Thursday, December 22, 2011

See you next year!

I am taking a bit of a vacation starting tomorrow. I won't be back until Janurary 3, so there will be no posts until then.
Last night I let Lilly wrap Zach's sippy cups we got him. It occured to me after she had wrapped them that they didn't come with lids. Now I'm going to have to go out and get some more that have lids so we can go places with his sippy without the worry of dirt and such getting in/on the cup. Its crazy that they would even make a sippy without a lid, or even some way to cover the part they put in their mouth, ya know??!
Lilly goes to her father's today and I will get her back Saturday night. He gets to do Christmas with her Saturday and I get her on Sunday. Next year its going to be switched around.
I'm taking Tony to get a tattoo tomorrow and wrap presents. I have to remember to get all the gifts out of the closet here at work and take them home today. Saturday, we have dinner at hubby's uncle's house and a little gift exchange with some of the people there. Sunday, of course is Christmas. We'll do our thing in the morning, then head out to hubby's mom's house. When we are done there, we will go to my grandma's house and do Christmas with Dad and most of my brothers. Yesterday while I was out at the mall, I bought my brothers a game. Chris got a game for his computer, Tony got one for his XBox...its about zombies of course, and I got hubby another one for the PS3 I bought him. I also got my nephew and his (soon to be) step brothers one of those metal plates with their names on it that you put on bicycles. Yeah... my oldest brother is getting married........ on Christmas Eve!! I won't be there. There's no way I can be there. He never really told me or even invited me anyway. I heard it from Mom. I was a bride's maid in his first wedding... and not even invited to his second wedding. He has a church booked and everything, from what I hear from Mom.
Anyway.... Next week, probably Thursday, I'm going to Mom's to have Christmas with her and then to her mom's house to give grandma her stuff. After that, I'll go to my second ex-step dad's house to do Christmas with him.
A lot to do, I know, but its what I do. Holidays are actually a bit more tame these days than what they used to be. I always tried to fit everyone in on the same day and I only had Lilly for half the day. Now I have her the whole day, so that part is a little easier.
So super excited about Zach's first Christmas. I went way overboard this year with the gifts, but I'm happy  and I know they will be too. Today was pajama day at the day care, so I put Zach in some pj's and sent him on his way. Babies in pajamas are some of the cutest things I've ever seen.
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!! Stay safe, stay happy.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

12 Days of Christmas

My boss shared this with me today and it had me cracking up, so I wanted to share it with you. What if you really did get all the things listed in the 12 days of Christmas??

On the first day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                             69 Cash Avenue
                             Beaver Valley, Colorado

                             December 14, 1994

Dearest John:

I went to the door today and the postman delivered
a partridge in a pear tree.  What a thoroughly
delightful gift. I couldn't have been more
surprised.

                    With deepest love and devotion,

                    Agnes


On the second day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 15, 1994

Dearest John:

Today the postman brought your very sweet gift.
Just imagine two turtle doves.  I'm just delighted
at your very thoughtful gift.  They are just
adorable.

                            All my love,

                            Agnes


On the third day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 16, 1994

Dearest John:

Oh!  Aren't you the extravagant one.  Now I really
must protest.  I don't deserve such generosity,
Three French hens. They are just darling but I must
insist, you've been too kind.

                            Love,

                            Agnes


On the fourth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 17, 1994

Dear John,

Today the postman delivered 4 calling birds.  Now
really, they are beautiful but don't you think
enough is enough. You're being too romantic.

                            Affectionately,

                            Agnes


On the fifth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 18, 1994

Dearest John:

What a surprise.  Today the postman delivered 5
golden rings; one for every finger.  You're just
impossible, but I love it. Frankly, all those birds
squawking were beginning to get on my nerves.

                            All my love,

                            Anges


On the sixth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 19, 1994

Dear John:

When I opened the door there were actually 6 geese
a-laying on my front steps.  So, you're back to
the birds again, huh?  Those geese are huge.  Where
will I ever keep them?  The neighbors are
complaining and I can't sleep through the racket.

