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!

Christmas Recap!

Wow, this is going to be a long one and I'm ashamed I'm so far behind. Last year my New Year's resolution was to post once a week. Apparently I'll be repeating that goal yearly. This has been a really busy, fun, fattening, and exciting last month. Ty's mom has been in town and we've been able to spend some good time with her and Grandpa. The week of Christmas Tyler surprised me with this: Well, not this exact one but, the picture I took would not load up! I was shocked. I had no idea. All of a sudden my mother-in-law, father-in-law and his son, and my mom showed up at 8 at night! I thought, "What is Tyler up to?" Next thing I know I'm forced into my bedroom to sit and wait. When I was finally allowed to come out I saw my brother, Dean, my Dad, Ty, and our friend Phil. To be quite honest, I was embarrassed with all the attention but, extremely grateful. Apparently Phil pretty much carried the piano into my Dad's trailer himself. Ty said we should have just strapped the thing to his back and it would have worked just as well! It was such a good surprise. London saw it the next morning and her and Madden pounded on it all day. London asked me, "How did Santa get that in his bag?" I said, "He has a really big bag!" She paused and said, "Not THAT big, MOM!" I just laughed and didn't say any more! She also calls the Piano the "Play Plano." Christmas Eve day was spent at the gym, then the movies to see "Tangled" (thanks to grandma and grandpa Whipple), and then we headed up to my grandparents. Already, we were tired but, London was so excited to see Santa. I think she was preoccupied the entire day focusing on that. We got way too many presents and ate way too much food. There was a program by grandma and of course, a talent show. I'm still kind of bugged all of the men wussed out of doing ANYTHING! Santa came and scared Madden and Gabe to death. London, however, was very pleased to be on his lap! By the time we left Madden was out for the count and London was still wired over the arrival of Santa! We told her a passing plane in the sky was Santa's sleigh. We said he goes so fast that his sleigh looks like it's on fire! She had an amazed look on her face and said, "Santa's sleigh looks just like an airplane!"...Yeeesss, it does, doesn't it? We spent the night at my parents. We say every year that we won't do it again, but this year my parents' don't have one "Santa Believer" in the house. Therefore, we had to go and share in the fun! Our kids were up at 4:30 a.m.!!!! London was so excited she woke up Madden, then Ty and I got up, THEN my parents got up to take London. She got in bed with them and Madden got in bed with us. None of us slept. Finally we got up around 6:00. The kids were wired. Madden played with Papa's golf clubs until we finally went downstairs. London received a bike for Christmas. She was so happy. Unfortunately, she could not ride the bike and look up at the same time. So she'd run into the cabinets and tip over because she was trying to watch her feet pedal. I was pleased to receive a sewing machine from my parents and a white side table for the family room. Yes, I am wearing a plaid, flannel nightgown! What's it to ya! After a quick jog with Madeline and breakfast with my family we headed down to Grandma's to see Ty's family! By this point, London was so exhausted and moody as was her little brother. I finally rocked Madden to sleep and put him in the other room on a couch. London got a bike helmet and kneed pads from G and G Whipple for Christmas and Madden got some sound books. They loved them!We usually play games and stuff Christmas Day night, but Tyler was so exhausted we headed home around 7:00 p.m. and went straight to bed! What a day! That in a nutshell was our Christmas day!

Thanksgiving, Family, and The Zoo!

I think that's everything I need to post about since I'm shamefully behind. The day before Thanksgiving, my mom called to say that we should have a little get together to play games. I thought, "Okay, this is always fun. Let's do it!" She also mentioned under her breath that she had a surprise. I assumed this meant she made me some chocolate temptation or that my birthday present had arrived. So, we arrived at the "party" with all of my siblings. Dean and Mary with their kids, Mom and Dad, Mandy and Trent and their little boy, Libs and Maddie, Danny and Emily and Sam, and....Monica. Oh yeah, did I mention my surprise was Monica!!!! Her and Madeline kept it a secret that she was coming. I guess it was snowing and Mad told mom and dad that she had to pick up a friend from the airport. They DID NOT want her to drive in that weather, so mom went with her. I guess she was tearfully surprised to see Monica there! Everybody was shocked to see her. Except Madden played with the vacuum the entire time she was here. It was so fun to have her. Of course, we missed Brad as he spent Thanksgiving in Cali. I'm pretty sure we went to my parents' every night to see her. Fortunately, they had enough food for us to mooch on for dinner as well! Thanksgiving was too much! I gained two pounds, Tyler gained five pounds, and his work out buddy at the gym....16 pounds! We have not gotten over that! In addition to our gluttonous weekend, we were able to put up our Christmas decorations. London was so excited that she bounced around the house during the entire process. She is such a crack up. Our kids are growing so fast. The other day London was begging for wet wipes. She's slightly OCD and I know that she hates any tacky feeling on her palm. I told her absolutely no more wet wipes and shut the bathroom door on her because I had to go! A second later I yelled, "LONDON!!! WHY IS THE TOILET SEAT STICKY!?!" She calmly stated, "I was trying to tell you. I need a wet wipe because Madden grabbed a banana and wiped it on the toilet seat." I felt thoroughly chastised and laughed at the whole thing! Her and Madden are still best friends and usually partners in crime. I have had to take all of the ornaments off the bottom of the tree because Madden tears them off, and London will rearrange them! Both kids are in a jumping phase. They'll say, "One, two, three, JUMP!" London will actually get off the ground whereas Madden does a full squat and stands quickly up. It's so anti-climatic but, hilarious. Tyler's mom and step-dad are in town from England so Grandma and Grandpa Barnes took everyone to the zoo! I had no idea they did lights and Christmas decorations. I believe they even had Santa there but, there was a 45 min wait. No Thanks! You can't tell, but there's a reindeer in the background of this next pic. London was so excited the entire time. Her and I were running every which way trying to get in everything we could. Ty had a good time playing with his cousin's kids as well as all the other kids! He's such a child! At the beginning, Madden was kind of grumpy. He'd eaten an entire kid's meal so you'd think he would be happy. Nope, he was kind of stoic and mopey. I even gave him a kiss, and he ignored me. Once we got into the park his eyes went huge! He even tried to grab the lights and bite them! We saw snakes, crocodiles, a reindeer, bugs, etc. But, the best were the tigers! There were four of them circling around this bridge. At one point a tiger went right up to the glass where Tyler was holding Madden. It steamed up immediately and terrified little Madden and me! I'm pretty sure that Tiger saw Madden as a snack! The zoo was a fun time. Here I leave you with a video of our jumping children. Enjoy!