LOOK...

at what I bought tonight online...

Yay! I paid for the spinner class. Need to make a trip to Hannahs or Archiver's to get a few misc. things for the spinner.

Ali Edwards Technique Tues. stamps

Totally don't need it. But had to have it. I do plan to use them on my photo spinner project.

Have wanted this Maya Road chipboard book forever:

bought it : ) not sure yet what I'll make with it. Definitely will involve paint. Love it!

Scrapbooked with a couple friends last night @ the store. Didn't do much, but it was nice to be in the store again (it's been too long!) and with some of my scrappin' girlfriends. I really want to go on a weekend again, but don't know if I can get anyone else to go???

Happy New Year!!

Christmas break...

and I've been out of commission a few days here. Sunday I didn't get out of bed till after 11am, and that's because I needed to get a drink of water. I woke up with some sort of bug; just feeling yucky. My head was so stuffed and I had a terrible headache. The kids all have terrible coughs, but other than that they're seemingly fine now.

So for Christmas I made photo books on Shutterfly for gifts for my parents. I've decided I am going to go through and make photo books for myself for each year (well, as of now I only plan to go back to when I first got a digital camera, so about 2002). Wait--before you think I'm giving up on scrapbooking, I'm not!! Honestly, what I scrapbook won't affect this photo book thing at all. I generally only scrapbook my favorite pictures, and some events like birthdays and first days of school. I don't scrapbook everything, that'd be impossible for me. I don't stay in order, I do whatever I feel like doing. So the photo books will be more of recaps for each year, and they will look so *lovely* on a shelf. They can be pricey, so I'm in no rush...but I love the way my parents' 8x8 books turned out. While shutterfly has some great choices, I really want to do a book off of scrapbooksetc.com--I really love their designs. I am not becoming a digital scrapper--I don't have the patience or desire to make digital pages. But to be able to sum up a year by moving pictures to blank boxes on the screen of the computer...that's just too easy.

It's a quiet morning. The girls are playing with Littlest Pet Shop guys they got for Christmas. Cal slept over by my Dad & Maria's last night. Sleepovers go much smoother when all the kids aren't together anyways. They deserve alone time, since it doesn't happen very often. I think tonight the girls are staying by my Grandma, and Cal by my sister. I'm not trying to pawn my kids off on anyone, everyone has been asking the kids to sleepover! It's hard when school is going on obviously, they can't stay anywhere during the week. And then they have Sunday school, too. So it's a good week for them to have their sleepovers!

Hopefully we'll all be 100% in the next couple days. It never fails, right around Christmas the kids always get sick with something. I don't think any of us got affected the same way Kaycey did by whatever 'bug' got into our house. But I feel a little relieved that she is getting better, and the kids and I got sick, too. Sounds weird, I'm happy we all got sick. Helps me rest easier if it was contagious!

Okay, off to start the day...the girls and I are planning on going to lunch (even though I'm not quite up to eating much yet), and then picking up Cal (I think), and then meeting my cousin and her son to exchange Christmas presents.

Surprise!!

Look what I got in the mail early this week...I didn't open it right away, as instructed : )

(Maddie took this picture this morning...everyone else was playing outside where it was mild and rainy! Which made for great packing snow for snowballs and forts)

The 7 gypsies photo carousel. AWESOME!!!! This is the greatest present! It was a total surprise!! I love surprises! Thanks to my penpal since 8th grade. She lives in Norway; we've never met, but have always managed to stay in touch. Kristine, thank you a million times over!! This is so cool!! I think I might just sign up for the Ali Edwards class online to make that cool family spinner I posted a while ago. Maybe that'll get me in the scrapping mood again.

Other favorite gifts I got: a ticket to see Britney Spears (from my sister)--now before you make fun of me, I've seen her before, and while she is one donut shy of a dozen, she puts on an awesome show--esp. her dancers, which is really my favorite part. Anyways, I also got a new rolling tote for scrapbooking (not to replace my current one, but so I have 2 if I go on weekends and such). I also got a GPS. I, of course, have to use it all the time, just to hear the Austrailian accent, though I switch it to the British accent now and then. I don't know why I get such a kick out of it. "Recalculating!" "Turn on County Teast" (supposed to be county T east.) I think I enjoy listening for it's mistakes.