Please stop.

                            Cordially,

                            Agnes


On the seventh day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 20, 1994

John:

What's with you and those crazy birds?  7 swans
a-swimming. What kind of terrible joke is this?
There's bird crap all over the house, and they
never stop with the racket.  I can't sleep at
night and I'm a nervous wreck.  It's not funny.
So stop sending me all these birds!

                            Sincerely,

                             Agnes


On the eighth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 21, 1994

O.K. Buster:

I think I prefer the birds.  What am I going to do
with 8 maids a-milking?  It's not enough with all
those birds and 8 maids a-milking, but they had to
bring their cows!  There is crap all over the lawn
and I can't move in my own house.  Just lay off me,
smart ass.

                            Agnes


On the ninth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 22, 1994

Hey!  Shithead,

What are you?  Some kind of sadist?  Now there's 9
pipers playing.  And boy, do they play.  They've
never stopped chasing those maids since they got
here yesterday morning. They cows are getting upset,
and they're stepping all over those screeching
birds. What am I going to do?  The neighbors have
started a petition to evict me.

                            You'll get yours,

                            Agnes


On the tenth day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 23, 1994

You Rotten Sadist,

Now there's 10 ladies dancing. They've been messing 
with those pipers all night long.  Now the cows can't
sleep and they've got the diarrhea. My living
room is a mess.  The Commissioner of
Buildings has subpoenaed me to give cause why this
building shouldn't be condemned.

I'm sicking the police on you.

                            One who means it.


On the eleventh day of Christmas...

Miss Agnes McHolstein
                            69 Cash Avenue
                            Beaver Valley, Colorado

                            December 24, 1994

Listen!  Looser,

What's with the 11 lords a-leaping on those maids     
and ladies. Some of those broads will never walk
again. All 23 of the birds are dead. They've been 
trampled to death.  I hope you're satisfied,
you rotten, vicious swine.

                            Your sworn enemy,

                            Agnes


On the twelfth day of Christmas...

Law Offices
                          Badger, Bender and Cahole
                          303 Knave Street
                          Chicago, Illinois

                          December 25, 1994

Dear Sir:

This is to acknowledge your latest gift of 12
fiddlers fiddling which you have seen fit to
inflict on our client, Miss Agnes McHolstein.
The destruction, of course, was total.  All
correspondence should come to our attention.
If you should attempt to reach Miss McHolstein
at Happy Dale Sanitarium, the attendants have
instructions to shoot you on sight.  With this
letter please find attached warrant for your
arrest.

                          Cordially,

                          Badger, Bender and Cahole

Disappointed

I was not impressed at all by the houses we looked at. First of all, when we walked into the first house, there was a cage right by the front door with birds in it. A lady, that lives in the house we were going to look at next, came running over and barged into the house. She stayed there right beside the cage the entire time we looked at the house! I thought it was completely rude and inconsiderate. We had no privacy at all, we couldn't voice our thoughts about the house to each other or anything. This house was full of stuff. It was supposed to be empty, but the lady that barged in had stuff stored there. The person who lived in this house was her mother-in-law. The house smelled horrible of cigarettes, the kitchen was a mess, and the den was packed to the ceiling of stuff. We couldn't even walk into this room to look at it. There was a bunch of random holes in the walls all over the house. The bedrooms were small and the capet in the basement needed replaced along with the double doors downstairs too. The lady that lived there had dogs and apparently, they lived downstairs. The yard was the only nice thing about the house. There were a decks built almost all around the house and that would have been nice, but they were falling apart.
So, giving up on this house, we head next door... and the lady that had barged in to be with her birds came along too! This was her house we were going into and I guess she just had to be there too. There was a reason we made an appointment to come see the houses.... so no one would be home!! Anyway... this house is a mid-entry which I don't really like anyway. The downstairs looked ok. There was a small room with nice double doors that led to the back yard, which was a bit uneven, but big. The garage was ok too, but the decks downstairs were falling apart. We moved upstairs into the uneven kitchen. The floor was sloped a lot. The bedrooms were small, the bathrooms weren't impressive at all and the living room was a head shaker.
Come to find out that the properties between the houses were all screwed up. The white fenced that belonged to the mid-entry house was on the property of the first house and the sidewalk of the first house was half on the property of the mid-entry house. The big grown over garden of the first house was halfway over on the mid-entry houses property. It was a mess. When we went outside to discuss what we thought of the houses with our realtor, the lady with the birds followed us!!! We just told our realtor that we'll talk to her later and we left. We were both disappointed in the houses.


