Christmas 2010

I've decided what my new year's resolutions are going to be. I have two this year - I'm sure I need many more but for starters I'm going to keep up with my blog. I love the connection I have developed with so many people and I miss that when I'm not blogging and regularly keeping up with everyone elses. I'm also going to dig into my camera. I've had it for a little over a year now and have yet to sit down and really LEARN about it. I got some wonderful gifts for my camera for Christmas and I'm so excited to learn about all the ins and outs of getting better pictures of everything.

I am so behind in blogging but instead of getting even further behind I'm going to write about Christmas and then I will just have to fill in the spots I missed down the road. That's one good thing about doing my 365 album - I have those daily pictures so I can still remember the small things I'm not wanting to forget - that's one of my most favorite projects EVER! If you're not doing one you should totally look into it.

Christmas was fabulous this year - we had a wonderful time with our family and the kids were very happy I think. I love Christmas - there is just this vibe in the air that is contagious. I can't get enough of it. We went to my dad's on Christmas Eve and had our annual spaghetti dinner followed by the kids "little" surprise that night. Each Christmas Eve Nendny and Papa get the kids a little "sursey" and we always give them new pjs for Christmas Eve night and a book.

 Caleb was very unhappy with almost every present he received and bless his heart he let everyone know it. This little boy wanted a flashlight more than anything in the world and he was getting one (or two) on Christmas morning so I told Nendny to wait and she did but he wasn't happy about it. You can see it in his face here - I felt horrible but love the capture.

Allie wasn't interested in sitting for the picture but I got a pretty good one of the boys.

I finally got Allie to sit for me when we got home in her new pjs - loving the gown :)

Christmas Eve was a LATE night - I'm talking like 3:30 late. I think it could be the latest one we've experienced yet. I don't ever do any wrapping until Christmas Eve - one reason is I have a very hard time finding the time to wrap with four kids around and by the time they are in bed I have so much other stuff to do that wrapping falls by the wayside. I am thinking I may try and wrap some beforehand for the very first time next year - I say that every year though so we shall see.

Christmas Eve or morning at this time before we went to bed.

Lucas was the first one up on Christmas morning followed by Jacob and then Allie. Caleb was last and the most anticipated I think :) He took FOREVER to wake up - it was close to 9:30 before he actually crawled out of bed despite my repeated attempts to wake him up. We ate sausage and gravy biscuits for breakfast and then dove into our gifts. Christmas morning is a process at our house - it takes a while and it's not rushed. We open one gift at a time rotating around the room.

 Right after Caleb got his police car - he was in shock for about 5 minutes when he walked out almost like he couldn't believe that a police car that he could ACTUALLY drive was sitting in his living room. His response to me was "See Mommy I told you Santa could BUILD one!"

I was very blessed this Christmas - I got a new Keurig - which is sooo cool! If you haven't seen one it's almost a show just to watch it brew a cup of coffee. My goal now is to find someplace around town that sells the tea k cups so I can have tea at night. I also got a new baking stone so I can throw away my ratty pans for my oven. Funny the things we find exciting as we get older :) And I got goodies for my camera too - so fun! I got an external flash which I am very very excited about and  new 50 mm lens. I'm still learning the lens - I'm sure I'll be doing that for some time to come. I have the Nikon D60 and therefore the lens has to be operated in Manual mode. That's something I need to work on a lot but I'm excited to learn!

 And this my friends - this is immediately after I received my external flash - the different is like night and day and it's pure love! I'm head over heels!

 All of these wrapped gifts are the ones that Allie didn't get to on Christmas morning. She opened gifts for the next two mornings before she finished them all. She would open a couple and then play with something and then open a few more and play some more. Funny girl!!!

 Overall we enjoyed the day with family and didn't want it to end - until it was time to hit the bed which we did hard!

The Telescope Story

Lucas received a telescope for Christmas last year. Yep LAST year and up until 2 days ago it was sitting in our shed in the same box we got it in LAST year. I have felt bad about not putting it together several times - however I've been so busy with 4 kids(5 if you count David) and a household that it didn't last long enough for me to actually get it out of the box.

2 days ago I ventured down that unknown road. Let me say that I'm not a science person. I hated each and every second spent in a science class every day of my life. I'm not exaggerating! Lucas, on the other hand is a science whiz. That boy could talk about space, weather and water cycles each and every minute of his life and never tire. Me - well it goes right over my head. So it's drastically underestimating it when I say I wasn't excited to put this telescope together.

I swallowed my excitement and drug the box from the shed to our living room and pulled the manual out. In my opinion only science lovers should be the ones to put these things together - seriously it was like I was reading pig latin the entire time. What normal functioning person knows what polar axis, azimuth base or a declination lock is????????? And it doesn't help when the manual obviously is made for someone that has some clue as to what they are doing. It is clear that a normal everyday human is not to understand these things.

However after a couple of hours and much confusion the telescope was assembled CORRECTLY (I think) and put in it's rightful place in Lucas' room. Now for me, well I don't care if I ever see a telescope again!

Wordless Wednesday

Busy Busy Week

I have 5 days to finish up Christmas shopping - I probably won't do most of it until Friday though. Seems odd when I get started on Black Friday to go up until the very last minute but I love it. I love to be out on Christmas Eve running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get every last little thing bought. The excitement on that day is something that's contagious!

We have a very busy week ahead. Lots of baking, cleaning out toys, cleaning house, laundry to do. The older boys are going to their grandparent's house tomorrow for a couple of nights and will be back on Christmas Eve. In years past I have always waited until Christmas Eve to wrap everything - yes I'm crazy and yes I'm usually working at it for hours!! however this year I might get some done during the week since they won't be here at night. I don't ever put Christmas presents under the tree until Christmas Eve after the kids have gone to bed - maybe that is why I have never messed with wrapping them earlier either. I think going to bed with absolutely no presents and then waking up with the tree covered up is the coolest thing ever.

