Still, Still, Still

Right now as I write, my house is full of peace and quite. Love and tranquility runs freely through the walls of my little house and I am happy. How can this be you ask? Well, it helps that I am the only one awake and every one else is napping.... life is good. Actually, life would be a lot better if I were asleep too, but then if I were asleep I wouldn't be able to thoroughly enjoy this extremely rare occasion. In fact, I think this is the first time ever that all my kids (and husband) have been asleep at the same time. And I promise I did not drug them.

Let us all now take a moment to remember this rare, but most joyous occasion in my life........

Now I'm off to do something completely unproductive and self-gratifying.

Christmas Has Come and Gone...

and the only remnants left are the new toys that I have yet to find a place for. So for now they are calling the middle of my family room floor home.

Christmas was wonderful this year. It was actually the first year we have been away from family. Despite the fact that we were flying solo this year, we managed to have a great Christmas.

So here is a quick Christmas run down. Get ready for picture over-load...We spent Christmas eve with our 'family' away from family (all the dental families that didn't go home for Christmas).

The kids opened pj's the night before Christmas. Grandma G sent Kaleb this ski mask. I'm afraid the next time Kaleb decides to sneak into the down stairs neighbors apartment to steal lemon heads he will be in disguise and fully armed (thanks to this mask and the spider man gun that the downstairs neighbors gave Kaleb for his birthday).

The kids waiting for Santa


We had to take every precaution to make sure Santa did not get caught in the act. So Nate and I made this impromptu barricade....worked like a charm.

Christmas morning was lots of fun this year. Macie was slightly disappointed that she did not get to open every gift. Abrie and Kaleb were excited to see that Santa and his reindeer took full advantage of the plate of cookies and carrots they left out for them.

In the end, Macie's favorite gift was her sucker. Santa could have saved himself a lot of effort if he would have know that.

All in all it was a great Christmas. Every one was happy (even Kaleb). The couple days that followed Christmas was pure bliss. The kids were fully entertained with the excitement of playing with new toys. Unfortunately that didn't last long.

Oh, and I need to mention we had a killer Christmas day with some more of our friends. I just don't have any pictures to post as proof.

Hope everyone one had a great Christmas as well!

My Baby Boy is 4 Today!

Today was Kalebs birthday and to say the least the festivities got off with a miserable start. Oh, the pain of being expected to wear pants...even on your birthday. I mean if you can't go naked on your birthday, what can you do? I wanted to threaten taking away his birthday if he didn't stop throwing this massive, worlds gonna end, tantrum. But then that would mean he would have to stay 3 for a whole other year and I just don't think I could take that.

So the majority of our morning (and usually all our mornings) looked a lot this...

And this....
And still,.. lots more of this...
I finally got him to calm down after a quick bribe of deep fried, fatty goodness from Burger King. So I packed up all the Yahoo's (husband not included) and met up with my friend Amy for a quick impromptu fast food outing. Soon after Kaleb's day started looking not so bad. Food (and a good anti-depressant) can make anything better.

Later that day I told him he could help me make his birthday cake (as motivation to actually make him one). He did manage to work in one or two smiles during the process.

Then it was off to Chuckee Cheese...

And life was good...

Oh, so good!

In a Perfect World...

...the house would be clean, the dishes would be done, I would be showered, and I would have all of my Christmas cards sent out. Actually, if we're talking hypothetically here there would be a whole lot more I'd add to my list. But to keep things simple I will refrain... for now any way.

So to all of you who are on top of things this season congrats to you (and I better be on your list of who gets a Christmas card this year).

I had the best of intentions to send out Christmas cards. And as proof I posted my, almost a Christmas card, card. The reason that I never sent it out was because I didn't have a recent family picture and the only decent family picture I have is posted on my blog. How boring would that be to get a family picture you're use to seeing every day (assuming you check my blog everyday...I mean, I can't think of anything better to be wasting your time on).

So here you have it, a little Christmas cheer from me to you.

