Christmas Parties Two and Three

Are we getting tired yet? These aren't technically parties, I guess. Just our little family, but we like to call them parties. Sounds more festive!

Todd decided we would open some gifts on Christmas Eve this year and save Christmas morning for Santa gifts. It was a nice change. It gave us an activity for Christmas Eve night.

There were a lot of hugs that night. It was so nice to see the kids giving and receiving so nicely.

Before we read the Night Before Christmas. No Christmas Pj's this year. Except Callie of course. I had been looking for gowns for her as she is so against having her feet covered, especially at night. There are not many to be found in her size though. Grandma gave her this one for her birthday, it is so cute! It is just too much sometimes to have everything together, and guys are not really into that anyway! I think Gannon, in his skeleton pj's, forgot what holiday it was!

The morning of Christmas, dressed and ready to go!

We had lot's of great expressions. I guess that meant that Santa did ok!

Mama: "Look Callie, here is the charm daddy gave you this year. A ladybug!"

Callie" "I don't want a bug." Ok then.

I love you anyway daddy :)!

Anxiously awaiting to see what Kellen is opening.

Callie and her new kitchen. Is this not the cutest kitchen ever? It is just her size and has the cutest pans and utensils. She has cooked and cooked since Christmas. She even washed her hair in the sink!

Merry Christmas, Party 1!

Every year my Aunt Linda hosts a party for my Grandma Lanier. It is always so nice to see everyone and catch up, it's like a little family reunion! We have a good time just eating snacks and being together. I know I missed one year, the year Callie was born and we were living in Iowa. I don't know if I have missed any of the others. My mom has a brother and a sister and they each have two children. All together my Grandma has three children, seven grandchildren, and fourteen grandchildren. (I think my fingers counted correctly!) Most of the grandchildren were close in age and we enjoyed playing when we were little. Most of the great-grandchildren are close in age and enjoy their time together.

Grandma Lanier and Callie. The oldest and the youngest! Grandma doesn't mind telling people her age since people can never believe she is 91. Garrett said a while back that she didn't look a day over 84. Ha! We are so thankful that she is here to celebrate. She just finished surgery and radiation for endometrial cancer. She is a true testament to taking care of yourself. I could go on and on. I seriously could write an entire blog just about Grandma. Can you tell she is my favorite person in the world. Sorry to the rest of you I know, you are all tied for second, I promise!

Callie and Madison. Thanks to Madison mama had a day off! Todd wasn't able to go to this party but Madison took care of Callie. Took her outside, played with her. Thank you Madison!

This is Anna Marie, my cousin Todd's youngest. She is packing goodies to play outside. She raided her grandma's to go cups and filled them with punch and snacks.

Uncle Ben, Aunt Patti, and Uncle Jerry. Jerry is my Mom's brother and Pattie is his wife. Ben is my Mom's brother-in-law. My aunt Patti just finished a year of surgeries, chemo, and radiation for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She found out she had it right after Christmas last year. I was so great to see her looking so good. She is already back to teaching. We are so thankful for her recovery too!

My Mom visiting with Jay, my cousin Holly's husband.

Clay and my cousin Todd. I didn't get a picture of Todd's wife Jenny. Sorry! I am on the ball, ha!

My Dad, my brother Ryan and his wife Dwan.

The kids running in when we told them it was time to open gifts! We were so blessed to have beautiful weather on this day.

Garrett visiting with Aunt Linda, my Mom's sister.

The great-grandkids waiting to open gifts. Kellen with his back to the camera, Madison, Anna Marie, Gannon, Mason, Braden, Garrett, Mallori and Lauren. Kodi didn't make it in the picture. She is eighteen so I think she has graduated from sitting in the floor! I didn't get a picture of her at all though, sorry Kodi!

My cousin Holly helping Callie open her gift. Holly is the closest thing I have to a sister. Neither one of us have sisters. We are about two years apart, she is older (sorry, had to throw that in there Holly!). I know she would do anything for me as I would for her. Even when we haven't talked in a while, it's like we've been talking every day.

Two of my cousins didn't get to be there. Uncle Jerry's two kids Chad and Lori both live in Texas. Chad has two kids, Jake and Lizzie,that would have been in the mix with all the rest. I don't know if we will ever be able to all be there. I hope so. It is so great to be able to see everyone in person.

