goodbye 2010

2010

What a year.

I'm glad it's ending.

Ready for a new one to start.

Wouldn't relive this one for anything.

Wouldn't change a thing about it if I could.

Starting 2011 happier than I ever dreamed I would.

If I had to sum up 2010 with just two words, I'd say it's been tragically beautiful. This has been the absolute hardest, most painful year of my life, yet somehow the most fulfilling, beautiful year I've ever lived through. I have grown as a person so much this year and I am a better person because of the year I've had. That said, I do hope the new year proves to be a little less challenging, less painful, and very boring compared to 2010. Please be nice to me 2011. I can't take another year like this one...not yet anyway...and preferably, well, never!

Christmas isn't very far away...

It seems like it's been so long since our countdown to Christmas began, but even so, I just couldn't believe it when I wrote this out earlier today.

As I get out the Christmas decorations each year I always try to remember where I put everything the previous year, so I am documenting it here for next year. I just love looking back from year to year so this is very photo heavy and probably boring for anyone but me...

the entry way table

hall shelf

the "big" tree in the piano room which holds an assortment of many types of ornaments that are special to us (ornaments made at school from year to year plus each year we each pick out one or two ornaments that signify something special about that year)

I always try to find a police ornament for D each year...I LOVE them and would like to have a tree with just them on it one of these days

the presents under the tree

Coby wrapped gifts for each of us and placed them under the tree... LOVE IT!!!!

I framed this pic of the boys from Christmas 2006...precious and a constant reminder of how quickly they grow!

the gingerbread house that Cale made during his class Christmas party

the snowman plate on the chest in the piano room

the stockings are hung on the fireplace with care....:)

one of my believe signs and my little Santas

smaller tree with gold, red(ish), and animal prints ornaments (with my Grandma's afghan used as the skirt)

living room chest

I heart snowmen

my itty bitty tree and another believe sign

another snowman for the kitchen

the plate on which we put cookies for Santa each year

a cozy little corner for Santa

That's all I've got! I forgot to get pics of the trees in the boys rooms, but they really aren't that fantastic anyway!

I did find this though and it made me so happy! I love that Coby wrote "I like Christmas because it's Jesus birthday" rather than "I like Christmas because I get to open presents". Jesus is the reason we celebrate Christmas and I am SOOO happy that my boys feel that He is more important than any gift they receive. My prayer is that they always put Him first.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

enjoying Christmas Break

What are these boys so happy about?

Getting to open a few

gifts well before

Christmas! Fun times!!!

We're all happy about yesterdays weather too! We were able to spend Monday outside without coats, gloves, hats....in fact, it was shorts weather. It was in the 70's and absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We took full advantage and enjoyed every minute because this probably won't happen again any time soon. I got a few pics of Coby and Cale in the backyard, but left Connor alone. He had a friend spend the night and they spent the entire day playing basketball and riding their bikes. I usually love cold, winter days, but this was such a wonderful surprise and just what we needed to keep us entertained on the first full day of Christmas Break!

The high for tomorrow is supposed to be 50...still not bad for December!

happy

Tonight I am so excited and happy that it's Friday! I have been waiting on this day all week!!! I am thrilled that my boys are out of school for the next two weeks! I am thrilled not to have to think about homework or getting them to school on time...for the next two weeks I just get to enjoy being with these guys....

this pic just cracks me up...I think it is impossible to get a good pic of three boys

I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing! Of course come Monday I may be singing a different tune....just depends on how much fighting is going on by then.

getting there...

What a fun day! I finished up all of the boys Christmas today while Cale was at school...mostly I just needed to get stocking stuffers, but I'm glad it's done! Then the bug and I went on a lunch date after I picked him up from school (at Which Wich...I love that place!). Then we came home and I've been working on teacher's gifts and gift bags for Cale's class off and on ever since. It's been fun, but I'll be so glad when I get the rest of them wrapped and off to school! Tomorrow is the Pre-K Christmas party so I had to get Cale's teachers' gifts wrapped, but I've got to get some boxes for Connor and Coby's teachers gifts. Here's a peak at what I've been up to...

{above and below are a few of the frames that I did today }

I made five today and have two more to make tomorrow.

I made Christmas goodie bags for Cale's friends. I put hot chocolate with marshmallows, candy bars, candy canes and glow in the dark bracelets in them. Easy!!!

{packed up and ready to be delivered}

The really pitiful part of my day happened when it was time to put the boys to bed and I realized that I had stripped all of their beds today and didn't get clean sheets put back on. To make matters worse, their sheets were still in the washing machine...I completely forgot to put them in the dryer! So, I did the unthinkable and told two of the boys to sleep on their mattress pads and just cover up with their blankets. As for the other little guy, he got the only set of clean (and dry) flannels put on his bed...lucky duck (yes, we do have other sheets, but only 4 sets of twin flannels)! I'll never claim to be super mom and now you can see why!!!

hodge podge

What a week!!! I am so glad the weekend is here....and I'm really ready for Christmas break to get here so the boys and I can just hang out and have some fun! This time of year is so busy and I am so glad that the upcoming week will be much slower than the past few I've had. This week should be a fun one full of things I enjoy...all I have to do is buy one last gift, spend a girls day with mom on Monday while Darren and Cale hang out (FUN!), make the teachers picture frames (last minute decision to make them something rather than give our usual gift card...they'd probably rather have the gift card, but I love making things to decorate with so....), wrap all of our gifts (not one is under the tree yet and I am out of hiding spots!), get items for the boys' class Christmas parties, go to the Christmas parties and I am really hoping to thoroughly clean my house and get caught up on the laundry before the boys are home for two weeks. If I can get these things done, I will be able to enjoy the boys Christmas break with them and hopefully find some fun things to do to keep them entertained since they are going to be out almost a full week before Christmas!

