Extra Week

Because Christmas was on a Thursday, and I guess just the timing of everything, I feel like I have been given an extra week to end the year. It has given me time to reflect and fall in love a little deeper with my husband and my children. It has helped me to appreciate my extended family more (and just a little, appreciate that they live far away.) It has given me time to reflect on what God has called me to this past year. And, it has given me lots of time to play with my new Christmas toys :D
I hope you all feel this same sense of extra time. Real life goes on: people need to eat, nap, errands need to be run because no matter how many times I stop at Target OR the grocery store I can't seem to remember to buy my children toothpaste. BUT, if you have any free minutes. Read your bible, hug your kids, or read your bible to your kids while hugging them. Take pictures, eat treats, snuggle up to a movie or a good book: these are a few of my favorite things.

Why I Like Mike #18

There really are too many reasons, but TODAY I like Mike because he said my Christmas present should be delivered soon. WHAT?! "You aren't going shopping on Christmas Eve this year? But, what who is my brother going to shop with?" hmm. For years I have tried to explain to him how incredibly easy I am to please. He has just been very 'man' about focusing on the now and not so much a planner. I am so excited to get a present for Christmas. I mean, I usually get presents, I just usually pick them out with him by my side. In his defense, this is also happiness for me as my love language is quality time.

Speaking of presents, some of my favorite gifts we are giving this year are:

The game of Candyland
The game of Hungry Hungry Hippo
a very cute little pull along doggy for Sam
an unbelievable coloring book I got at Old Navy (random, I know)
and a video game in which you shoot cows with plungers. giggle.

The Princess is Four Today

Miss Addison is four today. Four years ago I gave birth to that ginormous Christmas turkey in the middle of a snow storm just like the one we are having today. I woke up to my water breaking at 1:22 am, called my mother (whose flight landed at 1:23 am) and told her to hurry, called the midwife, and woke The Man. Twenty minutes after the midwife arrived, Addison Noelle Brewer was born at 8 pounds 12 ounces, in my bedroom. Fantastic. The instant she was born, my beloved mother whipped up the greatest breakfast, which I ate, in bed. THEN, I went to sleep, snuggled right next to my new little bean and my hubby. What an excellent way to be brought into the world. I am so glad to have you Miss Addie.

I love your scowl
I love your dirty looks to all the dumb people around you
I love your love of all things princess
I love your four year old wit
I love your huge eyeballs
I love how you cover your mouth with your hand when you giggle
I love that you respond to Pearl and Squirrel Girl
I love your exasperation with your siblings
I love you Missy

Today I...

*Woke up at 6:30- on a Saturday! Really!? blech
*went back to sleep until 7





*was greeted in bed by Miss Addison who will be 4 in two days
*did a double take on my new tattoo to ensure I didn't have buyers remorse (I don't!)
*ate Cheerios for breakfast
*watched the rest of a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie and loved it
*got five kids plus a sleepover friend dressed warmly for ice skating
*took five kids plus a sleepover friend to ice skating lessons downtown
*rewarded all the cold noses with Starbucks chocolate, hot, one soy
*they all changed their minds at the last minute and ended up getting chocolate milk, cold, one soy
*dropped off sleepover friend
*played in the snow with the kids until the man got home from work/study session for school
*played Pick The Chore Out of The Cup game to make cleaning more fun
*warmed our buns in front of the fire place
*drove around town for 2 hours until I found proper school shoes for my son, solid black
*snuggled with my husband with no interruptions
*came home to him painting my kitchen (I think he read my previous post :))
*worked on a puzzle with Layla Grace
*Played Apples to Apples Jr. with my babysitter, Izzy, Layla, and Addie while the boys played Yahtzee next to us
*read chapter 3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone aloud to my kids before bed
*wrapped presents and got things ready for Addison's birthday party tomorrow night
*watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, again
*was happy for all of it.

All I Want For Christmas

Here is my Christmas list. Feel free to pass it on although it is mostly for my husband:

A major award like a leg lamp
That my husband would finish painting my house (inside)
A new to-go coffee mug
New at home coffee mugs
cream colored scarf
wireless flash drive for my camera (automatically uploads pictures to my computer when I bring my camera home)
iPod plugger inner for my car
new tattoo (although I already have this coming from my friends the tattooers)
my husband to get textability as I have decided I like that form of flirting :)
gift cards for any of the following: Barnes and Noble, Old Navy, Express, Target.
A new wedding ring, or at least mine fixed as it has been broken for years.
And, 12 dates with my husband; one for every month of the coming year