Remain calm...

Okay so I am trying to remain calm when really I am so nervous that I am going to forget something terribly important for our vacation. I feel like I have so much to think of right now, that it is just inevitable that something is going to be forgotten. I only have bits and pieces of all of our belongings set aside to go, so I still feel like I have so much more to do. And then I also have to make sure that I complete all of our Christmas items as well. Aaugghh! *insert chicken running with head cut off here*
And then last night I tried on a dress to wear for one of the formal nights and I felt like a cow in it. I know, I know how can I ever feel like a cow in anything? Well all of the dresses that I seem to find these days are form fitting and that doesn't work too well with my large muffin top thanks to that sick kid that was in my belly two years ago. He had to go and stretch me to the max. Yeah and I'm not so good about standing up straight and sucking it in, so I make myself look even worse. Anyhoo, I better actually get something done since my bags have to be packed by tomorrow night at 8. Thanks for listening to my moment of insecurities. I will try not to let it happen again.

All he wants for Christmas...

are his two front teeth, so he can wish you Merry Christmas!

Yep that's right. He moved it with his tongue this evening and it came right out. This is going to make for some great family photos on our vacation. Then Zac was feeling left out, so he had to show me his teeth.

Can you see the new one he is getting in on the right side. I think that is his last tooth for a while.
Thanks for stopping by. Nite, nite.

The Cookie Party....

Was a huge success and a ton of fun. I started baking on Friday with my parents and we made a lot of yummies. Here are a few just to get this post started.

Gingerbread man before going in the oven.

My fave, chocolate crackles.

When Zeke got home from school, he helped with rolling out the dough for the cut-out cookies. He was having a lot of fun too. He really likes to make those cookies.

And now for the party...

Zeke's decorated candy cane cookie.

Two of my nieces hard at work decorating.

My other niece showing me her "masterpiece".

My friend's daughter just spotted Santa Claus. Doesn't she look too cute? Seeing how excited some of the kiddos got when they saw Santa was priceless for me. That was the whole reason for the party. When the kids saw Santa, they all came in from where ever they were and sat down in front of him and waited for their gifts. They were super sweet and then they lined up and sat on his lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas. I enjoy seeing a child's perspective from time to time. It reminds me of simpler times.

They even waited so patiently for him to call their name.

This pic was taken because of our shirts, we were all wearing the $9.99 holiday shirts from Target. It was funny cuz we all had different ones on.

And finally, Stef and I had to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas too. I am so glad that everyone was able to make it and that they had fun. Thanks for making my party a success.

No children were harmed in the taking of this photo...

Okay so I have come to the conclusion that Zac is constantly going to be my little boy that is going to keep me on my toes. First, he threw a yo-yo at the Christmas tree and had to dig in to the tree to get it, of course.

Who needs a dog when I've got Zac. As if that wasn't enough, he then thinks its a good idea to put bubble wrap on his head. Yeah, that's right, on his head. But of course I got a pic of that too.
CAUTION: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO SEE IS NOT FOR THE WEAK HEARTED AND HE WAS NOT HARMED IN ANY WAY! :]



This the reason we should not have any more children! He is way to crazy for me to handle sometimes oh but I love him like crazy.

They're coming out quicker now...

On Saturday night, we finally got to sit down as a family and watch a movie. We watched Wall-E since Zeke had been waiting for us to watch it with him. We are about halfway through the movie when Zeke says, "Look I pulled my tooth out". I look over at him and sure enough, he was holding his tooth and had a gaping hole in the front of his mouth. He makes me laugh when he loses a tooth cuz then he is anxiously waiting to see what the Toothfairy is going to bring him.

This time he got five dollars and was excited, he told me it was probably because this was a bigger tooth.

Well I hope everyone is on track with all of their holiday extravaganzas. I know I wish I was. I feel like I am going to be forgetting so much this year due to leaving early for our vacation and feeling overwhelmed. I haven't even started my Christmas cards and I am so looking forward to making them. I will have to squeeze them in somewhere. If you don't get one this year it isn't because I don't like you, it will be because I ran out of time. I am just really excited for my cookie party this weekend. I will have photos posted immediately following.

The things I love about Christmas...

One of the first things I love about Christmas is watching the tree lighting at the Rockefeller Center in NY on tv. I was super excited cuz my fave artist (David Cook) performed my fave song ("Happy Christmas"). I swear one year, I will make it to NY to see that happen live. I also love decorating the tree, building fires and watching a different Christmas movie with the kiddos every night. Last night we had a fire going and the tree was all lit up and we were snuggled up on the couch watching "Elf". I am most thankful for those moments and I wish there were more of them. Life gets too chaotic, especially during this time of year and that's why I love taking the time to enjoy it with my loved ones.
It is always at the end of the year when I reflect on how quickly time passes and that someday my boys will be all grown up and not around as much. Gets me all teary-eyed just thinkin' about it. Alright, alright...enough of that mushy crap. I've gotta go clean up after those little boogers.

as promised..

As I promised in the past, I said I would post my cookie party invites. Well I was almost out of them and realized that I hadn't taken any photos of them yet. Well here is how my cookie party invite turned out. What do you think? I hope all of you can make it. I look forward to seeing you all there. I will have tons of yummies and pics to take.


In other news, I have been using my dyson and boy does that thing suck like no other. I was vacuuming a rug in Zac's room and this is what I came up with.

Now mind you, this rug used to be in Zeke's room, so it's not the first time it has been vacuumed. Crazy huh?

I have also been busy trying to get Zac's bedroom all cleaned up so that he can finally sleep in there. I know, I know; he's almost two and still hasn't been in his own room. Well that is due to his many problems from the beginning but I am looking forward to him being in his new room soon.


I can't remember this room being this clean since we moved in. It has been a "catch all" but now that is our spare bedroom. Oh well, one room at a time. The whole house will be clean again soon.