And of course you can't send a Christmas card with out the annual Christmas letter. So if I had actually taken the time to write one this is probably how it would have gone.

Dearest family & friends,

I hope this letter finds you warm and well this Christmas season! The burn that you're feeling in your heart right now is not acid reflux. No, it's the intense heart ache you must be feeling having to be apart from me and my angelic family this Christmas, but be strong...for all of us. I hope you're able to find at least a little glimmer of joy even with this distance that's between us. (And for those of you who are just across the next apartment complex, the pain I'm sure is still there, but just not as intense.)

As for us and our little family things are going great. Nate is doing awesome in school. And believe it or not we only have 5 more months left. Then pretty soon my fellow PA friends will be mourning my loss as well. It's a lose, lose situation any way you look at it. Unless my PA friends are excited to see me leave. In which case that would be a win, lose situation. Any how, back to Nate...he has been chosen to to attend a dental service trip to Haiti with 8-10 fellow class mates. So all in all Nate is doing pretty well and he's making sure he gets plenty of sleep. (I love you honey)

I am also doing wonderful! I have a new part time "job" that has been filling my hours of idleness. It's great! I decided to just give up being a mom and drive over to Atlantic City and gamble in order to support my husband. I haven't hit it big yet, but I will one of these days. And when I'm not gone gambling I'm at home knitting and sewing and doing everything a domestic woman should be doing. Oh, and I also teach the YW. That might come as a shock to some seeing as I have a severe addiction to gambling, but no worries I have only led a couple astray. The rest are wavering. (that is a complete lie by the way, the young woman I teach are AMAZING!! 20 times better then I ever was...and I was a saint (again, another lie...I was not a saint...but almost.))

Abrie is a wonderful child. She is 5 now and eager to be in kindergarten. She unfortunately misses the deadline. So she is currently attending a Lutheran pre-school and she prays for my soul every night. We had her in soccer this year and she loved every minute of it. She is desperate to try dance class this year, but we will see. I told her that mommy would have to spend some extra hours hitting the slots if she wants to get signed up for dance...so that is still to be decided.

Kaleb has been a complete angel this year. He has managed to not commit any felonies (only minor misdemeanors). He is always so sweet (when he's not screaming at me). He gets along well with his sisters (when he's not beating them up). He wants to take karate this year and although I'm sure he would excel in that I must use my better judgment and not let him learn how to take down both of his sisters at the same time with a double snap -foreword kick combo (sorry for the run on sentence). So for now he'll have to settle for soccer.

Macie is my cute little stinker. She is naughty but manages to get away with it due to the fact that she's so stinkin' cute. We have discovered that Macie has a eating disorder this year, not bulimia or anorexia. Nope, it's the disorder where you eat everything (like even small Christmas ornaments). She also has recently discovered the joy of being naked...all the time. She is constantly getting naked. Like tonight she managed to get fully undressed in her crib and fall asleep leaving us a little naked surprise for when we went to go check on her. Nudity and eating disorder aside, she is the best little baby I could ever ask for.

So as you can see I have been blessed immensely, with 3 healthy, beautiful, energetic kids and a husband who I love and adore and who will soon be making money.

Much love to you and your families this Holiday Season!

Warmest regards,

Nate, Ginnie, Abrie, Kaleb, & Macie

Twas 2 week before Christmas...

...and all through the house,
Not a cockroach was stirring, not even a louse.

The stockings were hung by the A/C with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would find them up there.

