Christmas Visit to MA

Well we arrived in Ma safe and without any troubles, until we got in the house and Felicia threw up in the living room, yummy.  Grampie cleaned up and we opened presents.  They all loved opening things and were extremely happy to get more pokemon.  The big boys have spent most of the past few days organizing them which makes the house very quiet. YAHOO.

Patrick and his family came for dinner saturday and boy did it get noisey with 7 kids from 16 years to 19 months.  They all love playing together and dinner was funny with many different conversations going on.  Johnathen decided to stay since we were going to the Mug for breakfast.

Grampie took everyone but Grammie and Felicia, since she wasn't feeling well.  After spending over $50.00 for breakfast we went home to relax.  The boys spend every waking hour in the garage riding skate boards, scooters and playing basketball.

Monday we hit the mall to spend chore money and have lunch.  More pokemon, what a surprise.  We all had lunch for under $20 in the mall food court, 2 adults and 4 kids.  Johnathen called and told us he was bored so I promised to bring him home after dinner at his house on tuesday.  Grampie let me take the "people mover" 13 passenger van and after Papa Gino's pizza at Patrick an Saysha's we headed back to Marshfield.  Johnathen stayed until we left.

New Year's eve day we got a storm but I insisted mom and I get out and had Jamie come and watch the kids.  We got a couple of stores and lunch in before the white out blizzard conditions brought us home.  The car helped some but its drivers windshield wiper broke so mom drove home looking out the passenger, it was interesting but we made it.  It was very windy that day so the kids waited until new year's day to get out in the snow.  They all loved it, Dayne and Johnathen wouldn't come in.  Felicia even liked it she didn't want to go in.  I think it was the pj's, turtle neck, fleece overalls, sweat suit and winter coat with hat and mittens oh don't forget the boots.  It was so funny.  This is the first year they played in the snow. 

While we were in MA Caleb, Eagan and Felicia battled ear infections and puking, yeah fun.  So when we left everyone brought a change of clothes in plastic bag and sure enough we needed them.  Felicia barfed on herself and Caleb's sweatshirt that was on the floor, thank goodness it didn't get on the floor.

We are all thankful to be home in our 65 degree weather compared to 18 degrees that we left in MA.  Caleb and Felicia both have ear infections.

Christmas Day

Everyone was up before 6 am and Chris made them shower and get dressed before coming down.  They opened their stockings and then ate breakfast, a tradition that is from my family and tortuous.  By 8:20 am the debris was everywhere and kids playing toys.

They were all very pleased with what Santa had to bring, so they played nice for awhile.  We waited until 3 pm when our friends the Spragues and Stypinski's came over for honey baked ham dinner, Yummy.  All the kids, 8 one was home sleeping with Daddy, played outside until we dragged them in to eat.  It was easier to get them in for sundae bar dessert.  Everyone loved that.

After everyone left about 6:30 pm we settled in for a quiet night and got some rest so myself and the kids could go north the next day.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve day after we went to breakfast at Mc Donalds, Daddy took Felicia up in the play scape and I couldn't help but wait for that photo opportunity.  Then we went shopping for him and the big and tall.  I stayed in the car with the kids and he didn't believe how quiet they were since they were crazy while I was in Walmart, so I took a photo for proof.  Chris and I got a sitter to finish the last minute shopping that couldn't be hidden.  We finished with a late lunch and brought home pizza for the kids.  While I took the sitter home Chris hide all the loot.  He has been so busy traveling the past 2 weeks he didn't get to help shop, so I saved the bikes for last ( and I couldn't hide them anywhere).  

Cookies were made with love and many sprinkles, this has become our Christmas Eve tradition with the boys.  I only have some nerf guns Chris got today because I was done wrapping on Tuesday, yeah!!!!

Dayne was caught looking out the upstairs bathroom window, which if you have been to the house know it is 6 feet in the air, we are sure looking he was looking for Santa.  This is going to be a long night before we can get to the presents in the closet. 

Lazy Day of Winter

We started out the morning with a breakfast of banana bread and cereal. Then hung out and cleaned the playroom and office.  Off to the park were Dayne ran into a friend from soccer and a friend from his class both girls.  They played chase and included Eagan.  We walked home, ate lunch then took naps.  There was  good movie on so we watched it and then played outside in the yard until dinner.  Felicia will be off to bed any moment then the boys go next.  I think something is in bloom because my allergies are raging now.

1st Flight

Caleb flew Southwest to meet Chris in VA tonight.  He was very excited and told everyone that would listen.  Chris' friend got tickets to the Redskins game and invited them to go, he has 2 boys just older than Caleb.  I was so proud of him, 2 other solo flyers were on the flight with him.  I sent a camera with him so there will be photos of their weekend of fun.

Scout Christmas

The boys scout pack adopted a family for christmas in an unusual way.  The pack master posted his parents tree on free space. com and got a very heartfelt story from her sister so he donated the tree and adopted the disabled single mom of 3.  We donated to games for the family to play.

Later the boys decorated cookies, except Caleb because he doesn't like frosting.  They all enjoyed it very much, Caleb liked eating cookies and having milk.  They are very family friendly and Eagan joined the fun.  As presents the kids got derby cars so the planning has begun.

Eagan's Christmas Concert

Eagan had a Christmas concert today and I forgot.  He dressed himself in a Red Sox t-shirt with paint stains and army shorts, yeah great, everyone else had nice dresses an handsome shirts.  Great mom, dropped the ball today.

