December 21st- January 9th

Happy 2008!!

We ended up spending Christmas with family. Mike's cousin and his family invited us to go with them to Breckenridge. We had a great time. The kids did a lot of sledding. They had a blast. We had talked about going skiing, but it was just too cold to try to do that with Dylan. Maybe when it gets warmer. Breckenridge is a beautiful place. Lots of snow!! While we were there we went tubing. It is way up on the mountain. You take a gondola up to it! The four of us went down once together, but after that I was frozen, as was Kristian. Mike and Dylan went down once more together and then Mike did a few times by himself. We all had a great time. We really enjoyed getting to spend time with Ryan, Tanya and the girls. We played games pretty much every night and just hung out. It was a lot of fun. The day after Christmas we headed back home. I had woke up not feeling just wonderful, but as long as I had Motrin in me I was fine. We got home around 9 that night, unloaded and hit the hay. On Thursday I felt a lot better, so we went to Chris and Maite's for dinner and then went and picked up groceries for my family's visit. On Friday, I spent the day cleaning and cooking. My family arrived late Friday night, after a very long trip! When you have 3 vehicles carpooling, it doesn't make it easy. On Saturday, the adults went to Walmart, well except me.. I volunteered to hang out with the kids, since they had been cooped up in the car the day before. We had a great time. I took them out to play in the snow, they loved that! When the adults got back, we pulled the kids around on the 4 wheeler. They had a blast. That afternoon we had Christmas dinner and opened gifts. We also spent a lot of time playing Fill or Bust!! Sunday, we took the kids to Chuck E Cheese and then came back home. Kim's husband, Brandon, drove in from Kansas where he was working to spend some time with everyone. Me, Mike, Kim and Brandon stayed up late playing Fill or bust and Guitar Hero. Monday I woke up and felt HORRIBLE! I didn't get out of bed till around noon and then I was back in bed not too long after that. I ended up staying in bed for a week. I went to the doctor on Wednesday they said it was just a virus, gave me some meds and sent me home. On Friday night my ear starting hurting. Finally on Sunday I couldn't take it any longer, so I went back. I had an ear infection! They gave me some antibiotics, cough medicine and a steroid shot. That helped some, but my ear even today is still clogged and driving me nuts! Other than that I am just tired. Luckily no one else has came down with it. The guys have had stuffy noses and coughs, but nothing like what I had and I am greatful for that. Dylan did get an ear infection from his stuffy nose though, but he acted like it was nothing. We didn't even know he had one. Mike took him in for his cough and we found out then. We are starting to think that New Year's just isn't a good time of the year for us. With Mike's appendix bursting last year and this year with me being so sick, I am almost dreading 2009!

We had a wonderful time with my family. They ended up leaving on New Year's Day bright and shiny. I didn't even get a chance to tell them good bye I was so out of it. It was nice to have them all here. The house was full and loud, but it was great to have everyone here at one time and enjoy everyone's company.

The pictures are of the boys sledding here at the house, the tubing hills, Kristian, Sierra, Dylan and Mike bundled up at the tubing hills, Christmas with my family and Pierson with his bull riding shirt on.

Have a great week!

December 11th

Hey everyone,

We are all doing good. Enjoying a little wintry weather this week, finally. It started snowing on Friday night and has been off and on the last couple of days. Saturday was beautiful. For once the wind wasn't blowing so the trees and everything else looked like it has been sprinkled in powdered sugar. As you can see from the pictures.

Last Tuesday was Kristian's Christmas band concert at school. He did a wonderful job. One song she had the bass guitarists, which consists of Kristian and another kid, start the song off. He did it perfectly! We were so proud of him.

Thursday I went into town with the 3 kids and went to Maite's house for a play date. The kids loved having "new" toys to play with. We stayed for lunch and then I went and did grocery shopping with them. I was pretty impressed with myself. They behaved so well!

Friday I went and dropped Max off at the kennel. Came home and packed us all for the night. Kristian was spending the night at Connors, Dylan was going to Tracy's and Mike and I were staying downtown at the Hilton. His work's Christmas party was Friday night and we decided to get a hotel across the street from the restaurant and just make a night of it. The party is always a good time. The food is unbelievably good! Plus we get to catch up with people we haven't seen in a while. After the party we went out for drinks with some friends and then back to the hotel. Unfortunately the people next door were having a "good time" all night long!! So we had to listen to that all night. I was too embarrassed to call the front desk. I mean what do you say... Anyway the next morning Mike surprised me and took me to a furniture store to pick out a new buffet for the dining room. I have been looking for one for a few months now and just hadn't found what I was looking for. I found one and lucky me... it won't be in till January 7th! But oh well at least I found one right? After that we went and had breakfast. It was so nice just to be able to sit and talk and not be interrupted every couple of minutes by the kids. After breakfast we went and picked up the kids, picked up Max and came home.

Sunday we hung out at the house for the most part of the day. In the afternoon we went to the store and had dinner at Applebees. We got home around 7. The boys had to take showers and get ready for school the next day. Around midnight we got a call from Mike's youngest sister, Tayla. She was having really painful stomach pains and was throwing up. She wanted to know what an appendicitis felt like. Mike told her what to do and she was feeling like that was what it was. So Mike told her to go to the emergency room. She got there and they did tests and the ER doctor said that that was what it was, but the radiologists said it wasn't. So they waited. Finally around 3 in the afternoon a surgeon said, well that is probably what it is because she is very tender in that area and there isn't another reason why. You have to love Oklahoma doctors. Anyway they did the surgery and it was in fact her appendix. Luckily it hadn't ruptured yet. But I guess when your appendix becomes infected it excretes bile and that went into her intestines. They said there isn't much they can do for that. I am just glad that they finally figured it out and that she is on her way to recovering.

