Christmas and the week or so following

So, Christmas was awhile ago, but WOW it has been busy and a struggle to get to my computer. I had to post on Christmas

though.... too wonderful to pass over. Christmas Eve we did our traditional caroling to Christ around a campfire. It was great to have our whole family together. We ALL sang (including Josh and L). It was so fun. We sang, had cocoa, roasted hot dogs and the girls had a ball chasing Katie around in the snow. We came inside and then read a few versions of the Christmas Story before putting the girls to bed. First thing Christmas morning, I woke up and had to potty and then realized she didn't get to jump on us in bed. L woke up too so she had Josh and I go back to bed and she and L came in and threw pillows on us...... so cute. The girls went down stairs and got their stockings.... actually I got them both and helped L carry hers upstairs. They sat on the floor at the end of our bed and opened their stocking stuff. It was a priceless moment for me... to have both our girls there, together, doing the same thing me and my sisters did when we were kids. They compared their treats and gifts and of course started in on the candy. We then went downstairs and called grandmas and grandpas to come over to open presents. We had our Christmas coffee cake and juice and then opened presents. I and L both had so much fun....it certainly didn't take long for L to get the hang of opening gifts. She actually had figured it our the night before when they opened their Christmas jammies. After the gift opening, the girls played with their gifts a little as we got ready to go to Amma and Pappa Quaades for brunch. I had to run to the clinic to do quick treatments, but when I got home we went for brunch. We had a great time at Quaades and played a fun game of Chip's creation, Life Out West. After brunch, we went to Amma Furmans and had a nice Christmas dinner with Amma and Grandpa Furman. The girls were such a joy and the day was such a wonderful day with family.

A few days after Christmas, Grandma Eve , Grandpa Jim and Eve and Jacob came to visit. It is always so wonderful to have them around.... we certainly don't get to see them enought. While Eve and Jake were here we took the kids ice skating for the first time. I liked it ok, but didn't understand why she just couldn't skate like a princess, and L loved being on the ice, but didn't really want to skate. She was so upset when she had to take her skates off.... it was very sad. I think both girls may end up really liking it.

I know there were other things from the holiday that were worth commenting on, but that was a few weeks ago and it's late.

Thanksgiving and the couple of weeks following

Gingerbread house making.

L really wanted to put that ceramic shoe on

Girls dancing in living room

Baking party

Girls decorating and baking.

So Thanksgiving was great this year. Both Josh and I had all our siblings here. We had a full house and were blessed with great company. We started the day at home and then went to my mom's for the first of our dinners. We ate a fantastic meal after playing family fued and then went to Josh's parents for the second of the dinners.... also terrific!! I must say I ate WAY too much. We played rockband with everyone there and then had pie - some truly wonderful pecan pie :). Even by the time we got home, my older sister kept poking me in the belly because I had obviously eaten too much. The girls has a ton of fun playing with their cousins.... it was totally cute to see them all together (unfortunately minus my youngest nephew). So the Friday after Thanksgiving I had to take L to the Dr for each and upper airway yuck, but then we all had a bake fest at my house. We made sugar cookies and decorated gingerbread houses. We did have one other fantastic delay to the baking fun (which was supposed to start at 10:30 but didn't start till ~ 3). My younger sister had thought she could possibly be expecting and decided to find out while at my house. And what a blessings, Erin is HAVING a BABY!!!! So of course, we were completely distracted and celebrating that before we could get back to the previous plan of making cookies and such. The guys had all gone bowling, so we came up with a fun way for Erin to tell Tim the great news. All of were supposed to go to a movie that night, but Josh and I missed out. Josh ended up with GI yuck and I got called to the clinic to help with an emergency. It really was so great to have our family here.

