Whew!

The holidays are over and I can catch my breath. I think. I hope.

Christmas was GREAT! The girls had a great time. They really got into it and it was cute to see. Kori had a blast and enjoyed sharing it with her sisters.

We spent Christmas Eve with my family at my mom and dad's. Great food and good times! It was awesome! I worry my mom's going to "retire" this tradition soon. I just love it!

Christmas day was spent here at home with just us. We spent the day in our jammies and had a great day! I made a ham and all the fixin's for dinner. It was so nice and relaxing!

Jason has been off for the last week and we've gotten so much done! Our sub-basement has been cleaned out and organized and it looks great! Our trash guys are going to hate us in the morning. There is a BUNCH of bags and boxes out there. Thank heavens for the 2 times a year it's unlimited trash! Woo hoo!

Sadly, Jason's grandpa Marvin passed away on Saturday. We will travel to Iowa on Friday for his funeral. Kori has opted to pass on the long drive and short trip so she'll be staying with my parents.

Well tomorrow is New Year's Eve. My nephew is here with us and Jason goes back to work tomorrow so we'll just hang out. I'll make us a yummy dinner and we'll ring in 2009 in pretty much the same lame fashion as years passed. I'm okay with that. I'm safe and sound with my family, well most of them, in my home so that's okay.

Happy 2009 to you all!!!!!

Holiday Greetings!

Man oh man, things have been busy around here!!! We had a great visit with Jason's dad and step-mom, and his sister and her family. Truly wish Janean and her family lived closer! We will be going out to visit them in Cincinnati this summer for vacation. (This is a warning to them that they better reinforce their home because Hurricane Rusley is coming!!!)

We did presents and I made tacos and chicken chimichangas on Sunday for dinner. We also had birthday cake and ice cream for Jason's dad and Kori. We went to Longview Lake to see the lights at Christmas in the Park. Another beautiful display. It was a LONG wait but the kids all enjoyed it.

Today I did some baking. I made chocolate chip cookies, Amish sugar cookies. pretzel/rolo/pecan candies, fudge, peanut butter cookies with Reece's peanut butter cups in the middle of them, pecan balls and white chocolate covered pretzels. I do a platter every year as a gift to my brother and his family, my sister and her family and my parents. Hope they like my baking, otherwise it's not such a great gift huh?

I do enjoy baking. The girls were cooperative and Jason was available to keep an extra eye on them so it went well.

Tomorrow we do Christmas with my family at my parent's. We'll have spaghetti (or Basta as we call it) and meatballs, Italian sausage, garlic bread etc. I am in charge of the salad so I have to cut that up tomorrow. It's alwasy good food and a good time so it will be fun. The kids will surely love it. While Christmas isn't my favorite holiday, I always found it more fun with my oldest sister around. Since her passing five years ago it has lost so much of it's luster. If not for my kids I would stay in bed and watch movies and maybe eat ice cream or something. This was her most absolute favorite holiday. She loved spending it with family. It just always feels like a huge part is missing, and rightly so.

Tomorrow night I should tackle some gift wrapping as I've done none of it. That's right, not a single thing. How pathetic am I???

We got sad news today that Jason's grandpa Marvin has been hospitalized after a fall and also has pneumonia in both lungs. His health and been in a steady decline for months and things aren't looking so great right now. We hope he improves and we can get back up there soon to see him. He gets sooooo much pleasure from visiting with my girls.

At any rate, I wish you all a wonderful holiday!!

Glutton For Punishment

I often times ask myself "what were you thinking???" It is usually after I've done something without thinking fully of the ramifications it will have. Several weeks ago I received a call on my cell while I was waiting for Kori to get out of school. It was from a parent of a student in the class. She was the coordinator for the "Winter Party" and was getting things set up. Great! Could I help? You betcha? A craft? A game? What do I say you ask? I reply, "Whatever you need me to do, tell me and I'll do it". Why I didn't pipe up and offer to do the game I don't know.