Anyways, that's all for now...

holiday highlights

just a handful of photos from our week...

our nativity on our mantle

Kaycey with Kit (her new American Girl doll from my grandparents) She's been inseparable from the doll since she got it!

Cal and his new Baltimore Ravens shirt, though the highlight would probably have to be the Madden '09 football game from Santa for his Nintendo DS (got from Mike's parents). Mike and Cal have been playing it constantly!! Kaycey got the DS, too. Two people can actually play the same game using the 2 separate handheld games. It's pretty cool! Except we were disappointed to find out even though Brett is on the cover of the game he isn't in the game because he was technically retired when the game came out.

Maddie & the infamous singing barbie from Santa

Cal, Kaycey, my Grandma, and Mom Christmas Eve night

Cal, my Grandpa, me, my sister, Kaycey & my Grandma on Christmas Eve night

the kids, Christmas Eve night, after their church services

The 5 of us at Mike's parents house for the gathering with just his parents and siblings last Saturday (12-20)

Mike's parents & their grandkids (Cal, Kaycey, & Maddie and their cousins) I can't believe every kid is looking forward and smiling!!!

Merry Christmas to all...

I'm glad to be home today, with absolutely no set plans, and no reason to have to leave the house. The week leading up to Christmas is always crazy, with at least 5 family get togethers, often more. Tomorrow is another family get together. I am glad to just sit at home & let the kids play with all their stuff all of today.

This past Monday morning was a really rough day, no reason in particular. Maddie woke up crying with a sore neck, she couldn't even turn her head. I, of course, was listing all the things in my head that it could be. Meningitis crossed my mind, though she didn't have other symptoms. I did call the doctor and got her in; figured best to be safe, esp. right before Christmas instead of ending up in Urgent Care or the ER. The Dr. said she likely slept funny since she could turn her head one way and not the other. It's much better now, but it was a bit of a scare at first. A 3 year old sleep funny? Have you ever heard of such a thing? Then the real scare came on that same day when Kaycey told me she had a bump under her arm that hurt. I freaked out and called the Oncology clinic immediately. After putting me on hold, transferring me, telling me they'd call back, (they are notorious for giving the run around); they did call back some time later and told me to call our pediatrician. This is always their response. I said this was the same arm that had been bothering her for months, and still just the "call your regular Dr." That is so frustrating. Our pediatrician didn't catch it the first time, why would she catch it now? Neuroblastoma is virtually undetectable without specific testing. After looking closely under her arm, it looks like she has some sort of scratch and scab, so that's probably what is hurting her. I don't know what it's from, and I will still take her in to the pediatrician to alleviate my worries. Probably nothing, that's why I haven't brought it up, but still I'll feel better once someone tells me it's nothing.

Anyhow, more about Monday...I was so happy my friend called me out of the blue. I really was so happy to hear her voice! I've been feeling kind of lonely, I haven't been working much, haven't been scrapbooking at all, and haven't seen any of my friends (for no particular reason really, just busy with holidays mostly I think). Anyhow, I also stopped by a couple friends' homes later that evening to drop off movie tickets that were ordered, and talking to them made me feel better, too. So thanks to my girlfriends, for making my day! : )

To add to my uneasiness surrounding Kaycey's health, Christmas Eve she wasn't feeling well most of the day. She ate nothing for dinner and no cookies (strange!). All the kids were exhausted from a long day and 3 hours at church singing in two different services. But, Kaycey was really tired and fell asleep on the couch shortly after opening her presents. While the adults were opening gifts later on, Kaycey started throwing up in her sleep. She had a fever, too. So while it could likely be a bout with a flu bug of some sort, I can't help but be nervous. No one else has gotten sick as of yet, and when she first got sick 4 years ago, we thought it was the flu (that no one else happened to catch). I think you can understand my anxiety and nervousness, and probably overreaction, too. This has really been on my mind more than ever before lately, and I'm not sure why it's different this year from any other.

