9 DAYS!!

Yesterday, I planned to finish wrapping Christmas gifts. I had them all drug upstairs but before getting started, Brooklyn and I ran to the UPS office to drop off some eBay packages that needed to get out. After that, we hit the store to get some diapers (hopefully we will be done buying those soon! Especially since our regular package increased by 5 bucks!). By the time we made it back home, it was nearly time for the kids to get off the bus so we frantically stashed them in my bedroom closet. Yet again, laying around in the way. The kids had AWANA last night, so Shawn and I hit Lowe's to buy a new disposal for the sink as well as a purifier pitcher. Every appliance in our house has something wrong with it, all within the last 6 months. Our $12,000 refrigerator (no, that's not a typo!) won't make ice, our dishwasher latch is busted...I guess it wasn't intended to wash a load daily; the upper oven on the stove will not heat properly because the switchboard is on the fritz. Garbage disposal won't work unless you use a wooden spoon handle and a special method of  'wrist turning' to get it to start. Our microwave works properly! After getting kids off to bed, Shawn and I enjoyed the peace and quiet and decided to exchange our Christmas gifts...a new tradition has been born!

Today's agenda...WRAP KIDS GIFTS.

10 Days 'Til Christmas!!

Oh, yes, I am excited. I really need to devote today to sorting and wrapping the remainder of my presents before leaving next Thursday for dad's. I wanted to meet a girlfriend for coffee this morning, but my eBay items are not boxed yet to ship out so I don't want to waste the trip into town. Last night we had Jason Greenwood, the new shop manager over for dinner. Beef Pot Roast, Fried Potatoes and a Vegetable Medley were on the menu. Jason was kind enough to bring beer, though disgusting as it was. Some nasty micro brew made in Missouri called IPA or something. It tasted like evergreen trees and citrus. It was nasty. We may never invite him again.

We've been having lots of problems keeping Brooklyn in her bed at night, so I decided to throw her in the pack-and-play last night since we had company to avoid the usual struggle routine in front of guests. What a mistake that was. Now she wants to sleep in the playpen rather than her bed. I have never met a child so difficult in my life. It's obviously her father in her coming out.

Friday is my Mom2Mom group and I just realized it is our tables turn to bring food. I think I signed up to bring a bread item...cookies count, right? I hope so, had my fill of baking for the week. I doubt the ladies will mind.

THREE MONTHS??!! (pictures)

Holy Moley, three months without posting. Guess I will summarize and hope that it is short and sweet. I guess I will break it down by the month.

October:

Well, Of course we had fall and Halloween so that was exciting. The kids got to trick or treat two times so they really enjoyed that. Larynn and McKayla were punk rockers, Logan a dinosaur (big surprise, I know), Garrett a Lego and Brooklyn was a pirate princess. Also, we celebrated Brooklyn's 2nd birthday. Well, kind of. Her party wasn't much of a party as 99% of the guests couldn't make it due to the death of my cousin, Dave Schultz. His funeral was the same day as Brooklyn's party. But, Grandpa Dennis and Grandma KK came and we had a great time, just the same. Plus, our house was stricken by a bout with the flu.

November:

We enjoyed Thanksgiving in Wisconsin this year so Larynn could visit her dad. The holiday fell on my fathers birthday this year, so it was nice to spend it with him. Larynn is no longer in tumbling. She was threatened that she would be pulled out if her grades didn't improve for 2C's and 2D's by report card time. She did pull them up to 2B's and 2C's which I was thrilled about, but at P/T Conferences, I discovered that she had forged my signature on 2 tests that were to be taken home and returned with PARENTS signature, so I pulled her out. Now, we just have Logan tumbling, He is really enjoying it. His first competition brought a 4th place finish, the second her received 2nd and the latest one he was awarded 3rd place. Next year will be really busy with THREE tumblers. Well, as long as Larynn has her act together.

December:

We are getting ready for the holidays. Of course, this is our favorite holiday of the year. Everything is so pretty and joyful. I started Christmas shopping the day after Christmas last year, and continued throughout the year, so that made it much easier.

Next week, we will be planning a trip to Wisconsin for Christmas. We were hoping to spend Christmas with Shawn's sister and husband this year, but didn't realize it would be a 10 hour drive from Wisconsin. There is NO WAY Brooklyn would ride (happily) that long, so that got tossed out, unfortunately. She isn't much of a traveler. Two hours seems to be the maximum. Trips to Wisconsin are bad; trips to Kansas are even worse. I couldn't imagine tacking on 4 more hours. No way. We'll see what the rest of this month brings. Hopefully a potty trained two year old, but I won't hold my breath...

...So much for short and sweet...

Brooklyns Birthday Bedding from Grandma
and
BELOW, the kids at Halloween.
McKayla, Brooklyn, Logan, Larynn and Garrett