Let's Celebrate 2008!

I hope you enjoy the slideshow!

I love you!!

Bottle Battle

Ok. I need some help. I don't really have any experience with fighting the "bottle battle", but I definitely need to learn some defensive and offensive moves if I am going to win this war with Ciara!

I was fortunate enough to be able to nurse my older two children until they were both over one year old. So they never got too attached to the bottle. With Ciara some complications arose and I had to surrender to the bottle when she was about 6 months old.

And I am here to tell you that weaning a baby from the breast is so much different than weaning them from a bottle. Not that weaning from nursing is easy by any means, but I at least know how to do it. Or maybe it is the same techniques and Ciara is just being more stubborn than my other two were! Yeah! That's probably it!

Ciara has become extremely dependant on her bottle. Not just to sleep, but to have, hold, and cherish! She wants to carry it around with her like a security blanket. And she is very demanding for it!

I have tried to replace it with a sippy cup and that is pretty much a no go. I have tried to only allow the bottle when she is sleeping, but that isn't working either. She throws a huge fit, screaming and crying and someone, I won't name names (DAD!), always gives in!

So here's my dilemma. How do I wean Ciara off the bottle and train the other members of the family (because she has trained her brother and sister to jump up onto the counter to get her a bottle out of the cupboard) not to give in?

Is my only option to go completely cold turkey and put away all of the bottles??

I guess this is another thing I can add to my ever-growing "Things I Need To Do In 2009" list.

Lazy Weekend

We had such a nice lazy, relaxing weekend. I don't think we really did anything at all! We got quite a few movies for Christmas so we spent the majority of our time cuddling on the couch and watching movies!

In a way it was absolutely wonderful! We have all been so busy the last few weeks that it was nice to not have to do anything. But on the other hand, it was kinda sad because we got absolutely nothing accomplished!

We had become so lazy that our conversations started to sound like this...
"What are we going to do for dinner?" As I am lounging deeper and deeper on the couch under the blanket.
"I don't know, what do you want to do for dinner?" Was the response from the other couch.
"I don't want to do anything..that's why I asked you."
"Why don't you order pizza then?"
"Alright...hand me the phone."

Of course the kids didn't mind too much! They got to play with their new toys and eat pizza without too much complaint from Mom and Dad to do chores.

Hopefully, now that we are back to work we will get back into our regular routines and get some stuff done!

It's all over :(

It's kinda funny...at times it seems like you just can't WAIT for the whole Christmas stress to be over with....and then when it is...it's sad.

My favorite night of the entire season is Christmas Eve. I love getting together with my parents, siblings (I miss you RJ!!), nieces and nephews! I love the simple traditions that we share! And I love that sense of anticipation! The kids are giddy with delight! And did I mention the lamb? Boy, I love the lamb!!

Then Christmas morning hits all too soon. The presents are all opened and we are left with a feeling of relief and sadness.

But with the end of Christmas comes the beginning of a new year! Which is always so exciting! You just never know what the new year will bring! I'm certain it will have it's share of trials and absolute moments of joy! But most of all...it brings us a new chapter of the story of your life. We just have to remember that we are the author of our stories. We can't rewrite the past, but we definitely have the authority to write how we grow from those experiences!

So here's to the next chapter in my story!

Christmas Carol Games

Here are some fun games that will hopefully get you singing Christmas carols!

Highlight the area under each question for the answer. Hopefully you can't see the answer without highlighting it..it works on the computer I use. If not...sorry. It kinda ruins the fun! LOL

NOTE: With the new background, the answers show. Sorry, I couldn't find a font color that blended into the background.

1.I'm doing what with every Christmas card I write?
Dreaming of a White Christmas (White Christmas)
2.What is the greeting from the land where the palm trees sway?
Mele Kalikimaka (Mele Kalikimaka)
3.What is sister Suzzie sitting on?
A thistle (All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth)
4.Somebody snitched on me filling the sugar bowl with what?
Ants (I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas)
5.Who kept time as the little drummer boy played?
The ox and lamb (The little drummer boy)
6.What did Frosty do when the children placed the hat upon his head?
He began to dance around (Frosty the Snowman)
7.What did I hear on Christmas day?
The bells (I heard the bells on Christmas day)
8.The shoppers rush home with what?
Their treasures (Silver Bells)
9.First comes the stocking of?
Little Nell (Up on the rooftop)
10. When will hearts be glowing?
When loved ones are near (It's the most wonderful time of the year)
11.Who was seated by my side?
Miss Fanny Bright (Jingle Bells)
12.How does the old year pass?
Fast away (Deck the Halls)
13.What did I give you last Christmas?
My heart (Last Christmas)
14.Where are we dancin and prancing?
In Jingle Bell Square (Rockin around the Christmas tree)
15.I met a man who lives where?
In Tennessee (Home for the holidays)
16.Why are you jumping in bed and covering your head?
Cause Santa Claus comes tonight (Santa Claus comes tonight)
17.Born a King on what?
Bethlehem's plain (We three Kings)
18. What did Grandma forget when she staggered out the door?
Her medication (Grandma got ran over by a reindeer)
19.It's lovely weather for what?
A sleigh ride together with you (Sleigh ride)
20.Everybody knows that what help to make the season bright?
A turkey and some mistletoe (The Christmas Song)



Can you figure out the name of the carol? Highlight the area under the question for the answer.

