Our 2013 Christmas Parties

We were a busy bunch the week of Christmas with numerous Christmas parties with our extended families.
The Saturday before Christmas we headed to Lewistown where Amy and Mike hosted the Richard side of the family.   I mentioned on facebook that day that even though I think of my Mimi and Pappy often, it is the day of the family Christmas that I miss them the most.   Christmas Eve at their house was always something I looked forward to.  I know they are smiling down and very proud of all these great grand children.  It's exciting to think that next year this picture will have a new addition with Kyle and Cady's baby!
 

Christmas day we went to Mom and Dad's to share a meal and open the presents they had for the kids.   This is the closest thing we have to a family picture this year and of course Kinley is crying.  Tis' the season of life, I suppose.

Dad spoiled us with lobster and filet for dinner.  I can't even describe how yummy it was.

 

 

The kids enjoyed opening the special gifts Mimi and Pappy had for them.

We had a beautiful, very low key evening that ended with all of us watching a movie.  I don't think that has even  happened before!

And last, but certainly not least, yesterday we finished our celebrations with a visit from Mom-mom and Pappy Landis, Nicole and Jon.   We ate more delicious food and, you guessed it, opened more presents.  

 

 

 

 

We certainly enjoyed our time together, shared a bunch of laughs and made many memories.

 

Gram and Pap were surprised by the picture we had done for them.  They couldn't figure out how we managed to get ALL their great grandkids together for that shot.  

 

That sums up our 2013 Christmas.  My prayer all along was that our time together be stress free and that we would all fully enjoy each moment and it really turned out that way.   I couldn't have asked for anything more.  I have been blessed with so much.

Christmas Day 2013

It's the day we've been waiting for and planning for over the past few weeks.  Christmas.   Christmas Eve we shared a wonderful church service with our church family and my mom.   McKenna and Cooper participated with the Children's Choir and sang a cute Happy Birthday Jesus song.
Soon after the service was over we headed home and the kids quickly donned their pajamas and got to work getting cookies ready for Santa.

Kinley was so cute.  She was so excited this Christmas.   Just the mention of Santa and she would scream in delight.   It is worth noting that we did spend considerable time both at home and at Wee Worship teaching her the real meaning of Christmas.

 

This was the first year that I could not find suitable matching pajamas for all three kids without embarrassing someone.  So, we opted for shirts and I think they worked out pretty well.

 

Sure enough, after the kids were fast asleep Santa made his toy drop.

We had a strict "don't wake us before 6:30 rule that I'm sure violates some parenting rule somewhere.  Turns out it worked fairly well for us.   McKenna is our resident rooster but she let us all sleep until 6:15  when even Earl and I decided it was time to get the show on the road.
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the kids coming down the steps.  The big kids raced down and in an effort to keep Kinley from injuring herself flying down the stairs I carried her.  

Everyone enjoyed opening presents and from what I understand, Santa did a pretty good job fulfilling most of the kids wishes.

 

 

 

 

By 7:30 the girls were already working on a nap and I was working to get breakfast ready for Mom, Dad, Kyle, Cady, Shane and Tighe.  

Breakfast together is something we started when McKenna was born and it is one of my most favorite traditions.

Cooper's Case of Strep

Tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas for most kids.  And most kids can't wait until break begins.  Unfortunately, Cooper is not one of those kids.   Cooper has strep throat and is so sad to be missing all of the fun Christmas related activities at school.  

This picture cracks me up.   Whenever Earl is sick he often wears a hoodie.  Like father, like son. 

So, I guess my job over the next couple of days is one of nurse and sanitizer.   I am committed to doing my best to make sure this sickness stops at Cooper.   Feel better soon, buddy! 

Fourth Grade Winter Concert 2013

Tonight we were blessed to attend McKenna's Winter Concert.   She was extremely excited for us to hear the music the fourth grade has been preparing this year.

 

 

 

She looked so comfortable on stage and had a smiled throughout the show. 
It's safe to say that all the hard work put into the show was well worth it.  The kids did a great job.

Slumber Party and A Snow Day

Last night we celebrated McKenna's birthday with a slumber party.   Before our guests arrived we gave McKenna the gifts we had picked for her.  She's been asking for this panda hat and matching gloves for a month.  We were excited to finally give them to her.

Kinley and Cooper were happy that McKenna included them in her party.

 Instead of cake and ice cream we opted for a hot cocoa bar and cookies.   McKenna and I made the cocoa cubes which she found in one of her American Girl magazines.

There was pizza, too!

Our very first slumber party went well.  The girls decorated pillow cases and watched a movie and played American Girl Dolls.  They camped out in the basement and I only had to tell them once (at Midnight!) that it was time to get to sleep.

 Saturday we were blessed with a wonderful snow fall.  It came on the perfect day - one in which we had nothing planned.    This was only Kinley's second encounter with the snow.  I thought she would start fussing as soon as we started to get our gear on.  She didn't.  She LOVED the snow, even the times when she fell down or got snow on her face.    My summer baby is a snow bunny!

Cooper was the first of the kids to ask to get out in the fluffy white stuff.  Notice at the time I took this picture the ground wasn't even completely covered.   It didn't stay that way for long.  

I love watching Tucker play in the snow.   He has always been a huge fan and today was no different.  Our poor guy sometimes has a rough time getting around but not today. 

