Friday, December 30, 2011

Whew!

Whew, what a busy month. 
December is an especially busy month for us, with 4 out of 8 birthdays in our immediate family, along with four different houses to go to for Christmas, as well as our own festivities.
Our holiday season started with a wonderful Thanksgiving at Andy’s sister and brother in law’s house. It was lovely and delicious!!! And then we went to Andy’s in laws to celebrate thanksgiving there! Needless to say we ate a lot of food.
The following Thursday we kept all the kids home from school and took a trip to Apple Hill to cut down our tree. Last year there was snow up to our knees. This year it was perfectly dry, although a bit windy. It took us about 20 minutes to find our perfect tree, then about another 60 to cut it down. Afterwards we enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies while Andy tied the tree to our vehicle.
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Getting ready to find the perfect tree






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Andy at the top of our perfect tree. Notice the smile! 


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Hmm, where did his smile go?
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The prefect tree is very tall apparently. This was the top of a 30 foot tree.
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Mmmm..Andy swears this place has the best hot chocolate.
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Trevor collected a few pine cones.
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Our tree, up and decorated.
Getting the tree meant getting the Christmas decorations out of the attic, which somehow lead to a day of cleaning out the attic. Cleaning to the point that our neighbors where asking us if we were moving. We created a tote for each child so that we would have a place to put his or her special items that we want to keep forever. Needless to say, there was lots of cleaning, organizing and a flood of emotions as we opened boxes and shared stories. When it was all said and done, we had a huge tote box full of Jen’s items. From the dress she wore to prom with Andy, to the robe she wore in the hospital with all the boys, letters, cards, jewelry and pictures. All in one box. It made me very sad to think that all the boys have of their mom is in one box. And the 17 years that she had with Andy, all in one box. I broke down and just cried. Of course I know that through stories and memories and all we teach the boys about Jen, they have SO MUCH MORE than what’s in that box. Or, at least that is my hope. 
December 1st also started the Elf on the Shelf for us. The Elf visits the children each morning, to watch over them all day and then report back to Santa at night. Of course, when he magically appears each morning, it’s an adventure for the children to find him. This created some angst for me, as every night I wanted Elfie’s hiding spot to be “better” than the last. Sometimes Elfie hung out with other toys and got into some fun, sometimes he was sneaky where he hid and sometimes he helped get the children something they had hinted at the night before (like hot chocolate).  And there were many nights as I crawled into bed; I would sit up with a panic “OH NO! I need to go do the Elf on the Shelf!!!”
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Scoring points by bringing a little treat. 
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Playing Hot Wheels with a Reindeer
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Reading some Christmas books
Once our house was all decorated, and we started to have visitors, there seemed to be a common comment “Jeez, that’s a lot of stockings”


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Yes, yes it is. And everyone one of them represents someone in our family. Someone I love beyond measure. People I would give my life for. So, when people walk into our family room and make an off comment about how many stockings we have hanging on our mantle, it’s a bit disheartening, discouraging and hurtful.