Christmas is only 4 days away!! Lilly goes to her father's tomorrow and she's going to have Christmas with him on Christmas Eve. I kinda hope he didn't get her the things I got her. The big stuff I got her was a Figit, a scooter and a Leapfrog Explorer with 2 games.
My little brother texted me last night wondering if I would take him to get another tattoo. This would be his second one; I took him to get his first one shortly after he turned 18 back in March. I told him the only day I could do it was Friday, but I need to make sure I have time to wrap gifts since that's really the only day I can do it. I think he's wanting to get the Celtic Knot in a triangle shape.
Tomorrow is our Christmas party here at work. We do a White Elephant gift exchange and the theme is drinking. Friday is the beginning of my vacation!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

More houses

I got more gifts wrapped last night. Under the tree is looking pretty good right now. Zach was asleep when I did it all, so we will see how he does today when we get home. I have most of my family wrapped and only hubby's niece's gifts done. I'm hoping to finish up the rest of the family tonight and only have the kids and hubby to do this Friday when I take off work.
Remember when I burnt myself last week on a pizza pan? Well... this is what it looks like now... its kind of gross. I've been putting medicine on it and taking care of it, but it still looks like this and still hurts. Zach scratched it the other day and I screamed like a little baby.

We are going to look at a couple houses today. I'm really not feeling up to it. Not getting that last house was a big loss for me. It was like going through a really hard break up and I'm just not ready to start dating yet, ya know? The houses look great from the pictures online, but they don't really look like something I would want to live in. One is a mid-entry. I really don't like mid-entries. You're always going to be going up or down stairs. The house looks nice though and its a 2 car garage with a big back yard that's a bit unlevel. The other house is right beside this one. Its the last house on a dead end street. One story with a big basement. Both houses actually have the exact same square footage. The yard is smaller and there's no garage on this one. There's a cemetery right next to the houses and a horse stable down the hill. The cemetery doesn't bother me, its the smell from the stables during the summer that I'm not too keen on.  Maybe I'll fall in love with one of the houses and forget all about the other house we didn't get. I'll letcha know tomorrow.