At any rate I began my quest for the perfect craft. I scoured Walmart, Michael's etc. All of the pre-cut kits in the craft foam were Christmas trees and Santa Claus. That violates the terms of the "Winter Party" guidelines. It has to be non-denominational for those that don't celebrate Christmas. Okay, no problem. Snowmen are easy. Uh, yeah, only there weren't any pre-cut snowman kits. So I poured over the web to see what I could find. I finally found a cute little snowman idea and figured I'd poke a hole in the top and thread a pipe cleaner through and it could hang up for an ornament, door hanger etc. No problem!

I buy the foam. I figure it would be easiest to to ahead and pre-cut the pieces so there wasn't a lot of scraps, mess etc. It was a project that ideally should take about 10-15 minutes of the class party time. Life has been a little crazy and I didn't get an early jump on getting the pieces cut out. I prayed for snow and lots of it to get the party canceled. By Thursday I figured that wasn't happening and I better get started. I get my little template and cut out 26 snowman head circles (25 for the students in the class and 1 for my display piece). Then I cut out 26 black top hats. Then 26 carrot noses. Then 26 hat bands. Then 26 hat buckles. By now I have a serious cramp in my cutting hand, not to mention a pile of static charged foam pieces that stick to everything!!!! I passed on the 52 holly leaves and 78 tiny holly berries that were to further adorn the hat. Those would have been brutal. I've now had to stop to fix dinner, clean up dinner, play with kids, finish homework, bathe kids, get kids in bed. Shower myself. **Sigh**

It's now 11:30 p.m., back to cutting. The 52 eyes I have to cut took forever! Ideally the mouth was to be comprised of 4 small (dime size) black foam circles. At this point it's after 1am, I am tired. I am dang near crippled from the 7 hours or so of cutting I've been doing and really to be honest, I'm over it. I have proclaimed loudly to myself that I hate snowmen! If I EVER see one again it will be too soon. These F-ing things are for the BIRDS!!!!! Once I pull myself together, I decide that these snowmen will have red pipe cleaner mouths. My husband told me the dot mouths looked better. After I not so politely told him that he could come home from work and cut them out his own d@mn self, he decided the pipe cleaners smiles didn't look so bad after all. What a good idea.

Did I mention I put glue dots on all the pieces so the kids didn't have to go all glue crazy like they did at the Fall party. 25 first graders with Elmers glue...wow! We're lucky we weren't all stuck there until the Winter Party. The glue dots worked great, but added to the teadiousness of the whole thing. Anyway, I packed everything up and crawled into bed at about 2:30 a.m.

The crafts were a hit. The party was done. Winter break has begun! It was a half day too so that was even better!

Jason's dad and step-mom are here from Iowa, as well as his sister and her family from Cincinnati. We'll celebrate Christmas and Kori and Phil's (Jason's dad) birthday tomorrow. It is FREEZING cold here so we'll be hanging out here. With wind chills -30 it's too cold to do much of anything else.

Guess I better wrap some presents this week too, since I've done NONE!

Seven Years Ago Today

On, Monday, December 17th, 2001, at 5:00 P.M., my sweet, precious, much anticipated, perfect, red headed little bundle (well not so little at 8 lbs., 10 oz., but you get the idea) was born. Seriously? SEVEN years???? Oh man where has the time gone. She is now more often sassy than sweet. She has three little sisters and one tired and haggard mom.

For her birthday she got a room redo. I will post pictures soon! It turned out really nice and she loves it very much. We also got her an outfit and little sisters got her some new Play-Doh. She got a new paint job, a new lamp shade, new comforter and sham, new rug, new sheets, new curtain, decals for the wall. It is now a sweet shade of periwinkle and very suited for her. I just can't get over her being 7!!!!

Today was a self-imposed snow day. The weather was awful this morning at 7am. We already had at least 2 inches, but for some reason her school district hadn't canceled. Jason worked a 15-hour shift instead of the normal 10-hours due to the day shift being short. We discussed it, and we decided it was a snow day for us. I would have had to drag the little girls out and I had a feeling that it would be a short day. I figured as soon as I got her there, in a few short hours I'd be turning around to go and get her again and that was the case. At 10am the phone rang and it was the pre-recorded message stating that the district was following it's early release schedule. Glad I went with my gut. No reason to risk it. I don't condone missing school for a few flakes but it was snowing a lot and had been for a while I didn't figure it would get any better.