The children weren't sleeping, they were fighting instead.
Perhaps I could drug them and put them to bedAnd Nate he's "not sleeping", he's just "resting his eyes",*
Meanwhile dreaming of Carrie Underwood and her killer nice thighs. As for me well I'm blogging cause that's what I do best**,
And the children are screaming from hours of neglect.
There’s lots I should do, the house it is stinking,
From dirty old diapers is what I am thinking.
The bathroom is nasty, it’s a hazard to shower,
Due to some mold and a cockroach named Howard***.
My laundry’s still sitting in the hall where I left it,
And odds are most likely I’ll never get to it.
Now I need to go shopping, that’s what I should do,
If my kids want to see Christmas and if Nate, he does too.
I’ll watch for the bargains (I’m cheap, it’s a curse)
Mentally preparing to shop before I immerse.
First it’s K-mart and Wal-mart (I’m queen of the ghetto)
Onto Target, and Kohl’s, and a quick stop at Costco.****
I’ll finish my shopping, I’ll call it complete.
Then I’ll go home, be domestic and make Christmas treats.
I’ll have good intentions of passing them out,
But then I’ll get hungry and with out a doubt
I’ll taste one, then two, and soon it’ll be four.
Before I know it I won’t have any more.
I had great intentions of spreading good cheer.
Unfortunately for my neighbors that won’t happen this year.Well at least my trees up, all shiny and bright.
And Macie’s abstaining from eating the lights.And even though my kids they are very wild,
They manage to keep on my face a big smile.And Nate regardless of how he does sleep,
I think a little longer around him I’ll keep.*****So during this season of chaos and crazy,
Take note from me it’s Ok to be lazy.
And so before that jolly old man comes in sight,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

*I told myself I was done taking pictures of Nate while he was sleeping, but honestly, how could I resist? And Nate really does have a thing for Carrie Underwood.

**Technically blogging is not what I do best. I'm good at lots of stuff like...ummm,...let me think...ummm...(surely there has to be something else I'm good at)

***We really don't have a pet cockroach named Howard, however Nate did find one in the shower several months ago. Howard just happened to be the only thing that rhymed with shower at the time.>

****I've actually never shopped at Kohl's. Not that I'm opposed to shopping there, I just haven't done it yet...again the only thing I could think of.

*****"I think a little longer around him I’ll keep". This is my poem, so I don't have to follow any grammar rules. What that line is supposed to say is I think I'll keep Nate around a little bit longer and longer doesn't rhyme with sleep. Unless I were to add an -eep to the end of the word longer, but then that wouldn't make any sense at all now would it.(I actually think I just confused myself now)

Macie's blood test results are in...

and my child is completely, 100% healthy and normal...aside from the fact that she likes to eat dirt, small diamonds, crayons, 3 inch toy bugs, kitty litter....I could go on, but you've already heard it before.

Remember this picture? no worries, she ate four of these, but she's still normal.So now I know that Macie is not completely vitamin deficient or has something medically wrong with her. She apparently just has a fixation with eating things that could potentially kill her... that's comforting.

Product of the 80's!

We had a totally awesome 80's party this past weekend to celebrate two of the dental student's birthday's who just turned 30. For this party I channeled my inner Madonna/Jane Fonda/Molly Ringwald (who knew I had an inner Madonna/Jane Fonda/Molly Ringwald). I tried to convince Nate to go for the Tom Cruise in Risky Business look and come dressed in a button up dress shirt, tighty white-ies and tube socks. My efforts were in vain. He came fully dressed to the party, still looking slightly Tom Cruise-ish if I do say so myself.

Check it out, gotta love the side pony tale. And sadly, that is what my hair normally looks like straight out of the shower. I would love to live back in the '80's. It would save me about an hour a day not having to do my hair.

Hmmm, not quite sure what that face is. I think I have a junior prom dance picture that looks very similar to this (minus the spandex & the side pony tale). I'll have to find it.

The D man gettin' some double action. No worries, this was a family friendly party. All dance moves were strictly "G" rated. This one though I think pushes it to "PG".

The girls

The guys

I have been blessed...

...with 30 little fingers & 30 little toes.

6 arms that give the best bears hugs.

3 pairs of kissable heart shaped little lips.

2 innie belly buttons & one outie.

6 perfectly beautiful blue eyes.

6 pairs of busy little hands.

3 sweet smiles that melt my heart.

6 feet that keep me on my toes.

3 beautiful children that I love and adore!