It's Santa Time

So we (my Husband and I) set out a couple of days ago. A mission of Christmas importance.

The Santa Picture....

We gave it no thought. Last year was a breeze right (NOT!!) Why should this be harder??
Well fist off it's amazing how we seem to forget how really difficult things can be.
Seriously, how in such a short period of time do we just up and erase our memories of the bad and frustrating things that we endure as parents??
Because ... we have this granger idea of what we WANT it to be. We hold dear in our minds this intangible "Hallmark Moment"
We just think well... It won't be so bad. We'll do all our preparation, go in the right timing and it will be Great! Right??
Yeah.. well here is where it always goes bad. We think about this as if we are working with solid consistent people. They are little and fly by the seats of their sweet little pants. How can we know what is going to happen??? THEY don't even know!!

So Tuesday night we sailed out of the house at 3:30 figuring the mall will be okay and we'll sail right in and pay good old Saint Nick a visit. We got there... we saw him... it went well, bad.
Neither Johnpaul nor Nathaniel would smile or really even talk to Santa.
They both seemed deflated and zoned out.
And when I sat Christian on his lap you'd swear Santa was on fire. The kid just screamed and screamed! I know this is a pretty normal reaction but he believe it or not he is the very First of mine to cry on Santas lap.

Okay... so we looked at the pictures and you can guess that they sucked. So we thought we'd go away and loosen up the kids a bit.
When we returned... Santa was just leaving for dinner. So.. rather than drag it out, we left. Strike One.

Then comes Wednesday... I made all the calls had all the conversations trying to get the day in affair so this would or could go more smoothly.
We arrived.. everyone is in a great mood!
We join the line.. only a few people ahead of us... Looking good!
It's our turn!
We go up and greet Santa and immediately it's obvious that Christian is NOT having it.
So the photographer and wish woman waves us and suggests the two older do their thing and we will ambush him onto Santas lap. Santa in agreement we go for it!

So it's not perfect.. But it's still super cute!

We survived yet another Family Milestone. We will I'm certain forget the craziness of it and be again all ramped up for a repeat next year. What ever.. we got it done.

Votes, I need em'...

So I belong to a blog ranking site Top Mommy Blogs and I have for now...

 about a year just trying to get this darn blog into the 50's :o)

It's a strange goal of mine but ya know what a gal has to have a dream , right??

This past Monday they did a reset. 

They do this about 4 times a year. I was a little slow on the up take.

Here is where I hit a snag.

See apparently they change the code to instead of special individual voting code they just have everyones votes count for that said blog directly from it's direct page. 

See this was suppose to be easier... 

Yeah.. except for it isn't. 

I have missed out on 5 days of people who have casted votes for me....

Which I am seriously Thankful for 

Oh well right so... here is where you come into play.

Apparently I now have it fixed :o)

And I need YOU to VOTE!! 

I am currently #262.. and that is a super far cry from #50 by a lot.

So there are several ways to get there all of which are a Simple super fast click away. 

Ready Set Vote!

 Here  click this picture-----


Or heck Click here :o) 

Belonging

I want to drink in these days.

Since becoming a Mommy some short 4 years 8 months and some change 

I have been trying savor every single moment of these guys lives.

It's fleeting.

I can feel the days just running through my fingers and I can feel them growing up.

Johnpaul, Nathaniel & Christian  are becoming big... 

Johnpaul will be a kindergardener next year, Nate in preschool 

and Christian is a Toddler!

I look at them and even with them daily I feel like I am missing it. In a blink of an eye they change.

Christmas is coming and they are so excited. JOhnpaul and Nate are talking about Santa. Johnpaul in now reminding him that he needs to be good because Santa knows... I love it.

Heck since having children I like the Holidays again. 

I have to admit before I didn't like them. 

Holidays always seemed so lonely to me. 

Like even though I had family I was still some how alone. 

Now with my four guys I will never be that. I love that I have them, 

I love that they have each other. 

Even though they fight well like brothers, they will link up together to face off even against me! 

That makes me smile (even when it makes me mad) They will always have someone. 

I Love my Guys

A lot Off today

Ya ever have one of those days where as soon as your eyes pop, your in a horrible mood....?

That would be today. True I got no sleep last night, I went to bed with a head ache and fought with a baby all night jockeying for space in bed and him hungry all night. But that is every night....
What made this day any different? As soon as I stepped one foot on the floor my 3 year old in running in MOMMMMMY!!! Waking the baby I spent all night soothing.... Again.. Not different.

All I know is I now am spending these moments while nursing typing away, checking emails.. correcting typos caused by a kicking squirming baby...So sorry if I missed some. Trying to decompress and get a grip on our day.
Today we get to go play with friends and run off some of that energy. I hope my head ache leaves as fast as it came.
Maybe I'll try coffee.... I've got a serious case of the Blahs. 9:02am.....

M. I. A

Man! It's been a while!!! And there is just too much to write in one posting so I'll blaze through it.

• Since I last posted about my oldest 1st field trip we've had Halloween! It was FUN!!
• Christian has gotten HUGE! Is full on walking, running, jumping and dancing!
• Johnpaul is getting so smart at school and is really taking on his role of Biggest Brother. He's a huge help.
• Nathaniel just turned 3! Got his stats back from his check up he's 95th % both hight and weight!
• Oh and he jammed paper up his nose, it took me two nurses and the doctor trying to get it out. No dice he served it to us! She said he is the strongest kids she has ever seen LOL!!
• I've gotten back into my size 8 Jeans!! Woo Hoo!!! Still working on my goal.... I'll settle for another 10 pounds at this rate.
• My Campaign to Clean the house has flopped. I'll get back to it. Really I will.
• Thanksgiving has gone down, it was YUMMY!
• Christmas is coming and I'm not ready
• Oh and I found a mouse too!!! A dead one.

I think that pretty much brings me up to speed.

It's been a whirl wind of crazy. I miss my blog... I love my blog and have been neglecting it. Lame lame lame.

But I'm back... Yay! Just in time for the big Christmas Holiday!

Any big plans??