Jason got home about 12:45 just as I had finished shoveling our driveway and walks. Our driveway is HUGE when it needs shoveled. My back is definitely feeling it. I am soooo over winter and it isn't even officially winter yet. Blach!

I had to venture to Sam's today to pick up cupcakes for Kori's class in the event there is school tomorrow. I made it there relatively easy. The littles were sleeping, as was Jason and Kori opted to hang out at home and veg with some TV and coloring instead of braving the roads with me. It wasn't too bad. Getting back was a bit trickier since the highway was a parking lot. I had to detour and take the long way home but did it relatively easily.

There is an ice storm on the way for Thursday. I am hoping school is canceled Friday since it is a half day and I'm in charge of the craft for the class winter party. Can you tell I'm dreading it???

At any rate, happy birthday Kori! Mommy and daddy love you so very, very much!

Viruses, Toddler Beds & Insanity

I apologize for my absence. It seems that we contracted a nasty computer virus. So last Friday the computer went off to the computer doctor who assured me it would be returned on Monday. Then Monday turned into Tuesday morning. Which then turned into Tuesday evening. Then Wednesday morning. Then anytime after 2pm on Wednesday. Imagine my surprise at 2:40 when I showed up to get it and no one was at the shop. He finally returned and it seemed the smartest choice was to send Jason in. I was a bit miffed at this point and didn't want to say anything snarky. Imagine my irritation when my husband emerged after a few minutes empty handed. Seems the computer guy inadvertently erased something and it was going to take another 30-minutes or so to reload. Well finally at 5:30 my computer was back home where it belongs. Do I ever miss it when I don't have it!!!

On to the toddler beds. Oy! Oy! Oy! It is a challenge, to say the least. Alexis and Morgan were in crib tents but after well over a year they were falling apart. Alexis' seams were ripped out at the zipper, Morgan had a big hole in the sides of hers (dang destructive kids!) and Kamryn was starting to climb out of her un-tented crib. I could either invest another $240.00 for 3 new crib tents or move to the toddler beds I already had. We opted for choice B. Now if I could only get it through their stubborn heads that the beds are for sleeping, not party time. I have found if I camp out in there with them for a few minutes it puts an end to the foolishness. I am hoping that this end soon and nap and bedtimes will return to normal. What is normal with two year old triplets anyway?

I am ready for December to be over! It's been crazy so far and it's just 1/2 way through. Tomorrow I am taking Kori and 4 school friends to Libby Lu for a makeover birthday party. I ordered decorated sugar cookies instead of cake/cupcakes and after the party we're going to Applebee's for lunch. My sister volunteered to help me chaperone. I am hoping it goes smoothly and the girls have fun.

Tomorrow evening I will begin priming Kori's red wall in her room. Sunday I am painting it a nice sunny yellow. She requested a room re-do for her birthday so we obliged her. I just finished painting the playroom a month or so ago and now I'm starting to repaint rooms I've already done. Oh joy!

This week is Kori's birthday, treats for class, birthday dinner and cake, her 7-year well child checkup, family in from out of town for the weekend. **Sigh**

Is December over yet???

Allow Me To Embarass Myself

I'm going to embarass myself here. I am doing it for you all. I know you will enjoy it, so I am taking one for the proverbial team if you will.

I take Kori to school in the mornings. Someday maybe she'll ride the bus, but for now I take her. It is not uncommon for me to do so in my pajamas. I don't wear skimpy nighties or anything like that. Mostly pajamas. You know cute pants with kitties or polar bears, stars or moons, things like that. (I know, I know, I'm lucky I have kids at all huh?) They have matching shirts that look like t-shirts. My favorite is the one that goes with the pants that have penguins and igloos on them and the shirt says "Your Igloo Or Mine". Where was I? Oh right, taking Kori to school. (Sometimes I suffer from a mild form of adult A.D.D. I believe). If the weather is nice I don't mind throwing on shorts or what have you to go. It's when the weather is cold that I hate taking off my warm thermal or flannel jammies. It just seems so unfair! Kori has made a few comments, mostly in the beginning of winter last year.

