A Glimpse Into Our Christmas

Here is a little peek at what my Mom and Dad's house looks like this time of year. Yep, that is 35 stockings hanging by the fireplace. Yep, all of our names are on them. My siblings and I, our spouses and all of the grandkids.

We had a wonderful Christmas. We drove down to Wichita late Christmas Eve afternoon. The first thing Reece asked Grandpa, was if he had a chimney at his house. Obviously, he didn't see it hiding behind all of the stockings. He was very concerned Santa would not come, if there was no chimney.

On Christmas morning, Riley was up at 4:30!! He is just like me. He said he was too excited to keep sleeping. I still have a hard time sleeping on this one night of the year. I didn't even have any presents to open. I get too excited just to give gifts. Santa brought them a new DS, a DS game and another Lightsaber, so they can feud. The 2nd DS made up for the Wii that we couldn't get. Now the boys can play against each other. They love it and the Wii never got brought up. A couple hours later, we opened up just our family's gifts, before the crowd came.

It was a very calm day at my parents. My mom didn't work too hard, preparing a big meal. Just some casual, delicious finger foods to snack on all day. When it came to exchanging gifts among the cousins, we had them sit in a line, youngest to oldest (youngest always gets to open first), and most of them are at an age where the line stayed put, for the most part. The weather was pretty cooperative too. It could have been a little warmer, but it was nice enough to get the kids outside to burn off some energy.

My gift from Jake, that I am super excited about, was a couple of center, orchestra seating tickets to "The Phantom of the Opera." It won't be until April 9th, and I can't wait.

The day after, we left to go back home about 10 in the morning. Overall, we had a great day with family, and it was one of our few trips to Wichita, that wasn't rushed. Now it is on the the New Year. I wish everyone a fabulous 2009!

just a quick update...

It's been almost 2 weeks, so I thought I would update everyone on what we've been up to. Amazingly, we are 4 days away from Christmas, and things are very calm around here. The weather is a different story. Today it is a miserable 8 degrees outside, with a -20 windchill. OUCH! That's cold. We've had a few snow storms, but no snow on the ground at the moment. Just the ugly piles of snow, that are all black and gross to look at, and won't melt until March.

Last Sunday we had Reece's birthday party. It was a fun time. My family was able to drive up from Wichita to attend. (Thanks Mom, Dad, Ben, Joanna and kids!!) We had pizza, cake and a ton of kids running around the house, playing. It's shocking we didn't have any injuries. I think we had 30+ come that day. Even, I, the one person who stresses about everything, didn't have a care that day. I just enjoyed the company and celebrating the fact, that I've survived with Reece for 4 whole years.

The countdown is on in our house. Riley is especially excited. This is the first year, he really is talking about Santa and Christmas all the time. He is learning songs at school. His favorite songs are "Jingle Bells," and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." This is because he knows all the words to these songs. The other day he asked "How Santa knows if we are sleeping?" My response was "Magic?!" It seemed to be good enough. This year we are driving to Wichita on Christmas Eve and staying until the day after Christmas. I told Riley to write Santa a note that we will be in Wichita, and he needs to find him at Grandma and Grandpa's house. A couple of hours later, Riley sat down to write the note...

Dear Santa,

You mite not give us presents. Because we will go to Wichita.

I felt awful, he really thought Santa couldn't visit him, because he wouldn't be here. SAD!! I quickly explained to him, that we just need to remind Santa to find us in Wichita. SO, that is when he wrote...

Dear Santa,

Please come find us in Wichita.

I was surprised he never questioned, not getting a visit from Santa. I would've cried if I ever thought Santa wasn't coming to my house. That dilemma was solved. However, Riley asked Santa for a Wii. Uh, Oh! Slightly out of our price range. I tried to be clever and told Riley, I don't think Santa makes Wiis at his workshop. Even more clever, Riley, responded with, "I know, Santa buys them at the store." Dang!! So on Christmas morning, everyone should feel sorry for Riley. For, he is not going to get what he wants from Santa. I do believe, Santa will get second best for the boys and they will be happy.

Yesterday, I helped a friend throw a baby shower. Our good friend, is less than a month away from having twin boys. It was a good time, and I wish the best to Jen. She will be going from a family of 3, to a family of 5. It makes me stressed just by thinking of it. But, Jen is a calm soul. I know she will do a great job.

I have also been baking. I am baking Apple Bread for the neighbors. I took a loaf to my parents for Thanksgiving, and the few that ate it, raved about it. I hope they really did like it, because I am now giving it away. That would suck if they were lying to me, so they wouldn't hurt my feelings, and I was sharing some awful food with everyone.

