Christmas

My favorite time of year because:

I get to wear my jammies a lot more often

My kids seem to want to snuggle more often

Family/Friends come over more often

Lights twinkle more often

We nibble on treats more often

We play games together more often

I get presents more often

We try new dishes more often

We love each other more often.

Advent Week Three
This week, The Man announced that we should bake some delicious treaties. So, we made a list, checked it twice, and headed to the store. Then, because there was suddenly a snowy downpour, we sat in traffic for an hour. Super fun unless like me, you have to pee often. We had to stop at IHOP, so we decided, since kids eat free, we should stay and eat pancakes rather than face the traffic headed home. I ate pumpkin pancakes, which, can I just say are LOVERLY!! Oh my.
So, because The Man was going to be gone for Christmas Eve, we celebrated it early with him by baking ALL day long. We listened to Christmas music and watched movies. Goodtimes. And, though I am not really a bakester, my baked goods turned out delicious if you know what I mean. You aren't going to be able to resist me. Just try.

Pure Sex Appeal, this guy.

Advent Week Two

These pictures make me happy for obvious reasons,
but mostly because it means we have made memories.
I loved this day.
I loved that we were freezing and huddled in my van while
The Man continued to trample the mountains for a tree.
I love that we only had to drive half an hour to find a
tree worth cutting. I love that my kids giggled most
of the day and didn't argue once.
I love that Sam wanted to "ice skate" even though he was clearly frozen.
I love that Izzy told her dad she would look at the tree later as she was
frozen from the waist down.

Sam I Am has the most beautiful eyes. Some girl is going to find herself swimming in them some day.


We had a lot of tree hunters. Kristopher and the boys found a great little stubby tree.

Nanie hung back with me and toddlers, which seemed fitting as Addison is certain Nanie IS a toddler because of her smallish stature.

Where's Waldo has got nuthin' on my husband. Seriously, these are just his everyday clothes.

My family is large. I don't know that I noticed before. Maybe it's because Eli is holding a saw and it scares me, so my eyes are opened wider than usual.


Beautiful. I can't believe my kids all turned out so cute. I am convinced God had us stop having kids when they were about to turn ugly.

Statistics

• I have two infected kidneys


• my kidneys are infected by some unknown, unusual organism


• I really miss my kids who are either at school all day or at home while I work


• I don't think I like working outside of my home


• My youngest daughter turned 5 yesterday


• I have mothered 4 five year olds and I am not finished


• I am hungry


• I do not like listening to people talk about throwing up


• I do not want the flu to enter my house


• Music really has been a constant in my life from the get go


• I am SERIOUSLY ready to be a graduate.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Advent Week One

The first week of December has come and gone.

In trying our hardest to be less self centered, make memories,

and give a little, our week was not a total failure.

We spent a vast amount of time with the fam and wishing other

family was here to be a part of it.

We drove to the mountains to cut down our tree. $10 for a tree

tag and an afternoon of funniness.

Decorated said tree with old and new ornaments. I was happy

to hear my husband tell my son we would not be putting the

ornament in the shape of a six pack of beer on our tree.

Not totally sure where that one came from, but we no longer own it,

so it doesn't matter.

Helped out at church where we could. Relaxed and enjoyed service

for the rest of the time.

Introduced my children to Hallmark Christmas movies. Happiness.

Let the kids decorate their own trees which decorate their room.

NOTHING. That's right. Today, the Reno valley was covered in a smooth

half foot of snow. We got about 8 inches in our neck of the woods, so I sat on

my couch, read some, watched some, studied some. The Man made it home

safely this morning and quickly took to shoveling snow and building an

ice slide in our front yard, which my children played on nearly all day. It made

me miss homeschooling. If I didn't work tomorrow, I would be keeping

them home for another snow day. Especially considering I can't see where my

sidewalk ends and the road begins. The Man was kind enough to put chains on

top of my snow tires. We should be set.

Layla Grace's Ode to Thanksgiving, and Her Dad, and Turkeys.. I think

How does your family cook a turkey? (the assignment)
(the parentheses are my add ins)

...and I quote:

Well, this year I'm going to grill it with my dad
(obviously not a true story as my husband has
never grilled a turkey). I would get to pick the
parsley and put it on the turkey. Do I know
how to cook a turkey? yes. I do know how to cook a turkey.
(use a dwight schrute voice for this.) Sometimes my dad
leaves me out there myself flipping it around so the other
side can cook. One time my dad went hunting for a turkey
he got one but when he brang it into the garage blood was
spilling everywhere. My dad and I went hunting one day
with my dad and we saw turkeys everywhere we shot like four turkeys.

