Seriously!!!!!

I think I have adapted the phrase "Life is paved with good intentions" What is it with the "business" of the holiday season? This year in particualr, I have tried so hard to make this a fun and memorable Christmas season for my kids. Being away from family and from our usual traditions has been really hard. I have these grand and wonderful images in my head about making trains (a childhood favorite) reading christmas stories every night before bed, baking, building snowmen, shopping for eachother and so on.... but in reality its gone a little something like this... cleaning all day just to get ahead but really making it worse becasue kids are neglected and therefor crazy and destructive, driving back and forth with all 5 kids in tow down the canyon for shopping and still not getting everything and thus having to do it again and again, not getting home until way past bedtime and then having to carry sleeping kids into bed, being too warm inside to venture out into the freezing cold snow (not now..Thanks Mom for the Jacket and boots!!!) and then not being able to stick to carefully planned out days before Christmas because of stuff like this...

I went upstairs this morning to get the kids dressed and this is what I found-and it was all over the ceiling as well, and, as I found tonite, all over Noahs wall in his room. I was out late last night and Bill put the kids down and apparantly didnt bother to check on the kids when they were still awake and running around and Noah was screaming that he needed a magic eraser (we use a lot of those in our house). I couldnt yell because Tyson knew what he did was wrong. He pointed the wall out to me saying "Uh oh mom, look what me and Caleb did last night." But you better believe I put them to work.
I didnt have my glasses on, so I started to go over to take a closer look at the damage and I rammed my toe into the corner of the bed. I heard cracks and crunches and knew immediatlly it wasnt good. Im not sure if I broke it or not, but I definatly cannot walk. Today was baking day, so....what are you gonna do? I should just know by now that things dont EVER go as planned. I dont know why im always suprised. I attempted to start baking right at dinner time and ended up making a huge mess (but made a super yummy new recipie for dinner). By the time dinner was done, baths and jammies were done, laundry was done, shoveling the 10 feet of snow off the driveway and steps, I was way too tired to even attempt it. Maybe tomorow.

This season is supposed to be about family and about being together and I guess that as long as they are happy and healthy then things really arent so bad. I just need to remember these good moments instead of all the bad ones where im not getting anything done.

Besides, who could get mad at these angels???

The Jammie crew.

We have been getting so much snow lately. I was upstairs and I happend to glance out the window and saw this. This is our deck.

(Since I took this pic, it has snowed about 6 more inches)

RANDOM HAPPENINGS!!

Just some random pics.

Caleb thinks he is so funny when he hides in the fridge. He thinks no one can see him.

Tyson, Tyson, Tyson. What can I say about this boy. He is definatly taking on some of his older brother traits. He loves to build and create things. One day while him and Caleb were playing blocks, he called me in to check out his new "creation."

"Mom, Look!" "He's just like Jesus!"

(yes, that is the penguin from Surfs Up)

This is Noah in his first school concert. The 3rd and 4th graders put on a great "ALL" Holiday concert.

(Noah is on the top row in the tie)

Our sweet monkey turned 10 Months Old!!!

She is the funniest thing alive. This really has to be one of my favorite stages. She now has 6 teeth, she LOVES food, and she gets into everything and anything she can get her hands on. She is the best natured baby. She will wake up and stay in her crib for like an hour just playing and talking and singing. She loves to sing pat a cake and eensie weensie spider and she does all the motions. She has a set of lungs and can SCREAM. She thinks its so funny. She loves to copy the kids. When we are in the car, the kids say a word over and over and she will copy them-But, she still cant way Mama. She says daddy all the time. It really isnt fair. She loves to wave and blow kisses. She loves to dance and she trys to sing when she hears music. She is so alert and she will stare a hole in you if she doesnt know you. She has to study you and make sure your ok before she will let you in. I could go on and on about her, I just love her so much. I cant believe she is almost one. It goes by too fast.

Sunday is Calebs birthday and we are having a little birthday party/Christmas party with Bills brothers and their families-im looking foward to that. Im sure this wont be the last Christmas we are away from family, so Bill and I decided its time we start our own traditions. I would love to hear some of your traditions to give me some ideas.

I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!