Monday, December 19, 2011

6 DAYS!

Friday we finally decorated our tree. It still looks bare in some places. I decided that I don't want to hang anything on the tree unless it has meaning or was hand made. I don't want regular bulbs on the tree. I have quite a few ornaments that Lilly made in Kindergarten. I might make one of these nights be a craft night and we make some more. We haven't really had any problems with Zach messing with the tree. At first he would walk up to it and just touch one pink light and one ornament. Every time we walked by he would poke at them.. the same ones. After an entire night of telling him "no," he has quit. I even wrapped 2 gifts and put them under the tree to see if he would bother them. So far he hasn't paid any attention. When a toy rolls under the tree, he stands there and looks at it for a bit, then he slowly reaches for it and quickly rolls it away. He knows. I think we'll be ok and I can actually start wrapping now.
Saturday was Lilly last soccer game. She did excellent. During the last quarter, Zach was getting restless, so I took him behind one of the nets and he played back there, kicking and chasing a ball. The coach gave Lilly a certificate. The games were always held in a church and that day the church had sheep for their nativity scene. We took the kids to go look at the sheep. (pictures are all going to be at the bottom this time) That night we went to hubby's sister's house to make chocolate covered pretzels and Oreos. We didn't get home until 10:00, way past Lilly and Zach's bedtime.
Sunday I took Lilly for a girls day out with my mom. We went shopping and out to eat. I didn't buy much and I helped Mom pick stuff out for my brothers. I got Lilly a new stocking since her is Cinderella and she's just a bit too old for that now. I got her a real pretty purple one. I also bought her a shirt to wear on Christmas instead of her wearing her dress. I figured she'd end up getting hot in her dress and her dressy shoes were too big anyway. I couldn't find any Christmas outfits I liked for Zach, so I'm going to look today at the mall. After I dropped Mom back off to her car I headed to hubby's sister's house again. He was there with Zach finishing up the chocolate project. Saturday we used white chocolate. Sunday was regular chocolate day.


Christmas is only 6 days away now. I'm excited, so excited, but I'm also starting to dread it a little bit. Where in the world am I going to put all the kids' toys? I was hoping for a house soon and we'd only have to deal with the mess for a short time, but now that there's no house in our near future, I'm scrambling trying to find room. Oh... I didn't mention this Friday. We didn't get the house. There was a last minute offer that came in from a different real estate agency and they won. I wanted that house so much. It was perfect. It had a yard, it was away from other houses, it has trees...lots of trees, a basement, big bedrooms, newly remodeled kitchen and a huge deck. It was perfect.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Naked tree

We finally got our tree up last night, but its not decorated yet. We are going to do that today. There was just no time yesterday. I left work early to do some shopping, then I headed home to finish cleaning to make room for the tree. When hubby got home, we went to his parent's house so he and his dad could look at my car to try to fix it. The defroster wasn't working, but they fixed it. I left right after they were done to get Zach to take back to hubby so I can go back to the Y and watch Lilly at soccer practice. Day care gave me a book full of Zach's artwork. I have so many feet, finger and hand prints now. Its really cute. Here's one that I took out of the book to put in my office. Also... our naked tree and a picture of a snow globe Lilly drew for me....





After Lilly's practice, we rush home so everyone can eat and we can put up the tree. Well.............. we were having frozen pizza, I was getting a pizza out of the oven when I saw there was something in my way and I couldn't put the pan down. So, I reach with my other hand to move this object..... and I bump the burning hot pan that I was holding in my other hand. Here's what I did.

Here's what it looks like this morning.



It doens't hurt that much anymore. Looks like its going to leave a nice little scar. Right in the middle of the inside of my forearm.

Oh.. and yesterday while I was leaving work.. I had just pulled out of the parking garage and onto the road. I noticed a car coming through traffic and I thought, "Hmm... that looks like my old car. I bet its not though. I always think that its my car and then its not." But as it passed I looked at the back of the car, looking for a spoiler to prove that it wasn't my old car, but to my surprise, there was no spoiler but my fairy decals on the back window!! I saw my old car yesterday. I was so excited.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Tree's going up tonight...hopefully.

Woohoo!! Last night we got things cleaned and moved around to make room for our tree. Zach's bed has been relocated and a few things have been stashed away. We are ready to get our tree up and decorate today. I'm so excited. I'm leaving work early to get some little things cleaned before we get all Christmas-y. I was going to go shopping, but the money I was relying on failed to show.
We got our second offer on the house put in yesterday. We qualified for a little higher of a loan so we just went $1,000 more on our offer, that way we can use the money we have saved up for closing costs and an inspection... and to buy curtains. Our apartment only has 2 big windows. One big double window in the living room and the same thing in the bedroom. there is an itty bitty window in the kitchen, but I don't count that one. So, yeah... we need to buy curtains.
I was actually thinking yesterday... we started the year off by having a baby. Getting a house would be a great way to end a wonderful year. Hopefully we'll hear something soon.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

House?