I haven't been on the computer much at all in the past week or so. Just haven't had much time, and haven't really been in the mood either. It just hasn't felt like Christmas much this year...I've been thinking of too much else. I do have some great pictures though, and I will post them soon.

something to smile about...

on one of my favorite shows, "Word Girl" (an after school PBS show. Only second to my favorite, "Arthur"), they have a segment "what's your favorite word?" Cal said his favorite word was "gurgle". I said mine was "mesmerize". Kaycey said hers was "fart". Yep, you read that right. (insert uncontrollable laughter from children here).

so just anticipating this BIG snowfall. It better be big. I mean, for crying out loud, they started listed school closings this afternoon for tomorrow. It still hasn't started (not supposed to start for a few hours yet). I think the whole closing schools before it starts is a bit premature...

still feeling crummy today. I did work at the Scrapbook Store, so that kept me occupied. The kids had a Christmas show tonight at school, it was really cute. Santa lost his "jingle" to do anything because Christmas was starting to become all about presents, and what happened to the peace, and love, and cheer??? It was cute, there was a song where Santa thought he was lost and it went something like "my GPS is such a mess, I'm LOL..." then there was a kid dressed like a GPS and saying, "recalculating...make immediate U-turn," etc. It me laugh and remember my little day trip to the scrap stores in Illinois with my store friends.

on the go...

Usually I would be wiped out from a day on the go with 3 kids in tow. Spent well over an hour at Walmart with Maddie (darn those toy aisles, she was very good, just a struggle to keep her moving on and not playing with everything in sight!). After that, we stopped home to grab a few things, and went to pick up the kids from school. Usually they take the bus, but Cal had a Dr. appt. to check his finger one last time. So we took the "long" drive (funny how now that I live "out in the sticks", everything seems further away!) to the 30th and Layton area. We waited quite a while for the Dr--but the finger seems to be healed, he can resume gym and play but needs to tape the fingers together for a few weeks to avoid another injury. After the doctor, we went to eat at Noodles & Company. Usually we vote or I pick, but Kaycey let Cal pick because he went to the doctor (even though he didn't have to endure any shots or pain!) After eating, we went to the Learning Shop, and holy cow! We were in there for an hour and a half. The kids absolutely loved it. The kids play school all the time (Maddie the student usually, and Cal and Kaycey the teachers) so they really thought all the real teacher stuff in there was so cool! Cal found books he wants to ask Santa for. He said all he wants are books. Wow, can't argue with that! So while shopping for cousins, I managed to sneak in an encyclopedia Cal thought was awesome. And I bought a set of report cards, etc. meant for playing school for the three kids to share. After the shopping trip, we stopped at McD's for a potty break, and then had to deliver movie tickets to someone who lived near Mayfair. We didn't get home till almost 8, but the kids were so well behaved it didn't matter.

Onto a more somber note...so I started my post with how I'd usually be exhausted from the in and out with 3 kids around this time of year...but today I am glad I kept busy. I needed it to keep my mind off of things. I routinely check up on fellow kids we met at Children's Hosp. diagnosed with Stage IV NB (same cancer as Kaycey), or on other kids we hear about & get links to their blogs or care pages (a site set up just for parents to blog to keep family & friends informed). I try not to check up too often because then I get really down (I can name only a handful of kids out of way too many who haven't relapsed or earned their wings, as we prefer to call it). I met Jack just after Kaycey got released after her long stay for transplant. He had just been diagnosed, and his mom wanted to talk to a mom who had been through it all. I met with her a couple times. He since had relapsed a little over a year ago, but was treated & given the NED (no evidence of disease). Well, they found out yesterday he relapsed again. For those who don't know much about this cancer, Kaycey is literally a walking miracle. Statistics say approximately 325 children a year in the U.S. are diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma (worst of 4 stages)-- about 25% survive. The five year survival rate for high risk kids is 30%.Then there are factors that decrease the chances even more--for every additional poor factor (amplified MYCN gene, unfavorable histology for example), we fell into that worst case scenario. I know, silly of me to dwell on things when things are "normal" now. But with all the kids relasping and earning their wings all around us because of this monster of a disease, it is such a reality check, that we are never out of the woods, and never will be, and while I always worry, every ache, every pain Kaycey has worries me, I worry 1000x more after reading the heartwrenching posts, like the one about Jack today. All day I felt as if I had a bowling ball in my stomach, and still do. So I am so thankful the kids kept me busy all evening, I hardly had a moment to think about it all until now.

photos of the season

I just posted, but here are some pictures. I haven't put pictures up in a while on here!


