New Year's Eve 2011!!!!!!!!

Dessert Round One: Pudding Parfaits 

I love how everyone's is just a little different.

(These kids of mine have the most fun dad! 

The baby had the candy cane...) 

Dessert Round Two: Ice Cream Sundaes 

I'm lucky to be spending my 17th New Year's with him. 

Game Day!

 Jordan's home for the whole day today and we are taking advantage of it.

Lots of game playing in our house today.

Some Wii Wipeout. 

Building with new Christmas sets.

Phase 10 - another Christmas game.

(Honestly, Sullivan...smile!)

And watch out boys...Lauren is learning Pepper today!

Another new Wii game - Just Dance 3 

Wow, Contessa, seriously cute, although I don't think she has any idea what she is doing!

This 'Spot It' game is SO fun.
Its for ages 7 and up but even Tess was able to play.
We all love it.


And while we are preoccupied she gets into stuff...and laughs and laughs when we find her. 

And she steals the Wii remotes when no one is watching...she knows what they are supposed to do!

Now I have to go because I'm getting pelted with Nerf bullets!

Panther Fun!

I was feeling exceptionally brave last night and took the 4 older kids plus 2 friends 

over to UNI's Family Fun Night at the UNI-Dome. 

(thank you mom for watching Tori!)

There was food, games, inflatables, crafts, cheerleaders, TC, and chaos.

I texted Jordan at one point and said, 'I am SO losing a kid here...'

I was only half joking. 

Lucky for me there ended up being tons of Grundy people there so we felt pretty well looked after.

Sullivan must have done the basketball game 35 times.

Of course Avery and her friend found the cheerleaders. 

She did tell me later that she didn't think their uniforms were 'appropriate'.

Ha! 

Lauren and her friend ran into several girls in their class and had a blast. 

They also found the cheerleaders.

I dont think the high jump pit was actually supposed to be part of the fun but the kids loved it. 

So not safe. 

Sullivan waited and waited for TC to arrive. He was so excited about it!

Literally ran across the dome to hug him. 

Overall it was a lot of fun and we left with the same # we arrived with so I'll call it a success! 

GO PANTHERS!

Christmas Ornaments 2011

My tree and all the decorations are DOWN!!!

If only taking it all down were as exciting as putting it all up!

And is it just me or is taking it all down much messier!?

I couldn't move past Christmas without posting the kids' ornaments from this year.

Still probably my favorite tradition. 

And I love that the kids are SO excited to see what we've chosen each year. 

And I love that Jordan and I do this part together...selecting each one. 

Torrance Reagan

Lauren Elaine

Avery Elizabeth - this guy is so cute and springy!

Contessa Caroline- to commemorate Freckles our neighborhood cat that she loves.

Sullivan Joseph - PERFECT!

Contessa

Just have to share 2 Contessa stories from today:

1. All 5 kids and I made a marathon trip to get groceries for the fun weekend and make some Christmas returns today. By the time we were in Hy-Vee Sullivan was about done. He was at his limit and so was dancing around and playing imaginary 'catch' with some imaginary friend. Of course he ran into a New Year's display full of meats, cheeses and bottles of champagne. He almost knocked it over...from beside him Contessa says, 'Sullivan! You are a train wreck!'

Im still laughing...

2. I put away all the Christmas decor and started on the tree while the kids were napping today. I sent Lauren up to get Contessa up and she spotted me working on the tree from the stairs. She was instantly sobbing. 'Why mommy?! Why?!' 

Like hysterical sobbing. 

And clutching the tree begging me to leave it up. 

All I could think of was the scene from 'The Grinch' when Cindyloo sees the Grinch stealing the tree and she says, 'Santy Claus, why? Why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why?'

my BIG girl

Apparently when you are the youngest of 5 children you refuse to stay little. 

The 26th

We usually spend one of the few days after Christmas celebrating with Jordan's dad's side...he has 4 siblings and there are lots of grandkids running around the church where we meet.

One of Jordan's great aunts and 2nd cousins(??) always spoil the kids with really fun gifts. 

This year we had a surprise and they each got to choose and afghan.

It was fun to see the ones they each chose. 

