Wow what a wonderful Christmas we had. I am so excited that I got Miracle Blades with block and a juicer! That was my big present from J then he and the kids also got me a book, socks, gum (I wanted it), more hair ties and an alarm clock. The kids got so many toys and clothes I don't even think I could list everything!!! So I will list a few things I can remember...GlamorGirl: (from us) a wooden doll house with furniture, 6 summer outfits, swim suit, 2 pairs of dress up shoes, 2 my little ponies, beads to make necklaces, train tracks, and some stocking stuffers; (from grandma and grandpa A. and Liz) 5 winter outfits, a jump rope, princess makeup/dress up kit, princess movie, doll with backpack and some games; (from g&g M. Travis, Becky, Kevin and Melissa) The Cuties game, 2 winter outfits, 2 t-shirts, dress up shoes and gloves, 2 bead kits to make necklaces, and candyland; (from g&g K) a winter outfit, snow white dress up dress, and play food. Now I know I didn't get everything but close enough. Together they got, wooden building blocks, leap pad learning system with 2 extra books, Aladin movie and some other things. Monkey: (from us) little people ramp around garage, 6 summer outfits, swim suit, train tracks, view master and stocking stuffers; (from g&g A and Liz) 6 dinosaurs, hot wheels cars, 2 big trucks, 3 winter outfits, pj's, little people car wash and a tool bench; (from g&g K) little people airport, winter outfit, and blue's clues toy; (from g&g M plus people mentioned above) I know he got Don't Break the Ice game, micro machines, and then everything else I am clueless about, I helped GG and Jeff helped Monkey. Next year will be fun with a new child to open gifts! The kids had a great Christmas and we had so much fun spending time with family. Until next year ;)

So many things have happened since I last wrote! Friday the 17th was our last day of school and the kids got me so many presents, it was so sweet. We had our Christmas program and J was able to come in his uniform to watch the kids sing. Then he also came back to their rooms for the party afterwards that was really great. The kids also got presents from their teachers and they were really excited about opening them!

Saturday the 18th was J and I's 5th anniversary!!! Wow it has been 5 years we have been married??? It seems like yesterday, I love him so much. We went out to dinner at Chili's as a family to celebrate us being a family for 5 years. Then we came home and packed for our vacation!

Sunday we got up early and traveled to my grandparents house for Christmas with them. I love seeing my grandparents! It was crowded in their house with almost 30 people but GG ate up all the attention she got from great grandma and nana (my mom). We also got another 4 generations picture taken to update the one we got when she was about 6 months old. The kids had a great time. Then it was back in the car for some more traveling to Lake Geneva's Timber Ridge Indoor water park. We got there an hour before everyone else so we went swimming!!! It was so cool. When everyone else got there we ate dinner and then everyone went swimming :)

Monday the boys went skiing and snowboarding and us girls took the kids back to the water park. This place was awesome. There was a kiddie area with 3 slides, another pool with a slide and a rope thing that you go across as well as basketball hoops, a lazy river, a hot tub, and outside hot tub, a green tube slide used with a raft, and a yellow tube slide (adults only). We never got bored! That night we opened presents with my dad, step-mom and some siblings. We almost didn't have enough room in our car to bring all the presents home!

Tuesday was the day we checked out but you are able to use the water park until 10pm that night! We only stayed until 3pm, we were getting a little water logged. But it was so much fun and we are already talking about going again. We are thinking GG's 5th birthday?!?! We'll see...

Today we are unpacking, doing laundry and getting groceries along with some other errands we need to run.

The last three days J was off and now he is at work. This weekend was really fun. Saturday J had training and the kids and I went to get his Christmas presents which are all done now! If he asks them what we got him they both reply, "NOTHING!" Very funny. After J's training GG and I went to get other presents for J I didn't want to take both to the other stores. We got home and J left for a progressive dinner at the school, his mom asked him to drive a bus. The kids and I ordered pizza for dinner. Then Sunday was our fun day. We got up and went to church, after church our sunday school class had lunch that the guys made the girls. We played a game and the boys lost so they had to make us dinner. It was really good food. Then we took the kids downtown Chicago to see the big Christmas tree and all the lights and the windows. The windows this year were Snow White, really cool and they both loved it. I think they enjoyed the ride there and back as well as we took the train! When we got back we grabbed a quick bit to eat at Subway and then went back to church for the Choir Concert Comfort and Joy. We came home and the kids went to bed. Today we started our last week of school before Christmas break. I got a present from one of the little girls in my class. Her mom is one of my co-workers so she got my something I was telling her that I asked J for but he won't buy me. It was very sweet and I am super excited about it! I need to go try and call the doctor's office again. I have to switch doctors because where I am going can't deliver babies at the hospital 5 minutes from our house.