Lastly, Jake is just working hard. He had to work a lot this month, due to his fellow managers all taking their vacations. This is getting him over 4 days off for Christmas, and that's nothing to complain about. He is 2 1/2 classes away from finishing his degree and he can't wait. In his spare time, (which is very rare) he enjoys having me beat him at "Guitar Hero." Neither one of us is really that good, but I'm a little better. =)

Well, it's been birthdays, parties, showers, shopping and working. Now that all of that is done, it's hopefully, smooth sailing from here. We can all enjoy the Holidays. We wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY REECE!!!

I can't believe my "baby" is 4 years old! We woke up this morning and opened up presents. I was right. He didn't want to stop there, and he asked if he could open up Riley's Christmas presents. So far, Reece got a couple of fun games for Riley and him to play, and Jake's favorite, "The Ultimate LightSaber Kit." I think Jake is trying to live vicariously through his kids. All he ever wanted was a lightsaber. The poor guy just had a twig with a glow stick on the end. Let's all take a moment and pity him. After presents, Reece decided he wanted a corndog for breakfast. Mmmm! Yummy! I guess a birthday boy can do that.
Reece is my "high energy" little charmer. He has been the more ornery child, but he knows when enough is enough, and that's when he flashes his charming smile and knows all is forgiven. I usually, love all the questions he asks. Riley never did this. Reece is my "WHY?" child. However, his questions never start with "WHY," they always start with "HOW?" Forget the "Who, What, When, Why & Where?" It is always "How?"
Oh, I love Reece! I love his personality, his smile, the way he acts shy, and his pretty blue eyes, and especially, how determined and persistent he is. This is a kid who was crawling at 6 months and walking at 9 months. He is so eager to keep up, and I don't think he will allow himself to fall behind. There is so much more, but this blog would never end. Ultimately, Reece is my sweet boy, who loves to push the limits, but is a wonderful son and brother. I couldn't imagine life without my "Reecy-poo." We love you so much! Happy Birthday!!!

Now, here is a recap of his 1st 3 years...

3 year

2 year

1 year

Your Birthdate: December 8
Watch out Donald Trump! You've got a head for business and money.You'll make it rich some day, even if you haven't figured out how yet.A supreme individualist, you shouldn't get stuck in a corporate job.Instead, make your own way - so that you can be the boss.
Your strength: Your undying determination

Your weakness: You require an opulent lifestyle

Your power color: Plum

Your power symbol: Dollar sign

Your power month: August

Christmas Tree

Andrea's most recent post, reminded me that I haven't posted pictures from us decorating our tree. We put it up just after Thanksgiving. This is the first year the boys contributed to the hanging of ornaments. If you saw our tree, you would see a VERY bottom heavy tree. That's where most of the ornaments ended up. I love the way the house looks at Christmas time. The rest of the year it is pretty plain around here. The countdown is on... 18 more days!

Caramel-Chocolate Covered Pretzels

This is the second year the boys and I have enjoyed making some Holiday Goodies. They are so easy, fun and delicious! Last year we made so many, we shared with all of our neighbors. All you need is 1 pack of chocolate almond bark, 1 bag of pretzel rods, 2 packages of flat sheets of caramel wraps (usually 5 in a pack), wax paper and sprinkles are optional. I cut the caramel sheets in half and let the boys wrap them around a pretzel. When they are all done with that, I dip them in chocolate and let them do the sprinkles. I usually have extra chocolate and pretzels, so I make a few without caramel. They are so yummy and everyone loves them!

Portraits By Dawn

My sister-in-law, Dawn, is on her way to becoming a fabulous, professional photographer. Here are some great shots of my boys, that she took for the holidays! Merry Christmas!

First Snow

Last Saturday & Sunday, we had our 1st snow. It was maybe a 1/2 inch, but it was enough to get the boys outside for about 15 minutes. Riley said it was too hard to make a snowman.

Happy 4th Birthday Ariana!

My Niece, Ariana, turns 4 today! This means the countdown is on for Reece. In exactly 1 week, he will be 4 as well. For some reason, he actually remembers us celebrating his birthday, with my family, on Christmas last year. Now he thinks Christmas is his birthday. I guess he will be sad when he only gets to open his Birthday presents, and not his Christmas ones. Back to the point, Happy Birthday Ariana! See you at Christmas, hopefully... (Ariana is Phil's youngest)

The Best Aunt Ever!