I am so thankful that we have moved closer to home. I wouldn't have been able to be here this year, otherwise. I came last year, but Todd and I had already decided I would only be able to come to Oklahoma for the holidays every-other-year.

I am also thankful that we were able to have most people there this year. With the health scares we had this year, I don't know what this Christmas would be like. But God is good, He took care of our family in so many ways in 2009.

I am blessed with a wonderful extended family and I like that my kids are able to be around and get to know them. I am already looking forward to next year!

Callie

Callie turned two December 13. I can't believe how fast two years has flown! I always think time is flying by, but it really has these last two years.

What can I say about Callie?! We are always getting comments about her. She is a friendly, happy little thing. She loves to smile at people and wave. Right now her favorite thing is to wave to the Salvation Army bell ringers. She is so excited to see them! People always comment, "Well you finally got your girl". Or, "Looks like the icing on the cake". Or, "Three big brothers, she'll never have a boyfriend". You name it, we've heard it! I will just say she is definitely the icing on our cake. I never imagined having a girl. Even before we had any kids. Maybe it is because I felt comfortable with little boys, having had two little brothers. Maybe it is because I griped so much about going to Little League games that my mom told me I was going to have a house full of boys. I figured she was always right, so she would be right about this! ha! Or maybe it is because I can't fix hair, makeup or tie bows. God knew better than to give me a girl! Anyway, just never imagined have a daughter. Todd on the other hand, always said he was going to have three boys then a girl. He has a way of getting his way so I should not be surprised this happened!

Now that we have a girl in our family, we of course can't imagine her not being here. She is the cutest little thing. She is so different than the boys. I know you are thinking, obviously. But, I think unless you have one of each you don't realize how different they are. Right now she loves her babies. She mothers them, takes care of them. She cleans up after all of us. She loves to put her laundry away. She got a shopping cart for her birthday. She pushes it around with a piece of paper and pen to cross things of her list! It is so funny! Also a little scary to think about what she watches!

She also thinks that she is much older than two! I think that comes from being a fourth born child. But it is also because she is just too smart! She watches and learns from all of us. Just yesterday when I gave the boys their lists for the day (chores, etc.) she wanted a list too. If I would have told her some things to do, she would have done it! Of course she learns bad with the good. Unfortunately she thinks burping is so funny. I only made it through one child not laughing at things like that! Once you have more than one child, it is impossible to keep them from laughing at stuff like that. But, she also sits pretty still in church, because she has watched her brothers sit still in church. So, I guess I will take the good with the bad!

We didn't have a big party for her, just our little family. I knew our house wasn't ready for a bunch of company and I am still getting settled in from moving. And, she's two. So maybe she'll forgive me! We had a great day though. She was thrilled to be the center of attention. Come to think of it, it was like any other day for her! Ha!

Callie before church. I made her a little birthday dress. I think it is so cute! We had a ladybug theme for the day. I was really just looking for another justification for buying ladybug shoes!

Callie and the brothers.

When we went to get Callie at Bible class they had made her a birthday crown. How sweet ! The said they had to enlarge to go over the bow! Ha!

She fell asleep on the way to eat. She trying everything to stay awake, but it was already too much excitement!

We chose Red Robin for Callie, since she doesn't really know how to choose a place for her birthday. The boys like to go there for their birthdays and it is always fun. This is the look on her face when they were singing to her. She is not impressed!

She was loving the hot fudge sundae they gave her!

While Callie took her nap, the Cupcake Bosses decorated her ladybug cupcakes.

We didn't get any pics of her blowing out the candles, who knows. But, she wasn't too into the cupcake after she got her fingers dirty.

Maybe we'll try a fork.

Present time!

Official videographer.

I love it when kids sit like this! Flatfooted without falling over :).

She was only into getting the wrapping off. She could care less what was in the gift. Here she is laying on the gift to make sure all the paper is off.

Love.

Her new baby and carrier. She was already making sure her "banket" was just right.

Is this not the cutest shopping cart you have ever seen? She loves it!

Gannon very kindly showing her how to dress her baby.

Checking on her baby again.

Full view of the dress. I just love it! I need to learn how to make bows so we could really be coordinated!

Callie, you are are so sweet and fun for all of us. Your brothers adore you and would do anything for you. You have your daddy wrapped around you finger, it is really sweet to watch. You are my special friend and keep me on my toes! We thank God every day for you and your health and happiness. We are so looking forward to the coming years with you!

