Poor Lauren

My heart just broke for my baby girl.

Lauren had a birthday party sleepover she was invited to tonight. As you can imagine she's been beyond excited about it.

She fell asleep on the couch this afternoon which I thought was very very odd. When she woke up I gave her a hug and she was burning up.

Temp of 101.

I told her she couldnt go.

She was devastated. Which for Lauren means huge, silent tears started falling down her cheeks and she went to lay down on her bed. (If it had been Avery there would have likely been some much louder expression of sadness).

Poor, poor Lauren. I feel awful for her.

Not this time!

So you know what was really nice today?

Knowing that Sully was sick but not having to figure out who was going to stay home with him or if he was well enough to go to grandmas!

We didn't have to question it.

LOVED THAT.

And Im in love

This little beauty is the love of my life. I've wanted a cordless vac for like my whole life. I finally asked for one for Christmas. Its a dream. Love it!

I may just permanently attach it to my hand.

And this little cutie was one of Sully's Christmas gifts. He is SO cool!

He walks around and will back up if he's about to run into something.

We've named him 'Zappy'

Its like we got a pet! Only I dont have to clean up after it or take it outside.

Love it!

Weird

So Sullivan did get sick.

He started running a temp of about 101 in the late afternoon. Laid on the couch all night and didn't even come to the supper table.

He slept all night but woke up at 5 with a temp again and he threw up. Went back to bed and got up at 8:30 with a temp of 100...AND 10,000 WATTS OF ENERGY!

I'm not kidding. He is bouncing off the walls. Playing, Yelling, Running, Jumping.

With a temp.

He tells me he's all better.

Hmmmmmm...

A Summary of a Tuesday

*The tree and all decorations are down. I for one am not happy that Christmas is over so I find this whole process annoying and depressing! I want it to be December 20th. Maybe like all year long!

*The toys and games are put away! This accomplishment makes me giddy! Giddy I tell you!

*Over the past week we've changed 7 light bulbs in our house. 7. Seems odd. I dont know why.

*Its frigid outside. We went to the library and I may not leave the house again until the temperatures reach at least 50.

*Lauren and Avery played EZ Bake Oven all afternoon. And man, that food is not edible! But they enjoy it.

*Sullivan has told me 3 times since 1:00 that he thinks he has 'butterflies in his stomach'. He's lethargic and quiet. Please don't let the flu invade! Please!

*Contessa is getting her molars and she's been pretty clingy and unhappy the past few days. But today she finally seemed much more like herself! She played with her dolly - ALL DAY!

*Tonight my task is to try and tackle this whole 'menu planning - budget adhearing' thing. And possibly respond to about 12 emails that I've received from friends that need attention. I'm getting you - I promise!

*oh, and yes! I am sending out Christmas cards this year. But for the first time ever - they will be New Year's cards. December was beyond stressful for us with me quitting my job...so they will go out later this week. And trust me, the picture is worth the wait!

And that's Tuesday

First Day

A couple people asked me how my 'first day' went today.
Well, it doesnt feel like my first day because Lauren is still home and there is no preschool. This still feels just like a nice Christmas vacation.
And plus there are like millions of new toys and games and projects for the kids to do.
I've basically just been playing games and feeding them.

But I'm afraid tomorrow this pile will have to get taken care of. Because seriously, theres only so much chaos one mom can handle.
I keep reminding myself when I walk by this table loaded down with about 1/2 the new toys...that in a matter of a few years it wont be like this. That gift opening will be totally boring with gift cards and cash being opened rather than toys and stuffed animals and games!
That helps me not mind the chaos.

Robert

Robert headed back to New York today but before he left he had a movie night with us last night and then a game day with us today.

Tess has been really standoffish towards him this trip. And it was really breaking Robert's heart. So he came with candy last night and won her over.
Big time.

She really didn't know what to think of his big beard...and well quite frankly Robert...neither do the rest of us! kidding, kidding!

We played some serious UNO games today. And we got to try out the card holders grandma Barb made for the kids for Christmas! Playing cards will be so much easier now!

The girls love their hats...Lauren rarely takes hers off.

Fun!

All the kids are having a blast playing with all their new toys and art projects. Tess was the only one who would look up for a picture while surrounded with her loot...the others are way too involved!!!

We've had such a wonderful past couple of days. Lauren, Avery and Sully even got to go sledding with Joe, Robert and Livvy this morning.
Tonight we head to one more Christmas celebration and then I think we will hole up for awhile and just relax and play!

And this is fun...normally I am obsessed with wanting the tree down the day after Christmas. This year, I'm like what's the rush? I dont go back to work on Monday...we've got plenty of time! Lets just play!

Seriously, it keeps hitting me at different points...I dont have to go to work!!! I'm staying home with the kids! Its truly the best feeling. I'm so blessed and that has made this Christmas the best!

Christmas Day Recap

We spend Christmas Day with my family.

Here were the kids minus Joshua who had just gone upstairs for a nap!
Livvy is such a wonderful cousin to all these little ones. They basically think she is the best thing EVER!