His class sang Away in a Manger, that had cute animal sounds.  He sang every word.

The Birds Nest

I have to admit we have let Eagan and Dayne's hair get a little long.  Eagan came down one morning and I think a bird had landed in it the night before.  Chris was laughing so hard and asked me if I had seen it. I said I had and took a picture already. He goes of course you did.  So check it out.

Felicia

She had her 18 months check up, hard to believe, a little late and weighed in at 23 1/2 lbs.  She is the same as 3 months ago but gained a whole inch, 33 1/4 inches.  She is so tall.  Felicia usually takes a nap in her car seat but today I thought we would try upstairs in her bed, well that wasn't very successful.  She has been getting naked a lot lately.

Holiday Open House

On Saturday I put all the dips together then  headed to walmart to shop for the last minute items for the party.  After I got back the boys all 3 of them decorated the tree while I made 4 batches of cookie dough then baked 3 of them.  They even started to sing jingle bells on their own, it was really cute.  Felicia just wondered what they were doing and hasn't really touched the tree.  The Stypinski kids came over and after Pokemon trading they did an art craft I had bought for an hour and half.  It was very quiet with 7 kids in the house.

Sunday started with Felicia getting up at 5 am, yeah for mommy who went to be at 12 am.  I watched the Stypinski kid's while their parents went to his company party.  I was pretty tired but started cleaning at 8 am after breakfast of waffles was served.  The boys helped clean up the house, what helpers they are, picking up toys, swiffering and dusting.  They are great helpers eventhough Caleb was very hesitant at first.

The party was great fun and everyone loved the food.  Mostly dips with Chick-fil-A nuggets, ham and a truffle.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by enjoy the cookies.

Caleb's 9th B-day Party

Caleb planned a party at the park with his friends but bad weather yesterday and this morning made mom change the plans.  I went to school and called him to the office, he was red and thought he was in trouble.  I just wanted to know if Chuck-E-Cheese was ok since the park would be very wet.  It was fine.

So I called everyone and gave notes for the 2 boys at school for the RAT later, that is code by the way.  Everyone enjoyed themselves and I just used coupons to pay.  13 kids went through 760 coins in less than 2 hours, that included eating pizza and cookie cake.  Caleb doesn't like frosting.  Daddy even flew in and made an appearance at the party, he calls it kiddie vegas.

Over all he enjoyed his friends old and new.  We still can't believe his is 9 on sunday. Wow how time flies.

Potty

I have started to put Felicia on the potty before she gets in the tub.  Tonight she put the lid on the big potty up and started to pee so I grabbed her and put her on the little one and she finished there.  WOW!!  we will keep it up and maybe I will be done with diapers by the time she is 2, that would be 9 1/2 year of diaper duty.

Update:  She went again tonight before bath time.  YEAH!!

Update:  Monday, Dec 15th she went on the potty 3 times and produced each time.  She is also getting naked every chance she gets.

Stamping

Most people know I was a Stampin' Up representative and because of it my guys love to stamp.  They decided to stamp cards for their teachers and want to make cookies to go with them.  I am so proud of them, they are saving money for us, what good kids.

Felicia

She is very different from the boys in so many ways.  She loves to sing and to have someone sing to her.  Lately she has been using a moraca as a microphone.  What is so funny is the boys copy her but Dayne and Eagan sing songs about her.  "Oh my sister is so nice, I love her." It cracks me up.

She also loves her babies, she rocks and feeds them and herself.  I think I take the camera out way to much, Chris agrees he says they are the most photographed kids ever.  I just want to remember them doing everything.  So she has a permanent "cheese" smile everytime it comes out.

Looks Like Christmas

After breakfast at the boys favorite place Lenny's in Clearwater.  Yes we hiked it to Clearwater about 35 minutes well for balloons hats and breakfast.  Everyone ate so much we skipped lunch, plus we were busy hanging the lights.  But even before that we hit Walmart on the way home because gas was $1.62 with a gift card and we needed presents to get in the mall to our NC family.  Then we decided we are out let's just get the tree, so off we went to the boy scout troop, not ours and got an 8 foot tree.  Chris loves that it is so big, like my dad says he does everything big.  He was talking about our house with 10' ceilings.

The boys had a friend over after we started the lights.  They picked every fruit we have around, avocado, tangerine, kumkuit and pink grapefruit.  A neighbor bought $5 worth of stuff.  Then off for more errands. Lights and a game for the kids they earned it with chores, so I decided to take a day off from cooking and we went to Sonny's, YEAH!! for mom.

Lightning vs Bruins

The bruins won 3 to 1 against our lightning but the last goal was scored with 20 seconds left and no goalie anyone can score that way.  The skating rocked and I even saw a few punches thrown, though I would have liked more.  Chris and I had a fun night out watching the game. Great seats and great company what more could I ask for in a night out.  Thanks Chris!!!

Scouts

The boys enjoy going to scouts.  Caleb is a bear working to be a weebalo next year while Dayne earned his bobcat.  When you become a bobcat one good turn deserves another so they get their pin upside down, he loved it.

November 30th

Chris wanted to finish his power pole on the boat so we hung out.  Caleb and Dayne played Wii.  Caleb has gotten into legos again and Felicia won't stay inside, loves her outdoor kitchen.  Eagan and Dayne go in and out depending on who can get the NEW swing.  What a fight.