Christmas

Christmas has come and gone and for the first time in years I don't feel like a tornado just passed. I'm not sure what was different because we still celebrated 3 different times on Christmas day, but it was just a nice restful fun day. Christmas eve was a break in tradition. Instead of the traditional dinner and Santa letter with Thad's family, we went to a movie and dinner with my family. We actually saw two movies over the weekend, which is totally abnormal for us. Anyway, then we came home and put the kids down early and set up the gifts and just relaxed. This was the first year Andi wanted to put out cookies for Santa, so we did, and she made sure to put out a carrot for the reindeer. In the morning Andi came running into our room asking if Santa had come, so I told her to check and she came back squealing. I just thought it was funny that instead of running straight out to the tree she still came in to our room to ask if he'd come.

Here is Andi with her robot dog that she's been asking for since September, and wearing her super hero cape that I made because she said she needed one.

Here is Sammy with his new computer, also sporting his cape. They have their initials on them in cute fabric, but no, I don't have a good picture of them.

After we opened everything we got ready for church, which Sammy protested the whole morning. Even during church he sat there saying, "I can't wear this. We can't go to church."

Then we came home and headed to my parents, where we made enough food to feed 100 people and ate too much of it. Then we opened gifts with them and laid around because we were all still too full to move. We had all of my siblings here this year, which hasn't happened for a little while. The only person missing was Kelsie's husband Cameron who is still in Kuwait. There were lot's of pictures taken, and video as well, but none with my camera ;) This year for the family gifts I made each couple an outdoor blanket. It's a quilt on the top, but backed with vinyl so it's waterproof.

That afternoon we went to Thad's parents to have dinner and do the Santa letter. We had another lovely big meal, then sang some carols, read the letter and opened gifts. Again, lot's of pictures, only a very few taken with my camera.

This year for Thads family we took on a huge project. We got the all the Santa letters from his grandparents, which cover 1972-2007, and we re-typed them and scanned pictures and had them printed in a book for his parents and siblings. It took us a while, but was totally worth it.
We also got to surprise both of our families with a little announcement. We are expecting our 3rd child at the end of July. I had the 10 week ultrasound today and everything looks great. They even did some of it in 3-d which was amazing and weird to see. Thad was mostly just glad to see that there is only one in there. I don't know why, but he always stresses about that till we know for sure.
So Christmas was grand, 2011 was lovely, and now it's on to 2012 and a whole lot of new adventures. Happy almost New Years!

8 Years Later

Yesterday was our anniversary, and I think we get less sentimental about it every year. Shame on us, I know, but we just get busy this time of year. Last night was Thad's office party so we went to dinner with a bunch of people I don't know. We were planning on making a long night of it and going to a movie after the party, which was over by 8:30, but we were lame and went home early instead. Here is the yearly comparison shot for your enjoyment.

December 20, 2003

December 20, 2011

Excuse the picture being completely washed out. We were talking last night about how quickly the time has gone, and where we are going to be in another 8 years.  The weirdest part was realizing we'd have a 14 year old and an 11 year old at that point. It just does not seem possible. Regardless, 8 years later life is good and we are happy, and I don't think we could ask for much more than that. Happy Anniversary!

Getting Festive

We have had quite the festive week. Monday evening we went Caroling with my family, and the kids loved it. Andi is quite the ham and loves to perform so every house was like a new opportunity for her to shine. Tuesday we went to dinner with Thads family for his Grandma's Birthday. And Thursday we took the kids to see the lights at CALM. They have been asking since Thanksgiving to go, and Thursday was great. We got there before the crowds so we were able to ride the train and the carousel with very little wait time.  And no that's not snow falling in the pictures, that's the dirt everyone was kicking up on the paths.

 This Carousel  is crazy. It spins faster than any carousel I've ever seen, you really have to hold on to the horse.

