Christmas Festivities

We were on the move for Christmas this year - starting with a brief stop in Charleston on the way to Georgia. We arrived in Georgia on Christmas Eve for lots of fun with Mimi, Paka, Aunt Amanda, Uncle David and Noah.

Stockings for the kids plus one for Amanda & David's new addition coming in March.


Scott & I tried very hard to talk up Santa Claus for Nate - I'm not sure why, I guess we thought that was what we were supposed to do! Here is Nate setting out cookies & milk for Santa and fruit for the reindeer. When Nate got up on Christmas morning, we explained to him that Santa had been there and his reply was "Where? Where was Santa? I didn't see him. He was not here." Very observant.

Nate and his new camera that takes real pictures. He was a very happy camper!

Opening presents with Dad - with the little kids, we had to open presents in waves.

Reading a new book with Dad...we are so thankful for all the new books. Nate is quite the reader and Scott & I are thrilled to have new material!

Resting in between the waves...I didn't realize how exhausting Christmas with children can be!

Amanda, Noah & Nate opening presents. Nate had to help Noah a little bit - he was happy to oblige.

Nate & Noah in their matching Kelly's Kids shirts! Thanks JE! They were adorable.

Mimi with her boys...with Gavin's arrival in March, Mimi will have her hands full of boys!

In the final wave of presents, Nate received a sleeping bag from Mimi & Paka. It was definitely a hit! He had to sleep in it on his bed for the next 2 nights.

After leaving Georgia, we made our way back to Charleston for a short visit with Debbie, Wayne, Hamil, Emily and Michael Lane. On the way back to STL, we stopped to see Aunt Mil. Here are Nate and Debbie opening presents at Aunt Mil's house.

Finally, the best picture of all - Nate and Aunt Mil. It brings her such joy to see Nate and we are so thankful to have her in our lives.

Happy New Year!

My Baby is 3!

As Nate so politely reminds me "I am NOT a baby ANY more Mom." This is true, he is not a baby any more. He is an active, super intelligent (:)), loving 3 year old. He had a great birthday and it was a wonderful day.


First, we started with presents...


Scott gets Nate a book every year for his birthday. This year it was "Tiger Can't Sleep" which is a book that Nate loves from the library. He was thrilled!

Unwrapping the art easel from Mom & Dad.

If you are a parent and your kid loves to draw - and you haven't seen the Melissa & Doug art easel, go find it! I am very impressed!

After presents, I made monkey bread for my monkey for breakfast. My good friend Audra Pooley made this plate when Nate was born and we had a good time telling Pooley memories at breakfast (Ry & Aud - Nate whined that he wanted to go to the Black Hills all day yesterday!)

Scott & I enjoyed the monkey bread and my oatmeal addict said "I'd rather have oatmeal, please." Leave it to my child to turn his nose up at sugary goo in favor of oatmeal.

After breakfast, we did a special birthday outing. We surprised Nate by taking him to the Science Center to the Build-A-Dino store. Nate got to pick out a stuffed animal to make - he is now the proud parent of T-Rex, or T for short.

You can pick out a sound for the animal to make - the choices were for it to roar, laugh, or say I Love You. My sweet child picked I Love You. Scott was so proud.

After you make the dinosaur, you have to give it a bath, which Nate loved.

The three of us built the arch while at the Science Center - Scott and I were very pleased with ourselves and actually chuckled at the family across the way trying to do the same thing but were failing miserably. If we hadn't been in a hurry to go to lunch, we would have offered our consulting services for a small fee.

Hamil & Sarah could not make it to the birthday party, so Hamil drove all the way from Charleston so that they could have lunch with Nate. We went to Fitz's, the root beer bottling factory in St. Louis. Nate was a perfect angel and we had a great time. Here he is with the birthday float that was bigger than him. He was in heaven!

After a nap, our friends came over for a party. Charlie & Hayden with Nate at the "big" kids table. I was told that I couldn't call it the kids table or worse the "little" kids table.

Bob the Builder cake...it was hard to come by this year because it appears the world is phasing out Bob. How sad...We love Bob!

Nate blowing out the candles on take 2 - Peter helped him out the first time! It was a crowd pleaser!

Nate opening his gifts - we have such wonderful friends and family. He was way more into it this year - last year it took forever because he wanted to rest between each one. I love this picture of Hayden trying to bite the camera with the T-Rex.

And finally, our attempt to get a picture of the cousins (Elena Haas) for Aunt Mil. Nate wasn't really into it, but he obliged. Thankfully Elena wasn't hurt on his lightning fast exit when we said he was finished. Too funny.

Nate Meets Santa Claus

Santa Claus visited Nate's school yesterday. Nate wasn't overly excited about it but I think his curiousity about the guy was heightened when he saw Santa Claus getting out of his car in the parking lot. MANY questions for Scott to field. It was icy in St. Louis yesterday morning so we can only assume the roads were much too dangerous for Santa's sleigh...wink wink. He was the only kid in his class to sit on Santa's lap...shocker.

Nate did tell Santa that he wanted a fish for Christmas. GREAT. The odd thing about this request is that we already have 2 perfectly good fish in a tank in his room and have for 2 years now!! If I had only known...:)

Scott & Nate before school...St. Louis is freezing cold this week. I'm not a happy girl.

Gingerbread House

Nate and I made a gingerbread house today...when we got finished he asked me how he could open the door because the gingerbread cookies needed to go home. He sure is an imaginative, almost 3-year old boy who will always be our Christmas baby!

Jingle Bell 5K

I can cross off one of the items on my master to-do list...Run a 5K. I ran my very first 5K this weekend in Charleston. I can't say that it was fun, but I am happy to have accomplished it, especially due to my recent run-in with the sidewalk. I'm not sure I will do another one (although my mom says that if I ran this Charleston race, I have to run the one they put on for Dogwood Azalea Festival in April...we'll see).

My friend Megan came down to run the race too...here we are before the start. Did I mention it was only about 25 degrees and blowing snow??? So fun.



While in Charleston, Nate did more holiday baking...this time Teddy Bear bread, which my Nana used to make.

His favorite part is smacking the dough...

Thanksgiving 2008

It was a Corse family Thanksgiving this year...we went to a cabin outside Branson, MO for a few days with nature. I actually avoided seeing that much wildlife, which is always good for me. I also didn't get that many photos - I guess I was too busy talking. You have to talk often and loud if you want to be heard in my family!

Here we are watching my Dad carve the turkey. My dear Grandma Arlene is in the back middle of the picture. She thinks we are all hilarious, which is why she is so imperative to the success of the trip (I mean somone has to listen and at least act like we are funny!)


Grandma's head, Mom, Dad, Scott, Hamil, and Michael Lane waving.


Nate and Emily always have a great time - here he is making her laugh with a fly swatter and a bird house. Who knew those would be his toys of choice this weekend.

Mom, Emily, and I took Grandma to a "show" in Branson. We went to see the fiddle player - Shoji Tabuchi. I have never been to Branson, so the "show" was definitely an experience.

Nate and Emily playing again - this time using a flash light without the top to look for bugs in her ear and then the bottom of a wine opener filled with pretend medicine to kill the bugs. What an imagination.