four

This morning you came into my room, with four little fingers displayed and a huge smile on your face and all you said was, "FOUR!".
This year you have come into your own and I'm so proud of you. I am so proud of your independence because I feel like we've both worked so hard for it to get ready for kindergarten next year. You can write all your letters and your name like a champ. I hold back a smile every time you shock some one by spelling out a big word and asking them what it says or remembering the road signs as we drive down the roads. You are the Queen of questions and I know this your way of soaking up every single thing you can. It takes you a little while to warm up the situations still and that's okay. You still don't like change but you're slowly getting better. You are the most tender-hearted of them all and still cry when someone else is getting in trouble. Even if they're getting in trouble because of something they did to you. You look out for everyone and always try to make everyone else happy first. You love to play school, babies and mommy. School and church is your favorite place to be. I always worried that you would think having a birthday two days after Christmas would be terrible but so far you think it's so special that your birthday two days after baby Jesus' birthday. You are the best big sister..probably because you can't remember a time when you weren't a big sister. You have the most contagious laugh. I love you and I'm so proud of you of the little lady you've become. Happy Four sweet girl.

Ten on Tuesday

1. My Dad says I'm slacking on posting lately and everyone knows I hate disappointing my Dad. So I'll try and step it up a notch in the New Year.

2. We are in week two of Christmas vacation. I am personally going to need a vacation from the vacation.

3. Still snow on the ground here but the weather man says 63 on Thursday. Ahh, that's more like it. I prefer traveling to the snow and attaching skis to my boots if I have to be in it.

4. Kit and Ruthie have been residing with us for four days now and it's almost like having two more children. Except they don't talk or fight. I still have to pick up after them and fix their hair.

5. Drew's newest trick is climbing on top of the table. He swings one knee on to the chair and is on the table in about 2 seconds flat. If it wasn't so dangerous it's rather impressive.

6. Taking bets now on how long until he's crawling out of the crib.

7. We have watched Woody and Barbie and the Fashion Fairytale at least 25 times since Friday morning. I know you're all jealous.

8. The tooth fairy came and went Saturday night. Since Amelia was so terrified of her arrival, Bella agreed to put the tooth outside the door "just so Amelia would be quiet and finally go to sleep!"

9. Continue to pray our troops overseas. Even if you don't know them, they are someone else's husband or Daddy, or son or brother and they are risking their life for your freedom.

10. Will and I have now fallen victim to the dreaded stomach bug going around. It terrible and was a really rough 12 hours. Super Dad came to the rescue and took care of the kids today because I could barely move and we were trying to limit my contact with them. I'm expecting the other three to fall anytime now :(

yes. we live in the South.

While I know most of my Southern friends were extremely excited to wake up on Christmas morning and see all the snow, this girl was not. I heard several people say "I have prayed my entire life for a white Christmas and finally this year it happened". I'm going to tell you something, if you move north, it will happen every year. If you move to the south, you don't want to see a white Christmas. Or a white day after Christmas. Especially when a little bit of snow means everything closes.

My parents were here a few weeks ago and did I have them bring our snow pants? Nope because this is the south. There is global warming. Who needs snow pants I ask you?And our snow boots and good water proof gloves? They're on the way to Minnesota with our good friends because we don't ever use them here. So 3-4 inches and some rain boots later this is what you get. It's not the snow at Santa's village. It's just as cold here now as it is at Nene's and I'm counting down to pool season.














Here's how Drew got to spend the day..watching his brother and sisters from the windows. It's too cold for him to be outside.

she's been waiting

Bella's been wiggling and waiting. Her friends have all lost teeth, some of them multiple teeth and still hers didn't want to come out. Finally on Christmas day it decided to fall out. She was so excited that the Tooth Fairy would come the night after Santa Clause. She looks so different to me with a missing tooth! The big tooth is already poking through in the back. She's started wiggling the other loose teeth and she was really excited she got five dollars for her first tooth!

so this is Christmas

I didn't really spend Christmas Eve the way I had envisioned I would. I originally had planned to spend a lazy day at home with the six of us before getting ready for the five o'clock candlelight service at church. Drew, however, had been having problems breathing all week and we had already taken and emergency visit to the doctor for a lung check and increased our breathing treatments. After speaking with the doctor that morning he thought it was best we head to the pediatric ER for treatment. Six hours later they finally agree we can come home but we are supposed to limit Drew's contact and keep him indoors.

Christmas morning comes and Jason has been sick all night. g.r.e.a.t. I relinquish my rights to the camera to try and make it easier on him. (Let me know if anyone wants to hire him for photos)




If you asked Will what he wanted for Christmas all he wanted was Woody, his horse and Buzz. He got Woody and his horse. Santa didn't bring Buzz because he already has a Buzz. He did bring the new movie but Will of course wants a new Buzz :)

Bella has been requesting anything Fashion Fairytale for months now. We had an almost meltdown when she didn't receive it for her birthday and she later gave it to several friends. "She didn't even get the Barbie! That is so not fair!" Then Amelia's birthday came and she got several of them. Oh, the drama. Little did she know I've been sitting on this DVD since it released. And the ornament too.

Amelia and Kit..

The girls checking out Ruthie. They were very excited about these dolls and have been playing with them since yesterday morning. I can't tell you how many times they've changed their clothes and brushed their hair already. Ruthie especially is sporting an afro.

Drew opening one of his little trains for his new table.

Let me say kuddos to all the cooks out there who actually enjoy preparing a big feast and spending hours in the kitchen doing so. I don't really fall into this category. I am capable of cooking and not so bad at it. Liking it is a totally different story. Late Tuesday night I was reading FB and saw a friend of mine planning a special "Christmas feast" since they were celebrating alone this year and she would be doing all the cooking. I commented something or other and went to bed. As I started to fall asleep, it came to me. I should be preparing this same special Christmas feast for my family and I got nothin. No ham or turkey or sweet potato in sight in this house. I could rummage up the always staple crescent roll but that's about it. To be honest I would be just fine with a Christmas pizza but the kids' memories are more important to me. So Jason went out and bought all our supplies and I cooked for five hours on Christmas day. It was a labor of love for the ones I love. Merry Christmas from our house to yours!