Yesterday I got a call from our realtor wanting our best and highest offer...the problem is that hubby already offered our best and highest............ and then some. So I had to make a call to our mortgage lady to see if we can get a higher loan, but she won't be able to run our numbers until this morning. I feel like I can't breathe. We are sooooo close to owning a house. Our realtor told me there's us and one other offer on the house. At least there's not 10 offers or something and we aren't in a war, just a battle. My grandma said that she wanted to help us out, but I told her we wanted to be able to do this on our own. I don't want to take money from her that she might need later, too. We have to put our new offer in by noon today. Then... hopefully we will know by Friday.. or Monday at the latest (I'm hoping) if the house is ours or not. I'm so nervous.
How many days are left? 11 now? Wow!!! Tomorrow I'm going to leave work a bit early so I can head out to the store. There's one more thing I want to get hubby, Lilly and Zach. I also have to pick something up for hubby's nephew and cousin and get some groceries. I need to figure out how many picture frames I need and what sizes soon. I always have given out pictures of Lilly for Christmas and this year I have two little ones to give pictures of away. We still don't have our tree up yet. It kind of really makes me sad. 11 days and no tree. Next year, the tree and decorations are going up right after the first of December. Hubby's mom sent me a picture Monday night of her tree all decorated.
Still no snow either. Its odd to not have any snow this time of the year. We've had flurries once or twice, but nothing stayed. My mom got a little bit of snow a week or so ago. It was just enough to cover the ground. So, it looks like we aren't having a white Christmas this year. No biggie. One less thing I have to worry about I guess. It can snow the week after while I'm off work so I can take the kids out to play in it.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Visit from Santa

Its been a busy weekend! Saturday we got Lilly back after her soccer game. She did a fantastic job too. You can tell she is getting way better and understands the game more. She was passing the ball and helping out her team instead of being a ball hog and she was still scoring goals. She scored about 4 this time.
After her game we went to hubby's parent's house so he could help his dad unjam a gun. Lilly wrote her letter to Santa and then we played. That night we went to the fire station for the Christmas dinner. Everyone was dressed up. Hubby was in his uniform for the fire station, Lilly had on her Santa dress from last year that still fits and her new shoes I let her have as an early Christmas present, Zach was wearing black overall bibs and a fire truck onsie, I was in my dress pants and a nice red sweater. We get there and I get Zach set up in his high chair and then I spend the next 10 minutes trying to get to my seat beside him, but people were in my way. By the time it had cleared enough for me to get by, someone took my seat! Now... would you sit beside a baby in a high chair when the only other person next to him is a 6 year old girl? Who's going to feed him? Would you? NO? Really... then why in the world would you sit there?! I was upset over that. After the lady got up to get food, I moved Zach to the end of the table, on the other side of Lilly where there was room for me. Then I picked him up and the 3 of us went to get food.
While we ate there was a slide show of the fire fighters playing, and you could tell who put it together. Some of the wives did the whole thing and just about every other picture was their husband or their kids. Ok.. I'm going to skip ahead a bit. Santa came at the end of the night. I had to change Zach since he wet himself, so we ended up being the last people in line. Lilly got up there, no problem, but Zach was not a fan. I was told that he was smiling when he first sat on Santa's knee and started crying when Santa turned his head to look at him. I didn't get to see him smiling. I had people walking and standing in front of me even though I was right in front of Santa with my camera out. So.... here's some pics...






 
Sunday we went to a birthday party. It was at one of those bouncy house places. Zach wasn't a fan of the bouncy houses. Lilly played hard and Zach just walked around and chased balloons. Santa was here too and I was hoping Zach would like him this time since he was so tired the night before. NOPE! Here's some pictures from there too.

See these pictures and more if you check out my flickr page

Friday, December 9, 2011

How many days left?