Jordan's mom coordinated a Christmas play for the kids to perform.

It was completely adorable and the kids all did great. 

Jordan got it on video and I'm sure we will all have fun watching it in years to come. 

The world's cutest shepherds waiting patiently.

Mary and Joseph with a cute lamb and donkey visiting.

 Wisemen and Shepherds 

 Contessa are you kidding?

Aunt Bev brought along some fun crafts for the older girls. 

These girls had a blast together. 

This little one is walking 90% of the time now...

She's kissing that crawling stuff good-bye!

She walked all over the fellowship hall of the church!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day/Evening is spent with my family. 

This day is full of a lot of things for us...traditions, laughter, teasing, food...

Even great grandma's dishes with red napkins...

Joshua...never stopped talking. 

So cute and funny.

And he told us the best finger puppet Christmas play. 

Another thing this day is notorious for ... gag gifts. 

I cant even tell you what this frame held...its not exactly appropriate. 

 Its also full of lots of cuddle times for my kids with their uncles. 

This year we were missing 3 brothers, 3 sister in laws, 3 nieces and 1 nephew. 

Phone calls with them are just not the same as if they were present. 

And my dad. 

That gapping hole...still there...still impossible to fill. 

My favorite part of the night was when we went around and told our favorite Christmas memories...and just talked about Dad for awhile. What I wouldn't give for just one more Christmas with him bringing the devotions and him soaking in every moment of his kids. 

Just one more Christmas...But then again, I know what it would do...just leave me wishing for one more Christmas.

Christmas Morning

We have never done Christmas morning gifts with our kids but Jordan has been remembering how fun this was as a child and he wanted to start it with our kids so...we did. 

We've never even used our awesome handmade, personalized stockings before. 

And it really was fun. 

What's better than Christmas morning in your new Christmas jammies?!

Slightly pumped to get the Wii game of his favorite show...Wipe Out! 

The girls got a karaoke machine...I forsee lots of 'shows' in our house soon!

 Torrance was just interested in the stockings filled with candy!

She carried this ring pop around trying to convince SOMEONE to open it for her!

And since it was Christmas morning and all...I caved. 

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always spent with Jordan's family. 

And I'll just let you guess what its like with ALL these kids!

10 grandchildren for Cindy and Dennis. 

Wow! I wonder if anyone saw this coming? 

Cindy got everyone settled down with a neat story about missing the out on the Reason for the Season.

Her kindergarten teacher skills really come in handy!

Um, a preemptive apology for their future teachers. 

The two of them together is like nothing you can prepare yourselves for...

I have some serious concerns about them as a teenagers together.

 Sully got a football and because the weather is so crazy he and dad even got to use it the next day!

Adrian wanted to play too. 

Can you say cute?

Yep, 16. 

Our Christmas

Every year I say this and every year its just as true...

This is my favorite night of the year. 

I love every second. 

I love every tradition. 

I love that the kids know how we spend every minute of the night. 

I love that they are as excited as we are. 

See the 7 Up...it was a huge hit. 

A ridiculously huge hit. 

We may shelter them a bit too much! 

ha!

We read the Christmas story and talked a lot about the sacrifice that was made. 

We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and why we celebrate the way we do.
I pray that this is sinking in and that they will remember it most in years to come.

This is Tess helping Tori open her gift from Lauren.

It was so cute. 

Lauren got each of us a gift this year. 

Some were things that were special to her and some she purchased. 

She was so excited about it and really learned the joy of giving. 

And three year olds at Christmas - forget about it...there is nothing like it. 

She loved her new Rapunzel doll. 

And this boy at Christmas...ditto, nothing like him. 

SO excited and grateful for his gifts. 

And LOUD! 

And wanting everything opened and put together ASAP.  

Lauren and Avery got new bedding, chairs, a rug, pillows ect for their room.

They were a LITTLE excited. 

Their room is really cute. 

And Tori loves their chairs too. 

However she spent most of the night like this. 

She was so funny and sweet. 

My last Christmas with a baby...ugh. 

She also loved the blanket that came with Tess's Rapunzel doll!

 Building and playing with Daddy. 

 They are like 16.

My boys.