After a trip over to the elementary school for some serious sled riding with Daddy the kids were invited to Jimmy and Ben's for hot cocoa and ginger bread house building.

I am happy to report that this is the first year that I can remember the house staying together.  We had a blast!

Cooper and I snuggled up this evening to watch Charlie Brown and Rudolph before I ushered three exhausted kiddos off to bed.   The snow is still falling, bringing the promise of more fun outdoors tomorrow so we should all probably get some sleep!

The Lasts

I'm sitting in Kinley's room in the dark while she sleeps in my arms.  Every few seconds the familiar slurping noise of her lips on the binky break the silence.   This could be the last time that I rock her before bed.  I told myself that I would remember these "lasts".   Yet somehow they are all but escaping me.   In the hustle and bustle of daily life these things happening and I'm not even aware.

I know I'm not alone in wanting to remember the lasts.  One of my very favorite children's books is about this very subject.   Tonight I found myself wondering if there's a reason that we celebrate lots of firsts but not as many "lasts".   I wonder if this is just a season of my life that I'm clinging to or if I really will someday search my memory to recall so many of these moments.   In reality I know my brain cannot possibly catalog all of the memories that I desire it to.  Already there are things I forget.   So I'll write them down here and someday go back and reminisce.   The details will be recorded - a cold December night, your gingerbread footie pajamas, the white noise machine and the subtle glow of Christmas lights from the hallway;  the smell of your lavender lotion, the way you snuggle into my left arm, the tiny squeak of the rocking chair, the white blanket that covers you;  the tiny flicker of your long eye lashes as you fall deeper into a sleep and your cute little nose with its little dimple on the top.  

The details will be here and easy to recall.  But the depth of my love for you in this moment will never be able to be conveyed.  The pang of sadness I feel when I think about these days of your babyness coming quickly to an end are beyond any words I have. 

I love you and our time alone together in the quiet of the evening.  I pray that there will be other nights that will end this way - with you heavy in my arms, sleeping soundly.  But just incase this is the "last", I want you and I to both know how special it was.  I love you, Kinley. 

10 Years

On this very night ten years ago, I had no idea that in less than 24 hours I would become a mom.   McKenna came on a snowy weekend just like the one predicted for this Saturday, adding to the surreal feeling of soon being the mom of a ten year old!

I can't quite wrap my mind around the fact that ten years with McKenna have passed already.   Ten years.  She asked me yesterday while we were birthday shopping at the mall what I would wish for if I had just one wish.   The only thing that came to my mind is that I would go back to the day of her birth and do it all over again.  The past ten year.   Not to change anything or do a multitude of things differently.  I know that even if given a second chance I would fail her many times just as I have in the past.  But simply to experience it all one more time.    That would be my wish.  To go back and repeat that day where my heart swelled a billion sizes and I ceased put myself first in any situation ever again.  The day that my life became infinitely complicated and eternally joyful all in the same moment.  

McKenna, 

I don't even know where to start or how to put into words how very much I love you.   I told you tonight that you will always be my baby and you will always be the special little girl who made me a mom.   As much as I hate the fact that you're growing up so fast,  I love the young woman you are becoming.   You are smart, and beautiful, conscientious,  helpful, and you have a heart so big it makes mine almost burst with pride.    You have the unique ability to make people feel so special.   It's amazing to watch. 

As I watch you and listen to you interact with Cooper and Kinley, I know that someday you will be an amazing mom.    You have such patience with Kinley and she absolutely thinks you hung the moon.   I'm proud that the sibling arguments and fighting between you and Cooper are few and far between.  I pray that you will always have a wonderful, close relationship with him.   

I pray that you and I will always have a close relationship too.   We will have to work at it, as you have to do with any relationship worth having.    But ultimately, I will want to spend lots of time with you and I hope you feel the same way about me.  I realize that in these important growing years I have to let you go a little bit.  That will be hard for me too.  I hope you can find it in you to be patient with me, just as you are with Kinley. Because while I rely on you more and more to help me or assume more responsibility,  in my heart you are still the little baby pictured above and it is my job to protect you.  

I know that the next ten years will fly by just as quickly as these first ten.  But for today, for today I wish you the most wonderful 10th birthday.    I pray that today and every day you will feel loved and cherished and you will know that you are one of the most precious gifts of my life.

Happy Birthday!

Love, Mommy

A Little Laugh and Some Chocolate Pie

The kids don't read the blog yet but hopefully someday they will.  This post is for that day.  I hope they read this and laugh.

A few years ago McKenna was giving us a hard time at bedtime.  She would sneak out of bed like kids often do, to come see what Earl and I were doing downstairs.  One evening we finally told her.   Every night after you go to bed we get out our nicest china and we sit and eat tons of junk food and cupcakes and have a party while you're sleeping.  She didn't believe us and we all had a good laugh.

But here is the proof that it's true.  Last night, after all the kids were in bed, we got out our "best" china (aka paper plates because they don't need to be washed) and had chocolate cream pie while we watched tv.  

It was delicious and we has a little chuckle thinking about the night we told you about our secret parties.   The truth is that it nearly as fun as hearing the three of you squeal with delight about chocolate cream pie.   Next time I think we will share.