Week AFTER Christmas Recap!

Okay, this is post numero 2 for the day because I have so much stuff to write about. The week after Christmas Monica and Brad came out to visit. I love it when they're in town because every night is a party. Unfortunately Bradley was sick the whole time. But, good news was that they were our Pixie's and sent mom a box of gifts to give us during the month of December. I had no idea it was them! The day before Christmas Eve I got rear-ended and realized that my license was expired! Ty and I both decided to go renew our licenses the next week. While we were gone doing that the whole family went sledding. I guess Madden screamed the whole way down the hill. We finally got him to lay around in the sled and he let us drag him around. For some reason, I think he became scared of Dean because he's the one that took him down the hill! London, on the other hand, had such a grand time that she refused to come in with everybody else. Dean ended up staying outside with her for an extended sledding session. She finally came in when it was dark outside and she was freezing cold. I'm sure Dean was just as cold! My mom was kind enough to buy both of our kids snowsuits and boots after this excursion! We all went in to eat dinner after freezing our tushies off outside. Good thing Tyler called my dad to buy two extra pizzas just in case there wasn't enough to go around. Guess what, they're were two entire pizzas left over. I'm sure that's the last time my dad's going to listen to Tyler's frantic suggestions over food. I think the very next night my parent's watched all the grandkids so that all of their kids and their spouses could see "True Grit." It was so fun to be out with the siblings without the stress of children. Fortunately since half the women are pregnant in our family, (Not me, don't even ask.) they were all feeling well enough to go! New Year's Eve was spent at my parent's with London, my mom, and dad asleep in the same bed by 10:00 p.m.. The only people left awake were Tyler, Brad, and myself. We ended up playing Texas Hold 'em until midnight and missed the ball drop entirely! I've realized that I'm a terrible poker player. That was the last time I play that game with fruit loops! New Year's Day we went to a hotel where Ty's mom had gotten a room. I guess you could get a conference room only if you rented a room for the night. So, we had a birthday breakfast for Grandma Benard, and Ty took the kids swimming. Madden was so exhausted that I finally just held him in my lap while the Ty and Lew swam. Bad idea, he peed all over me. But, at least he was comforted. I finally rocked him to sleep and he slept in his stroller in the conference room whilst the rest of us played games. What good kids we have. After two weeks of staying up late, missing naps, gorging on goodies, and lots of family time, our kids were in reasonably good spirits. They're still recovering from all of the activities. Madden has been so beat that yesterday he totally zonked out in his high chair during lunch! London used to do this daily! Here's a picture of her so long ago! Well, today before church I decided to put good use to those snow suits my mom bought the kids while I shoveled. They were hilarious. Madden looked like Randy from "The Christmas Story." He could not walk at all in those boots. London was thrilled to be outside. I think they've been pretty cooped up lately. They even got rakes to help me out. But, now, both kids are asleep, London got a fever and Madden isn't feeling so hot either. Now I'm wondering if our morning shoveling was a good idea! I'll learn one of these days! I'll just say, that I was ready for the festivities to be over and get back to a normal schedule!