The boys have been pretty cute this week. Coby has always loved dressing up in costumes and this week he has decided that he's"really getting into cowboy stuff." Everyday after school he puts on his "cowboy" attire. It includes, but is not always limited to, a straw hat, a navy blue bandana, jeans, and a furry cat looking tail that he has from yet another costume that he ties around his waist and calls it his belt. I have to say that he does make a really cute cowboy! I love that he still likes to dress up and am always wondering how much longer it will last. I just wish that I could freeze him at this stage. He is such a sweetheart and is always so eager to please us. I can ask anything of him and he always responds with a yes, ma'am. He is so enthusiastic about life and when he comes home from school he is always so excited to share about his day. One example that I don't want to forget is when he got into the car during the school's drug-free week and excitedly announced, "Mom, you won't believe this (eyes so big with excitement and using his hands to gestured as he talked) I got to go to Mr. Haw's office today and got a prize because I was the only drug-free student in the school!" Yes, he was serious and it took everything in me not to laugh out loud. He is just so precious, innocent and tender-hearted. I wish I could bottle it all up!

Cale said something that made me laugh as I picked him up from school last week...there is a little boy his class that gets in trouble frequently. Anyway, this little boy lost his skittle on this particular day (the kids get a skittle if they've been good that day). Cale was telling me that the little boy had lost his skittle and went on to say, "He's been naughty for as long as I can remember!" Then tonight as we were walking into Darren's work party (in the very cold windy air) he informed us that he's freeze-proof (so in case you're keeping track...so far he's both fire-proof and freeze-proof). Oh, I just remembered a story that Cale's teacher relayed to me as I volunteered last week...I can't believe I forgot until now! Cale and a little girl (whom Cale has recently become very fond of) were sitting next to each other in round-up (where the entire school meets in the gym before school on Fridays). Mrs. Brown said she was thinking to herself they won't last long sitting next to each other and all of a sudden she looked over and the little girl was pretending to be a dog (and in a dog-like position if you will) and Cale was on top of her! Oh my!!!! We're definitely going to have to keep a close eye on this one.

Connor had his Honor's Chorus program last week and they sounded great! I am so proud of him!

He is growing up so fast! I was looking at him tonight and thinking that he just looks so OLD. I seriously asked him if he thought he could stop growing for awhile. He didn't go for that though. I can't believe he'll be 11 soon. I feel so old!

Goodness, this post really was a hodge podge! Next time I hope to recap Thanksgiving. I am so behind, but I love being able to look back on what we did during the holidays from year to year. One of these days I WILL get caught up.

surprise visitor

So...several of my friends have had little elves that visit their houses each and every year. I have to admit, I've always thought my boys would never fall for the whole elf sent from Santa to watch them thing. That was until Coby came from school on Wednesday absolutely ecstatic that his class had a visitor from Santa. What was it? An elf, of course! He was SO excited and was enthusiastically sharing all about the elf with his brothers. He was telling of the elf's magic, how it appears to be frozen during the day, only to fly to the North Pole at night and report to Santa of the students' behavior! He also shared that if you touch the elf he might lose his magic and you wouldn't get Christmas gifts. He just went on and on, clearly he BELIEVED in this little elf and at this moment I realized I should've spent the $30 last week when I was contemplating buying him at Pottery Barn Kids. Apparently my boys are not too old! What was I thinking!?! I will say that Connor was laughing at Coby for believing in this little elf, but Coby was not shaken, he believed not only in this little elf, but he is also sure that the REAL Santa is the one at Bass Pro Shop every year!!! I love it.

Anyway, we woke up this morning and as I was getting breakfast (wheat Eggo waffles with peanut butter and syrup for Connor and Coby and a strudel for Cale if you must know!) Coby noticed a book on the breakfast bar. He was thrilled and confused when he realized that this was the book that Snowflake, his classroom elf, brought to his class. I of course hadn't even noticed that there was a book sitting there, so you can imagine my surprise as well! Next thing you know, Coby looked up and noticed that we had a little elf sitting in the area above our kitchen door frame. I guess Santa thought we needed an elf around here this year! Coby and Cale were thrilled and Connor was freaking out! He looked at me and said, "OK, usually I think these kind of things are from you and daddy, but I can tell that you all didn't do this. I am really freaked out by this whole thing!" Heehee!!! I think he is borderline between skeptical and believing. He is a very anxious child by nature and he is very concerned that something like this could make his way into our home without our knowledge as we slept, but at the same time has some doubts. He is in that in between stage, but for now I'm glad that he doesn't KNOW for sure. This is probably our last year for all three boys to still believe and I plan to savor every minute of it!

(Um, holy hair Coby! Keep in mind we had just rolled out of bed and Coby had major bedhead and this is my tired, just out of bed voice!)

We sat down tonight during Family Fun Friday and Coby read the book to us. It is darling and the boys are so excited! I can't believe Christmas is almost here. I love this season!!!! What a fun day.