My mini-ornaments tree in entryway on a table (It's about 18" tall or so)



The kid's tree in the dining room

Close ups of my favorite ornaments...(thank goodness I found all my little houses, I love them!)

Our attempt at a Christmas card photo in front of the tree didn't go very well Friday night. This is the best photo I took, which is alright, but the quality of the photo itself didn't turn out great.

They went out and played in the snow Sunday, and I brought my camera out. So this is the Christmas card photo I think...I really usually have my cards done and mailed over a week ago!!

more snow in forecast

and I'm glad!! With warmer temps on Sunday, most of what we had melted. I would like a White Christmas! How else is Santa going to get his sleigh going without snow??

Speaking of Santa...so a little birdie told me what he's bringing, but SHH...it's a secret.
Cal is getting a Baltimore Orioles baseball hat (the old logo), 2 books about Cal Ripken, a game for his Nintendo DS(which he is getting from Grandma and Grandpa, Mike's parents), and the first Indiana Jones movie.

Maddie is getting a stuffed dog (which she seriously has loved for a year--everytime we go to Hallmark at the mall, she picks out this dog and says she is hiding it for her birthday; and she shoves it at the back of the display case. The first couple times, I figured, whatever. But everytime we went there after she'd check to see if he was still there!), a polly pocket princess Jasmine (the only polly pocket princess she doesn't have), a Backyardigans movie, and a singing barbie (I know nothing about all these Barbie movies that are out there, but the past few times Maddie has gone to her friend's house, Maddie throws a fit because she wants to bring some singing barbie home from a barbie movie. It's really not funny at the time, esp. since Maddie is really such a good little girl. But I stopped going to this friend's house because everytime she would dig up this barbie and want to bring it home!) So Santa is so thoughtful, he thought it would be nice if she had her own.

Kaycey is getting an American Girl doll from my Grandparents (either way it's a hand-me-down, either my old Molly doll, or a Kit doll my Grandma got from a resale shop, I think) so then Santa is getting a couple outfits for the doll, a game for her Nintendo DS(which she is getting from Grandma and Grandpa, Mike's parents), the Kit Kittredge movie, & a Puppy Place book.
I found her a "Give Kids the World" snow globe--that is where we stayed on our Wish Trip to Disney. But it's not necessarily Christmas-y, so she might get that for her birthday.

I have bought some miscellaneous little items, like socks, ornaments, little notebooks, barettes. Maybe those will go in the stockings (which nothing usually gets put in the stockings, really). So this is our "simple". I feel it's the perfect medium. Just those few extra special things the kids have been talking about, you know? Nothing outrageous or crazy expensive. I figure there will be years for those requests when they are teenagers!! I suppose simple would be one gift from Santa. I suppose, what we do is simpler than some people, more complicated than others.

A quote for today: For it’s when we believe without seeing that we experience the spirit of Christmas and the heart of our faith.

Christmas thoughts

I just have to say I am so happy and proud of the fact that our kids are not greedy, and are happy for whatever they have. They don't ask for much (particularly birthdays and Christmas) and it's next to never that they would ask for anything while at a store or a check out line, and I can't think of a time they've been unhappy about a gift they've received. I can honestly say that our kids get a just a few special items they may have asked for from Santa, and that's it (of course Grandpas and Grandmas and Aunties buy for the kids, but for the most part, no one goes overboard and Santa keeps it real simple). While at Old World Wisconsin with Cal, they discussed what gifts were given in the 1880's--an orange was a wonderful present to a child. An orange!!!! How did the holiday become what it is today?? It is really sad, I think, to see how overly commercial and materialized it's become. I'm glad we keep it relatively simple for the times we are in.

For the second year in a row we are sponsoring a family and purchasing gifts for them. This year it is a single mother with 4 boys, and she lost her job this past summer after her (5th) son was killed in a car accident. I love doing this. It makes me a bit sad, but at the same time it's very gratifying to know we are the ones to help make their Christmas more joyful. It really puts things into perspective and I know it makes our kids feel good to be helping to get the presents for the family. The requests on this family's Christmas lists are such simple things that we take for granted like laundry soap, socks, boots, thermal underwear...it really makes my heart feel for them.