This week the girls and I put up our Christmas decorations. I is more excited that I have seen her yet. L totally loved going through the boxes of decorations. I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before on the blog, but L has a thing for shoes. She found a cute little ceramic santa boot and even tried to put that on her big toe. It was adorable. The day after we put up decorations, I woke up so excited and said "mommy, this is the first time I have woke up and it is a day closer to Christmas." It just makes my heart giddy to see her soooo giddy!! Hopefully this week we will go and get a Christmas tree. It ends up being a pretty big deal... time consuming as we get like a 20foot tree and setting it up is a production. I can't wait to see L's expression when she sees a tree inside and I CAN'T wait to lay under the tree with my girls and look up and the lights!!!

Today we went to a gingerbread making party. That was also so fun. This year is the first year I actually did her own house...... so cute. L did really good too. She decorated most of the roof and "gutters". It was great to get together with my friends for our traditional mess making day and the kids really seemed to enjoy it too.

I was going to comment a quick funny story or two about potty training, but I think I will just leave it at that. I was SOOO easy. L is doing well, but well..... we do have funny stories. It is definitely taking longer than I had expected. I guess when you are comparing to a day, anything seems longer!

So once again I will try and post pictures. We'll see how it goes.

Halloween

Kari (the dude), me (the hippie), C, I and L

I, C and L

My precious kiddos, I the little mermaid, L and clown!!

So Halloween was fun - just like it usually is! I just love dressing the kids up and seeing how much fun they have trick or treating. Really, I'm not sure who likes it more, me or the kids. This year we had to run to Walmart before trick or treating, so the kids got to wear their costumes there..... of course, I thought that was great. I was the little mermaid, and L was a clown that I(me) was when I was 2 and that I also was when she was 2. Let me tell ya.... so cute! Both kids posed well for pictures and danced around the house so proud of their cute costumes. Now getting them to smile at the same time was a challenge, but we did it. We went to my mom and dad's first and then went to Stonehockers to head around their neighborhood. I think we only went to 10 houses or so, but all the kids thought that was alot and they all did great trick or treating. The two older kids said trick or treat and thank you and L did her best to hold up her pumpkin bucket. She only tried going into 2 houses......she is so very friendly. It was surely fun.

Pumpkin carving

Tonight was fun. Russ and Kari came over to carve pumpkins. The kids started off all gung ho but they started to fizzle after 30 minutes or so. I and C kept trying to "help" carve, but I think 4 yo's are better off without knives. L loved scooping with the spoon, so much that she started scooping pumpkin guts back into the pumpkins. So it ended with L in bed, I and C playing in the play room, Russ and Josh on the couch sleeping and Kari and me carving away in the kitchen. At about 10pm, we decided we'd better wrap in up.

Camping in the snow.

So this Monday we decided to take the girls and go up to hunting camp with Josh, his dad and mom and a couple of friends. We figured it would be cold, but we have a wall tent with a wood stove and also figured it would be fine and warm enough. We left in the middle of a rain storm and when we got to hunting camp it was cold, snowing/hailing, and very windy. I just had to laugh and so did everyone else. The girls thought it was hilarious. We stayed in the tent most of the evening. I entertained everyone with sliding down her cott which was propped up to make room for us all to hang out. L entertained us all by trying to copy I by sliding down a pile of blankets. The kids did great to say the least. Bed time even went well. Everyone just piles into their sleeping bags and pack and play and went to sleep. Well.... almost. I was laying next to our airmattres and had some water dripping on her from the condensation on the latern. She told me and when I reached over to feel if she really getting dripped on, a drop hit my hand and splashed her. She just very casually said.."ah crap." Needless to say the entire tent busted up laughing and then I (me) calmly told her that is not nice to say. I (me) appologized to her because she got that from me and then told her neither of us should say that. We all continued to laugh for another 10 mintues or so.. It was just so innocent and cute. So the next morning, the guys went camping good and early and the girls woke up too. They played on the cotts and airmattresses for awhile and then wanted to go play in the snow. They went sledding on their bottoms in the snow (not on cotts and blankets) and make snow angels and ate lots of snow. They had such a ball. Then we all came back in the tent for hot cocoa and cards. The guys came back without having seen much but all in all, it was a great camping/hunting trip.

