New Years 2008

For the first time in years, like 7 years Derek and I went out. We put the kids to bed at 8:30 and had Meg come over at 9. We went over to Jimmy and Nicole McEachrin's to just hang out. We ended up taking Vanessa with us. Another couple was there and we planned on playing some games. A few of Derek's other friends showed so everyone sat around and talked. I actually ended up playing with Vanessa until she had had enough. I hoped she would have gone back to sleep but no luck. We ended up leaving early and getting home at 11:45. Vanessa fell asleep and Derek and I just lounged and played Mario Galaxy. I loved it. I like doing things with other couples but feel out of the loop when it is Derek's single friends around. When we move we hope to host a lot of things so that will be cool. We should be moving in the next two weeks. I hope that we do since Derek has already invited friends over for the Super Bowl.

I did make a few resolutions this year. They are the same as always

• lose those last 80 lbs of baby weight that are still hanging on.
• cut back on wasteful shopping. I spend too much money on crap.
• Eat healthy with the kids. They have my nasty candy habit/addiction.
• Attend church every Sunday and for all 3 hours. I think it will help now that I have been called to teach the 6/7 year old class. I think it is really important that Xavier and Eli get used to going to their own class and not being with me all the time.
• And just work on being a nicer, happier, all around better person.

Merry Christmas

We went to dinner at my parent's house Christmas Eve where we played games and opened presents from my parents. It was fun to get together with family. I do miss the days when I could play board games without interruption. 4:00 am Christmas morning I heard Alexandra and Xavier at my bedroom door all giggling with excitement which I quickly smashed with one word "No." They quieted down and waited patiently until 6 when they could no longer contain themselves. Derek got up and helped them search for their hidden stockings. Vanessa and I got up around 6:30 and we sat around waiting for Eli who got up around 7. Our kids got spoiled. Lots of clothes, games, cars, baby dolls, shoes, and toys. Vanessa got the cutest baby dolls but fought over the boys race cars. She has sine taken to them and likes to wrap them and give them their bottles. Alexandra was hooked up with clothes, mp3 player, Vtech laptop, dirtbike and helmet, and a DS. Eli and Xavier both got movies, cars raceway, drums Nerf guns, and my personal favorite Carnival for the Wii. Derek got some clothes and a Mario Galaxy and money. Derek surprised me with a mothers ring which is so beautiful. I also got money, clothes, earrings, a cactus, and a few other things. As a family we got bar stools. 46"LCD TV, and a new sectional. I cannot wait to move. The rest of the day we spent at home relaxing and playing with our new toys.

On another note of Christmas we watched the Santa Clause 3. In it Jack Frost is told that no one is allowed to upstage Santa at Christmas. It made me think how Santa has upstaged Jesus. I hope to try to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas as it is overlooked so often. I had a child at my house who looked at a picture of Jesus I have and I told her it was Jesus and she told me that Jesus is just a baby. It is not just his birth that is so important but his life and how he lived and died for all of us. Anyway I hope we can remember him all year.

Happy Birthday Eli

Eli's birthday was yesterday but we sang to him and had cake on Saturday. It wasn't anything big. He opened his gifts which he loved and had a pinata when one of Derek's friend Mike brought over his boy Reese. Eli is so good at sharing when it comes to candy or any new toy. Mima gave him walkie talkies, grandpa and mima gave him mega blocks racetrack and clothes. Grandma Carlene gave him stickers, books, a poster, and some money. We gave him a book and the lucky duck game which hasn't gone over very well. Vanessa likes to sit in the middle of it and steal all the ducks.

Today Eli and Xavier were using the walkie talkies. Eli is still working on pushing the button when he talks. I took a turn talking with Xavier. I asked him what color things were that he could see in the other room. Then I asked him how many fingers he had. I heard him start counting 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 then static as he passed the walkie talkie to the other had. After 5 more seconds he responded 10. It was so funny to listen to. We are trying to ween the kids off candy and to eat healthier. It's hard during the holidays. I hope that as I try to do better it will be easier for them. The earlier they start the better.