One of my favorite Christmas quotes: "The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." ~Burton Hillis

the latest...

Cal had a field trip yesterday to Old World Wisconsin, this place that is set up as a village from the 1880's. The kids all thought it was neat, but it was so darn cold. You walk from place to place outdoors, and many of the houses/replica shops have nothing more than an old wood stove to heat it up. I couldn't feel my toes! But it was still neat; I'd love to go back in the summer months when everything is open and it's WARM. Cal was happy to have me along, and I took pictures of their day but haven't uploaded them yet. i just have to mention the mom who was chaparoning-I am so intolerable of people like this (apparently way materialistic & incredibly vein) who for this outdoor field trip with 3rd graders on a 15 degree day was dressed like it was Rodeo Drive. A brunette long haired Posh Spice--she had some trendy little hat, her long hair completely curled, make up--and alot of it, her big bug sunglasses (sorry I can't stand those things!! I'm just too simple & plain, or unstylish, whatever you want to call me...), her Uggs, a giant Starbucks coffee in one hand, and her Blackberry or whatever in the other (and texting while on the trip). Ugh. I just don't get it. Just like when I see moms in malls pushing their kid's stroller looking like that...I will never understand the point. Was this gal trying to pick up the Blacksmith?? Maybe the shoe maker??

Today we had a style appointment at the place where we got Kaycey's wig from. It's only 4 months old and alot of hair is very brittle & has broken off, and it's gotten more difficult to style. Back when we got it our stylist recommended we call and complain about the quality (the stylist works for the same company as the guy we worked with to get it ordered and made; so to hear that from the stylist, we figured there must be something not right with the wig itself). I had called back then, the man never returned my voice mails. I kind of left it at that, after multiple attempts at getting a hold of him and he was always busy at the moment...but the past couple weeks it's been more and more obvious that it is a wig and the lacing beneath the hair has become visible at times. I made the appointment in hopes the stylist would help me do something with it to make it look better. She cut short bangs onto the front of it (which I am not a fan of, and I am hoping I can work with them) but they are to cover the line of the wig which is more noticable now. Kaycey seems to like the bangs since some of her friends at school have bangs but I think it looked better the way it was before; I think they'll look better if I curl them or something. Anyhow, she got the head honcho in the room to show him the issues with the wig. He seemed rude and unhappy; BUT he is having a new wig made for Kaycey, free of charge! I don't know if his personality is always like that, or if he's unhappy about forking out this wig for no cost. He maybe was unhappy about the job the other guy did, and about the quality of the product itself. He was shocked at the amount of hair there was on the wig for a 6 year old as well as the color; and mostly that it didn't seem to fit her head quite properly. They took a small chunk of Maddie's hair from underneath to match a good natural color and have it custom colored. So in about 6 weeks, we'll have a new one. I feel a little guilty for saying anything at all. I didn't expect a new wig out of it. (I may complain regularly about stuff, but I am really NOT one to complain directly to the source!).

Well, we didn't get as much snow around here as predicted, but still 5" or 6" on Tuesday. It started with a rain/sleet Monday night and changed over to all snow. It looked like a mess out there...I wouldn't know, I actually didn't leave the house from the time I got home Sunday from Dad & Maria's until Wednesday morning when I went on a field trip with Cal's class. I was partially afraid of getting stuck in the driveway again, and also it was nice to just stay in because I could. Didn't get a whole lot done...3 trees are decorated, with the big one to go, which we will do tonight.

Winter wonderland...

for real! and 6-12 more inches on the way. Wow. Apparently this winter is going to be a snowy one!!

So Wednesday I got stuck in the driveway. Again. Really stuck. Mike spent hours shoveling the driveway and around my car, which was stuck by the bottom of the driveway. Seriously this is going to be the longest winter ever, if it takes only a couple inches of snow to get stuck in the driveway. Much to Mike's dismay, I began looking for a new vehicle online. I looked up what our trade in value would be, and sent him links to the big honkin' SUV I'd be happy to drive through the snow (a pink escalade would nice, hehe : ). I got a big "NO" for a response, and he said that I'll be driving my minivan for 10 years (uh, no I won't). So definitely a long winter...well, I guess Ill either have to drive his truck, or his little Cavalier, which actually handles amazingly well in the snow.

