December 2010

December 1- did school, hugged my biggies as they came home from running 2.5 with brian, ran outside at the Y with kelly, had the klicks over for lunch/playdate, watched ephram and carter actually play together..and it was SO sweet, LOVED the look on kinsey's face when she realized she wasn't home alone with the other kiddos, met the williams for dinner, served at AWANAS, realized how amazingly awesome it is that Ephram can talk so well so instead of crying when he needs help he'll just say, "help please" or "stuck" or whatever he needs, and got extra hugs from my girlies.

December 2- took the kiddos to the zoo with the klicks and richardsons, enjoyed watching 'feeding' time with the sea lions and seals as much as the kiddos did, pushed my sick 8 year old in the stroller, had many lol moments the kids had a blast, cooked a yummy dinner, went on a date with brian to see andrew peterson, sweet eshleman's babysat and took the oldest two to their choir rehearsal, came home to see a sweet baby awake WAY past his bedtime, and heard things that were shockingly embarrassing.

December 3- woke up to an 18 month old, had to make a hard 'mama' decision and kept the big kids home from a party, celebrated kinsey all day long starting with panera...just cuz she did AWESOME with the eshleman's, sent her to the polar express pj party at the williams, big kids did school, read lots of books, prayed lots, hugged more, and carbed up the family for race day.

December 4- had a completely flat van tire, fit all six of us in the car to the eshleman's who watched ephram and kinsey, raced with cailey (30:48) and cheered on braden (36:44) (who ran with daddy), was SUPER proud of their effort, warmed up with hot chocolate, loved the experience as a family, baked cookies, prepped kiddos to play in the SNOW??!!, sent braden to make his derby car, snuggled with kinsey, talked with ephram, and watched an a great choir performance by Cailey and Braden.

December 5- the kiddos sang great during service at Bayleaf, took pics of the eshleman's, got some great deals at hallmark, gave the kiddos andes mints from the advent calendar, played with kinsey, smelled yummy monkey bread and bbq chicken pizza coming from the oven thanks to brian, watched the kiddos final choir performance with the klicks, and rocked my baby back to sleep.

December 6- happy birthday granny, and happy anniversary nonny and poppy, school, cleaned, hugged, chased, listened, giggled, drank hot cocoa in bed WAY too late, read kinsey the gingerbread man no less than 4 times, read other Christmas books, listened to the last piano lesson before the recital, kissed baby boo boos, ran 6 (part w/ kell and part w/ beth) outside in awesome 30 degree temps, sent the babies and daddy off to his fav- golden corral, did 8 loads of laundry (and prayed over the children while folding it), cleaned out the fridge and microwave, and went to bed way too late.

December 7- did school, planned crafts with the girls, baked cookies early for laura, did bear puzzles with ephram, ran 5 under 50 min w/ molly in the WIND/COLD:), ate dinner at the klicks, took pics of their awesome family, cleaned, went over and over math (multiplying 3 digit numbers with 2 digit numbers), was loved on by my oldest, prayed, made awesome thank you notes, read tons of books, and spent lots of one on one time with the littlest two.

December 8- did a little school, went to the Y for speedwork with beth and laura, surprised the kiddos with a sleepover visit from aunt laura and kids (priceless), watched them play and have a great day together, read awesome stories from braden, loved catching up with laura, ate too much, sent the 4 biggest to AWANA and entertained e until they came home (b/c he wouldn't sleep w/o braden), and wondered (with laura) where time had gone and what in the world we did with only TWO kids (instead of 8).

December 9- sent e off for his pre op apt. for his circumcision, said goodbye to sweet friends, did a bit of school, took e for his 18 mo apt and three shots (20 lb 1 oz and 30.5 in. long), went to the homeschool store, explained three digit and two digit multiplication again (as this is the first thing the kiddos have had trouble with in math), had a WONDERFUL breakthrough talk about honesty/sneaking w/ braden, snuggled my baby, had fun with kinsey, did winter door art with the kiddos, and crashed with cocoa.