Ear Tubes

After numerous and never healing ear infections Vanessa got tubes. Our day started at 2am when Vanessa woke up for milk. Since she wasn't supposed to have anything after midnight I thought I could just rock her back to sleep. Not until 4 did she go back to sleep. That's when Xavier yelled for me to get him a drink. I finally fell back asleep at 4:30 so when the alarm went off at 5:45 Derek had to wake me up twice. I got up and ready and carried Vanessa out of bed and to the freezing car and drove to the hospital. I was told to be there by 6:30. She was examined and changed into hospital pajamas and both big toes had cords hanging from them. Then we had a wonderful I mean horrible wait until 8:00 before she went back. It was awful to have them carry her away. I remembered exactly how it felt two years ago when they did Eli's tubes. She did wonderful and was happy to see me. She was only out of my arms for maybe 20 minutes. All the nurses commented on her beautiful curls. She will feel and hear better. I am really blessed that I do not have children with any serious health issues. It would be so hard to leave them in a hospital or have them in pain. Derek went into work late so he could stay with Xavier and Eli and get Alexandra off to school. I was so tired. I am so grateful that I don't have to get up early and shower every morning before 7. It is always so cold. I am so blessed to be able to be home raising my kids.

Most, if not all of Derek's friends wives and girlfriends all work. Being a stay at home mom isn't to be considered. But many of them have their kids in daycare for 10 hours a day. So pick up your kid, dinner, bath time, and put them to bed. It would be strange. And insanely expensive for us with 3 kids not yet in school. I wouldn't want to rely on family help. I love that I can pull in some money now. It took a while but Derek knows that raising kids and being home all day is challenging and stressful and many times overwhelming. It is nice to have his support. I do understand that some situations require moms to work. Derek and I figure if I had a job outside the home where I actually brought home extra money we would just have more stuff. Maybe upgrade the cars but mostly just stuff. So I will trade all my stuff to raise my own kids. I am truly blessed.

I got a Job!!!

I have been planning on starting a daycare when we move into our new house. I have taken all the required classes and bought all the supplies but cannot get certified until we have a home inspection. I cannot get one of those until I have a home. However, a few friends were looking for full time sitters with or without a license. So yeah, they are bringing their kids here. Right now I just have 2 to watch Ava and Chloe, both three. Which is fine with me. It has really opened my eyes to what a horrible mother I have been. Before they came over I could barely muster enough energy to get through most days. I hardly did anything with my own kids. It was just easier to say no when they would ask for me to do things with them than try to do something and get totally frustrated. Now with other kids here I feel like I have to be doing something. We go on walks, fly kites, make cookies, color, read books, and just run around outside. Before my kids would go outside alone, which is okay, but I feel I could have been doing more. I always felt like I had something else I needed to do first. Other things were more pressing. But now i feel like during the day I just need to be a good mom to my kids and that is actually enough. Who cares about all the other stuff. The other part is I cannot yell or get mad at other children so why do I get mad at my own children for the same mistakes. I have the most awesome children in the world and I have the ability and opportunity to be the best mother. It is strange and I am so grateful that I realized that I can be a better mother while they are still young and won't remember much from this age. So babysitting has been a real blessing. My kids like having other kids to play with and I enjoy my own kids so much more.

National Guard Christmas.

Derek had drill this weekend in Ephrata where they had a Christmas party planned for the families of the members of his unit. It was unbelievably nice. They had games set up for the kids. Fishing for presents, beanbag throw into a box snowman, and a cake walk. As well as raffles. Eli threw the bean bags in and when he received his prize, a stuffed penguin, he threw that into the holes. He didn't know he was supposed to keep it. He loved the toy too, calling it Cody Maverick from Surf's up. Alexandra won a cake in the cake walk and our family won a raffle for a Walmart gift card. After the kids all won piles of prizes; stuffed animals, puzzles, nerf guns & shape sorters, we ate lunch and Santa came. The kids took turns sitting on his lap and receiving a gift. All of my kids got something that was on their Christmas list. I thought Derek had something to do with it but he didn't and it was just luck of the draw. The gifts were labeled by gender and age. Alexandra got a pink track suit and a book, Xavier received a metal basketball hoop that hangs over the door, Eli a musical book and $25 gift card, and Vanessa got a cabbage patch snowman baby. I was floored by the great gifts. I think that I loved spending the day together as a family having a good time the best.

Snow Days

It has been rediculously cold so I guess it might as well snow. We woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow covering ther ground. I think I could actually like it if we weren't building our house right now. My dad thinks snow is a bad four letter word and prefers not t hear the word spoken. Alexandra has to go to school in it and they are not allowed to pick it up off the playground. Xavier was out the door by 7:30 throwing snowballs at the window. He wanted me to go out and make him a snow man. We tried but it is too cold for me. We only had a few days before it rained and all the snow was gone. so now we look forward to the next snow fall.