So we got our real tree...well, Mike went and cut one down with the kids yesterday while I worked at the Scrapbook Store. I was a little disappointed not to come and take photos of the process, but I had complete trust in his choice for a tree. We like the big fat trees. It's not as tall as we initially thought we'd get (I thought we'd get at least a 10 footer and put it in front of our big window). But we ended up putting it in the corner where there isn't a high ceiling. It looks great and I can't wait to decorate it. The kids did their (new) tree the other night, and it's in the dining room.

I am living off of less than about 8 hours of sleep since Friday....I went to bed Friday around 1:30am and the kids were up by 6 getting their stockings from St. Nick. Yes, it was still pretty dark out. Then last night some friends and I hit the town (my town) to check out the bar scene. It was kind of lame, but we had fun anyways. They slept over and we were up till 5am, the big dorks we are, laughing and taking goofy pictures of ourselves. So I'm a little tuckered out so I'll leave it at that for now.

Crisis averted

and the snow is falling again... My van has gotten stuck in the driveway three times already. It's going to be a long winter.

Well, I don't know how, but mysteriously 2 boxes appeared in my dining room overnight. (I am guessing Mike drove to his parents house after work yesterday, otherwise it's magic). These 2 boxes contain what I believe is all the missing ornaments. Okay, so I had the bins full of the empty boxes of ornaments, and when we put the house up for sale (last winter) I did something I never do and I didn't pack some of the ornaments back in their original boxes. I put them in another box, thinking I would pack them away later. So somehow all the boxes got separated, and didn't necessarily get labeled and that's how they went missing...that is my guess anyhow. I am happy everything is now under one roof, at least for the most part!!

Bad news...the Christmas tree broke that used to be mine & my sister's for our ornaments growing up (it was now used for my kids'ornaments). It's a little sad, it was so old...I remember it being in our playroom when I was about 7 or 8 with our ornaments and paper chains and lights. I have pictures of it from way back then. But the legs on the stand cracked, and it won't stand up. So the kids need a new tree. Which really is okay, I'd like to get them a much taller (the old one was maybe 3 1/2 ft I think) tree to put up hallway upstairs or maybe in the dining room for all their ornaments. I want a Christmas tree in every room!

I spent THREE hours at Target today. Ridiculous, I know. I wanted to look at the trees, but didn't accomplish much of anything. I vow not to go there with Maddie anymore. I think she played with every single toy in the toy aisles. I thought I'd try to get some Christmas shopping started for the nieces and nephews; and while I walked out having spent over $200, I have no presents yet (Darn you, Target!!!) I bought a curtain rod and curtains for the dining room. I did buy a Christmas dress for Kaycey (she despises dresses). And an outfit for Maddie that was too cute to pass up. Cases of soda were 5 for $15, and you got a $5 gift card on top of that. I should go buy some more. I did get some stuff for the stockings for St. Nick, but not much. We do not go overboard or crazy on gifts for the kids in any way. For one, they have so much stuff the way it is. For two, there are so many relatives who buy for them. For three, it's just plain silly.

Mike has started working with his brother again, which is a little frustrating. There is so much work to be done on our own house. Anyhow...'

The kids have a 1/2 day of school day. Well, they get out at 1pm. They do that once or twice a month on a random day. It's sort of strange and I don't quite get it, but whatever. Cal is going over to his friend's house to play for a few hours, and I was hoping to take the girls to the library. But with the snow coming down, we'll see if I can make it out of the driveway...

Frantic...

Okay so I spent yesterday pulling out all the bins of Christmas decorations. I can't find my ornaments. I am positive I went through everything. I am freaking out. I am talking about thousands of dollars worth of ornaments. I have a particular collection series in which I have every single ornament (25+ years of them). Where could they be???? Mike doesn't think there is any more Christmas stuff at his parents. He's been acting like a turd the past couple days anyways, so he's not much help.

I'll be taking a drive to my in-laws to search (not today, because we got dumped on with snow and my vehicle does not drive well in the snow.)