Christmas Day

We had a wonderful Christmas day (I was feeling about 85% healthy by then). We headed downstairs between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. the kids were very patient because they had been up since 7:15 a.m. but they never complaned. We headed downstairs and they ran to their stockings - they seemed to love EVERYTHING that was in them (way to go santa, give yourself a good old pat on the back and wipe the sweat from your brow). They then noticed the little gingerbread house that santa has been using to put clues in - sending us on a scavenger hunt (there are 5 little houses and he hides all but the first one,,, what a tricky santa). so we head off for the scavenger hunt. the clues were a bit more difficult this time, but it sure did not stump Trent, he is as quick as a whip. finally, the last clue led them to the laundry room. In side the dryer were 4 new pairs of slippers for the kids - - - how ever did santa know they needed slippers?!?!?!



when we got back downstairs with our pigs in the blankets and apples from the stockings, the kids noticed the air hockey table. it took a few seconds to realize there was a hockey table in our family room, but then the kids got all excited and we played for a little bit. After that we endeavered to unwrap the many presents under the tree. the kids got all sorts of things from new shoes, home depot tooks and work hat, 2 different drum sets, watches, coloring books, games, movies, pirate legos, etc. they just has a blast opening presents and they could not decided which one was their favorites - - - awwwwww what a life!



after presents Donald and I spent a lot of time enjoying the kids, opening and dismantling the death gripped securely sealed boxes, and did some cleaning up. we watched some basketball and made dinner. it was a nice low key and fun day. here we are now, almost a week since Christmas day, and there are still presents that have not found a new home, so they just sit on my familyroom floor so we all can trip over them.

batman smells video

Donald put the batman smells video on my blog. when you try to view it -- it takes about 2 minutes before you actually get to any footage. what I did when I viewed it was I moved the little curser bar until it came to actual footage.

Anyway, it is horribly funny, I probably should be a bit embarrased, b ut I just can not stop laughing at myself and my family. We had a great time putting it together, and next year we will do one even BETTER!!!!

Bat Man Smells

Fun for the Holidays

We have had a great time this December. We have done many different things to celebrate this year, focusing on the true meaning of Christmas, the giving at Christmas, and the magic of Christmas. We had alot of fun making our batman smells video, we delivered nativities kinda like the 12 days of Christmas to two different families, we decorated sugar cookies, we did a good deeds Christmas chain, we took cookies to our neighbors and sang carols, we watch videos and read the scriptures about Jesus coming to the Earth, we made reindeer food and marshmellow snowmen. We also had our annual Lowe Christmas bash, and our ward Forgotten Carol program and Trent's 1st grade Christmas program and Kolby's preschool chrimstmas program. And then to add to the fun and excitement of the month of December, I did lots of baking and shopping and wrapping and mailings. But even though our month has been pretty packed with activities, we have really enjoyed it and it really has not been to much or too overwhelming.

Christmas time must mean sickness time

well, I am hoping that I will finally get this blog thing figured out. I started this blog back in October and I got frustrated with it, but I decided to take another stab at it. I sure hope I will be able to stay with it and not get to frustrated.

Nonetheless, we had a great Christmas. We did not travel anywhere this year so it was low key and relaxing I guess. Donald and I were discussing just today that we need to relax MORE and do more fun things with the kids before they go back to school. If seems that if you are home, you just want to get things done, like laundry, cleaning, organizing, odd jobs, etc. I told Donald that Sunday thru Tuesday we are only allowed to do "house stuff" for one hour, and the rest of the day needs to be about enjoying the family. Ok, Ok, back to Christmas. so the week before Christmas we had tons of sickness in the house. we started off with Kolby having a really bad cough,, but no fever and no other signs of illness. well, about a week after that Tanner came donw with an upper respitory infection. two days after that, Brooklyne had one. and two days after that, Tanner had a double ear infection. Meanwhile, Donald had an upper respitory infection and was not doing well at all. then a couple days after that, Trent starts to not feel so good and throws up. We take him to the doctor, and the doc said he did NOT have an infection. well, then 3 days later, I get a stomache flu!!!! so I was sick all day on Christmas eve, it is a good thing that stomache bugs usually are only 24 hours or so. And to add to the sick frustration, Kolby thru up on Christmas eve as well - but afterwards, he was totally fine and continued being a happy and healthy kid. thankfully, Christmas morning I was feeling ok enough to make our traditonal breakfast and I was able to enjoy the festivities of the day (unlike the year before when I was 8 months pregnant with a horrible flu. we had cold cereal for breakfast and frozen lasagna for dinner. I spent most of the day drugged up in bed - it was a horrible Christmas day.)

When will fall really come?

We are finally in the month of October. Time has just flown by this year, just as it does every year it seems. Sometimes I wish I could just freeze time and hold on to that moment just a bit longer, but of course, I have no such powers. (my mom claims there is a magic wand in the attic, but I have yet to see it and I am starting to think she is delusional.) Most days seem to leave me at the end of the night completely exhausted and ready to pull my hair out. Although I get overwhelmed and frustrated at times (ok,,, more times then I would really like to admit), I absolutely love being a mom and having 4 truely fantastic children. Each of them brings a smile to my face and a hop in my step on a regular basis. The joy and excitement that I feel from being a mom is unremarkable and most likely I could never do motherhood justice in trying to explain the vastness of its fulfillment.

Nonetheless, back to it being October. I know I should not complain, but I would really like for our weather to cool off a bit. I want it too feel and look like fall. I want to wear long sleeves and jeans. I want the air to be crisp and my nose to be cold. As much as I desire the coolness that fall has to offer, I am still sitting STICKY with warm weather. The Humidity here in the south is still something that I have not learned to love, or even like for that matter. I do like that it is warm here 3/4 of the year, but I miss having seasons. Currently our weather is very nice, in the mid 80's with very little humitiy. I should just bite my tounge and be greatful for not having SNOW, but, you know what they say: "The Grass is Always Greener on The Other Side of The Fence". I am sure that in the next few weeks we will have a few nights where it frosts over. After that it will just get rigid cold and brown and a bit unattractive outside - thus bypassing Fall and going straight into Winter.

I suppose I will work on having a better attitude in the morning. I will be gratefull that it is a sunny day and that I do not have to bundle my children up in 20 layers of clothing just to go get in the car. I will focus on enjoying the fact that my grass is still green and that we do not have a yard full of leaves to rake up yet. I will count my blessings that even if it is not crisp and cool outside, that at least I have a home that has air conditioning and when it DOES turn cold,,, we have a heater as well. I guess I am just committing myself to havea better attitude with a new better day.

A new way for updating those dear to me.

I have started a blog (I guess you do not have to be a rocket sciencetist to figure that out since you are reading it)! I finally caved and fell to the peer preasure of joining the blogging world on the vast world of the web. My goal is to share pictures, experiences, ups and downs of our family life here in Mississippi. I hope that I will get interaction from all of you by posting often to my blog.