Friendly reminders!!

Things I need to remember......

1. Never give Daniel a carrot and let him walk off, I always find chewed up chunks throughout the house.
2. If my 1yr old or 3yr old go into the kitchen, I need to follow within 2 minutes, otherwise they empty out the fridge, placing everything onto the floor:(
3. If the girls get markers out to color, we need to promptly put them away when finished, otherwise I will find nice drawings all over my walls and floors and the guilty victim with a blue mouth (Daniel inevitably always eats the marker tips when finished with his murals)

Snow!

The kids played for three hours straight out in the white stuff (the little ones lasted an hour and a half)!  Playing in the snow is so much fun and I'm so happy my kids enjoy it as much as hubby and I do!  Emily won the prize for conquering her fear of sledding down our big hill all by herself, on her stomach no less; she also won the prize for being the closest to falling in the lake (thanks Dad for always being there to save the day)!  Hannah ate the most snow, Aidan built his fort, and Daniel loved sledding!

Tonight in 3 hours..........

I am in orientation for another job so the  husband and I both got home a little after 5 tonight.  We didn't have much family time (boo), but it was quite eventful, and all 4 were in bed asleep by 8!!!!  Oh and I am definitely not cut out for 8-5 work:)  I love a nurses schedule!

• Said our goodbyes to our nanny, April, who is graduating and moving this weekend:(
• Dinner:  Stuffed pork chops, this is what was said when dinner was ready, Me - Dad pork chops are ready if you want some dinner; Hannah - Daddy, evil Dr. Pork Chop is ready for dinner!  Mommy we gonna eat evil Dr. Pork Chop for dinner!?!
• Daniel busted his lip......lots o blood for such a small cut, his sisters were crying because they were scared for him......so sweet:)
• Meanwhile, Emily fell off the dinning room chair, lots more crying all at once
• Aidan lost his voice, but was able to practice the piano, Jingle Bells, 7 times for his recital on Saturday
• Then Aidan, Emily and Daniel all needed Motrin for cough and congestion
• Daniel would not stop emptying all the tissue boxes in the house and occasionally eating a tissue, gross
• Three books at bedtime = four stories read:)

Somewhere in all of this chaos, I find peace.  God's grace is amazing.

Girly things.....

E and H's favorite way to paint nails.

Christmas Tree!!

We are on our third year of going out and cutting down our Christmas tree!  We went out last weekend to this little tree farm, Starr Pines, about 30 minutes away.  The kids love the tractor ride, the hunt for the perfect tree, the cutting down the tree, and of course the hot apple cider!!

The final result!

It's a reflection of our family over the past seven years, and I look forward every year to see the new homemade ornaments make the tree.  Our Christmas tree is homemade, sometimes stands lopsided, and absolutely perfect!

Things I accomplished this weekend.........

While hubby was out of town.

1. Play date for Emily with her friend, they used a lot of Barbie makeup and decorated cookies
2. Finished hanging up Christmas Lights on the outside of the house.  My new fave toy.......Staple Gun:)
3. Bundled kids up and took them outside to play in the snow.
4. Made cookies.
5. Created a Disney parade and lined up all of the Barbies, Baby dolls and action figures as spectators, while the kids dressed up as Disney characters in the parade.
6. Took Emily to her classmates birthday party.
7. And the one thing I did for myself.....read the Sunday newspaper, end to end!

The house is a disaster, but the kids and I are having a blast!

THANKFUL......

This past week was spent with family in Arizona.  There were 8 kids, 6 adults, and 1 dog playing, laughing, screaming, eating, drinking, napping, crying, squealing, helping, and cooking all under one house.  Stressful at times?  Yes.  But I wouldn't change it for the world, it's what family is all about.  Coming together with all our similarities, our difference in opinions and lifestyles, brushing it all aside to BE a family.  Patrick brought up to me on our third day of driving back "that next trip we can easily drive it in two days."  My heart smiled because he loves being with and around family as much as I do, and we are both willing to drive 3000 miles to get there and back....again.  And that is exactly what I am most thankful for......FAMILY.

I just noticed in this pic, Daniel hiding under the red table in the far right hand corner....love it!!

(Side note, we literally drove 3000 miles that trip, I noticed it and we celebrated it as we pulled back into our neighborhood, Monday afternoon.  I can not wait to see what Christmas brings, bring on more family, more people, and more food!!)