Christmas #2, Dec. 24

with flash

no flash

Christmas Eve:

The kids sang in two church services, 4pm & 6pm. Not the usual Christmas songs, but they were beautiful anyhow! It becomes a very late night quickly since the second service ends at 7pm. By the time we get the kids home and we eat, present opening with my side of the family doesn't begin until after 8 or 9pm! Mike and I are trying to come up with something different for next year, because it's just too much too late for us. We got to bed around 1:30or 2am. Not fun with a new baby who woke up a short time after we went to bed. The kids were up very late, too. They kind of just passed out in the middle of the living room floor. The next morning Cal couldn't remember if we had opened presents the night before or if it was a dream. They forgot to leave cookies out for Santa Christmas Eve night (though Mommy remembered to leave some out anyways) and they didn't even wake up until 8am Christmas morning!!

Here is the one picture of me from all of the Christmas gatherings, other than our family shot Someone really needs to start taking some pictures of me with my kids or something, there are so few!!

Santa, baby!

"Taking your own photos require a minimum purchase"
I am the fool who paid $15 (the cheapest purchase available, argh) for a 4x6 photo so that I could take my own pictures. I need to find a Santa next year who doesn't charge an arm and a leg, and lets me take my own photos!! Mike was mad at me though because I brought my old camera. Is it that crazy that I didn't want to bring my big camera to the mall a couple weeks after getting it and risk it being dropped or getting stolen?

We went to the mall on the 23rd after the kids got out of school. It was Maddie's first time ever sitting on Santa's lap. We don't talk up Santa a whole lot; enough that they know who the big guy in red is, of course. Maddie was super excited after watching "Letters to Santa" on PBS the night before, she was certain that she, too, would be on TV. SO she asked for a toy and a surprise. Wow, easy enough, huH? Cal and Kaycey asked for Packers jerseys, something they had never mentioned. That meant a trip to the store for Mom after seeing Santa...

Christmas #1, Dec. 20

okay, so my pictures do upload!! there must have been a problem with the site or something. it does take a little bit longer for them to upload, but the other day they weren't uploading at all.

So Christmas #1 on Dec. 20--with Mike's immediate family; his parents & siblings and their spouses and kids. Here are all the cousins. It is crazy how chaotic it is when we are all together.

The 10 cousins. Seven girls, three boys. Cal is the oldest, then there are nine under the age of 7. Kaycey and Julia are 7 yrs old, and they are 2 months apart. Then Ethan & Isabella are 5 (4 months apart). Then Maddie and Jacob are 4 (2 weeks apart). The four of them are 10 months apart. Then Grace is 3. Norah and Sadie are 4 1/2 months apart.

The six of us.

Maddie and Gracie, best buds. They are 14 months apart.

For Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa, Cal got a new desk, a case for his mp3 player, and a cool Baltimore Orioles wall hanging. Kaycey got a movie, a small chest for her American Girl doll clothes, and a new game. Maddie got an easel (a household favorite!! I can't believe our kids never had an easel!), and some Calico Critter playsets (super cute little animal families and furniture). Sadie got a "johnny jump up" for the doorway, which it won't be too long now that she'll be able to use it!! She is already getting so big...her cheeks are so chubby, and some of her clothes are already too tiny and have to be packed away!!

Merry Christmas!

Attempting to blog with a babe on my lap...we'll see how long this lasts! This is the first time I am on the computer since Thursday. Wow. I think that is one of the longest stretches ever without the computer. and even that day, I only checked the email the school principle sent us to see what time the kids had to be at church for their program Christmas Eve night. Which was AWESOME by the way. 100 kids singing (the whole school 3k-8th grade) and Maddie was easily heard over everyone :) what a ham. I would love to post the video as soon as I figure out how. We got a new camcorder from Mike's parents for Christmas. Actually we had forgotten to bring it to the first service. I made Mike go back to the 2nd church service with camcorder in tow to record the songs because it was that great.

Maddie loves the commercial for some insurance company with the song "I'll be there". She says it is her favorite song.

Lunch time...Maddie is requesting pickles, cookies, and candy. Ha.

I've taken prob. 1000 pictures with my new camera. Even figured out how to get them onto my computer. Too bad I don't know how to shrink them so I can post them to my blog, or anywhere else for that matter :(

Took the kids to see Santa Wednesday. It was Maddie's first time ever to sit on Santa's lap. She asked for a toy and a surprise. And she thought she was going to be on TV. She is so entertaining it's ridiculous, in a funny way of course.