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!
Ok, I've been dying to scream that and now that I have it out of my system I feel better.
I had this idea for my grandparents. For my dad's parents, I want to get them soup bowls that have a little place built in for crackers. I have found some online, but I have yet to secure them. They eat soup seriously all the time. Its actually a toss up between those bowls and some other bowls that look like they have the Campbell soup label around them. For my mom's parents I was thinking about making them something. I was going to put some lights and potpourri in a Mason jar. It doesn't seem like much, but its pretty and I know they will like it. My grandma cans her own veggies. I just gotta get all the stuff together and find the time to do it.
I heard a lot of bad news yesterday; another shooting at Virginia Tech and a 5 alarm fire in St. Louis. Hubby went to a funeral last night of a volunteer fire fighter that died on duty. He was looking over a bridge to locate a fire (railroad ties had caught fire) and he fell a few days ago. The guy who actually set fire to the tracks turned himself in Wednesday.
This weekend is full of stuff to do. Tomorrow, Lilly has a soccer game and I get her back after that from her father. Then, we have a Christmas dinner to go to at the fire station and Santa is going to be there. I bought Lilly some dressy shoes, they are adorable, for her to wear tomorrow. She hasn't seen them yet. I wrapped them up and I'm going to tell her its an early Christmas present. I know she'll be excited. I just hope they fit. Sunday, we have a double birthday party to go to at one of those inflatable jumping places.... and Santa is going to be there too. I definitely have to charge my camera tonight.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

UGH

Tuesday afternoon, I noticed that the house we want was up on a website, but not one that can be trusted. This website has listed houses that weren't actually for sale before. So, to be safe, I sent our realtor an email and she said that it was going to be officially listed on Wednesday. I asked her if we could meet and we set up a meeting for Wednesday at 4:00.
Wednesday morning, I wake up sick. I go do my thing and when I come back to bed, I nudge hubby and tell him he has to be the one to take the kids to the Y and that he needs to get up soon or he'll be late to work. Long story short, he was late. I ended up laying in bed all day and I was so sore. My muscles ached and my joints were stiff. My bed and pillow felt like I was laying on bricks. Then, around 2:00 I get up and make myself take a hot shower so I won't look too gross when I meet with the realtor. I was not going to miss that meeting.
Me and hubby get there and we sign our contract on the house and we make an offer. If they decide to go with us, he will continue further. If they don't decide to go with us, I will cry. This is the furthest we've ever gotten to owning a house. My fingers are crossed. The realtor said that there has been a lot of interest in this house. I don't want to get too excited in case we don't get it. I just really want this house.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Holiday time!