Yesterday, the school called and said that Kristian wasn't feeling well. He had a mild temp and a head ache. I picked him up and dropped Tracy's kids off to one of her friends. He came home and rested and seems to be doing better today. I am keeping him home just to keep an eye on him.

Well just two more weeks till the big day! I can't believe it. I am pretty much done with my shopping except for the stocking stuffers... Tomorrow we start the 12 days of Christmas with the boys. They get to open a small gift every evening from under their tree upstairs. They are really excited to start. Then on Christmas eve they get to pick one from the BIG tree! My family will be here two weeks from Friday. I am excited for them to come. Tammy has never been to my house before and all of them at one time has never happened either. It will go great and I am sure like any family gathering will have it's ups and downs, but... at least we will all be together.

I guess that is it from us. Hope to be back on here sometime within the next week. The pictures are of Kristian and Dylan before the band concert, us during the snowfall on Saturday, the trees on Saturday, and some out takes of our "Christmas photo shoot"!

December 4th

Hey everyone.

I guess I will start where I left off last time. On Wednesday I put up my Christmas tree and the inside decorations. The boys were a big help carrying stuff up from the basement and unpacking it all. I let them decorate the tree, but I had to rearrange the ornaments because everything was hung on the bottom of the tree on one side. I felt bad moving everything, but... I was afraid it was going to tip over.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Cat and Brett. Lots of GREAT food. I am still recovering from that day! We played a fun game called Fill or Bust. You must get it. It is very addicting and a blast to play. It lets you see just how much you will actually risk. It is played with 6 dice and a deck of cards. Great to take on a trip because there isn't much to it. I had a hard time finding it. I actually found it at a game store at the mall. It was around $5!! Can't beat it!

Friday morning I was over at Joann's around 5 and we headed out. We went to the newest Walmart in town and it was DEAD! They still had a ton of stuff left, so we got some good deals. After that we went to Bed Bath and Beyond, Dick's Sporting Goods, we walked in and out of Kohls and Toys R Us. The lines were wrapped twice around the store. We went to JcPenny's, Linen and Things and ended at Radio Shack. We got a lot of stuff and I'm pretty much done with the shopping. We grabbed some lunch and headed home, just in time because it started snowing. When I got home and was unloading I realized that not only had I left a bag at Walmart!! they also overcharged me! So FRUSTRATING!! So we headed back over to Walmart to get everything straightened out and luckily it wasn't too much of a hassle. They had my stuff and gave me my money back. I just wonder how many people they had overcharged that day who didn't realize it...

Saturday we went and met Cat and Brett and their kids for lunch. It was Cat's REAL birthday. We ate at a new place called Dave's Famous BQ. It was really good AND they are the only place around here that serves sweet tea! Now some of you may not think that is a big deal, but everywhere back home serves it, so that is what we are used to. After lunch we headed to the mall. Dylan was so excited to see Santa, until we were there. He didn't want to get out of line, but he wouldn't talk or smile and still didn't when he saw Santa. He sat in his lap and just totally ignored Santa talking to him and never once smiled. I bought the pictures anyway because I want to remind him of that someday! I ended up doing some shopping while we were there and bought a dress to where to Mike's Christmas party. By the time we were done with all of that it was dinner time and if you know my kids, they think if they miss one meal they are going to starve to death. So we went to Saltgrass for dinner. Then went by Target and headed home.

I can't remember what we did on Sunday. I think we just hung out at the house.

Monday was back to work and school. It was great to see the kids again, (Jacob and Rebecca) I hadn't seen them all week. They always look like they have grown a foot. I ended up getting a head cold on Tuesday night and felt horrible. I still watched the kids though. I figured I could make it till nap time and then I would just collapse, but out of all the days they decided they were only going to sleep for a little bit. So... I ended up loading them into the car and heading to Walmart to pick up some medicine for me. I swung by KFC to get dinner, headed to the school to pick up Kristian and drop off the kids to Tracy and then home we went. Mick ended up working till around 10 that night, so it was just the boys and I. Thursday was a much better day. I was feeling a lot better. Maite and Grant came over for a play date. We had a great time. The kids all got along really good.

Friday Mick took the day off. We hung out around the house for the first part of the day and then ran to pick up a few groceries. That evening Joann and Phil and the kids came out for dinner. Joann and I worked on a craft for the teachers and then we played..... Fill or Bust. Mike still isn't good at it. He risks every time. And poor Phil... He started off not risking, but by the end of the game, Mike had him risking it all. It was so funny. Joann and I couldn't stop laughing at them two. Out of 3 games I won one and Joann won two. So that just shows how well the guys were at it! They also played Guitar Hero and well she and I AREN'T good at that.

Saturday Mike and Bryan went to Canon City to pickup somethings. Me and the boys hung out around the house and I cleaned. We went to the Festival of Lights parade Saturday night. The boys loved it. It lasted about an hour. We were lucky to find a good place to stand, but next year we are getting there earlier. After the parade we went to dinner, went by Walmart to pick up outdoor Christmas lights and then headed home. Mick and I tried to stay awake to watch Christmas Vacation, but we just couldn't.

Sunday we got up all ready to hang lights and what a pain that was. The lights that we had just bought the night before weren't working right. It was too cold outside to stay out there too long and it was a bad day! What should've taken us a couple of hours to do ended up taking all day. But there are lights on the house and that was the point.

Well I guess that is it. I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying the Holiday season.

I only have the one picture this time and that is of Dylan and Santa. Isn't it just the greatest picture ever? :)