A RED ALERT Gingy Emergency

If you are a reader of this blog, or have the privilege of knowing Josh in real life, you know of his best buddy in the whole world, Gingy. 

Gingy was given to Josh by my dad, Grampa Roy for Christmas 2013. 

That Christmas he kept on saying he wanted a "gingerbread man" and I kept thinking he was just wanting to make Gingerbread cookies, so my mom clarified it one night and nope- he wanted an actual Gingerbread Man. Ha!

Dad was still trying to get him one more thing so I suggested I try to find one while my mom and I were out shopping that  day and have Dad give it to him.

Well, we went to several places - NO gingerbread men anywhere, and to be honest I kind of expected it. I had no clue what I was looking for. 

A lady at the last store suggested Hobby Lobby. So off we went. 

As luck would have it, they already had their Christmas marked down to like 60% off!!!! So we got Gingy super cheap lol!

We'll, wouldn't you know Josh opened that up and hasn't left his side since. He's been sewed up more times than I could count. They go everywhere together and are best friends. 

Yesterday we had a catastrophe and could NOT find him. Jake and I literally tore the house apart. Not only was Josh heartbroken, but we were too!! He's a big part of our family now and I'm just as attached to him as Josh is. Since their birthday was this week we started panicking that he got thrown out with boxes or trash. 

I started posting on buy/sell/trade boards on Facebook seeing if ANYONE had one. I honestly didn't want to get a new one. I mean, that's not his best friend and the one he loves, but we are desperate and maybe I could "rough one up" enough :( 

Someone actually found one on eBay. So many lovely people helped. Woohoo! I paid quite a bit more but who cares. I now have a back up!!!

Thankfully--- I ended up finding Gingy. He mentioned he was playing "Where's Gingy- there he is!!" Peekaboo game with him so I started looking "in" things where he could hide and I found him. Hallelujah!!!!! (And seriously how sweet is that!!!! <<<<)

I just went and woke him up to tell him I found his buddy :) and they're reunited again. 

All is well in the world again. 

Don't worry - we weren't driving ^ :) 

Found the little stinker!!!!! I had tears in my eyes when I found him!!

Our Christmas Bucket List

It seems like this year flew by. I'm not sure how it happened. I had a "Christmas Bucket List" if you will and tried to add some new things, but honestly we didn't get to some of the things we even do every year! (like the Opryland Hotel)

We did add a couple of new things. We went to a A Very Merry Music City Christmas  - that was fun. They had Olaf, snowsledding, a bounce house, etc. It was fun.

Haha!

We did caroling with our moms group at a local nursing home.

We saw the lights at Jellystone Park this year, and also drove twice around to see the prettiest lights in the city. 

We made cookies and did some Christmas crafts, some better than others. 

Jules' snowman and Josh's "he loves glue" sled. 

Can you guess which one is from Pinterest and was our inspiration?

Josh and Heidi Klum with their Gingerbread houses. 

Josh was DYING to do a popcorn garland this year. So we odd it and put is on the tree in his room. That guy. 

Josh got The Polar Express this year. He's obsessed with the book/movie. At 3 last year he watched it so many times. He kept on saying jokingly "mommy I don't believe" because he was hoping the Polar Express would come get him. That backfired as he had nightmares the next two nights because he was scared a train was going to come take him away. Haha!! 

We went to the Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church, which we haven't done since before the kids were born.

Things I didn't do were the Walkthrough Bethlehem, Opryland Hotel and The Rockettes. Oh well, we can only squeeze so much in, no? Sigh... Still a GREAT GREAT Christmas!! 

Little Ice Skaters

I realized in talking to a friend today that I haven't posted anything about them ice skating!

They started taking lessons in October and are actually quite good! MUCH better than I am! 

While I hate it as it's time consuming getting bundled up, change clothes, put on ice skates, etc and it's FREEZING in there... They do love it. Even Jules! 

I take a phone pic every week in the same spot. So, here we are before a few lessons:

Some tried to steal the spot light this week. 

And a few videos:

Josh skating:

Skating Backwards:

Each week they chase bubbles, so here's a clip from that :)

Jules skating:

Each week the teachers throw out stuff animals and they have to skate to them and pick them up:

And finally, we went iceskating at market square in Knoxville over Christmas :)

On The Eve Of Your FIFTH Birthday

 Time depresses me. If I think about something too long, it really makes me sad. God gave me two babies that were born on January 8th because immediately after Christmas we are full speed ahead into birthday planning.

So, see? I can't dwell on Christmas being over and another year being over. He knew what He was doing ;)

How are they five - HOW ARE THEY FIVE??? These years are going by at lightning speed and I've been told that once they start school it goes faster. And I seriously can't think about them starting school or I go into a panic.

I'm not sure other parents are like this. Maybe they are. Twins are just different. Once they turn 5 then everyone is 5. Once they start school everyone starts school. Once they graduate, everyone graduates. Can't think about it.

These little nuggets make my world go round. I'm seriously so blessed and just damn lucky. I was supposed to have a spunky little girl and a wild little boy. I was supposed to struggle to have them so I could get two at a time.

Dear Josh and Jules,
At this moment you are still four. Tonight as we did last year on the eve of your birthday, we looked at videos of your early childhood. I could barely stand it. You would notice my face and give me hugs. One of the things we joke about all the time is how "I don't want you to grow anymore. I want you to be babies again". And you laugh and say you have to grow up. Tonight when you gave me hugs to cheer me up you told me that you have to turn 5, but you will always be my babies. Yes, you will my angels. Forever and ever. As sad as I am that you're turning 5 tomorrow, I can't be more proud of the little people you've become. Josh, you have a heart of gold. You will able to be the little cuddle baby that will give hugs around the clock. Although the "boy" in you is coming out, and you are growing up and wanting friends, and playing sports, and all that. I know you will always be there with hugs and kisses waiting. Jules, you are just a precious little girl. I don't know what else to say. You are already my best friend at age 4. I love you more that words can say. 

Happy Birthday my darlings, Love you much.

xoxo, 

Mommy