Lil' Turkeys to Santa Mandi's Lil' Helpers;)

Hello Everybody and Happy December!!! (Well, almost...I'm a day early...)

Welcome to my favorite time of the year!  I LOVE the Holiday Season!

 You bet your fine lil' tushies that these lil' turkeys are going to become Mandi's lil' helpers over the holiday season:)  We will be doing all kinds of baking, decorating, and crafting!  I cannot wait:)

I just remember how special my parents made this time of year for me growing up and I just hope they LOVE it as much as I do!  So, we will be extra busy this month doing all sorts of Christmas-eee stuff!  Cannot wait!

By the Christmas Tree

Even Calvin James is prepared for the holidays this year!!!

Christmas Calvin:)

"Meowy Christmas!!!"

Thanksgiving came and went and now we are slowly moving into the Christmas Spirit.

The boys have their Christmas tree up at both of their houses and all the classic Christmas movies are in their DVD players non-stop.  Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph is there favorite so far.  I just love the classical Christmas movies!  They get better and better each year.

 

The boys are so cute!

They are really getting excited for Santa this year and that makes my heart all warm and happy!

I must say it is so fun to hear them talk about anything and everything Christmas.

Owen (who's almost 4) really understands the story of "Santa" a lil' more this year and it's so adorable.  

The other day I overheard him explaining to Miles that "Santa's watching and if you want presents you gotta be a good boy!"  So sweet:)  Miles just looked at him confused though and says, "Santa?" haha.

Such an excited lil' boy:)

"Oh Christmas Tree..."

Yesterday Owen was just standing in his living room looking up at the Christmas tree....he sighed and says, "I think our Christmas tree is just absolutely wonderful!" haha awww!  A lil' dramatic but adorable.  I love them so much.

So excited for the holidays!

Anyways, there will be many stories to share and pictures to come....

but for now I just wanted to give you a lil' teaser for the best month (well besides my birthday month, haha!) of the year:)  Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping! xoxo

Miss Mandi the Santa Nanny:)

Ps. Look at this adorable ornament of Owen from last year...gosh he has grown up so much!

Time really does fly by when you're having fun!  What an amazing year it has been:)

Christmas 2010

"Is that a good idea?"

Hello and Happy November!
Winter is slowly but surely creeping up onto us and the the days are getting shorter and shorter.
I am NOT a fan of Winter but I do like the pretty snow, CHRISTMAS, and the fun activities of Winter.
The only problem with nannying this time of the year is the kiddos get "cabin fever" like crazy so I have to get really creative:)  I already have a few ideas in store so hopefully it will be a fun one this year!
I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week already!  Then it will be Christmas and 2012 already...holy cow!
Before I get too ahead of myself I'm going to focus on Thanksgiving first;)
The boys have a few extra days off next week so we're going to do all kinds of fun "Turkey Day crafts" and baking.  It will be messy and fun!

Happy Turkey Day, ya'll!

Speaking of the boys...they are SUCH boys now...
full of dirtiness, stinkness, and all "boy like" things.  BUT they are adorable as always:)
Right now they have figured out all about "toots and burbs" (or as Owen calls them, "My Man Burbs") and Miles is in the process of potty training *sigh* (just when we have Owen all good in that situation)  It's never ending!

Jusssst Kidding;)

Ohhh the lovely stage of potty training!

They also ask a MILLION questions a day and don't quite understand the meaning of a personal "bubble" yet so they are right in your face 24/7.  Good thing I adore them...right?! :)
They ask questions non-stop and it's enough to make a sane person go quackers if you know what I mean...
"WHY WHY WHY is the sky bluuueee? WHY do you drive a car? WHY do I have to eat lunch? WHY WHY WHY?!" Ahhhhh...I don't know man, I just don't know! haha:)  I started telling them "because God made it that way or because I said so" as my answer because I am running out of answers.  That doesn't make me too bad of a nanny, does it? I can talk forever but I think I have officially been "beat" in that department.  Owen and Miles: 100 Mandi: 0

They are also "balls to walls" 24/7 as well.
I'm not kidding I think somebody falls, gets a "boo boo", or ends up in tears at least twice a day.  They just go, go, go to the extreme until something happens.  Definitely keeps me on my toes and makes me super nervous all the time.  Sometimes I'm afraid people will think I beat them due to all their "boo boo's" haha! Such boys! They will definitely be playing sports in the near future I think.

I'm so proud of them but I think they're even prouder!
Right now they are SO proud of all their accomplishments...big or small.  It's really sweet.
I hear the phrase "Look what I can do" (Mad TV anybody?) and "watch this" all the time!
Everything from taking a bite outta their food to using the potty and riding their bikes...these boys are super proud:)

They also say the funniest things and constantly have me giggling!
Unfortunately this past weekend my friend's car got broken into and they stole all my stuff and broke my phone!  Yes, so I'm phone-less for awhile and it's not fun.  I can't believe it and it was a terrible situation.  Long story short though...when trying to explain to Owen why my phone is broken he responds, "Well now that's not your every day pony ride now is it?" haha! Too funny:)
However, not soo funny about my poor lil' phone...