Add to this the fact that I almost always wear flip flops. Even in the winter. I keep the heat on my feet so it's all good. Well today I wore my gown. I don't often wear gowns but this one is particularly warm. It comes to my ankles and is super cozy and comfy. I threw on my gray sweat shirt jacket thing (Jason LOVES this jacket...NOT!) and my trusty flip flops and off I went. Well I tried. Kori gave me the up and down look a few times before saying, "Wow I am so glad you don't get out of the car in the mornings". Like I ever would. I'd die from embarssment for sure!

On the way to school I had her convinced that I was going to jump out and scream "Good by Kori, mommy loves you so much!" She was MORTIFIED! It was funny to see. As we pulled the line to drop her off at the door I said okay are you ready and I opened my door. Her face was classic. It was worth it! She told her father this evening, "You should have seen the get-up mom had on this morning when she took me to school, yikes!" Maybe that bus riding thing will be coming sooner rather than later!

Another embarssing moment, but just a glimpse of how my life can go. It was one of "those" days today. Just not good. But hey they happen huh? Well anyway I retreated to the bathroom today (don't worry I'm sparing any gory details). It was sooooo nice and quiet I thought about staying for an hour or two but knew I would surely be missed. Not 45-seconds after I got there, I hear clumping up the stairs to our bedroom/bathroom area. Kori you ask? Nope! The littles? Wrong again! My husband. Who decided at this very moment he had the most important thing in the world to try and tell me through the bathroom door (I turned on the little exhaust fan thing to drown out the kids screaming and fussing downstairs -- it was ruining my quiet time). So I turn off the fan to hear what just couldn't wait. Wanna know what it was? Sure you do! Someone at his work was selling Girl Scout Cookies and did I want any. Really? Really? THIS is what was so earth shattering that you had to pick THIS moment to come and share with me. We had been sitting in the same room for a couple hours without so much as a mention about it. I opened the door (flung it open would be more accurate if your splitting hairs) and told him I'd LOVE to give him my order for cookies...as soon as I was done! I know where my kids get it now. I know why my dad tried to intercept us before we could interrup my mom's "toilet quiet time" as kids. I totally getit now. I appreciate it now!

Tomorrow is a new day...tomorrow is a new day...

For Christmas I'd Like...

My children to be equipped with MUTE buttons. **Sigh** For so many years I longed to be called mother. These days I'd like to hire a hypnotist to deprogram them from saying mom, mommy, mother (thanks Kori), ma, madre, mami and any other derivitives I've failed to mention. Morgan likes to say it just to say it. Today while I was cooking dinner she kept coming in and saying "Mommy" and then she'd run off. She did this about 25-30 times. She was way more amused than I was.

Kori used my favorite version "muuu-ther" (said in a VERY exasperated manner)on several occasions today. I'm sure it was during the several times I was also "ruining her life". **Sigh**

Kamryn had a 30-minute scream fest (really it was SCREAMING) over things she didn't want to watch on TV. First it was the Tinkerbell movie that Disney was playing. So I flipped it to Dora the Explorer, that is a favorite. Uh nope, not today. Great, further channel surfing revealed Wow, Wow Wubzy! (not a favorite of mine) and apparently not a favorite of hers today either. Nothing I found would silence the screaming. I eventually put her in her crib and closed the door. My head couldn't take it. After returned from Crazy Land where she thankfully bought a round trip ticket she enjoyed her lunch and took a nap.

Alexis was good today. Until around 8:00 when she decided it would be fun to get really mad and scream (she has a set of lungs!) in the playroom. It just kept bouncing off those 4 walls. Poor Kori finally kicked her out. The thrill of it was lost as the shrill shrieking didn't bounce off the walls in the family room like they did in the play room.

Kori melted down about 8:30 when Morgan accidentally crumpled up a paper of hers. Apparently it was her pride and joy scrap of paper because she wailed and bellowed for so long I finally made her brush her teeth and go to bed.

I put the littles down around 9:00 and then waited for the jumping, singing, talking, dancing, giggling, shrieking, etc. to die down and for peace to envelope my home.

I celebrated with some ice cream. Super Cookie Dough Chunk or something with crushed Xanax and whipped cream as a topping (we were out of Chocolate Vodka Crunch dang it!). I'm kidding, about the Xanax that is, not about the ice cream. I did enjoy some ice cream. Alone. In the living room. Where it was Q-U-I-E-T!

The movie theaters are right...Silence is golden!