Tomorrow is halloween... I will be little mirmade and L will be the clown I (me) was when I was 2. Should be fun!! Supposed to have snow though, so we'll see.

a fun day.

So I haven't updated in a long time... I just get so into doing other stuff and playing and catching up and the list goes on and on. This will have to be short update too because I told I that I will do the curtains for her and L's room while they are napping. Anyhow, today was a great day (atleast so far). We did preschool this am and I actually wanted to do her letters. She is now writing her whole name by herself and she is proud. I think that accomplishment is prodding her on because now she knows she can do it. L had a great time coloring with markers this am. I think I'm glad she doesn't know they are washable because I think that would take some of the fun out of it for her :). The three of us girls had races around the couch and then play simons says. L actually tried to follow along too. Of course she ignored the simon part but it was fun seeing her "jump" up and down and swing her arms over her head anyhow. After preschool time we went to swim lessons. L and I didn't get to swim today as she is still getting over her bug, but I did GREAT. The teacher said she just keeps telling him to back up further and let her do more. I (me) was so proud. I (me) think L will be a great swimmer as she LOVES the water, but I(me) was worried about I as she is much more reserved. Well, atleast for today, so much for that. She was doing her best to swim and swim. So after swimming we went to Mc'D for our traditional after swimming treat and I said she really just wanted to get her flu vaccine over with. I(me) was shocked as I hates shots, so we went quickly to the pharmacy and just got it done. L was running around the pharmacy pulling toys off the shelves and thankfully everyone there is nice and knows us and just laughed and helped corral her b/c I was holding I for her shot. She was very brave and actually only cried a little. On the way home the girls shared I's post vaccine crackers and it was just so sweet to see them smiling at each other in the back seat. I (me) still get weepy thinking about how so very thankful to have both my girls at home, finally together. I was reading a friends blog today and realized it was a year ago on the 20th we finally got our true referral for L. I usually try to not think about that whole process as it was so very hard for me, but thanks be to God for that referral and finally getting her home to us. We have friends who's kids case was held up this week because a paper was incorrect and when I found out it just took me back a little. In one breath I would love to start another process next year to bring home another beautiful child, but in another, I just don't know if my heart would be ready. L was worth every tear shed and I do know that if God has another child in mind for us, that child will be worth the struggle too.... I guess we will just wait on the Lord to guide us. Anyhow, I got a little off track..... today was a great day and I am so thankful for our beautiful girls. Now I just can't wait for Josh to get home so I can tell him about our day and hear about his. Hopefully he had a great day at work too...... atleast as great a day could be at work I guess.

Here are a couple of pictures too.... I haven't figured out how to label them on here. I and grandma at the pumkin patch and then some of I and L. I can't believe it, but I have't posted pictures from L's dedication.... the one in the ethiopian dress is L on her dedication day. Then there are a couple of the girls doing projects and sit and spinning together. I took the picture of L and me together this am. We were out using the camera b/c camera starts with "C" and that is the letter of the week. She took our picture because we were "cuddling" and I(me) was "carrying" L. It was really cute. Ok, now to see if I can load the pictures.......

tired

So today I got back to the real grind. Well, not really because I was only scheduled to work half day, but even half days turn into whole day when you are on call. It totally bumbs me out... it's not the work I don't like. It is being away from my family. I really enjoy helping the animals and their owners. I really do. To ease suffering in little critters just makes me happy. I helped "free" a kitten from a milk crate tonight. The family was just so relieved to have the kitten freed - that is nice and it feels good. But, it just really hurts so much being away from my family. I know God has a plan for even this in my life, but wow, it hurts so much to think I can miss whole days from my family. I feel like a whiner... I am so blessed by both having a wonderful family and only needing to work part time in a job I enjoy. So much better to focus on the blessings than always wanting more...... I guess I need to remember that.