December 10- sang songs, laughed, ran a long run with molly and beth, sent the kiddos swimming at the Y (and forgot black bands which proved embarrassing to cailey as she had to wear a FLOAT), did a quick clean while the kiddos did a little school, chased ephram, watched the williams kids, paid with cookies in exchange for little ones unwrapping candy, made pizzelles and realized they are favorites of children, chatted with beth (and have SO missed that), watched as cailey had her piano recital, read Christmas stories as a family, sang traditional '12 days of Christmas' as a fam, and kept the kiddos up way too late...again:)

December 11- started baking cookies, had an awesome time with brian and the kiddos at the reindeer run at the Y (w/ the klicks), cheered loudly, gave out LOTS of cookies to the kiddos, watched ephram throw up twice from too many cookies, spent the rest of the day listening to Christmas music and baking with my kiddos...with lots of snuggle breaks:)

December 12- baked more cookies, went to hear beth sing in the Christmas program with kelly, went out to eat with beth and had 'grown up' time, listened to everything i missed at home, got hugs, finished baking the last cookies, cried through the 'One Last Christmas' video while the kids watched with me, hugged my babies tighter, got help with cookies, helped cailey, danced with the kiddos, and LOVED seeing all my kiddos with huge smiles!

December 13- had a great school day, ran 5 slowly on the treadmill with kelly (have a bad pain running down the sides of my knees), gave my sweet braden medicine for his bad headache, prayed with kinsey for him...all day, worried, praised God for healing, got extra cuddles from my baby boy who didn't want to eat, made cookie plates with the girls while braden was at a boy scout party with brian, made ornaments, passed out cookies to the neighbors, and signed up for my second 1/2 marathon...YIKES.

December 14- cold 4 mile run with beth and molly outside, school, crafts, putting cookie plates together with the girls, listening to braden read, lots of snuggles from my baby, cfa with the williams for dinner complete with santa cow, caroled and delivered cookie plates.

December 15- early wake up for ephram's surgery, dropped kinsey at the klicks, played cars, read, sang with JUST e in pre op, held and rocked a sad sad baby boy, gave him 2 juice boxes and graham crackers, rushed home with kiddos, surprised them with pizza for lunch, had a tired sad, hurting baby, rocked and rocked, saw so much empathy from all my kiddos, couldn't bear leaving him so we missed our dinner date with the papa's and I stayed home from awanas so i could snuggle (and fall asleep at 7) with my baby.

December 16- ephram woke up in much less pain, had brian home from work as everything was covered in snow, poor sweet braden was threw up in the middle of the night from a headache, listened and watched the girls have a BLAST outside in the snow, made homemade chex mix while the three boys watched Star Wars (2 for the first time), made lots of hot chocolate and soup, gave e medicine, rocked and held him lots (but less than yesterday), and was thankful everyone felt good when they went to bed.

December 17- cleaned, hosted a hilarious fun gingerbread party, watched the kiddos have a ball with their friends, laughed lots, had a great time with friends, watched ephram be held and rocked by everyone, cut coupons, cleaned up frosting/chocolate from everywhere:), went to the eshleman's Christmas party as a family, and had a great time tickling my babies!

December 18- woke up to ephram calling my name:), smelled sweet and sour meatballs, ran 8 miles with brian (VERY hard but somehow did it in 1:24), cleaned, coupon shopped, watched the kiddos play out in the snow showers(for the third time so far in dec), fed the kiddos appetizers for dinner, got so much help from braden, had a relaxed Christmas party with great friends, rocked and rocked and sang to all four of my babies, and played wii (b's Christmas present) with brian.

December 19- was up almost all night thanks to a sad, sad baby who wanted his mama, (NEVER happens so of course i let him 'sleep' with me:), woke up late, day didn't go as planned, played wii with the family, watched the kiddos devour the gingerbread house candy all morning, gave my baby a LONG bath with lots of playtime, ate appetizers all day, laughed, wrapped, cleaned, organized, played, sent cailey to a birthday party and crashed.

December 20- did a little school, was happy to know brian will be off two weeks starting today, ran 4 outside (brrr), wrapped 'Jesus' gifts with the kiddos, chatted with the family for a long time, snuggled by baby lots, played with kinsey, read books, had fun talks with cailey, cut and curled LOTS of ribbon for the kiddos, and met my running buddies for dinner out at Twisted Fork and a memorable shopping trip:).

December 21- woke up with no voice and a stuffy nose (therefore missed my run) and a sad baby with a fever, listened to many bible verses, hung out with ephram while brian spent the day at monkey joe's with the big kids, made reservations for Great Wolf Lodge....as a surprise, heard ALL about their jumping and the $4 they got to spend on treats, was given something GORGEOUS, sent the biggest kiddos caroling at the Klick's with friends, read many books, and had ephram in my bed until braden got home.