Every year we go down to Wichita for Thanksgiving. And every year we wake up the next morning, go to the Christmas Tree Farm, and pick out our tree to bring back home with us. It has just become a family tradition. Unfortunately, this year Jake and I both had to work the next morning, and had to come back home the same night. This is where my sister, Jaime, earns her "Best Aunt" title. She kindly kept the boys over night, at my parents house. The next morning, she took them to the farm to see Santa, ride the train and spend more time with their cousins. She kept them most of the next day, before bringing them back home. The boys had so much fun, and actually didn't want to come back home. This would usually hurt a mom's feelings, but not me. I am so happy that they love going to Grandma and Grandpa's house, and they have so much fun with their many cousins. Thanks Jaime for being such an awesome Aunt, and almost like a 2nd mom to my boys. They are so lucky to have you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm posting this early, but we will all be on the road early tomorrow. We will be going to Wichita to have Thanksgiving with, almost, my entire family. If I calculated correctly, 26 of us will be crammed in my parents house. Never a dull moment there.

On that note, I am thankful for my family. I think Jake gave me 2 great boys. They are healthy and smart, and I am so glad they have so many great cousins, that they get to be close friends with. I am thankful for my parents and how much they love all 20 of their grandkids. Their love never runs low, and I know my boys can't wait to head to Wichita, just to see them. I am thankful Jake is working so hard at work, and at finishing school. His health is really heading in the right direction and he is a great provider. For some reason, he also loves me unconditionally. Sometimes, I wonder why?! I will always be the first to admit that I am not that easy to live with.

Riley learned a lot about Thanksgiving this week, I made his top 3 list. (HA! HA! Sorry Dad.) Ultimately, his brother, Reece, is his #1 person he is thankful for. I LOVE IT! I am so glad they are still best buds, and Riley really misses Reece, while at school. Same goes for Reece.

Well, I wish everyone a happy, safe and healthy Thanksgiving. Now eat a lot of Turkey and have fun!

Happy Birthday Jake!!!

Your Birthdate: November 24
You understand people well and are a natural born therapist.A peacemaker, people always seem to get along when you are around.You tend to be a father or mother figure to friends, even to those older than you.You enjoy your role, and you find that you are close to many people.
Your strength: Your devotion
Your weakness: Reliance on others for happiness
Your power color: Lilac
Your power symbol: Heart
Your power month: June

The first line makes me laugh, because Jake is finishing his degree in psychology and is constantly analyzing me...

I was an "Angel" today!

This year, the girls at my work decided to bring in an "Angel Tree." I know, with it not even being Thanksgiving yet, it is hard to think about Christmas being 32 days away. It's coming quickly. This time of year is, by far, my favorite. It is also too easy to get caught up in the Christmas "madness." Even though this is always a very tight time in our household, financially, I know it could be so much worse. There is so much for my family and I to be thankful for. Today, I took the boys to Target to shop for a 2 year old boy, that only wanted cars and trucks. It was so much fun watching them get excited about buying a few toys that they probably take for granted themselves. I explained why we do this, and why giving has a way better feeling than getting. Although, they are still young, it is never too early to start being a good example.

Reece at the "Back Doctor"

Reece woke up 2 days ago, crying that his neck hurt. We usually don't pay much attention to Reece crying (since we've been listening to it for almost 4 years), but this time was different, we could just see the pain in his eyes. It hurt him to raise his arm, or tilt and turn his head. It was so sad. We mentioned over breakfast, we would have to take him to the chiropractor, or as Reece says, the "Back Doctor." This made him cry even more. Eventually, he realized that the pain was enough for him to want to see the doctor. Reece has seen me often at the Chiropractor, and was an instant pro. He was AMAZING! He sat down with no problem, allowed the doctor to adjust him, and didn't cry one bit. Obviously, the doctor was very careful and didn't do anything too traumatic, and when all was done, Reece was thirsty enough for a little drink of water. He still complains about a little pain, but I don't see the pain like we did the first day. Hopefully, it's just sore muscles getting better by the day.

(Yes, I'm aware that it looks like Reece is wearing black lipstick in the 1st picture. I don't know why, but occasionally my camera does this, and only to Reece. Creepy. If anyone knows why, let me know...)

The 8 is Great Tag...

A BIG thanks to Andrea, for this tag... here I go!