I love this time of the year... between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the air is cool, leaves are falling off the trees, Christmas decorations are up and Christmas songs are on the radio. It all just puts me in such a good mood. I smile while I stand in long lines in stores and I wave to my neighboring car while at a red light. I guess you could say that I am definitely in the Holiday spirit.
There are so many lights that are up in my area now and me and Lilly are loving them. Zach doesn't really pay much attention, but I doubt he can see much from his car seat anyway. There are a few places close to home that are doing a light show that I would love to take the kids to. I've only been to one and that was 7 years ago when I was pregnant with Lilly. 7 is the magic number, its time to go again!
We don't have any decorations up, we still don't even have a spot to put our tree! I did a little cleaning Sunday and told hubby that the rest was his and he has yet to do anything with it. I always like to have Christmas decorations up the first weekend of December, but hubby likes to wait until the last possible minute. Next year, I'm not going to wait for him to decide he wants to do it. Next year we will have a house and have our stuff there instead of being stashed in someone else's garage or my storage building. Next year, I will just start putting stuff up and if he wants to join in, he can. Of course I won't decorate the tree. I'll just bring the box up and sit it in the middle of the floor. I won't even put it up, ok, unless he takes forever. Putting it up is his and Lilly's thing and one day will be Zach's too. I don't want to take that away from him. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I am dying to decorate. I want to decorate. I want our house to be all Christmas-y. I want lights on our porch. I want our tree up. I want to be able to start wrapping gifts.
Yes, the countdown is ON. 18 days and some odd hours until Christmas! I do believe I have gone a bit overboard this year. Last year, I spent around $800 for everyone and Lilly got a lot of things, but this year she got more and Zach has just as many and I'm still shopping. I've spent over $600 on the kids this year!!! I think I'm just too excited. Ok... the $600 isn't just for Christmas, I bought them some birthday stuff too. Then between everyone else, I spent probably another $500 and I'm still not done. I need to go get picture frames for some family members to put pictures of the kids in it and if possible, try to figure out something to get my grandparents other than pictures. They are all I have left, if I'm going to get them something else. I can't seem to find anything.
What happened to this year? It just flew right on by and I barely noticed, it seems. This time last year, I was huge. I was pregnant. I was waiting the arrival of my beautiful baby boy. And now, I'm buying him a rocking horse for his first birthday. He is one of the main reasons I'm so excited this year for Christmas. The first Christmas is always so wonderful. He is almost one year old! Its been a busy year. Its been an exhausting year...and I can't believe its almost over. We've had parties, t-ball games, soccer games, picnics, fireworks, camping trips, fishing adventures, dirty diapers in the middle of the woods, a new car, excitement over a house, tears over a house, doctor appointments, shots, sickness, funerals, arrivals of more babies, costumes, cookouts, a couple weddings, sunburns, a visit to a museum, a talent show, spit up on all my clothes and thousands of pictures. I wonder what 2012 has in store.........

Monday, December 5, 2011

Favorite toys

SECOND POST OF THE DAY
 
I remember growing up I had a few toys that I loved and adored. First, I had this stuffed Koala bear that I had named Dollar. I remember the day I named it. I was trying to name it Daughter, but it came out as Dollar, and so it was. I had to have been 3 or so. I loved that thing. I carried it everywhere. I can't recall what exactly happened to it, but it disappeared. Shortly after that I got an orange stuffed cat I named Orange, original I know. I also got a Cabbage Patch doll. I don't remember her name, but I didn't have her long before I grabbed a pen and gave her chicken pox. I had Orange until I was about 7 when my parents divorced and I lost him in the move. After that, I don't really remember having any kind of attachment to a toy or anything of the sort. I do remember that year after my parents divorced the only present I got for Christmas was a little Mickey Mouse piano. I taught myself how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Happy Birthday on that thing. It kept me occupied through some tough times.
I guess after that my radio and walkman were my favorite things. That and my journal where I wrote endless poems and short stories. Those things got me through the next few years.
Anyway, I bring this up because I see on tv where kids have strong attachments to toys or have security blankets and such. I don't think I was so attached to any toy that I couldn't function without it. Thankfully neither of my kids have a strong attachment... yet anyway. Zach's still a little young to know for sure.
Lilly's favorite stuffed animal is a little butterfly my best friends gave her last year for Christmas. She sleeps with it, but she doesn't NEED it to sleep. Other than that, I don't think she has another favorite toy or anything. She plays with all her toys equally.
Zach has recently become attached to one of Lilly's toys. Its the Fisher Price laugh and learn dog. I got him one for Christmas, so at least I know he'll like it. Lilly's had hers since her first Christmas. He also loves this other dog from V-tech. It hangs on his bed and when you push its nose it lights up and sings. I can't wait until Christmas when he gets more toys. When he was just a couple months old, he was very attached to this blue dog that had that crinkle stuff in it. I always made sure I had that thing wherever we went. I guess he grew out of it or forgot about it.
Oh, Lilly had a blanket. I remember now. It was one that the hospital gave us when she was born. It was white, pink and blue. She called it her blue blanket. She had to have that thing to sleep with until she was about 4... even for naps. How could I have forgotten about that thing? My youngest brother also had a blanket he needed. He didn't get it until he was about 5, it was an Elmo blanket. He still has it, but I don't think he still sleeps with it.
What about you? Have you had a favorite toy that you just absolutely loved?

