Thinkin' maybe...

Feeling a bit bored this evening so I grabbed the laptop and decided to check out the blogging world! It is likely that only Krystal has noticed my absence as she is one of the few I know that faithfully continues to post! While catching up on her blog, I notice the link to mine at the bottom of the list, last updated, one year ago! Sad. So much has happened in the past year! I spent a few minutes looking through some of my last posts and my kids, twins especially, look so young! They are all huge and crazy now! So maybe, just maybe, I will get back to business here!

Laundry anyone?

Jeff and I spent 3 hours folding and hanging laundry last night. Our laundry is so insane. Blame it on a family of six or two 2 year old that tinkle their panties just enough to need to change them six times a day, or, the most likely problem being the fact that we have so many clothes I can get away without doing laundry for two weeks! It certainly doesn't help that Jeff wears dress clothes to work, jeans and a polo when he gets home, and pajamas that he doesn't even sleep in! Kate changes 4 times a day just because she loves her clothes so much! I have lost control because she can get the clothes and put them on herself now! I hate laundry!

This was just what was clean. The laundry room was still covered, the shower stall full of blankets and sheets, and a load in both the washer and dryer. Does anyone else have this much laundry??

Hardware Ranch

We took the kids to Hardware Ranch a couple of weekends ago, and even though it was raining and we were soaked, we all had a good time. The kids thought it was so exciting to see the elk so close! Jack and his daddy can't wait to shoot one!

Jane!

This is Jane in heaven! Anything and everything pink, makeup, ponies and the like, gathered and then laid out! This lady will sit forever sorting and organizing her "stuff" into piles and rows of things that go together. Jane is the kid that makes the most messes because she leaves piles of toys everywhere, but I think it is so cute how she plays!

Lucky me

Sometimes I wonder why I was lucky enough to have so many kids so quickly. Somebody out there must think I am some amazing woman with an insane amount of patience, tolerance, kindness, and strength.

Mom, I love your boobs!

After a few squabbles over "spots" while snuggling one morning, Jack went from the side of me, to the middle, back to my side when he nestled into me and said, "Mom, I love your boobs. They are so soft and comfortable. That middle spot is hard, I like this side best."

Santa came to our house!

Christmas was a lot of fun for us this year. Even the twins had a good understanding of what Santa was all about. The build up to the big day was so exciting for them. We went to see Christmas lights, had a personal visit with Santa where he called them by name to give them a gift, and made gingerbread houses, all of which was so fun to see the joy in their little faces.



This year, the kids thought that putting out cookies for Santa and veggies for the reindeer was awesome. Because we don't have a fireplace, we have a magic key we hang on the door so Santa can get in. I had to take the key off four times so everyone could take their turn!



Luckily, the kids were tuckered out and fell asleep pretty quick! Santa and Mrs. Clause worked their magic and all efforts paid off when we watched them open their presents. We left their "big" present unwrapped and piled all the other gifts around it. In the morning, we brought all the kids down together and it was so funny to watch them run straight to their own pile just based on the one unwrapped present. Lily got a dollhouse that Jeff and Grandpa built for her and that my dear cousin Joi Lin painted for me on Christmas Eve (thanks to my procrastinating husband). Jack got a powerwheels jeep, Kate got an art table with a bunch of color wonder supplies for her room, and Jane got a "makeup table".

Santa pointed out that Mrs. Clause had gone a bit overboard when we had to move furniture out of the front room and because everything wouldn't fit around the tree! More than anything, Jack wanted Spike the Dinosaur. Spike is a $140 dino that I didn't want to have swallow up his whole Christmas so Grandma Jeri, Santa #2, purchased it for him. While Jack was pretty excited about his Jeep, he was obviously disappointed about not getting Spike. It broke my heart. Grandma and Jeff both told me to switch grandma the Jeep for Spike, especially since Grandma was giving the three girls each a Jeep. I was worried that Jack's pile would look to small compared to the girls if his "big" present was a 2 foot dinosaur. He seemed so bummed out although he didn't say to much about it except, "I didn't get my Spike." Finally, late Christmas afternoon, he got Spike. The boy was exstatic! He was jumping and screaming and smiling so big. I was so happy he finally had what he wanted most, but I felt so bad he didn't get it from Santa. I have learned a lesson though. No matter what the pile of presents "looks" like, as long as they get what they ask for, they are HAPPY! We spent the entire day with our family which was wonderful. The kids made out like bandits and Jeff and I received some great gifts too. Thanks to everyone for all the fun things.

Our front yard was sure to look like a Jeep safari with four Jeeps cruisin' around out there. The kids were so excited to finally go try them out after just sitting in them inside for three days. I bundled them up in their snow clothes because I knew they would not stay out of it and who knew that the snow would win over the Jeeps. Jack drove his around about 10 minutes, and the girls about 5 minutes before they headed for the snow. They fashioned a sledding hill out of my terraced flower garden and spent the next hour sledding.

I am already excited for next year! Happy New Year everyone!