I get it, it IS a lot. Six kids, Jen, Andy, Myself and even Toby and Zack… the baby dogs. This year Dylan even made a stocking for Elfie, our Elf on a Shelf. So there is a lot. But that is my family. It is funny that a few weeks ago a friend of a friend was over  - she barely knows us and she smiled big seeing our stockings and said, “Now this is what Christmas is all about.” I agree.
The thing about it is, Andy and I made a choice for this to be our family. We had long talks, as our feelings were growing stronger, about merging our families together. We talked about the dynamics, how would it work, how would the kids handle it. And yes, we even bothered to talk about how others would feel about it. How many families do that when considering having another child? Do they wonder what their friends will say?  It’s not like Andy and I accidently had six kids. It was a choice, well beyond us falling in love, to bring our families together to raise them as one. 
December brought many birthdays, starting with mine. 
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I love birthdays. And I love ice cream cake. 
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The day after my birthday, is Dylan's. Cake to Celebrate! 
We did an early Christmas at Andy’s parents house, along with Jen, Bry, Sam, Sophia and Oma and Pa. We decorated gingerbread houses and ate lotsof yummy food! We introduced them to the tradition of HI/LOW. Hi/Low is when you go around the table and tell everyone what your HI is for the day and what your LOW was for the day.  This is always enlightening to say the least. It was a great night of visiting with family, eating and drinking and just being together.
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Decorating Gingerbread houses! 
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Decorating Gingerbread houses! 
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Decorating Gingerbread houses! 
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Famliy
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Love! 
Then we celebrated Dylan and Lucy’s birthday together. Dylan turned 7 and Lucy turned 8.  It was a great day of family and friends.  It also left me wondering lots of things. As Andy and I hunkered down in our bathroom, where most of our talks happened. I expressed my frustration at my self, wondering and hoping that I provide for my girls at the same level that the boys are provided for. We didn’t buy the girls advent calendars like the boys have. I didn’t but them special Christmas tees or Christmas pajamas. And yet the boys have these items because of extended family. And I know it doesn’t matter; yet in a house where we raise our six children with the belief that we are one family, and there is no difference amongst us, I continuously wonder what message I am sending them. What do they feel? What do they think? Which in turns leads to all 8 of us, huddled in our bathroom floor to have this very same conversation.  After many tears, I think we were good to go and headed out to look at Christmas lights…. Which is my most favorite thing to do at Christmas time.
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Singing Happy Birthday to Lucy and Dylan
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Cody liked the cupcakes :)
We also started a new tradition of decorating cookies with cousins Sam, Sophia and Austin. It was GREAT fun, lots of frosting and sprinkles and wine. It’s a great memory I have from childhood and one I am looking forward to creating with my family.
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Lots of kids, lots of cookies! 
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Someone likes sprinkles!
Christmas Eve was magical. It was the first time all 8 of us were together, as last year; Gabby and Lucy were at their Dads. Lucy and Dylan LOVED tracking Santa on the computer.
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Santa Stalking
We started off the Day at Andy’s parents house with lunch, and then assembling the luminaries that line the streets of their neighborhood. Its fun – the kids get to ride in the back of Papa’s truck to go get the sand around the corner at the park and we all work together to fill bags and line their property.
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Shoveling sand into the truck.
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Headed back to Grandma Betty's and Papa's to make the luminaries.
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The streets lined and the Fire Department drove by with Santa.
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SANTA! HAPPY KIDS!! 
We then headed off to have Christmas Eve with family friends of mine, the Anicich Family, I have known them for almost 35 years. The grown ups do a white elephant gift exchange and we ended up with a Scooby Doo Chia Pet. FOR REAL.  Then we headed back to Andy’s folks house for hot chocolate and to see the neighborhood all lite up by the luminaries. It is quickly becoming another favorite thing of mine for the holidays.
Christmas day was BUSY! Lots of presents, time at Andy’s in laws and then his Aunt and Uncles house. All in all, a great day.
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Stockings! 
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Daddy and Evey 
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Daddy and Cody 
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Daddy and his Ron Paul Stage built from Legos
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Trust me, there is a small child under those presents!
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Dylan handing out presents.
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Can you say TIRED? 
One of the best things about going to all these places was the constant compliments that Andy and I got on our children.  I have to admit, I have never been more proud. Our children were grateful, pleasant and respectful. I have six amazing kiddos

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At home, tucked into our bed for some cuddle time. 
And then, two days after Chirstmas we celebrate Cody's 4th Birthday. He was SO excited to finally have HIS BIRTHDAY! He has such a sweet soul. I wish I could put into words what this child does to my heart. He loves his mom so much. He knows his mom is in heaven and he's not afraid to say it. 
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On his birthday, he carried around this picutre.
He will often ask if he can go to heaven to be with his mommy. I think I would do just about anything if somehow I could bring Jen back to him. 
We celebrated the night with family, and of course cupcakes! Happy 4th Birthday Cody! I LOVE YOU! 
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BUZZ CUPCAKES
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY CODY!
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From our family to yours, we wish you a joyful New Year! 

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