Why I Love January

In picture form

the results are in.

And the winner for the best Christmas gift this year goes to......
Santa Claus with his "thing with the hippo and the cacheeta and the spider" toy.



WHAT WAS THE FAVORITE GIFT AT YOUR HOUSE THIS YEAR???

Christmas Catch-up

Christmas was magical as always. We spent our holiday in Utah, bundled up indoors for days before daring to brave the cold. It was perfect Christmas weather since we didn't want to leave the house anyway.
We decorated a gingerbread house with these goodies (and I can't for the life of me find any of the pictures I took of the end product)

And on Christmas Eve we acted out the Nativity. Here's a picture of the lead roles. The rest of us were the livestock, angel, innkeeper...you know the story. Oh, and the babies took turns being Jesus. Once Nolan got cranky Annabell took over and did a marvelous job (pigtails and all).

We decorated cookies for Santa and read stories and sang by the tree.
And that night Mr. S came and filled our stockings, piled gifts under the tree.

He also snuck into my room and gave me some terrific thunder-thighs, a butonk-butonk butt, and a spare tire (that sneaky Santa) . (won't put a picture of that)

We played in the snow and went sledding...(yes, this is Nolan in girl winter clothes)
And he got his batman jammies...

And the "thing with the scary gorilla, the hippopomus and the cacheeta."
It was an awesome Christmas and Spencer also gave me the best gift and took me to "The Garden" restraunt downtown, an "Off Broadway" play, and the Little America hotel for an over-nighter (away from the children) for our 6th anniversary (we're getting old, aren't we??) It was awesome.

For those of you who didn't get a Christmas card, I'm so sorry and here's the dealio....I sent out the first batch and thought I would remember who I sent them to so that when I got more stamps but didn't and couldn't remember. SO, here is the picture you "missed out" on, taken by my sweet photographer friend Sheena Jibson (http://www.sheenajibsonphotography.com/ Call her- you won't be dissappointed!!)

Just Random Thoughts

AHHH...Isn't this gorgeous?? I thought I was such a clever photographer finding this spot and climbing up the soggy sandy dirt to take this picture. Then as I was leaving there was a lady coming to take a picture in the EXACT spot with her camera phone.
Anyway, in the foreground here and off to the left of the picture are some nearby orange groves. The navel oranges this time of year totally rule and we can't get enough of them (i.e. diarrhea (diarea? diareya??). Another reason I love Caleeforneeya. (why do I giggle at the word diarrhea?)
Moving right along...how is everyone's Christmas going thus far?? Spence and I went shopping a week ago together to get stuff for the kiddos. We (i) had so much fun looking at all the cool toys. Then this week we found better deals on the stuff we got and ended up returning everything we bought last week. Christmas time is totally insane, is it not? I love it, though. Minus all the lines and cranky people. I have felt more Christmas-y this year than any previous year. I cannot WAIT to see Carter's face when he opens his presents this year. I am pretty sure I'm not going to sleep a wink Christmas eve.
By the way, is anyone else engraining in their kids heads what they (the kids) want for Christmas this year? (Batman jammies and a light saver. Ask him. This is what he'll say)
What are your kids getting for Christmas??
(p.s. this is one of those crowing moments in my life. My 100th post)

This is us today

And has been us the last three days.
All day.
Every day.
And this piping hot baby will not let bodily contact cease between us.
I'm sweating.

It's cold, windy, and raining.

And it has been one of my favorite days EVER.
It's 5pm and I'm still in my jammies and slippers.
I haven't exercised.
I haven't showered.
I haven't brushed my teeth (okay, that's kindof disgusting and I'm about to hit my limit and cave).
I haven't mopped the kitchen floor which has the rugs out of it and has been ready to be mopped since 11 this morning.
I haven't put in a load of laundry.
I haven't even thought about what to have for dinner (and like I said, it's 5pm).
BUT...today:
I WRESTLED with my kids on the floor.
I PRETENDED doggies with Carter.
I NAPPED PEACFULLY for more than one hour on my couch with a warm blankie (BLISS).
I WATCHED a movie with my kids (and the baby is so sick that he actually sat with me and watched, too)
I CUDDLED with my little sick one and didn't feel guilty that I wasn't getting something done.
I STARED at the rain out of our back door and was SO glad I didn't have to get dressed and go anywhere or do anything today.
I LISTENED to the heater kick on and off all day, greatful to be warm and cozy in my little home.
I ENJOYED a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows with my favorite 3 yr. old in the world.
I was PATIENT and didn't lose my temper, not even ONCE.
I LOVED today. And I needed it.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace...

I went to bed early with a migraine last night and had finally slipped into peaceful slumber when all of the sudden both kids were screaming bloody murder. I swear I threw the covers off and went from completely asleep and relaxed to in their room in 1.2 seconds, flat. And what was the problem??
I have absolutely no idea.
They were both crying the "there is something seriously wrong" cry. Not just your every-day "I woke up and am a little upset" cry.
But seriously, am I the only person who thought that once my kids slept through the night it would just be like that every night?
First of all, it took us two years to get Carter to sleep through the night every night. Nolan has been fast and did really well for like 2 months. But recently if we get through the whole night without a bed-tinkle, bad dream or teething baby, it's like the most refreshing thing ever and the day just goes so well.
And I think I have a sleep-walker on my hands. The other morning we went in to get Nolan and Carter was still asleep but the curtain rod and the thing that holds it onto the wall were completely torn off the wall, it had swung down and knocked over the lamp and Carter has NO idea how it happened....another mystery that will never be solved.
So I have finally let go of my attachment to a good-night's rest.
No longer shall I stare watery-eyed at the clock at any odd hour of the morning in disbelief that I am up.
Never shall I be surpised to be awakened 3, 4, 5...8 times a night with an infant who puked all over himself, his bed, and has to be bathed at 3:30 in the morning.
I have resigned my naiiveness of thought that I must get 7 hours of sleep to be funtionable the next day.
I am now resolved to just be satisfied at just 4-5 hours (even interrupted...if I'm lucky).
Because who would want to be sleeping when you could be outside in the garage throwing in a load of laundry at 2am?? Seriously.