Kids were sick

Thursday I had to leave work early again because Zach was sick. Day care called and said that he was vomiting, so I had to leave. I got there and took him home. He threw up all over himself before I could get him out of the car. I gave him Pedialite and it came right back up. He vomited about 2 more times in the house and then he was done. Friday I kept him home to keep an eye on him and he was fine the entire day. He even ate food and kept it down with no problems.
Saturday at 6:30, Lilly wakes up and she's sick. Thankfully I didn't tell her I was going to take her to breakfast with Santa. She was so upset that she was going to miss her soccer game. Luckily hubby came home Friday night, so I had some help this time. It was so hard keeping Zach away from Lilly. He sure does love his sissy. 12 hours later, she stopped throwing up. Sunday everyone was fine.
I'm hoping everyone stays fine and I can work a full day. Other than everyone being sick, there really was nothing else that happened and I'm too tired to think of any thing else to write about right now. I swear I only got 3 hours of sleep last night and its been that way for a few days now. Between hubby's coughing from his cold, the kids being sick, Zach just waking up and my brain just wanting to talk and talk, I haven't slept in a while.
Here's some pictures of the kids from yesterday. It was pretty outside and they were feeling fine, so we went out for a little bit.




See her front teeth there... she calls those her vampire teeth. They grew like that. I belive it was from her sippy cups. She had the hard ones and some certain someones kept giving them to her way after she needed them.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

DECEMBER!!!!!!

I know I'm running a bit behind on posting. I've been running out of time lately. I left work early Tuesday so Zach could get the second dose of his flu shot and I left early yesterday too. I've been a busy bee. Lilly has soccer practice today, so I'll probably stay at work later than usual. Practice is at day care, so I don't have to worry about getting her anywhere.
Tuesday... what did we do Tuesday. We played all night. I don't even remember turning the tv on until the kids were in bed. Zach's getting good at playing hide and seek. He likes to find you. Lilly goes from one room to the other and he follows. He'll look for you until he finds you or you pop out somewhere and he giggles every time. I love it! Zach's flu shot was Tuesday too. I left work early to go get him and take him to the doctor. He had fun in the waiting room playing with the other kids and rolling the lid to his sippy cup around on the floor. The shot took 2 seconds and he didn't even make a noise, didn't even make any kind of face either.
Wednesday I left work early again. Took the kids to Taco Bell for some tacos. Zach ate an entire cheese roll up all by himself. Then we headed to Walmart to shop for a Christmas gift to give hubby. Lilly picked out a hat with his favorite NASCAR driver on it and I decided to put the kids name on a PS3 game I bought him. Hubby ended up surprising us and coming home around 8:00 last night. He's been out hunting and we haven't seen him in what feels like forever. He talked to Lilly a bit, she was already in bed. Then he played with Zach. We sat and watch tv. He told me about his week and how he feels sick. He did get one deer. I told him when he left last week that he couldn't come home unless he got a deer. hahaha. Maybe he thought I was serious since he came home the day he got one. He's heading back out today to his uncle's "farm" and won't be back until Saturday. Hubby got to move Dee last night. He put the elf on top of Lilly's tv. She didn't find him this morning. She'll be excited to find him when she gets home today.
Saturday I was hoping to be able to take the kids to the city parade, but Lilly has a soccer game at 11:30 and the parade starts at 10:00. There's no way we can make it to the soccer game in time if we go. Luckily, though, the day care is doing breakfast with Santa. I did this last year with Lilly before we headed out to the parade. You go to the day care, eat breakfast, the kids can do some crafts and get their picture with Santa. I'm not 100% sure we are going to do that yet.