numbers

1 day until D's department Christmas party.
2 days until I stupidly brave the grocery store on the Saturday before Christmas. Alas, we must eat.
3 days until a cookie exchange.
4 days until Christmas Eve and time with friends, baking and childlike excitement!
5 days until Christmas!
6 days until we leave town for
7 days or
8 days - depending on how well/poorly the drive home goes.
9 bags to pack for that trip.
10 is the number of children I'm related to that I've bought Christmas gifts for this year.

Related to numbers is the 26 random acts of kindness that people are doing to make this world a little brighter after the heartbreaking Newtown tragedy. My family and I are going to try our best to do 26 acts of kindness as well.  If you search #26acts on Twitter, it will reaffirm your faith in the human race.

Weirdness

* I follow a majillion storm chasers and meteorologists on Twitter and FB, so I pretty much always know when there is going to be potentially bad weather. Every time there is even a chance of a severe thunderstorm or tornado, I vacuum out the storm shelter. I want to be able to go down there without thinking about spiders crawling on me. I realize it's about control, and my lack of control over the situation, but it doesn't stop me. We have a very clean storm shelter.

* I donated money to the ASPCA years ago and they persisted in sending me postcards, calendars, stickers, and all sorts of things for so long that I pledged to never donate money to them again. I feel like all my money went to sending out crap to people, and none to the actual animals. Secondly? Their commercials are depressing.  (I've donated to my local shelter instead.)

* I need a hair cut, but I don't want to call the place I like and make an appointment. Why do I always do that? I don't know why I hate calling people so much.

* I don't like Apple products. I have no intention of ever buying any overpriced ipad/pod/phone.  (However, I support your choice to love them and think I'm crazy.)

Well, that was random. I have important things rolling around in my head, but they don't seem to want to come out my mouth in a coherent way, so I guess I'll just leave you with those random thoughts.

Christmas!

What are you getting the kids, spouse, family and friends this year?

Our kids are each getting a light saber, a book, and a game. The boys are each getting a set of Legos and L is getting a Little Pet Shop set. Here are a few of them:
Crossroads



 R2D2 microviewer




 Scrambled States

From Santa, this is what they've asked for:

d asked for a robot dog, which *I*had a hard time finding but I'm sure Santa will figure something out.
robot


O asked for this:
 Big Top Flippity Flops




C asked for some wall tracks:


Miss L asked for this rollercoaster:

 
Santa thinks they will like this as their joint gift:
 


Joint gifts for all the kids:
I got these at a great price when they went on sale awhile back:



They are also getting a lot of educational books about various things (states, planets, ancient times, weird facts) and a wii game.

D is getting some fun stuff too!
Scrabble (I really like this game, so it's kind of a selfish gift)
 

Bazinga shirt

BBT lanyard

Dallas Cowboys floor mats




 He's also getting two new pair of cleats for rugby and a sudoko game for his stocking.

I bought myself the complete Friends set. I've been wanting it for years and it went on sale!








 I asked D for a heated mattress pad (I HATE getting into a cold bed!) and a bigger crock pot.

What's on your wish list!

3!

Dear Miss L,
You are three and I don't care how cliche it sounds... it's happened so fast! You were just born and then BAM! you're three. Three. 3!!

You yell at everyone who says you are a little girl. "NO! I BIG!"

You are mischievous and naughty and defiant in the way only a three year old can be. You are so loving, and randomly tell me you love me. I will never, EVER, tire of that. I know it will end too soon.

I'm so glad you're here with us, my sweet, beautiful daughter. You have three big brothers who love you. Love to boss you, tease you, and take care of you. You are a lucky girl, and I love how you can stand up to them and give them what-for. You're no pushover!

It hurts a little to know that you're my last baby and that you're getting so big. There's no cure for that, and nothing I would change. I'm just trying to remember it all, take it all in, and love every second. It's easier when you're not coloring on couches and dumping water on the floor and screaming at me, but even that will be replaced with breaking curfew and dating (gah!) and well, probably still screaming at me.

You love your brothers, and your daddy and ME! You are a mama's girl - big time - and it makes my heart sing.

You love animals, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, getting dirty and dressing up in pretty much anything. You can go from dog to princess to superhero in a matter of minutes. You are a strong minded, soft hearted girl.

You stole my heart from the first moment I met you. And now you're three.  I love you L.

Dear,

Dear Target,
If you are going to sell measuring cups that are simply decorative, you should SAY THAT on the description. Otherwise someone will be baking 4 dozen cupcakes and thinking, "Gosh, that looks kind of... runny... " but they will persist because they are baking 4 dozen cupcakes and doing a majillion different things at the same time and then they will look at their beautiful new measuring cups suspiciously and test them only to find they are a 1/2 cup off! That's a LOT when you're BAKING, TARGET!
Sincerly,
I now own decorative measuring cups (how useful)

Dear Miss L,
I am gearing up to write your birthday post and I am having a hard time because you are so, so, so THREE. So big, and lately? So, so bad. You are a naughty little drama queen but I love you so.
Love,
Mama

Dear Thanksgiving and Christmas,
Why you have to be so close together?!
From,
I need more time between cross country drives!

Dear Self,
Let it go. Let it go, let it go, let it go. Things are different now and it's OK.
Love,
Me

Dear Sarcastic, B*tchy Voice in my Head,
Do not come out my mouth.
Signed,
I MEAN IT

I realize that picture is screwed up... sorry about that. Anyway, that map shows our Thanksgiving week travels. Point A was a quick overnight in St. Louis. We drove by the arch on our way through the next morning, but other than shoving all 6 of us into a hotel room for a sleepless night, it was fairly uneventful.