I was able to go to Caleb's Christmas program on Friday. Allie ended up not being in it since it was rescheduled. Technically she wasn't supposed to be in it - the 2s were just going to walk in dressed in little elf hats and sit in the front row to watch the program but since they didn't have school that day she stayed with us. I was a little disappointed that I wasn't going to get to see her dressed up but oh well. Caleb was the cutest little shepherd ever!! I was able to stay for the first 15 minutes and see him sing and then I had to run out of there to get to the older boys school for their parties. It was an insane day! I wanted to tape the program but when I got there my video camera battery was dead so I had to settle for a few far off pictures. I'm hoping to get a copy of the disc that the school recorded when they go back after the holidays.

Caleb is the fourth from the left in all of these. He did awesome in the performance. In the previous two parties he has had and they have performed a few songs for the families he gets extremely nervous almost to the point of making himself sick after it's over. When he first walked out as a shepherd I thought he was going to throw up all over the place he looked so nervous but he sang and actually did the motions and I was so proud of him!

So school is over and the kids are all home. My house is officially even crazier than it usually is and we have sickness lingering again. I sat up until 2 am last night trying to go to sleep but for my throat being constantly scratchy. Allie and Caleb coughed off and on all night long and have the runny nose from hell. Praying we can get over it before Christmas. Way to much to do to be sick. This could officially be the most rambling post ever!

5 Question Friday

I can't believe we're one week away from Christmas. So much to do in the next 7 days and of course the kids will be home eacn and everyday so things are going to be interesting!! For now it's finally Friday - one of the longest weeks EVER with my husband working each and every night. I'm looking forward to a meal around the table that he's actually present at this weekend!!

For now it's 5 Question Friday. Head over to Mama M's at My Little Life and then let me know you did so I can check out your answers too - Love me some random questions.

1. Do you regift...and if so, do you have a regifting horror story?

I don't regift and really never have. I usually clean out on a semi regular basis (notice the semi regular there :) so if there's something I don't want or won't use I usually sell or donate it.


2. Do you know what you are getting for Christmas this year?

No. We are supposed to not be doing big gifts for adults this year so I better not getting anything. I did put stuff on my list however that was before I thought of all the cheaper stuff I needed so we'll go with that revised list :) At least that's what people are saying - we better stick to it! Or there's always that person that says that and then goes out and does the exact opposite so you're sitting there looking foolish - I hate that -

3. Who brings the most gifts in your family, you or Santa?

We do. Santa usually brings one gift and then the stockings and we do the rest. I think Santa is magical but as you grow up and have children of your own he gets the credit for the best stuff and we get stiffed. In a way I'm looking forward to the day they figure it all out and then realize that all those years we bought those gifts but then again I love the wonder and excitement of Santa.

4. What store do you love to by jeans from?

I used to buy all my jeans from Express - love love love their jeans HOWEVER they are like $60 a piece and well I grew up and had children and no longer had $60 to spend on a single pair of jeans therefore I've taken many steps down and now shop for them at Target. They're ok - they'll never be Express but those days are long gone!
5. Christmas meal: Big, All Out Meal or Snacks and Apps?

Big!!!!!!!!!! When it comes to food and our family it's always BIG! We also do snacks and apps throughout the day until the time comes for the big meal - we live for eating :)

Discouraged

See these babies? Well they're all home today UNPLANNED and it's just screwed my plans up so that I'm not a happy mama. You see Caleb and Allie were supposed to have their Christmas program this morning at preschool. Now that they have closed schools Caleb and Allie's program has been delayed until tomorrow at 1 pm. However Lucas and Jacob have their parties tomorrow at 1:30 that I HAVE to be at because I'm a room parent. :( So it's Caleb and Allie's first Christmas program and now there's a chance I won't get to see it. I'm so incredibly discouraged and upset right now and can't for the life of me figure out how to make it work. My parents have graciously offered to do whatever is needed but I am still stuck with the fact that I won't get to see their program. Sooooo today I'm hoping I'll sprout wings and develop a twin so I can be in two places at once tomorrow and not miss anything! Join me in my prayer  -  nothing's impossible, right?

Wordless Wednesday

Back to Halloween

It's less than 2 weeks until Christmas and I am posting Halloween pictures - honestly that's a good view into my life for the last few months. Since I'm playing catch up we can take a walk down memory lane around here today.

It took me forever to decide on Allie's costume - better said it took Allie forever to decide on Allie's costume. We went back and forth between 3 costumes for a while and everytime she decided on one and we walked away she changed her mind again. Finally Daddy took charge and they made the FINAL decision.

Caleb's was simple - he's infatuated with police men and he automatically knew he was going to be a police officer. Finding one in his size as skinny as he is but that fit his height was another story.


Caleb and Allie had a Halloween party at school the week before and Caleb's class had a Halloween parade. Allie's class watched from inside the building and then we headed back to the classrooms for their parties.

I love this of David and Allie looking at each other through the window.

We recycled Lucas and Jacob's costumes this year - I couldn't see spending money on costumes that we already had laying around the house so we dug through everything we had until they found something that they wanted.

We actually went Trick or Treating with some friends this year to a neighborhood that we had never been to before. We loved it - this neighborhood celebrated Halloween unlike anything that I have ever seen before. Almost EVERY single house was participating and they went all out. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in the streets - it was insane! Needless to say I think we'll be going back to that neighborhood again in the future.