Looking forward to posting pictures!!

Happy Anniversary to Mike & I!

a moment to blog...

I've fallen off the face of blog earth! But that's okay. I've religiously made notes for each day for my December Daily, but have not physically done it...(sigh) But quite alright. Honestly, I don't really think it's the having a baby part that has been keeping me busy. She's the easy one (for the most part anyways : ) I think it's the running around for the other three kids--be it sports, other after school activities, baking for the open house at school, etc...and the fact it's the holidays. I think there's just alot going on this time of year, and attempting to see friends or blog or whatever gets vetoed by things like cleaning, decorating, and shopping. I haven't decorated much at all this year (other than the trees--one real, one 6ft fake for the kids, and 2 mini trees). And honestly I don't think I will bring out much more this year, other than the Nativity. It's already a week till Christmas, I can't believe it!! That means my lil' baby is almost 6 weeks old already!!

I've been trying so hard to futz with the new cam. And I'm trying to be patient. I wish it came easier to me. I'm not very technologically competent; not so much that I'm not at all, but I really have to learn things and go step by step to get it (much like anything I do involving the computer). I was so proud of myself tonight...I did take some pictures with a blurred background, yay me! But my pictures are looking kinda yellowish to me. Guess I haven't gotten to that part of the manual...

Well, because I haven't posted much of anything I will post a picture of the tree (from my point and shoot camera...haven't put the software on my computer yet for the new camera). We are figuring this tree is over 10 ft tall. And to see Mike cut it down and haul it to the truck by himself was quite a sight indeed. But he did it!! It's decorated now, but I haven't uploaded any of the pictures. Mike is off of work tomorrow so maybe I'll get some computer time in during the day : )

Merry Christmas!

a bit early...

while I have lots to post about (including our big tree, no mice for 48+ hours, etc...) I had to post my early present from *Santa* (aka, Mike). A DSLR Canon EOS Rebel T1i/500D. He also got a separate zoom lens (55-250mm). We really do not exchange presents for holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries. So it was a bit of a surprise that he bought it. (The driveway can wait ; ) He had told me my wedding rings were going to be my present for the rest of my life. Wow, what a jokester!

Now do I take a class to learn everything? Or just play around on my own?? I've been reading the manual all night, so much info...but I can't wait to play around with it!!

12 down...

????? to go.

12 mice that is. GROSS. Yes, Mike has already caught 12 mice. 10 since yesterday. Mike bought various types of traps yesterday morning and set them up right away. All of the mice have been found on the second floor (which we can't really figure out how they are getting up there without having a bunch on the first floor). And with each one I get more and more grossed out. How can there be that many? Where are they coming from? How many more are there? How didn't I come across one in the past month that I've heard them scampering about?? The kids don't know just how many have been caught...Cal is terrified. Maddie is relatively indifferent. Kaycey wants to keep them as pets. I hope this ends soon...more interesting posts to come, like about our enormous Christmas tree we went and cut down ourselves!!

Dec 4th

So after picking up Maddie from school today, I decided to make a run to Target (though after the fact, I thought to myself, why didn't I wait to do this till Mike came home??? Was it really necessary to get boots and snowpants while the kids were at school?? What was I thinking??) Anyhow, after the Target run, we came home and Maddie said she wanted to take a nap. Hallelujah!! She never takes naps anymore, so to bed we went. Too bad Sadie started fussing almost instantly. Maddie fell asleep instantly, though, even without having lunch. Sadie was sleeping, but would randomly cry out. So I debated...do I wake her up and make her eat and hope she falls asleep so I could try to take a quick cat nap before Maddie woke?? Or did I let Sadie keep squaking every few minutes until she decided to officially get up? Well, I took my chances with the first of the two options...and it worked like a charm. Sadie ate, and went right back to sleep. I went to bed and got to sleep until the older kids came home from school--almost a whole hour!! Which means Maddie took a two hour nap. Wow.

Cal was supposed to have his first basketball game tomorrow, which he was totally psyched up for. This coach is awesome; very positive with the philosophy of just trying your best is all that matters. Anyhow, the game is cancelled because somehow the game didn't get put on the other team's schedule (how would that happen, I don't know!!) So he does have practice in the morning, but we were all looking forward to watching his first game of the season. Guess it will wait till next week.

Still haven't brought out the Christmas stuff. Kinda hoping my sister will come over and pull some of it out for me (she did offer!!).

Dec 3rd, A creature was stirring...

yes, it was a mouse.