We even stopped in to see Santa and Andi kinda freaked out his little helper. The lady was asking her name and how old she was and all that while we were in line. So Andi walks up and whispers something in her ear and the lady's face went blank, total deer in the headlights, and then it was Andi's turn so she sat on Santa's lap and we took a picture. The lady just looked at me a little panicked, so I asked her what Andi said. Apparently she told the lady, " I know that's not really Santa, it's just a guy in a costume." And the lady couldn't figure out what to say in response, so I told her to go with Santas really busy this time of year so he has helpers to visit the kids while he gets ready for Christmas. She did, and Andi was fine with it. I was just impressed with the fact that Andi knew to whisper to the lady so she wouldn't ruin it for the other kids in line. She really goes back and forth on whether she believes or not. But here she is talking to Santa.

And this is as close as Sammy got, and only because he was holding out a candy cane.

Saturday my moms family came in to town and we had an early Christmas dinner with them, but I have no pictures of the event, as usual. We ate at the church building because there are just too many of us for one house, and while the girls cooked the boys played dodge-ball and volleyball in the gym. Thad always get a little too into dodge-ball and has been a bit sore since ;) The last of the gifts is finished and wrapped and we have a week to relax before all the fun begins. 

Born With It

I talk a lot about the kids on the blog, and mostly I talk about how insane they are. That's because most days this is what I get from them.

Lately though they are really starting to surprise me, in a good way. Whenever my Dad get's a compliment on his family, or his children he always gives the same response. And that is that he can't take the credit for how well we all turned out, that we all have had the desire to be good and do good from the beginning. I remember being a teenager, and I'm pretty sure I did not always have that desire, but the last few weeks I've started to understand what makes him say that.
Andi's most frequent question is, are you proud of me? She asks it about everything, from cleaning her room without being asked, to learning to crochet, to being nice to Sammy. "Are you proud of me for doing that?" with big puppy dog eyes hoping my answer is yes. It makes me feel like a crappy mom that she even has to ask, I guess I spend more time correcting her than complimenting her. But she continues to ask, and she tries her best to be good at everything so she will make us proud. A few weeks ago she earned a couple of dollars for helping my mom, after a lesson on tithing we went to the dollar store so she could spend her money. She picked out two things for herself and one for Sammy because she felt bad he didn't have any money to spend. I talked her in to saving it and giving it to him for a Christmas present. She has been so excited about the little dollar gift all wrapped in her closet, she can't wait to give it to him.
Sam is not as quick to do good, but he is quick to repent. He can tell from my tone of voice when he's in trouble and he immediately hangs his head and says "I sorry Momma."  Now if only he didn't have to say it so many times a day. He is also very loving. I was having a cranky day this week and Sammy walked up and said, "Can I hug you Momma?" and he did, and it helped.
Don't get me wrong, most days they are still crazy little beasts, but I am starting to see more of the inherent good in them as well, and we are having more sweet days.

Toothfairy Fun

The tooth fairy made her first visit to our house this week. Andi has had a "wiggly tooth" for some time now and Monday it finally came out. Once And showed Sammy the missing tooth he wanted one too and has been asking me ever since to take out one of his teeth. The fairy brought Andi a dollar and she could not wait to use it. Most days Andi would lounge in her jammies all day if I let her, but Tuesday morning she ate breakfast in record time, got herself dressed, brushed her teeth and hair and by 8 was ready to go to target to spend her dollar. She even picked out my clothes to help me get ready faster so we could go to the store sooner. Here she is in all her holey-grin glory.

She spent her money on a plastic horse in the dollar section at target, she even paid for it herself at the register which was super exciting.  The horse sits with her at mealtime to eat, she "brushes" it's hair and teeth morning an night, she puts it down for naps. On Wednesday when she went to school she left me a list of things I needed to do to take care of the horse while she was away. Seriously, that whole theory that kids who have to earn/pay for their own things take care of them better is so true. She has taken better care of this dollar horse than any other toy she has, because it was her money, and she bought it.
Sammy has turned meal times into a battle lately. He takes forever to eat anything and ends up in time out at least twice a dinner. Tuesday night I just left him at the table and didn't keep pestering him to eat and made sure no one else went in the kitchen to distract him. Really I just wanted to see how long he would drag it out, but then it got really quiet. And I found this.

 

He was out cold and almost fell out of the chair while Thad video taped him bobbing around. So maybe he's just really tired by dinner time and isn't in the mood to eat? Whatever it is, I hope he grows out of this phase soon.