Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Well, today, New Years Eve, we got a bunch of snow, so Kevin and the kids went outside to play.  I opted out since I had just shoveled the driveway and sidewalks, and Asher just cries when it's cold, so we kept him inside!


I am not sure who had more fun, the kids, or Kevin.  He thoroughly enjoyed pelting the kids in the face with snowballs, but he got it in return, a nice shot in the ear!



He is not above using children as a human sheild!



Matthew was getting showered with tons of snow from Daddy!





They gave as good as they got!  Too much fun!


We hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!  May 2010 be the best year yet!

Christmas Fun!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is over, the tree and decorations are put away, the boat load of toys have been taken out of the packages (the makers of which should provide assistants who have nothing better to do on Christmas morning than to untwist, pry, cut, yank, unstick, unscrew and assemble said toys, complete with batteries of course!), arguments over toys have ensued and continue, even though it's bedtime and they should be sleeping, and the garbage cans have been loaded to overflowing.  Has anyone ever thought maybe it's not worth it??  All this hulabaloo?  My vote is to go on a trip next year, no presents, no decorations, just time with my family, enjoying each other without fighting over toys, laying on a warm beach somewhere, eating out every night, no cooking, no dishes, no worries! And top it off with an awesome Happy Birthday Jesus party!  THAT would be a holiday for me!  It seems every year it becomes harder to balance everything, while maintaining the spirit of joy.  At the very least, next year we will be taking the presents out of the package before I wrap them, so the kids can enjoy it right away.
Ok, my ranting is over.  We really did have a good Christmas, just wanting to remember this next year, to prepare myself. 
We hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas, and wish you a very Happy New Year!!!!



Here are some pictures of the kids decorating their gingerbread village.


Matthew ate his right after he finished!




My brothers came over to visit.....I was left short on the height genes!!!

'Tis the Season!

Well, I haven't posted in a while, and I am just now getting back to a somewhat 'normal' life.  After 2 months of having cranky baby with us, I couldn't handle it anymore.  I started to go into shutdown mode, and at that point, I called the social worker and told her I couldn't take care of him anymore.  We were lucky enough to have a couple at church who was willing to take over, which was a blessing!  The baby, of course, was a happy baby for them, which was good for them, annoying for me, but at that point, I was so stressed out and cuckoo, it wouldn't have mattered if he had been a good baby.  Turns out my limit right now is 2 1/2 kids.  It is creeping it's way back up to 3, which I know the kids will be grateful for!
To try to snap myself out of this funk, I joined the gym at the begining of the month, which has helped me tremendously.  I have never been in shape, or been an active person by any means, so this has been an adjustment.  In high school I was always in the 'fat class' where you didn't have to run, because if I was graded on my running, I would get Fs! (The lowest I got before they switched me was a D, mom was not happy!)  Anyways, I met with a trainer and set up some goals, which surprisingly, I am meeting!  I go to the gym every morning during the week to do either Group Power or Group Kick.  And let me tell ya, it kicks my butt every time!  I may not do the moves right, but I'm pretty sure the sweat makes up for it! 

Hannah has been coming the the gym with us while school is out, and this week she has been doing rock wall climbing.  I was so surprised, this was her first time ever doing this, and I walked in to her climbing to the top!

So my goal is to reach my ideal weight by May, just in time for summer shorts and swimsuits!  When I reach my goal, I am hoping to reward myself with a cruise, or some fun thing!  Maybe a trip to Israel!

Now the household has a new routine, which seems to be working out quite well.  Asher is potty training, and is doing pretty well, as long as we are at home.  Other potties scare him to death, so he won't go anywhere else.  We will have to work on that!




The kids have been fun this Christmas season, running into santa at Walmart and decorating the tree have been the highlights.  We are going to decorate a gingerbread village tomorrow with Uncle Kyle and Michael!  After that it's off to eat yummy pizza and head to church for a candlelight service.  And we can't forget presents after with Grandma and Grandpa!  Round off the night with birthday cake and icecream!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, or as a friend would like to rename it, JESUS-mas! I am thankful for all my friends and family who stuck with us this year, but most of all, my God, who will never leave me, no matter what!