So for a month or so, I swore I heard little scampering around. Nibbling of papers. Noises in the vents. Noises in the wall. Mike told me I was crazy. Last night, the kids discovered a mouse in Cal's room at bedtime. I had just gone to bed, 8:15 or so, because of the extremely rough night the night before. All of a sudden, shrill screams echoed through the house. Mike ran upstairs, and what do you know, a mouse in Cal's closet. Conveniently, the baby woke up shortly thereafter, so I got back up to tend to her, while Mike attempted to catch the mouse. After a good 45+ minutes, and destroying Cal's room, Mike did get the mouse. The kids swear they saw another one this morning, which wouldn't surprise me. How the heck did one or any get upstairs, is what I would like to know. Anyhow, so Cal's room is still destroyed, and guess who will probably have to be the one to put it back together. The whole house is rather disheveled. I think I am going on strike. So eventually I got to bed, close to 10 o'clock, though. So another tired day for me. I was hoping for a nap after I took Maddie to school today, but Sadie has been up pretty much since we got home, and not particularly happy. Take a nap? When? WHile I am on the way to taking Maddie to gymnastics? Or perhaps when I took all 4 kids to the doctor yesterday afternoon for flu shots. Or maybe on the way to Walmart to look for boots (it snowed!), which they did not have any sizes I needed of course. So, alas, my kids went to school with no boots, Maddie was late to school, and I am deleriously tired.

Dec 2nd

Today Maddie, Sadie, and I stopped at the Scrapbook Store to make a quick visit. It was so nice to say "hi" and to see all that paper again : ) While there isn't much new stuff to look at, it doesn't matter. Just walking into that store inspires me!! We also took a trip to the mall. Maddie wanted to ride the train and eat lunch there. Unfortunately, my double stroller is stuck in the open position (it's been through alot...) and I couldn't get it in my car. I had to take the single stroller (which actually is also stuck open...I don't know how this happens) which was none to pleasing to a certain 4 year old that she would not have a seat while going through the mall. I had to make a couple stops in the mall (geez, to think I go to a mall and actually want to go into a store, and NOT just to ride the train!) but Maddie was "too tired" and was not very cooperative. Don't fear, it has nothing to do with the new baby. Maddie has done this as long as I can remember. Even when she would be sitting in the stroller in the past, she would conveniently be "too tired" to want to go into any of the stores. She perked up a little when we bought a Christmas dress from JCPenney's for her. We also bought something for Cal to wear for Christmas. Little Sadie is set for the holidays, as she has 4 different outfits--I just hope they fit her! Kaycey on the other hand...don't know what I'm going to do. She is not the frilly poofy fancy dress type. She is not the dress type period. If she had her way she would probably wear flight pants and a sweatshirt. Hey, what can I say, she likes to be comfortable--which is totally me these days! Any idea of where to shop for this girl would be greatly appreciated!!

Tonight we are going to church. I love this time of year in church; especially Wednesday night services, as we typically sing the traditional Christmas hymns.

Perhaps I will bring out some Christmas things tonight. I said last year I wasn't going to bring everything out, but I ended up bringing most of the things out anyways. This year I really don't feel like hauling everything out, but at the very least we'll have the trees (last year we had 4 trees!!) Now we just need a tad bit of snow to set the mood...

Dec 1st

Tonight the kids "picked" out names...since they aren't doing a gift exchange amongst cousins this year, my kids thought it would be fun to pick each other's names. I figure, there's four of them now, so why not. They are very excited to go shopping ALONE with Mom and pick something little out for the person they chose from a hat.

There was a car accident on the corner by our house in the middle of the night. I was up feeding Sadie. I don't know how I didn't hear the crash, but I heard the oodles of sirens. There were at least seven squads, a fire truck, and an ambulance that I saw. It even woke Mike up. From our porch, it looked to us like the police were at or in the neighbor's house. It turns out they were parked there, but the accident happened along the road, which is next to the neighbor's property. It appears the driver was speeding (just by the marks on the road and ditch it seems obvious) and the car flipped multiple times and crashed into a tree. The person in the back seat died, while the two in the front seat suffered some injuries, but will be okay. Cal and Kaycey were fascinated by the whole thing, and the fact that it was on the news. I know they are young, but they had alot of questions about why and how it happened, and so I am just trying to instill in them how important it is to be a responsible person and that some people make bad choices (it sounds like alcohol is a factor, as well as drugs). Kids grow up way too fast...