The Phillips Family

Category: The Kids

  • Here Comes Santa Claus!

    Here Comes Santa Claus!

    We signed up again for the annual fire station fundraiser! You provide the present and donation, and here comes Santa on a fire truck with the sirens a blazin’! Needless to say, for two little boys who love fire trucks and Santa BUT really love getting presents, this is a total hit! Andrew was a bit apprehensive of the big guy but certainly mustered the courage to get his present when his name was called.

    Love our Hogan-Phillips family traditions! Now if we could only get everyone to look and smile at the camera at the same time…. #2018goals

  • I just did the math….

    I just did the math….

    They just sent out information about Kindergarten registration. In our school district you need to be 5 by October 1st to enroll. So….Andrew will start Kindergarten in the fall of 2020. And then therefore graduates in the class of 2033! 2033!!

    How I feel learning this:

    But then I remembered we’ll only have 1 daycare bill each month!

  • A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

    A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

    …And if there were words to accompany these pictures they would be:

    Andrew: Hey Teddy! Mommy got us all dressed up nice to visit Santa. And she really wants to take a picture. But let’s see how quickly she’ll get frustrated and want to throw the phone across the yard. I’m going to be serious.
    Teddy: Cool! I’ll smile and be super cute!

    Andrew: It’s working!

    Teddy: I’m hamming it up big time and you won’t crack a smile, Andrew. She’s gonna blow!

    Andrew: I’ll give her a half smile.
    Teddy: Cool. I’ll look down now.

    Andrew: Nice work.
    Teddy: I think I saw a new gray hair.

    Together: Let’s practice NOT looking at the camera and NOT smiling at the same time.

    Andrew: Have we practiced enough? Your ready for Santa little brother?
    Teddy: I think so. Let’s go meet Santa and give mommy a photo to remember.

    Mission accomplished. These boys have an amazing way of making me laugh, smile, cringe and cry all at the same time! And I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Merry Christmas from the Phillips brothers!

  • Locker room

    Locker room

    How Daddy does the locker room after swim lessons!

  • Pageantry

    Pageantry

    The annual Palmer School holiday pageant….or the annual school event where Kristi stands up in front of all the other parents to sing ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas.’ [Note- Year 1: I sang with Andrew because he was a baby. Year 2: I sang with Andrew because he was crying. Year 3: Andrew was great but Teddy is a baby. Maybe next year I won’t have to perform?!]

    Andrew’s toddler 2 class sang S-A-N-T-A (to the tune of BINGO), Jingle Bells and Dreidel Dreidel. While I don’t think Andrew will be asking to perform on Broadway anytime soon, he did great! I’m proud that he stood up there with his classmates and sang all of his songs without lifting up his shirt, crying, or picking his nose like some other kids.

    And while Teddy isn’t able to sing just yet, he certainly looked pretty darn cute!

    Merry Christmas!

  • Andrew’s First Trip to the Dentist

    Andrew’s First Trip to the Dentist

    Milestone! Andrew had his first (and long long overdue!) trip to the dentist. I took him to SmileWorks, a local dentist who specializes in kids.  I was a little nervous about how he’d do but I am so proud to say he did AMAZING! He walked in, took off his coat and sat in the waiting room with his hands folded and waited his turn. He was a little reluctant to sit in the reclining chair but was willing to sit in an upright chair. Once the hygienist told him that her tools sounded like Lightning McQueen, he was hooked. He sat there, opened his mouth wide and let them clean his teeth, floss and do an exam with the dentist. Ka-chow!

    He walked away with a Lightning McQueen toothbrush, a monster truck sticker, a balloon and a big cookie (pre-visit bribe from Mommy). He’s already asked when he can go back!

  • Let it Snow!

    Let it Snow!

    The first snow of the winter! On Saturday about 3-5 inches of light, fluffy white stuff fell. Last year Andrew really never got much of a chance to play outside because of the new baby, his varied illnesses and a downright refusal to wear ANY sort of snow gear. But much to my total delight he put on his snow pants, boots, gloves and hat with (almost) no fuss! It probably helped that I lured him with the promise of ‘snow digging!’ The kid is a total sucker for anything that involves a dump truck or digger.

    Andrew loved the snow and ‘making paths’, aka shoveling. The snow was so light that he could easily push it around with the kid-size snow shovel I found for him at the rummage sale last fall. He legitimately shoveled a big chunk of the driveway and I didn’t stop him one bit. It’s about time he pulls his weight around here!?

    On Sunday once the snow stopped, Teddy and Daddy got in on the fun too. Teddy was skeptical at best of his first sled ride and the whole experience for that matter. And Daddy was pretty pleased with the snowman he built!

  • Oh Christmas Tree!

    Oh Christmas Tree!

    We took ‘going to get our Christmas tree’ to a whole new level this year! Instead of just picking out a pre-cut tree, we thought it would be fun to cut our own! [Note: the people who thought it would be fun, were NOT the people who actually cut down the tree.] We hitched up the trailer and headed to Cherryville Farms for the afternoon to find the perfect Christmas tree. The farm was great for Andrew and Austin and they loved watching the wagons and running through the field of Christmas trees.

    After some deliberation each family chose their tree and the Daddies got to work with nothing but a handsaw and determination. There was a lot of heavy breathing by the men and remembering that they aren’t in their 20’s anymore. But, success! They hauled two 8+ foot trees to the wagon and we rode back the farm for some hot chocolate and well deserved beer (for the parents of course)!

    Finding the perfect tree!

    Men at work

    Meanwhile the boys played and provided no support (moral or otherwise) to their fathers!

    Once home we got to decorating. Andrew mostly enjoyed climbing the ladder but did take pride in putting on his Thomas, train, truck, Polar Express and handmade ornaments.

    Final product! Merry Christmas 2017!

  • Life at the Frat House… According to Andrew & Teddy

    Life at the Frat House… According to Andrew & Teddy

    When we’re home sick from school we visit Mommy in her office. We don’t let her get anything done.

    We visit the library and pick out new books to read. Mommy tries to get us to read about animals, holidays, fairy tales and more. But we like to read about diggers and construction sites ALL THE TIME.

    Little brothers try to do whatever big brothers do.

    We get messy.

    We laugh.

    And we sing and dance to our favorite pop song!

  • TEDDY: 9 MONTHS!

    TEDDY: 9 MONTHS!

    Our little man is 9 months (Yes, I know that was really 2 weeks ago but we’ve been REALLY busy!)! He’s officially spent as much time on the ‘outside’ as he did in mommy’s belly.

    Teddy’s smiles and cheerful personality seem to have no bounds…except when he’s hungry! He LOVES to eat pretty much anything, following his brother around, banging on the step stool in the bathroom, destroying Andrew’s train table (think King Kong), splashing in the bath and surfing from various pieces of furniture. He also LOVES the remote controls. Teddy’s even started to push the walker around. Walking, er running, here we come!

    He officially weighs 20 lbs 6 oz (70%) and is 28 inches long (49%!). He’s wearing 12 month cloths and sleeps like a champ from 7-7:30 pm until 6:30-7am. Still no teeth for Teds. But….he IS saying ‘Ma ma ma ma’. That’s right- I’m claiming it! Teddy’s first word was Mama.

    We love you Teddy Bear! I almost don’t remember what life was like without your blond curls, big smiles and sweet giggles!