Speaking Of Santa

I guess the reason that I am not too worried about Callie being scared of Santa is because that is a tradition that has gone a little by the wayside. When Kellen was born we made a huge production about going to see Santa. He was nine months old. I don't think he really cared. But, that was what you are supposed to do, right?

Can you tell how thrilled he is to be visiting Santa?

Next year, new Santa, still just as thrilled!

I can't find all of our Santa pictures. Can't imagine why! But this picture is when Kellen is four and Garrett is twenty months.

Year after year it got to be more trouble to go see Santa. Daddy got busier and busier, so he couldn't go. We moved, and moved, and moved. So, you never know where a good Santa's helper is. The real Santa is, as everyone I am sure knows, at Quail Springs Mall in Oklahoma City. He is the Santa in the first picture with Kellen. Notice how he doesn't wear his "real" suit. He doesn't want to get it messed up for the big night!

One year when it was just Kellen and Garrett, we decided to take them to Eastland Mall in Tulsa. It is a small mall so we decided it would not be crowded. It wasn't. We were soon to find out why. The "Santa" complained to his elf the entire time about how his paycheck wasn't right. The picture the his elf snapped shows Santa looking over to the left at his paycheck. Seriously. I really wish I could find that picture. Todd and I laughed and laughed! I think this was the beginning of the end for our Santa adventures.

After we moved to Iowa, we decided to visit the Festival of The Trees. Tons of decorated trees. They advertised a kids area and Santa pictures. Sounded good to us. I dressed the boys up, thinking there might be a photo op for our Christmas cards. While there were a lot of pretty trees, they weren't really set up for photos with people. Thank goodness. The nice Santa there gave the boys his autograph. On their hands. With a Sharpie. Hello, Santa, Sharpie's are permanent! We had Santa's autograph for a week!

So, we haven't been to see Santa since. Call me Scrooge. There are just other things I would rather spend my time doing than waiting in line to see a random dressed up Santa. We did go see a reindeer at a greenhouse in Iowa. The kids were much more thrilled with that!

Do you have many traditions? Things that you have to do every year or it is not Christmas? We are ending up with fewer and fewer. There are too many things that are not possible when you are in a different place every year! I do enjoy doing a Christmas card every year. I enjoy driving around as a family and looking at Christmas lights. I enjoy our trees, which are about the same every year. I enjoy Santa coming and the kids opening gifts on Christmas morning. These are things we do as our little family every year. Things that don't matter where we live. We'll see what kind of new things we can find to add to our list here in Missouri!

I'm Terrible

I am terrible. I admit it. Confession time. First, sometimes I run the dishwasher when it is not full. I try to fill it up, but occasionally it is not completely full and I run it anyway. I need an empty dishwasher when I cook, especially at dinner time, so I run it, full or not.

I also say or do things to my kids to make my life easier. Does that make me terrible? I think so.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we made a trip to Wal-mart. I don't remember what we needed, but it must have been important for me to haul four kids there on a Saturday afternoon. While we were there I heard them announce that Santa was in the store. I decided that we would walk by, get Callie used to the idea of Santa. (She is not too fond of anyone in costume!) We head to the back of the store and I casually mention to Callie, "Hey look , there is Santa Claus". She flipped out. Literally. She screamed. Santa screamed. Customers screamed. I didn't scream because I was being choked. I thought I was going to have to have Kellen resuscitate me! (He's taken first aid you know.) Callie jumped from her seat in the basket to me in half-a-second. This is what caused all the screaming and choking. She was like some kind of flying squirrel! Well, that plan didn't work. As we were walking off I could hear Santa still talking about how he had never seen a little kid jump like that.

Now we get to the terrible mom part. A few days later, on the following Tuesday actually, we went back to Wal-mart. Garrett decided that what he got his brothers for Christmas he didn't want to give anymore. So being the great mom I am, I agreed to take him back. (That and the fact that we didn't have any milk.) The trip was taking way to long as Garrett couldn't make up his mind. I told him we could go somewhere else, gave him suggestions. He just was too excited and wanted to buy them way too much. Callie was not behaving, at all. In a light bulb moment I told her we were going to go find Santa. (He was not there, mind you.) She instantly sat down and started minding. She is not worried about what he is going to bring her, she is worried she might actually have to see him! Is that a lie? I never said Santa was there. I just told her we were going to find him.

I hope I never have the urge to take her to see Santa. I think that idea is ruined for a long, long time!