December 22- felt worse today, ran errands with the family, loved seeing the joy on the kids faces while they bought gifts for each other, listened to piano lessons, had a snuggly sad baby, had three kiddos who napped, watched cailey play outside in the sunshine, had a great two hour 'chat time' with cailey, and went to Christmas unwrapped as a family where we danced together, laughed, sang, watched, played, jumped, and played games.

December 23- Christmas Adam! (The day before Christmas Eve) was up most the night feeling horrible and had a rough day, ran errands with the fam, had a 'tea' party with tricia and the fam after her surgery, made lists, finished wrapping, caught braden eating 15 granola bars after the fact (he's been sneaking non stop...sigh), started to think ephram's penis is infected b/c of a fever etc., cleaned, made crafts and ornaments with the kiddos, had Christmas movie with popcorn and cocoa night, and prayed we'd all be better in the am.

December 24- woke up sick again, prepped lots of food for tonight and tomorrow, cleaned, played with the kids, nonny and poppy came, did a big puzzle with nonny, braden, and kinsey, sent cailey off with poppy for a two mile walk, ate a yummy meal, stayed at home and cleaned up dinner while brian took the oldest three to the Christmas Eve Service, felt awful, gave medicine to my baby with a fever, played lots with him, listened to dad play the piano, opened our Jesus presents, had bible time, watched a movie with mom...and prayed for healing.

December 25- wide awake early, made a yummy Christmas breakfast for everyone, watched sweet family open gifts, heard lots of ooos and ahhhs, cooked, cooked, cooked, served, played, laughed, separated excited cousins who couldn't sleep, saw helicopters flying in my house, bowled, treasured our time together, saw cars in the house, had a white Christmas, loved having family and friends together, loved the day.

December 26- woke to a house full of 12 people (6 adults, 6 kids), looked out the window to see LOTS of snow and it still falling, heard lots of excitement, got together enough hats, gloves, boots, scarves, etc. for everyone, played with the kiddos outside, went sledding, went through a lot of hot chocolate, said goodbye, cleaned, mopped, played more, saw a snowman, made a new appetizer with mom, watched a Little House episode (she got seasons 1 and 2 for Christmas!) with cailey, and stayed up playing yahtzee and talking with mom.

December 27- said goodbye to mom and dad, planned our week, played in the snow, witnessed a snowball fight, sorted and played with ephram, listened to braden say Gen. Chapters 1-3, warmed kinsey's hands after they went sledding again, played with all of ephram's new toys with him, power cleaned with the kiddos, sent the biggest kids to monkey joe's with brian, played a lot with ephram, caught up on blogging, watched Little House with Cailey while the others played Wii, and sent the girls off to sleep in their new sleeping bags:).

December 28- took pics of e in the snow, went to the Science museum with the fam, learned lots of fun things with the kiddos, had a blast in the History museum, stopped by krispy kreme on the way home, played guess who? with cailey lots during a late nap time, still felt yucky, watched LHOTP with cailey, got lots of snuggles from my big boy, played with kinsey, could listen to e talk all.day.long, and packed for two days of fun at GWL!

December 29- didn't go to Great Wolf Lodge as planned because everyone except for Braden was sick (but the kids didn't know about it anyway), was THANKFUL that we could postpone it, stayed in bed a lot...took care of the kids, played games, watched LHOTP with Cailey, hugged, cuddled, wiped a lot of noses, determined the flu was running through the house, and prayed...a lot.

December 30- another sick day in our house, sad that our normally SUPER fun two weeks haven't been very fun BUT thankful that God has a plan, played a lot of Guess Who, Sorry, and Go Fish with the oldest three, had cute conversations with ephram and his ever increasing vocabulary (today he said, "your welcome" and "i forgive you" unprompted as answers to 'thank you' and 'i'm sorry') had 'Cailey time' while the others napped, and cleaned.

December 31- games, games, and more games all day long with mama (me) while daddy was still sick, birthday cake (my fav), lots of playing outside, hoarse cailey, lots of nose wiping, read tons of Christmas books, lots of pente with braden, played with ephram, connect 4, guess who, candy land, bingo, wii, sorry sliders, chinese food, more games, and LHOTP with cailey.