Oh more quick story about GlamorGirl. We were in the car and the song Our God Reigns came on the and she was singing her little heart out then she stops and says, "Mom, He reigns means that he is in control." I was amazed that she grasped that concept, some adults can't! God is in control. I bet if you have a 3 1/2 year old and asked them what God reigns means they would tell you something like it is raining outside. She is such an amazing little girl and she has Jesus in her heart!

Today was so nice because it was teacher appreciation day at school. They gave us each a sports chair with the school name on it and they made us lunch, with appetizers and dessert! The lunch was so delicious! Speaking of delicious it is really cute when Monkey says that word, usually talking about my food :) J told me the other day when he took GG to the store for Christmas presents and groceries, she was yelling at the top of her lungs, the song We Wish you a Merry Christmas. He said everyone looked at her and just smiled. I thought it was cute. Then when they were at the deli waiting she had the number J gave it to her, she looked at it and said, "I'm number 11, I'm number 11..." He said it was hilarious and I can only imagine it was given her spunky personality. Tonight at dinner time GG asked for something and said, "But I don't want to pay taxes." J just looked at her and she said, "You know taxes means money dad!" What a little smartie...where did she learn that?

This afternoon the kids and I went through all their toys, got rid of some and moved others into GG's room. In the afternoons they play with the toys while I do whatever needs to be done around the house. Some days they are best friends and others I have to go in there every two minutes, siblings! So from now on they are going to spend quiet time in their own rooms playing with their toys. Afterwards they will be able to play together. Hopefully this will solve this problem...

One more thing, I promise! Monkey has stopped taking naps so far this week. It is awesome he goes to sleep around 6:30 to 7pm and he sleeps all night long. Then GG goes to sleep at 7 to 7:15pm so J and I have time together. I really hope they don't change this schedule.

Ok this is a new day so I will try posting again. Yesterday the kids and I went to church and afterwards I took them to Wendy’s for lunch we ordered off the 99 cent menu. As we were standing in line GG pulls up my shirt and tells the lady behind us that I have a baby in my tummy. Yes, I do have a baby in my tummy but do we have to show a complete stranger??? I couldn’t be mad at her because she is so excited about the baby and it is so cute to watch her talk about the new baby, she lights up!

Last night we took the kids to the Ark program at church, Aunty Liz was in it. It was really good they sang, danced, and talked about the birth of Jesus. You have to be in 1st grade to be apart of Ark and GG has kept talking about when she is old enough she wants to be in it. This was no surprise to J or I as she loves to sing and dance now. She has actually always loved to be the center of attention and she pretty much always is!!! As for Monkey I think he enjoyed it too. He sat on grandma or grandpa’s lap the whole time so I didn’t get to see his reaction I just know he sat and watched the whole thing.

Well I updated the other day then the page froze up and I didn't feel like re-typing. So let's see we have started back to school and the kids were extremely excited to be back at school with all their friends. Tuesday night GG throw up in her bed and didn't even wake up to tell us we ended up smelling it. It was nasty. J took care of cleaning up the bed, her pillow, her baby doll, blankets, and pj's. I gave her a bath. As I was washing out the chunks I throw up. It was a bad night. I had to wash her body and hair twice to get the smell off of her. Then we made her sleep in our room just in case it happened again. I actually made her stay there last night too.

Also we have mice in our house and it is grossing me out. J has done all the filling of wholes to keep them out but they got in again. So we set traps. The last two mornings there have been a mouse in it. This morning when I saw the trap I told J he needed to come take care of it so the kids didn't see it and when I started to talk to him the mouse, still alive, started moving around and shaking the trap. I freaked out and woke up the kids. It really scared me I thought it was dead. So today J found the whole they have been coming and filled in that one too. Now we are going to set some traps in the crawl space and see if we have anymore or we finally got rid of them. I really hope they are gone now.

Today J and I are going to the Christmas banquet at church. Liz is coming to watch the kids and spending the night. I got to get a new outfit for the event, I justified it because we have a wedding in January to go to so I can wear it there too. I really like it so I will probably wear it to church all the time! Well that is about all I can think of to write about.