Four of my brothers were home. On the couch is goes from left to right, Robert (2nd youngest from NY), Jordan (youngest from Waterloo), me (4th youngest), Joe (3rd youngest from Harlan) and behind us Nick, or Clark W as we like to call him (5th oldest from Cedar Rapids)

And then we added in the 2nd Jordan of the family...

The girls - Amy (Joe's wife), mom, me and Stacie (Nick's wife)

There were also dogs present. And nothing could have made Tess happier!

Lauren set up a play to go along with our devotions for the night. Sullivan was a shepherd. An apparently in biblical times they drank red punch and had mustaches - just like in modern times!

I told Jordan last night that the Christmas devotion time at my mom's is probably the 30 minutes of the year that I miss my dad the most. The time when his absence is the most glaring and the most deep cutting. He loved Christmas with his family and talking about the birth of the Savior that he loved so very much. And then he loved watching his kids gathered around opening gifts and laughing. Our family knows how to laugh. Oh boy do we ever! And my dad had a great laugh that we miss so much. Even with all the other noise...its obviously missing.

So after the devotion it was present time. And here are some of us enjoying our gifts.

We warned Jordan that these pictures would come back to haunt him!

And the other Jordan was thrilled with his new shirt.

Uncle Robert got the kids' great craft projects. Here he is observing Lauren's work. And my mom made Lauren's hat! Isnt it the cutest?!

And again, by the end of the night...Tess was looking for a comfy place to land!

More Christmas Eve

I think one of my favorite parts of Christmas is that I actually just sit and stare at my kids and enjoy them. I say yes when they ask me to play and I just love to see the lights of Christmas in their eyes.

Tess got a baby doll from Grandma Cindy. She kind of likes it!

Sullivan got 2 light sabers...so now we can fight more. Great. He loves them. Lets just leave it at that! ;)

Grandma Cindy got all the kids a costume. Here were the boys. Again...they love them. Lets leave it at that again!

I must admit, this picture makes me so very happy that I get to enjoy boys and girls in my home!

The town will be safe with the world's cutest WonderWoman and Superwoman on the watch!

Things were starting to wind down for the night. Aaron was playing his new DS and Sully was playing his new Leapster...And Papa, well Papa was totally enthralled with both game systems!

Tess was ready for some cuddling and on a comfy lap!

Christmas Eve

We spend Christmas Eve with Jordan's side of the family and this year that took us to Trina and Garrick's new house in town. It was the perfect size to fit all of us with plenty of room for all the wrestling and super hero action that is necessary on Christmas Eve.
Thank you Trina and Garrick for hosting!

We were disappointed this year that the weather messed with our plans. We were unable to attend the Christmas Eve service at church and Kylie and Justin were unable to make it from Des Moines. We missed you guys!

Contessa was such a good girl all evening...staying up until 11 pm is tough when you are 18 months old!

Here's Aaron after some crazy wrestling move he and Sullivan were trying out!

And here the kids are waiting so 'patiently' for the gift opening to start!

More 'patient' and 'quiet' waiting...

We did get them to all sit still for a couple of group shots.
From left to right: Alexa (3.5), Avery (5.5) Lauren (8), Tess (18 mo.), Aaron (6), Adele (15 mo.), Sully (3.5). Just missing baby Jackson!

The kids are so blessed to have great grandparents living so close by!

I've got really fun pictures of the kids and some of their gifts but for now the kids are now all in bed and I think I better head there too.

We got word that by some miracle, my brother Robert's flight did actually arrive, on time, in Cedar Rapids and he is safely home with my brother Jordan! Now the weather needs to hold out about 12 more hours for everyone to arrive at my mom's house around lunch time tomorrow.

And with that, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

The Reason for the Season

Isaiah 9:6

'For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.'

Micah 5:2-4

'But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.'

John 10:10-18

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. But I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

The microphone

Lauren had a tough time coming up with a wish list this year. She's at a tough age not big, but not little. The one thing she actually requested was a 'duet microphone'.
Well, we found it and watching her open it was THE BEST!
She is so sweet and appreciative.

Genuine surprise and excitement here!

And we've had many 'shows' since then!

Bball

We knew that Sully was going to be extremely excited about his new basketball. He has a hoop in his room and the games have already been pretty intense!

Could there be a happier look on a little boy's face?

As soon as he stopped laughing and yelling he said, 'Daddy! Let's go play!'
And this was the first present he opened...the others didn't even matter!
(The excitement is probably due to the fact that he's been playing with a pink ball of his sister's until now!)

Our Christmas Night

Tuesday night we celebrated Christmas with our little family.

I love our traditions and that the kids are starting to remember them from year to year.
We started with a yummy fancy meal of pork loin, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and cheese cake.
Jordan read the Christmas story with the help of a new Advent Calendar from Grandma Barb and then the kids sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and entertained Jordan and I by singing Away in the Manager and Jesus Loves me.
Then I read the Christmas story out of one of the kids' bibles. We talked a little about Christmas and how Jesus would like us to celebrate.
The kids were SO patient through all of this.

Then we started gift opening. Is there anything more fun than watching your kids open up the gifts they've been wondering about for weeks?!?