1. The apartment of 2 psychiatrists.
Nutcracker Suite
2. The lad is a diminutive percussionist.
Little Drummer Boy
3. Decorate the entry-ways.
Deck The Halls
4. Sir Lancelot with laryngitis.
Silent Night
5. A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
The First Noel
6. Present me naught but dual incisors for this festive Yuletide.
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
7. The smog-less bewitching hour arrived.
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
8. Exuberation to this orb.
Joy To The World
9. 288 Yuletide hours.
12 Days Of Christmas
10. Do you perceive the same longitudinal pressure which stimulates my auditory sense organs.
Do You Hear What I Hear
11. The red-suited pa is due in this burg.
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
12. Far back in a hay bin.
Away In A Manger
13. I envisioned a trio of nautical vessels.
I Saw Three Ships
14. A joyful song relative to hollow metallic vessels which vibrate and bring forth a ringing sound when struck.
Carol Of The Bells
15. Frozen precipitation commence.
Let It Snow
16. Monarchial triad.
We Three Kings
17. May the Deity bestow an absence of fatigue to mild male humans.
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
18. Have hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief.
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
19. Nocturnal time span of unbroken quietness.
Silent Night
20. Proceed forth declaring upon a specific geological alpine formation.
Go Tell It On The Mountain

Merry Christmas!!

I wanted to take a moment to wish each of you a joyous and merry Christmas before the tornado of unwrapping occurs! I love you all very much!!

Merry Merry Christmas!!!

Here are some little goodies from the kids! Again, I have to apologize about the quality and the coloring, but it's still cute!

Here is Justin's shouting rendition of the ever popular "Jingle Bells"!

Did you hear that squeal?? LOL

The two of them singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". My phone only records 30 seconds which is a shame because it was pretty funny.

And this one just cracks me up!! Katie was begging me to "incorporate her" (Translation: Record her) singing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" and this is what we got! Too funny!

Bedtime Prayer

We are pretty new at prayer. I have always had a testimony in prayer, but have rarely called upon it. We have prayed over dinner pretty regularly since we've had kids, and we always say a small prayer when we hear an ambulance or firetruck, but that's about it. The last couple of months has brought on a few struggles in our family and we have turned more and more towards the power of prayer.

We now pray over every meal (most of the time - it is still a habit we are trying to form) and I have been encouraging the kids to say "private" prayers. These prayers have been especially important to me. There are many things I have needed to pray about privately and I have found great peace from them.

We also now pray every night before bed. We gather in my room and kneel by my bedside. Justin is still a little hesitant to get on his knees, he'd rather sit on top of the bed and as long as he is being reverent and folding his arms or hands (that is how he prefers it..copying his Daddy!) then I don't fight him too much. But the most astonishing thing is that now my sweet little Ciara gets down on her knees next to me as we pray! I just love it! And she seems to love it!

When I say it's time for prayer, she comes running to my room, kneels down and waits for me! She likes it best when she is between Katelynn and I! I am so glad that I am forming these habits with my children. I really wish I would have started sooner.

It's sad when it is the tragedies in life that bring you closer to God, but I am always relieved when He welcomes me back with open arms.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree!

We headed over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house on Friday. Grandma DeeDee had all of her singing and dancing Christmas Critters out and ready under the tree for the little ones.

My older kids were excited to see them out, they remembered them from the previous year. But Ciara was ecstatic when she figured out how to work them! She liked having all of them playing at the same time and she would just dance around. When one would stop, she'd stop. No matter how many more were still going and she would turn it back on. It was quite cute. And quite loud. And after awhile, quite annoying. But she was having a great time.

It was actually very hard to get a picture of her because she was moving around so much. This is one of her "quieter" moments.

Eventually, I had to tell her that she could only play one at a time. She didn't like that idea too much.

We'll have to see if she remembers "the rules" next time we come for a visit.

Gingerbread Houses

After all the fun we had making the cookies with Grandma, we wanted to share some of that fun with Darrien and Haylee. We brought over more cookies AND we made gingerbread houses! The boys had a regular old fashioned gingerbread house and the girls had a pretty gingerbread princess castle!

I want to take a minute to say how cute the castle was....on the box. Not so fun to put together. Infact, it was impossible to put together. Unlike the regular gingerbread house, the kit did not come with pre-made frosting. You had to mix it yourself so the frosting just didn't come out right. AND it was impossible to put the turrets on! It just didn't work. But the four base walls were castle like and the girls didn't seem to mind.

And here is our sweet little CC scaring us half to death trying her hardest to be in the middle of everything! I still can't believe the mess when we were all done!

Here are our finished products!

Cookies with Grandma!

Friday night we had a great time! I invited my mother over to help us made sugar cookies!

Let me just say one thing...I'd never made them before and the dough is not very fun to work with!

But the kids had a great time cutting out the shapes and decorating them!

If only you could see the heaping pile of frosting and sprinkles that Justin puts on each cookie! I swear they literally weighed a pound a piece!!

And here is Grandma showing the kids how to

pose for cookie pictures! LOL

Katie is a good student.

Thanks for coming over and making memories with us, Grandma! We had a great time!