I know, terrible, just terrible. In my defense, I have four kids and a husband that works retail. So, we won't see him until December 26. Sometimes I just have to make it through the day!

Totally unrelated to the above post. But I don't have any pictures from our many trips to Wal-mart. You've seen one Wal-mart, you've seen them all!

This is my first attempt at pigttails for Callie. How cute is this? Terrible picture with my phone, but I was trying to hurry before she pulled them out. Not to worry, she left them in for two hours! Her daddy and brothers were gone and she was soooo excited to show them when they got home. They of course when nuts over her hair. I pity her husband some day...

Holidays are coming!

Are you excited about the upcoming holidays? I am. I love holidays. I am sure it is because we always had the best times growing up. I was one of the lucky ones that had fun family times and special traditions every year. They were not anything fancy, just the same thing every year. My little family holidays have not been that way, for obvious reasons. I have to really battle being sad every year because we never know what our holidays are going to bring. The first hitch in our get-along is Todd's job. Please know that I am forever grateful for his job, he has a job which I know is no small thing. But, retail and holiday celebrations do not mix! The last two years, Todd has had to work even on Thanksgiving morning. We have enjoyed our Thanksgiving, but it is quiet without a lot of extended family around. We had one Christmas where Todd had to go to the Club three times to turn off the alarm that someone had not set properly the night before. All the Santa presents waiting patiently to be opened while daddy went to work. The last three years have really been crazy. So much travel...you have not traveled until you have traveled during the holidays! Of course two years ago we had a newborn, more craziness. Maybe there was craziness when I was little and just didn't know it :).

We are so excited to be closer to home this year. The holidays will still not be the picture perfect holidays that you read about, or dream about, but that is ok. I am finally coming to terms with this. Life is not perfect. Since Thanksgiving is the next holiday, I am hopefully going to be focusing on all that we have to be thankful for. The next six weeks will not be anything for Martha Stewart to write about, by any means! But, it's a holiday, how can it not be fun! What I am looking forward to is decorating my house, cooking meals that we don't normally eat, and seeing how excited the kids are. Gannon is five, a perfect age for holidays. Callie will be a blast as she starts figuring things out. Kellen and Garrett are getting old enough that we have memories to reminisce about. So, here is to reminding myself to keep this year low-key so that we can enjoy each other and the time we have together, whether or not it is picture perfect!

The cooking has begun. Cornbread waiting to dry out for dressing and mashed potatoes. I'm getting hungry!

Callie up early to help me cook the dressing. I love that we can make it ahead an freeze it. It is actually better that way!

Very serious about her stirring!

This is what happens when mama is cooking and almost two-year-olds are left to themselves! The boys saw her and actually said "I thought you knew she was doing this". Seriously?

Side note: Yes I do comb Callie's hair. She has crazy hair in these pictures because within five minutes of combing it, it is crazy. I hate to tell her that I think she may have inherited my hair :(. Do you think she is too young for mousse?

Back In The Swing…

We are getting back into the swing of things and it feels so good! What a blessing to have a house that doesn’t need fixed! There are things I would love to tweak at some point, but it is not a necessity. We have really enjoyed just spending time as a family. I’ve been cooking up a storm. We were all so tired of eating out for two months! The kids and I had some home-cooked meals, but Todd only had take-out or the occasional frozen something he made in his hotel.

I have a new favorite site for recipes! Whole Foods Market. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/. I’ve never been to a Whole Foods store, but the store always looks so yummy and healthy on Top Chef :). Wish we had one here!

Last week I made a beef stroganoff from their site. It was fine. The guys liked it. This is one of Todd’s favorite things so I made that for him :). I made a yummy chicken and rice soup. This was for me :), but everyone loved it. Yesterday I made Chicken Alouette. This was not from their site, I saw it on a blog I follow, http://southernhospitalityblog.com/chicken-alouette/ . It was so good and kind of fancy for us! Of course, like everything else I do, it did not turn out like the recipe. The recipe said it would make six, I ended up with twelve. Oh well, I am sure they tasted the same! This week I made Potato Chowder from the Whole Foods site. Everyone loved it, except Todd, who didn't get any! I made it on the night he closed, thinking the kids wouldn't love it so there would be some left, but no. We ate it all!

Hope this is a sign of things to come! We enjoy eating together and I enjoy cooking when things aren’t crazy everywhere else in my life! Here’s to happy cooking!