Holiday Fun

Okay so as usual we started our holiday season off with a bang. I stood in line for an hour and a half at Toys'R'Us on Black Friday to get Koen a drum set. I had to push it around the store at 5:45 in the AM. I think the most irritating of all was the fact that the woman in front of me had 1 item that weighed maybe 1 lb and she had a cart. Some people just drive me nuts. After Toys R Us we stopped and enjoyed a recharge of Starbucks. Then off to the Walmart. I wish every day was Black Friday at the Walmart. It is the only day of the year that they have actual registers opened. I bought a ton of stuff for Emmaleigh there and I was very proud of my great savings. I got her some Hannah Montana shirts for only $2 you can't beat that. Then it was Hi Ho Hi Ho off to the mall we go and boy was that fun. Erin got Emmaleigh a beautiful Belle doll for $8 and I tried to pick up the kids Plasma car from Learning Express. Let's have a vent session now......

On Monday I was at the mall with my friend Kristin, I should never be in the mall 2 times in the same week, and I purchased a Plasma car for the kids. (If you don't know what that is then google it) I was supposed to receive a call the next day to let me know it had been assembled and that it was personalized with Emmaleigh and Koen's name on each side. However, I never received the call. So when I was there on Friday I decided to check on it and they said I never placed the order and I couldn't find my receipt. Needless to say it was tense there for a moment but all worked out well because just as I was leaving the girl who sold it to me just came on shift and so she got one out for me and gave it to me all personalized. Three days later I got a call saying they found the car and to come pick it up. However, I decided to be honest and let them know that I had already gotten it and I didn't need a second one so they will sell it discounted to someone else since it is personalized. If there is someone else on this earth with children that are named my kids names in the same family and spelled that way they should get it free.

So after the mall we headed to the Cheesecake Factory. I would say the food is good but I like Chevy's lard tortilla's better and wouldn't go back to the Cheesecake Factory. It is too expensive when you only can have like 6 bites. I had a blast hanging out with Taneia and my sister and of course we had Lauren along for babysitting Ellie and Emma.

Now we are in the baking mode of the holidays. Emmaleigh and Koen loved making sugar cookies. Although when Koen runs out of dough look out. Emmaleigh was so cute rolling out the dough and then in her adorable way she said "this is how the professional chefs do it." I love that kid.

We are hosting the Christmas Eve Celebration with Dane's family this year and I hope it all goes well. I am so excited to have enough room for once to host it.

Okay I am peace out.

Amongst Turkeys and Trees

What is it about the holidays that makes you get all excited to be alive? For me it is the family, the pure joy of knowing that I get to spend all of this time with the ones I love the most. It is the joy I see on my children's faces when they eat the turkey at Thanksgiving or open the first present on Christmas. They get so excited to set up the tree and to put the train on the track.

It is such a consumer market it is really easy to get focused on the buying and the giving and it is so easy to forget what these holidays are truly about. For instance, my favourite part of Thanksgiving is the great deals you get on Black Friday. I have been searching for the toys I want to get for my children and plotting which stores might have them on sale. I buy a newspaper once a year just to see the deals.

The worst part of it all is that it doesn't bother me. I love it. I love the Holidays. The part of the holidays I miss this year is the enjoyment of good food. Which leads me to I have officially lost 86 pounds since surgery on April 16th. Essentially, I have lost Calista Flockhart.

Anyway after Matthew's "sermon" on Thanksgiving I have allowed him to guilt me into making a list of the things I am thankful for this year. I will spend more time thanking God for the things he has provided me with and not complain for the things I don't have. So I made a list of the top 10 things I am thankful for this year.

1. Freedom to worship God
2. My nutjob mother who is praying for the end times soon
3. My nutty friend Kristin and all her forwards
4. Disposable Diapers
5. My dad and his cheerfulness and joy he brings to my kids
6. My sister because she is the awesomest Auntie EVER!!!
7. My kiddos because they keep me employed (I think I am one of few that isn't worried about
getting laid off)
8. My Blackberry :0)
9. My dorky brother and all of his dorky family
10. Dane because of course without him I would just have dusty eggs and I couldn't buy the disposable diapers. Okay, Okay and because he puts up with me and has a really cute bootie.


Oh and I will post Thanksgiving Pictures relatively soon.