Point B is Kansas City, where we went to Union Station and the science museum and then over to Great Wolf Lodge, where the kids had probably the most amazing time of their lives. Again, all 6 of us were in one room but at least it had a half wall partition so we managed OK. (Why do these kids hate sleep? I swear they will pay for this when they are teenagers.) We met up with family there as well, 2 nights in a row, and went to a cool restaurant where the kids were so enthralled with dinosaurs and fish tanks that they forgot to torture us (much) during dinner.

Point C is my parents' town and we spent the rest of our time there, visiting with various other family members and having a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and trying to force convince the almost 3 year old to be halfway decent and not scare all my childless cousins into buying their birth control in bulk. (Probably not successful, but that's what a week-ish of poor sleep will do to a 3 year old. *sigh*)
We did get to go out on a very rare date. We went a vineyard and had a nice time. We were back in less than 2 hours... it's sad that we can never think of things to do on dates anymore. We always end up at the grocery store (we did this time too).

Then it was time to head home, and the kids must be getting used to car rides because aside from car sickness, it was pretty smooth sailing. Thank goodness! In exactly one month, we're going to be driving to Texas, so it's a good thing they're getting used to it.

9 days, 1400-ish miles, 3 bottles of wine, too much turkey and not enough sleep and here we are: home sweet home.

outtakes

Taking our own family pictures was especially difficult this year. With 6 people in the photo, or even just the 4 kids; there is always someone doing something stupid. Silly faces, closed eyes, strange poses... you name it! For your amusement, I'm posting some (OK, way too many) outtakes here. Pay special attention to O's face, because that kid cracks me up.
And you guys? This isn't even close to half of the pictures. 

This bench hurts my knees!

We just promised them ice cream if they could just look at the damn camera.

Still excited about the ice cream.

Since everyone else looked decent d decided to poke himself in the eye.

C's turn to make silly faces

closed eyes...

Believe it or not, O cannot smile on command to save his life.

STOP HOLDING MY HAND!

Reminded them about the ice cream...

Don't ask

omg

just... wow

This is the point a lady bug landed on D's face. haha

damn ladybug

la de dah, what's going on here?

Are we done yet?

He did that face on purpose.

ha!

There's a BUG!

Here's the thing(s)...

Thing the 1st:
 I've been feeling terrible lately. Probably a combination of stress, poor eating/sleeping, extreme busy-ness and, because of those things; anxiety. I've decided to cut way back on caffeine (I've been drinking 2-3 cups of regular coffee a day. I'm trying to cut back to 2 or less cups of half caff or less/day, then down from there.) and... sugar. Sugar makes me feel like crap. And yet, no joke, I can't seem to stop eating it. I want it. I need it. I crave it. I love it. Feel like crap? Eat something! Sad? Eat something! Lonely? Eat something.
*sigh* I'm on just over 24 hours with very little sugar (I did have creamer in my half caff) and I have another terrible headache, just like yesterday. Wheeee!
Sugar and caffeine detox right after Halloween and before Thanksgiving? Sure, no biggie.

Thing the 2nd:
 Homeschooling doesn't make me special. It doesn't make me a better or worse parent. It's just something that was right for our family and I felt strongly compelled to do. Now that I am doing it, I can say, unequivocally, that there is no reason to be scared. Of course it's not always easy, but lots of things aren't. There's good and bad with everything.
All I'm saying is; I was scared. I was pretty much dragged to homeschooling kicking and screaming. I kept saying NO and kept being told YES until I finally decided to listen to that voice.
Honestly, if *I* can do it, anyone can. Truly.
(I'm NOT saying everyone should want to homeschool, I'm just saying if you DO want to, -and I'm not saying you should- don't be scared!)

Thing the 3rd:
In less than a month my very last baby, my only baby girl, will be officially too old to call a baby. She won't even let me call her that now, actually. Every time I look at her I'm both thrilled and melancholy at how grown up she's getting. Three is still little, and when she's 13 I'll reminisce about her at 3, but for now it seems so old for my last baby.
She's funny and sweet and independent and strong willed and although she makes me bang my head against the wall on a daily basis, I know she's going to be an amazing woman someday.

I hit the jackpot with these kids you guys. They are amazing, fantastic, infuriating little creatures! I don't even want anymore because I can't imagine having another one so wonderful*.  
The thing is... they keep growing. And, you know, you want them to. But, it hurts juuuuust a little.





*I'm sure I'd change my mind if I did have another one. Which I'm NOT.

Christmas crafts

We had a Christmas craft swap last week for the moms' group I'm a part of. Our price limit was $10 or less, which I blew on the star ($5), ribbon ($2) and the scrapbook paper (more than budgeted but I only used a couple sheets and have lots left over so I called it good). I made my own modge podge so that was free. (2 parts glue to 1part water)
Here's what I started with:

Here's what I ended up with:

I actually made two, and this is the one I kept, but the other one is the mirror image so you get the idea. I got the idea from this blog, and then modified it a bit: star

I also made (for free!) these little Christmas signs for a mantle or shelf. I used scrap pieces of crown moulding we had in the garage and paint that I already had as well, so all it cost me was time.

This is the one I used for the Christmas craft swap. I kept JOY for myself.

They each had a bit of glitter over the paint so they shine a little as well. I used this tutorial for how to paint lettering: lettering