Ahh my phone got a "boo boo" :(

In the meantime, Miles is turning into my lil' gangsta baby and I LOVE it!
He will sing/rap in the car and it's so funny!  He loves singing that Chris Brown song "Look at me now"...he will say "Look at me now...look at me now...I gettin' paaaaaaaypeeeeer!"  Definitely a proud moment for me in nanny hood;) haha oh man.

Hahaha! Jussst kidding!
He's not THAT gangsta;)

I asked the boys the other day if they had girlfriends...
Owen replies, "Yeah I do!"
So I asked him what her name was and he said "Silvia".  Then I asked him why he likes Silvia and he replies,
"Because she's pretty cute...and...REALLY Baaaad!" Oh boy we're in for a couple of interesting years if he's already interested in the "bad girls" haha!
Miles bashfully told me his girlfriend is "Gracie" (except it came out more like "Gwacieee") SO CUTE!
I'm glad my lil' kiddos are such stud muffins at such a young age;)

Well that's all I have for now...
I have to go get the boys ready for school.  It's Wednesday so we're halfway through the week...yay!

Until next time here is a picture for you to enjoy and a video too!
(keep in mind no animals were harmed in the making of the video...)
Calvin James LOVES helping me babysit;) haha!

Poor Kitty!

We wish you all a very safe and Happy Turkey Day!
Peace and Love!
Miss Mandi the Nanny

No Tricks..All Treats!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!!!

Yes, I was "Hello Kitty" this year...

Another very successful Halloween with the kiddo's this year.
I just realized I never got pictures of them last Halloween to compare...dang;)

So, October has been an Amaaaazing Month and so much fun!
I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to spend my 26th (yes, 26th...yikes!) birthday in Texas this year with my best friend (aka wife/ex wife/wife again...haha!) Samantha and with all my Mom's side of the family.  It was truly wonderful and I was soo sad to leave.  I really could of used just a few more days:)  However, I am SO lucky the Cockrill Family gave me the time off.  It was much needed and I could not have appreciated it more!  (Yes Mommy and Daddy's, the nanny needs a breather sometimes too!)  I try to be "SuperWoman" but at the end of the day...I'm only human;)

Super Woman Mandi!!! *dun dun da dun!*

Sooo...speaking of Texas...

I not only had the opportunity to spend it with my lovely friends and family but I had the chance to do some amazing things.  My darling friend, Samantha, is working at a Feline and Cat Wildlife Rescue place in Tyler, Texas and I was so fortunate to get the "Behind the scenes tour"....I got some serious one on one time (haha well, as safely as possible...) with some of the most gorgeous creatures I have ever seen in my life!  Here are a few of my favorite pictures....enjoy!

If you're ever any where close to Tyler, Texas I highly recommend checking this place out!
It is "kitty heaven" for sure:)

That same weekend Sam and I got to experience a "drive thru" Wildlife Safari and it was AMAZING!

We really got to spend some one on one time with some beautiful creatures....pet and hand fed Zebra's, Kangaroo's, Donkey's, A very obnoxious Camel;), and so much more!  It was awesome!

I have about a million more pictures but I'd be uploading all day:)
That last picture really shows our true faces through the whole 2 hour journey...haha!  It was magical :)

Besides all the awesome wildlife I got to experience I got to spend some much needed time with my wonderful family that I love so much!  I truly have the BEST aunt's and uncle's a gal could ask for...I am blessed!  I just wish I could see them more often...maybe I should move to Texas, perhaps? ;)

It was so nice to take 5 whole days off from my busy, crazy, wonderfully hectic schedule....

the first 2 days I was in Texas I was soo tired!  Then I realized, I'm not tired...I'm RELAXED! haha!  It really made me realize I need to take it a lil' more easy and take more time out for friends, family, and myself!  

Overall, Texas was a nice "breather" from life...and I'm so thankful and blessed I got to go!

(Huge Thanks goes out to the man in my life for making it possible...best birthday present ever!  Hugs to you Ben Davis!)

So, once I got back from this lovely trip I had to start preparing for Halloween!

I love Halloween but always get slightly bummed when it's over because then that means October (the BEST month ever!) is over.....however, it's time to start planning for my FAVORITE Holiday ever... CHRISTMAS!!! eek:)  It truly is the best holiday in the world...next to my birthday of course;) haha!

BUT...before we "jump the gun"...let's post some precious Halloween Pictures of my kiddo's...

They had the best Halloween a kid could ask for...and candy to last days and days...and days...

Yum Yum!

Alright People...

who's ready to see the ONE..The ONLY...

CAPTAIN AMERICA and BATMAN?!?!

hahaha awww!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

OWEN!

MILES!

We hope that everybody enjoyed OCTOBER as much as we did!

We hope that everybody's bellies are full of candy and had a safe and happy holiday as well!

I may have just turned 26 but I will be a "kid" forever!
Happy Birthday to Me:D

Now, let's move on to what we're "thankful" for...as Turkey Season is just around the corner;)
And "no shave November" *sigh*.  If the kiddo's start growing beards I will be scared! haha!

Peace and Love,

Mandi