

We got home and the boys seemed to be feeling better. I called the doctor's office but by then they seemed fine. Joy's mom watched them while Joy and I took a nap. Then when they took a nap we all took another nap.

Our first vacation was a success! Joy did great at planning it all out and doing everything. The boys were angels. Isn't traveling with babies supposed to be crazy!?

Crawling and speaking/singing

Last week, I took a week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. It was so nice being home with Joy and the boys. It was a great week of just hanging out at home. There were days were we didn't leave the house.

The boys are moving a lot more on the rug we put out for the them. They are really good at turning around in a circle and crawling backwards. They love trying to get to their toys or to our dog or cat.

Jacob loves being on the rug so much he hasn't wanted to play in his jeep. Jasper on the other hand has been much more active in his jeep.

The boys have been sleeping much better at night. Although Joy and I figured it would be better to divide and conquer. Joy has been bringing Jasper to bed with her and I have been sleeping with Jacob on the couch. This works because we all get sleep.

Jasper has been talking up a storm. He sings himself to sleep and then talks during the day. In last couples days he has been saying "mom mom mom." How cool is that? His grandma is constantly trying to get them to talk by saying "mom mom mom," and "dad dad dad."

Jacob has been singing by holding a single note out. It's really impressive! Out of nowhere, he'll just sing "ahhhhhhhh". It's so cute.

I gotta get my phone out to record them speaking! I tried the other day but as soon as I did they stopped.