~8 FAVORITE TV SHOWS~

1. KU Basketball (does that count?)

2. Samantha Who?

3. Grey's Anatomy

4. King of Queens

5. Friends (even reruns are great)

6. Arrested Development (same goes...)

7. Weeds

8. Desperate Housewives

~8 THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY~

(I can hardly remember yesterday, so I'll fill you in on today)

1. Woke up boys and helped Riley finish homework.

2. Dropped Riley off at school.

3. Scrapbooked with Dawn. (I'm only 3 years behind.)

4. Picked up Riley from school.

5. Took boys to get fall pictures taken by Dawn.

6. Ordered holiday greeting cards.

7. Got home to make dinner and do laundry and more homework with Riley.

8. Watched some college basketball.

(So that was more than 8...)

~8 FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT~

1. Longhorn Steakhouse

2. NOT Outback Steakhouse, Andrea!! =p

3. Pizza Hut

4. IHOP (love my breakfast food)

5. Quizno's/ Mr. Goodcents

6. Sonic

7. Semolina's (if only it still existed)

8. Anywhere I don't have to do the cooking!

~8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO~

1. Another KU championship.

2. A vacation.

3. Christmas.

4. Summertime.

5. Medical Bills to stop coming.

6. Watching the boys grow up.

7. Jake to finish school.

8. Any day I have off.

~8 THINGS ON MY WISHLIST~

1. Jake's health to continue to get better.

2. Boys to grow up happy and healthy.

3. More money.

4. A home closer to Grandparents.

5. Season tickets to KU basketball games.

6. Shopping spree.

7. Day at the spa.

8. Travel somewhere tropical.

The fun stops here... I tag NO ONE!

Happy 7th Birthday Britton!

Today is my nephew, Britton's, birthday! We hope you have a great day and we see you soon. Phil if you are reading this, I really need an updated photo. We love you guys! (Britton is my brother, Phil's, oldest)

Nieces and Nephews

I recently got some new, group pictures of some of my brother and sister's kids. I thought this would be the best way to display them.

Joanna's kids

Aaron's kids

Football pictures

Unfortunately, we were in Wichita when Riley's team had their professional pictures taken, so this is the best I have. It turned out that Riley's jersey DID NOT have Wildcats anywhere on it. I was pleased. One of the pictures is from practice, when he caught his first pass. I was so happy to get that one. Other than that, he was mostly, best at being in the "ready" position. You know, with his hands on his knees. I am very proud of Riley for wanting to try something new (we asked him if he wanted to play and he said yes) but, 6 might have been too young. His team was one of the youngest ones out there, and coach yelled a lot. It was frustrating for him, because all of the 6 and 7 year olds were too busy wrestling and goofing off all the time. Riley was the opposite, but the motivation wasn't quite there. He still got out there every game and practice, he is just a "laid back" kid and doesn't put too much effort into activities like this. My hope is that this will change as he gets older. At least he got the experience and he always tries.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Carving

Mom getting her hands dirty. SHOCKING!

Riley supervising Dad.

Reece supervising the goo.

The finished product.

Monkey Bizness

Here is Reece and his friend, Logan, at Monkey Bizness. It's an inflatable play place in our mall. It was hard getting a good picture, because they wouldn't stay still.

Happy 4th Birthday Jackson!

Today is my nephew, Jack's, birthday! If he looks ornery in this picture, that is because he is. He is the little brother that isn't intimidated by the older siblings. He is so cute. This is my sister, Joanna's, 3rd. For anyone keeping count, this concludes her 4 kids birthdays for the year. Now she gets to turn around and do Christmas for them. Lucky her! Have a great day Jack, we are thinking of you!

Riley's 1st grade picture

Here is Riley's school picture. I was debating on whether to do retakes or not. I chose a different background (that they didn't use) and now he really blends in. I decided not to take my chances. Riley is in this phase (ever since he has lost all of his teeth) where he doesn't give the best smile. Although, this isn't his best, I know it is so much cuter than it could have been. Everyday, I love the picture a little bit more and to me it is the "real" Riley.
I just had his parent-teacher conferences earlier this month. It was a very good report. Riley is in a higher reading class, but now we have to make sure he comprehends what he is reading. We read almost daily, and when we are done, I will ask what the book is about. He responds by telling me the title of the book. Clever. I ask how the book made him feel. It's always, "Good." It's like pulling teeth. So, the other day, we read a book about a square pumpkin named, Spookley. Spookley got teased, because he was different, then he saved the day and everyone liked him. When I was trying to get Riley to talk about the book I got the same answers. Finally, I had to tell Riley that no matter what people look like, you should always be nice to everyone. He then interrupted me to say that, "Everyone is unique." I was so proud. He quickly added that if everyone looked like me (mom), it would be boring. You heard it... MOM=BORING! :(

My newest nephew...

...Owen R. Scott.