Post Christmas Stuff

My sister wanted new pictures of the baby, so I thought I would just do a quick post Christmas update. The top picture is what 4 of 6's scab looks like. She is still picking, and it is still getting bigger. I took her in to the dr yesterday because she's been sick for awhile, and she had another ear infection.

This is 6 of 6 watching Sponge Bob. She's been doing this a lot lately because we started potty training 5 of 6. She had no accidents yesterday morning, but as she got tired in the evening, they started.
This is what 5 of 6's bed looks like, after we filled it with the stuff she got for Christmas. There's no more room for her.

Entertaining

Hey, 2 of 6. Go entertain your sister. Play with her.
Not what I meant.

Did You Loose Your OJ?

So we were out driving around the other night. My poor kids. We make them drive.... a lot. If we are looking for something to do, we usually pack them up and drive. It's a little easier in the summer, when you can go some place and get out of the car. But this drive, our destination was houses with Christmas lights up. ( that would not be our house. Trent is a bit of a Grinch. 3 of 6's goal is to someday get his dad to put up lights) (pig may have sprouted wings). This trip actually paid off. We were turning into a subdivision that was half build and spotted an 8 pack of frozen OJ. Of course, still frozen because it's 10 outside. There were no inhabited homes on the street, where did it come from? Who knows? but, we know where it went. Trent really does find the oddest most random things. Have you heard the story about him riding his bike to work one afternoon, getting hit by a duck, that knocked him off of his bike, and when he was on the ground looking over and finding a 20$ bill? Seriously. I chalked the OJ up to Trent's luck. He had just said the night before, that he was craving it. Maybe he ought to crave a few thousand dollars. Or maybe a finished upstairs bathroom.

The Finer Things In Life

I am cheap. I will admit it. I have come to terms with it, i am okay with it.
4 of 6 loves the hotdog. Everyday when she gets off the bus, the conversation goes like this. "Want to go in and have some lunch"? to which she replies "hotdogs"? Depending on my answer, I get a YEA! or and ooohhhh. I have had 3 of 5 home for the past 3 days because he has been really sick. And if you know me, you know I don't keep my kids home from school unless I need to. Last year I think my kids a 1 absence. Well 1 of 6 had 2. I guess that's off topic, back to hot dogs. I found in the clearance bin at Smiths, a pack of 4$ hot dogs for .99$, (because like I said before, I'm cheap) I thought, Hey, if she likes hot dogs, she'll LOVE these. SO I make them, and call every one in for lunch with the usual question from 4 of 6, and I answered yes. So we sit down, pray, and I put them in front of the kids, and they snubbed them. They wanted the 'crappy, what are these made of,' .59$ a pack hot dog.

5 of 6

I dont understand her love of green olives, but she requests them at least once a day.

Stop

Stop picking at your owwie. 4 of 6 dropped a snow globe (yes, a snow globe, no, it didn't break) on her head about a month ago. She does stuff like that A LOT. It gave her a huge goose egg, and a little scratch. Well, she also likes to pick owies. So her little scratch turned into this huge hole in the middle of her forehead. And she keeps picking at that, so it's getting bigger and deeper as the days go by. Trent finally got tired of telling her to quit picking, and solved the problem. It was a temporary solution, I'd love a long term fix, I've tried covering it with a band aid, cutting her nails to the quick, socks on hands.....
And I just had to finish with this cute picture of my baby. 3 months now.

You Know it's Cold When....

You go outside in the morning to get eggs for the cookies you are making, and they are frozen. I had to go (gasp choke wheeze) BUY eggs this morning. I haven't bought eggs in almost 2 years. Sigh, oh well. We finally got the ornaments up. I did get pictures of 1 of 6, I don't know why I didn't get any posted. Minus Trent, he had a meeting. But the kids were DYING. Now I just have to plant my butt in there for the next 2 weeks to keep 4 and 5 of 6 from eating candy canes and playing with decorations.

The Weather fits the Mood

I love this weather. I love this weather, this time of the year. I totally enjoy waking up to feet of snow, crispness in the air and clear blue skies. I still don't like waking up in the dark, and it being dark at 4 pm, but the mornings like this make it totally worth it.
I have started my Christmas baking too. And actually, about a week later than I usually start. Growing up my mom always made cookies and froze them, with out letting any of us help, or taste. I decided a few years ago, that I want this to be my kids favorite tradition. So, if you get chocolate covered pretzels that look a little mangled, just know, they were mangled with love. We do very simple cookies, so the kids can help. I have done a few batched while they were at school, because it's easier to make them with 3 kids, than 6, but the pretzels and Chex mix is all them.
We are trying to get ornaments on the tree too, we have just not had any time. This is why I like to do it the day after Thanksgiving. Trent's family always did it for family home evening on the Monday after Thanksgiving. We tried to do that this year, but the house was such a mess after having the kids on break for the past 4 days, I couldn't bring something that big into the house yet. So we were a few days behind. Hopefully tonight is the night.
Then I have to find time to do my VT, prepare to play in Sacrament Meeting next week, accompany some friends for their number, and set aside enough time to make more cookies with the kids, do laundry... Sorry got off track thinking about all the things I have to do. Not have to do, want to do. Shopping is done, so really, the rest is just icing on the cake.

