Part 1 of 2

So its only appropriate on this last day of 2007 to look back on the year and do a little introspection. Don't worry - I'm not a deep thinker so you won't get lost in my thoughts. But we are hopefully learning something new every year, whether its about ourselves or the world around us. So I am going to attempt to pinpoint a few things that I think have increased my intellect.

1. It is really an honor to be called " mom" and I need to make sure I live up to it every moment of every day.
2. I'm not one to get too mushy, but I really married well. I've seen a new side of my husband for the first time in 10 years. One time a few years ago I remember saying (in the heat of some argument, I'm sure) "Your not the person I married." And he said to me "that's right, and we shouldn't be the same person we were years ago, we should always be growing and changing". We have probably had the best year marriage wise in our 10 year history. And if you know about some of our circumstances, that could have gone the completely opposite way. I love him more than ever.
3. I have learned you actually have to work to lose weight. In my life, if something doesn't come easy - I just quit. Well, here's something I can't really quit. There'll be more on this in tomorrow's post.
4. I learned that baking homemade bread isn't really that hard
5. I learn this every year. I can't always do everything I want, or say I can. Which leads to overcommitment. Which I have to work on every single year.
6. Even if you keep a clean house and feed your children healthy, they get sick.
7. Having 3 children is not like having 2.
8. Not all my babies are 6 lbs. Some, well one, was actually 8. (I thought my Dr. didn't know what he was talking about when he told me this baby would be bigger than the others.)
9. And finally - God really doesn't care about my time schedule. And if I know nothing else, as long as I cling to the fact that I believe what He tells me in His Word, I have nothing to worry about.

Okay, part 2 is going to be my goals for 2008. Cliche'? yes. Do I care? No.

Man, after 4 days of feeling awful, I'm finally pulling out of it. Its funny, when you're a mom and you're sick, its really irrelevant. I remember Andy getting sick and sleeping all day long. I was lucky to get a 2 1/2 hour nap after begging my husband to stay home with the kids for the morning. And the kitchen.....well we won't even go there.


So, I finally uploaded the Christmas pics so here is a sampling. Enjoy!

The Day after Christmas

Christmas was great. Lots of fun - lots of wrapping paper, food, and fellowship with family. But its the day after Christmas that will be the day to remember:

• First thing in the morning, took Rene' to the Dr. for yet another ear infection that burst her eardrum Christmas Eve. She has to get tubes now.
• Zak played with his Moonsand he got for Christmas then had a horrible rash all over his hands. Guess he's alergic to Moonsand.
• By the end of the day, I'm flat on my back sicker than a dog.

And that has been the last 3 days - me in bed sick.

Good times. Christmas 2007.

Silent Night?

This wasn't quite how I had envisioned her singing it.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Our Christmas Card

Its just not going to make it from my head to paper this year, and I need to mark something off my "to do" list this week. So here is our Christmas picture and what it would have said:

Merry Christmas

Love, Us

I'm supposed to be baking, wrapping gifts and singing carols

Instead, I'm worrying myself to death over that fact that since my son, Zak, now has strep throat, the rest of the family could follow shortly. Aren't there like 7 more days till Christmas?

Yeah.

At 3:45 yesterday he breaks out in a rash all over his body. That was my cue that the sore throat, and fever he'd had for 2 days was probably not going to go away any time soon. I called the doctor, they were full, but they'd fit me in. I didn't have time to find anyone to watch the girls, and a desperate call to request the husband off work, didn't work. So I loaded all 3 up and raced to the doctor to get there before they closed. All I'll say about the 30 minute wait in the waiting room is that it was full and my 2 year old was jumping to the only 3 empty chairs. That's right. I was the mother that everyone else was either looking at in disgust, because I couldn't get my child under control, or they were feeling sorry for me because they'd been there. Then there were the words every potty training mom dreads most when your in a public place - well, almost - "Mommy, I need to go pee pee." Now, had I not raced so fast to the doctor, I would have put her in a pull up. And at this point, I probably would have done the biggest potty training "no no" and told her to just go in her pull up. But that of course wasn't an option. I beg Zak to stay and wait for his name to be called, but he'll have none of that so we head to the bathroom. Here, I learn it is hard to put toilet paper on the toilet so my child won't get germs, while holding the baby. I can't put the baby down because she'll crawl all over the disgusting floor. I choose the lesser of 2 evils and tell Paige to just get her self on the potty. I had left the stall door open so we could all fit, and in wanders some little girl, without her mother, who wants to check out the commotion. Then of course we haven't mastered wiping by ourselves yet, so I need to do this, while holding the baby. I misjudge the depth of the water below and soak my hand in potty water. I KNOW! Somehow she gets her pants up I place the baby on the counter because I absolutely have to wash my hands, no matter what it takes. I block her from falling with my elbow as I sing the ABCs in my head while I wash my hands because I need to make sure they get really clean.

We didn't miss our name being called and as soon as the nurse saw Zak's rash she said "I bet his strep test is so positive". Our very nice Dr, Dr Albiek confirms this and proceeds to tell me that when they told him who had called, he said he'd see me because he knew I wouldn't bring them in if it weren't serious. We're on a first name basis. I believe in co pays alone this fall I've paid for his entire family's Christmas.

Remember that magical Christmas season I blogged about. Its still just in my head.

Now, I'm going to share a picture of our Christmas tree

More Holiday cheer than you'll know what to do with

So I stumbled up the blogosphere Christmas home tour hosted by Boomama. And since there is nothing I like more than taking a gander inside people's home's, I've spent too much time checking this all out. So my Christmas tip for today is to go here and look until your hearts content. It will make you want to redecorate, or not, or at least clean your house. Have fun!