Fun in the Winter Sun!

The Amazing Sledding Baby!

Christmas in Pocahontas

Once again we celebrated Christmas in Pocahontas. It pays so well, we figured we can be slightly out of our comfort zone for the holidays. Plus, the kids are so little that it is an adventure for them and Santa always finds us at the hospital.
We arrived Friday night late, after Mommy did much of the packing and shopping for the trip herself. Daddy has been on FP these past 2 weeks so he has been very busy. We loaded the van down, including the car-top carrier, because we also have to bring sleeping bags and the pack-n-play and food for our trip. (Poky has one very small hometown grocery store with limited hours). Daddy drove his own car too so that he would have separate transportation in case he had to return to the hospital on one of our excursions.
The weather has been horrid this year, lots of snow and ice before Christmas even! The drive up took longer than expected because it was terribly foggy. Somehow, Iowa drivers can drive in snow, but now fog. Of course, being raised in California, I am used to it, but the other drivers were the ones having trouble and causing back-ups on the freeway.
Saturday we set up the tree and played at the hospital. We were very lucky to use the hospice living room/kitchenette this year due to no patients in care, so we had more room to stretch out and we could nap the baby and hang out in the living room. Sunday decorated our Ginger Bread house (from a kit, much easier when you travel) and we went to the matinee at the local theatre. We saw Enchanted, a very cute movie! Monday, we opened a very fun game from Dacia. It is a game with Buckets and bean bags and there are lots of run-around games to play and quiet ones too. The kids had fun chasing each other and Mommy and Daddy in the conference room. For dinner we wanted Chinese food, as it is sort of a tradition in the Stubblefield family for Christmas Eve, but after a long drive to the Fort Dodge Hy-Vee only to find out they closed the Chinese that day, we ended up with a sad Mommy and McDonald's for dinner. Bummer!:o( We also opened our jammies from our cousins.

Christmas morning the kids actually slept in a bit and then awoke to loads of presents under the tree!
Tristan: "I love my Ben 10 watch!"
Melina: " I like my Fur-Real Kitty. He has a bottle."
Ciomara: "I got a Giselle Barbie!"
Asher: Well, if he could talk, he would say loved the wrapping paper the most :o)
Mommy received a new waffle maker and UGGs. Daddy got new Danskos (shoes) and loads of dress clothes for work.
We had a very nice morning and then Daddy went to work and was busy for the next 2 days. The kids and I drove home Wednesday afternoon/evening so we could sleep in our own beds and daddy returned home the next morning.
Since we have been home, it has been snowing and the kids are enjoying playing outside since it is "warm-er," fluffier snow and not ice!

Baby, OH BABY!

Just a quick update before the Christmas holiday! Asher had his 6 month appt. He is a hefty one at 21 pounds and 28 inches, but a complete joy! He loves everyone and always has a smile on his face, except mealtimes, when he SCREAMS! to eat. He has been begging for so much that since we did 3 days each of all theveggies, we started fruits too. Usually I wait until 7 months, but he is hungry! He eats three meals a day, 16 oz formula, 4 oz juice and nurses 3-4 times! Whew! Growing boy!

We also had our Broadlawns Christmas party for the kids (adults too, but that is a long depressing story about a major misunderstanding with the babysitter). The kids got to see Santa (again) and play with their friends, whom we have not seen in a while, even though we live close, just because we have been cooped up in the house with cold, stormy weather.