It is December

Why that just sunk in, I don't know. It is the 7th you know.
We decided to to family pictures yesterday, with some friends of ours. We decided to go out tho the Salt lake, and do pictures overlooking the lake. At Our house there was no wind blowing. At the lake, 17 degrees and a wind chill putting us at about 10. The kids were not happy. The 3 little ones cried the whole time. 4 of 6 shivered and whimpered, and when I tried to move her off the rock I had posed her on, I dropped her in the snow. 5 of 6 fell face first in the snow, the baby screamed because it was really windy, 1 of 6 only had eyes showing. The boys were fine, they could care less.
So. We packed it up, and came back to our house. Started a fire, took pictures of each others families, and called it quits.
We also have 4 of 6's pre op appt with the ENT. We will decide to day if and when we are having surgery. I say if, because I'm getting cold feet. I need her to stop wetting the bed again, but is this how we are going to get that done? I need guidance, in this decision. I don't want her to have to have surgery. I just want her to be that typical healthy kid. She's not, but I want that for her. I want that for me. That's not what I got. So we will go forward as we are, and things will work out the way they should. I just hope that I can make the right choices for her, and they will be in her best interest.

Made My Season

This kid totally got me excited for Christmas. This is my 3 of 6 when he was 6 weeks.
So it has been kind of hard to get into the Christmas spirit for about 2 years now. I could never put my finger on why, I just chalked it up to being pregnant or having a baby that didn't sleep. But, now I think I know what it was. My 2 oldest have not believed in Santa for the past 2 years. I chalk that up to 1) 1 of 6 is a bit pessimistic, and 2) she has a friend that told her he wasn't real when she was in 2nd grade. And then she told 2 of 6 the same thing. And, when your 8, and a boy, it's not 'cool' to believe.
We took the kids to the mall yesterday and Santa happened to be there, closing up shop. 3 of 6 was soooo excited. He called the kids down, and 3 of 6 ran. He was going to let them tell him what they wanted really quick before he left. I had to push the other 2. Although, I could tell 2 of 6 still had a little 'believing' in him.
Then at the UDSF Christmas party, Santa came in, and 3 of 6 just lit up. His enthusiasm has done wonders for my Christmas spirit. He's so excited. I was wondering if I was even going to get a tree. Now I am going to go down stairs and get my Christmas stuff out and set it up just so I can see the excitement on his face when he gets home.
4 of 6 also got a picture take with Santa last night, and she has carried around with her everywhere. She has no idea what Santa is, but there is something special about the guy. And the Santa that came to the party last night was amazing. He took the time to talk to all the kids that came to sit on his lap. Even the 20 yr old girl, he asked about her family and what she wanted.
I never understood Christmas as an adult. I love giving people things, and making gifts for neighbors, and giving my kids gifts. But it's so much more than that. It's the joy the kids get, it's the magic of Santa Clause, it's the lights on the houses and taking your kids to go see them. It's the kindnes of giving a little extra, so others can have a better Christmas.
Anyway, I totally get it now. And I love it. And it warms my soul. And brings me joy. Merry Christmas.

Done, almost

I am now almost done Christmas shopping. Except for one last 4 of 6 item, and odds and ends.
We are keeping it simple again this year. We do the 3 presents each to represent the 3 gifts brought to Christ. We get them one, Santa brings them one, and we get a sibling gift. SO 2 -6 of 6 will get 1 of 6 a gift. 1, 3-6 of 6 will get 2 of 6 a gift. You catch my drift. I have been looking everywhere for a set of dishes for 5 of 6. No one carries such a thing anymore. I mean the big boxes for 10 bucks. Not the puny ones for 20, or the porcelain tea set. And, does anyone have any ideas for a 9 yr old girl? I am tired of getting them something, and they open it, play with it once, then never look at it again. She wants Pet Shop things, but I think she's getting too old for that stuff. I don't know what they are into. You know, nothing is simple. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible, and inexpensive. We refuse to put Christmas on a card, so that limits us very nicely. It's easy to not go overboard when you can't.