We Do Things A LITTLE Differently At Our House

We get Thanksgiving presents at our house for a few reasons: A) I like to get my kids jammies and new coloring books, so why not let them look forward to unwrapping them? 2) We made a deal with them that if they get Thanksgiving presents, they get presents sooner, but not as many for Christmas; it helps the budget. And D) There is usually one really great present that I can't wait to give them. This year is was the Wii Fit. Awesome. We have been working out fools, which has come in handy when combating the number of sugar floating around here.






YES THAT IIIS SANTA!...and my coat.

Date Night

This guy on one side..

This guy on my other...

and these guys tucked snuggly in bed. It was a great date night. Happy sigh.

Floating in My Brain...This Could Be Scary

I regularly wake in the middle of the night because ideas suddenly pop into my brain. While I appreciate my brain's ability to help me remember things, couldn't my brain be a little more sensitive to the clock and remind me during the daylight hours? honestly. It's as if my own brain doesn't realize what a grump I become with broken or little sleep. Beastly, I tell you.

So here- here is what my brain decided was so important it had to wake me up last night:

I have to change my training date for Osh Kosh as I am already scheduled to work as a teacher.

I hope I don't have to have two years worth of experience before applying for K12 as a teacher.

Is Mike in bed? Wait, is he at work? Yes, he is at work.

Did I print out my registration paper? yes.

Am I going to fail my exam in the morning? What if I fail and I can't be a teacher when I grow up?

I can't believe my Osh Kosh hours are in the middle of the night. Idiot. Why didn't I tell them I couldn't work in the middle of the night? Stupid.

-rolling over- ow, wait, is this going to hurt. take it slooooow.

SERIOUSLY whoooo is starting their truck right now? grrr

ugh. I gotta pee. Can I hold it til morning? ...no.

I Have Always Been a Fan of Conspiracy Theories

I have been trying to think of ways to get my kids more involved with serving others. Any ideas?

Our Halloween Party Was Better Than Yours Cause...

We had a Batman to save us with all his fancy gadgets, and give us candy to eat while we tricked-and-treated.
We had proud mammas that travelled 500 miles just to take pictures.

We had yum-o sweet potato biscuits (which is what we call LeAnn now) and itty bitty teething pumpkins.
We had smiling baristas handing out genuine iced coffees to the adults who trudged with their little ones for tricks-or-treats.
We had violent coffee pots. And incredibly smiley barista girls.
We had eating children. LOTS of eating children. The children ate, we didn't eat the children.
We had toppings galore...
To accompany our insanely delicious buffet of chili: Turkey Chili, Family Recipe Chili, Family Recipe Chili with a little corn, Kristopher's Jalapeno Chili, Uncle Mike's Come and Get 'Um Antelope Chili...mmm delish.
We had rabid Star Wars characters who couldn't wait for the table before scarfing corn bread.
Tinkerbell stopped by.
And Yoda wished us all great happiness using the force.

I Have Been Busy

This weekend I:

turned 33

woke up super early to my children decorating for my birthday :) too cute.

ate at two restaurants in one day

had a date with The Man

hosted breakfast, though Auntie Mel made most of it

hosted dinner twice

celebrated Halloween fantastically

opened my house for taco night

witnessed my tweenager giggle over a boy- sigh

was loved by family

was encouraged by friends

made a budget, stuck to it, and even set money aside for Christmas.

Got lucky. well, I did.

Ode to the Scofields

We love you.
We will miss you.
We don't want you to go.
God loves you.
God has goodness for you.
I still don't want you to go.
See you this summer.
Still don't want you to go.
Be safe.
Thanks for being my first friend.
Be hopeful.
Thanks for having hilarious kids.
Be patient.
Thanks for all the tattoos.
Be loving.
I still don't want you to go.

Do You Office?

Office is a new verb in my vocabulary. So, do you? Well, do you do it like this? A few of us may have gotten carried away celebrating Jim and Pam's wedding. You may notice my wardrobe change, but there is no way I could fit cake into that dress. I could hardly breathe.

Yes, well, you should. We had a real wedding cake, champagne,a couple of wedding dresses and a bride's maid. We also had one couple who didn't dress up. They filled the role of that one redneck uncle you have to invite in case he provides a Funniest Home Video moment.