6 month comparisons

Raining Ice

Prayer

If anyone watched the weather this week for the midwest we were hit with some bad storms. Tuesday was a no school day due to raining ice! No kidding, I have never seen it rain ice, hail maybe, but not ice...it was amazing. Everything was a 1/2 inch thick with ice. Then snow on top! We stayed home (school cancelled) and baked cookies and played games and read. It was a nice break from routine.
I have to tell you though about the lesson Tristan has learned about prayer as it relates to the weather. A few months back, when I was delivering baby, it was an all day affair and getting close to bedtime and baby still had not made his appearance. The kids really did not want to go to bed so Grandma Stubblefield told them to pray that baby would come before bed. Sure enough, delivery picked up and Asher came in time for the kids to hold him before bed. Tristan was amazed. So last Thursday (before our ice storm) we had a terrible snow storm and it started the same time I had to leave to get Tristan. Thankfully, Josh had popped on, so he stayed with the others while I drove to school. Well, it took me like a half hour to get there because the roads were so slick and they are hilly. I was praying the whole way to make it up the hill, just inching as people were stuck in the snow and sliding into each other. I made it to Tristan but then found myself stuck in the snow. (Really bad response time for the city in snow removal). I was scared and trying to pull it together but Tristan could tell. He said "Mommy let's say a prayer." So we did, and you know what? We got out! I was able to back up just enough, turn the wheels and gun it and with a little push from behind, we gripped some road and went up the hill. We made it safely home and Tristan declared it was because we prayed. I know it was, but what a marvelous thing for a child to understand! And thank you to Heavenly Father for answering him immediately in both cases. You know, I think God understands that children need immediate consequences in order to understand cause and effect and he provided that for Tristan who now has a very firm testimony of prayer and has taught his Mommy something amazing! Pure and simple faith! Thanks Tristan!

All the preparations

Well, I have to say I am on top of things this year and with the exception of a few stocking stuffers and Grandpa and Grandma Nadeau's gift, I purchased everything and wrapped most before our trip to California. So this last week, besides getting into the swing of things, I have been working on our Christmas card and getting stuff together for our trip to Pocahontas for Christmas, as Josh will again be moonlighting there during the holiday.
Last night we had our Branch Christmas party. I could only do so much before we left for California so this week I have been consumed with organizing the party. Friday especially, I had a lot to do that could only be done last minute and practically fell into bed and we all slept until 9am this morning-- just totally exhausted. The party went well though, I think, thanks to the cooperation of a lot of people. We had dinner, the primary put on a Nativity program and sang some carols and then Santa visited! (a friend of Josh's from work who did an awesome job!) I tried to keep to a schedule as much as possible to avoid being out so late and we pretty much ran on time. It lated about 20 minutes longer than I thought it would... we had a lot of fun, but then more people than expected showed up and those who came late (like an hour) were left with the pickins' and I felt bad but I hate when things don't go as scheduled, and I'm not about to sit around a wait for everyone, especially when I have 4 little kids to corral. Melina loved Santa the most and just wanted to stare into his eyes and hug him. Asher was fascinated by the beard and Mara told him she wanted a Barbie (taken care of!) I had fun too, but definitely glad it's over!
The kids went right back to school this week no problem, and Asher has been doing ok in the office with me at work. I still have laundry to catch up on never ending scrapbooks (which I love, but have very little time for with 4), from our time in California but I am taking it all in stride. Right now our number one priority (besides Christmas) is job contract and house! Still waiting....

Check out my Slide Show!

Family pics

Don't have a lot of time to post, but wanted to let everyone know we got home safely and less eventfully. We had a great time in California and we were sad to leave although Josh was glad to be done with Opthamology because he thinks it is boring!:o) We enjoyed visiting all the cousins and grandparents and Dacia. Josh and I did a little house hunting and found one we liked but we are still waiting for the right job.... I will post pics of the trip a little later. Posted below are pics with my sisters kids: Avery, Hunter and Owen. We try to get photos taken together once a year so my Mom can have all her grandkids together on her wall. This is the best photo. The kids were tired from our journey and did not want to cooperate, plus there are 7 of them!

This photo is after many candy promises!

Mara was very upset and did not want to get her photo taken.

Melina likes to practice poses for the camera.

I think think one is a cute one of the kids: Mel with a smirk, Mara pouting, Asher just happy and Tristan being a goof.