Exciting news!

Oh, I forgot to share in the last post the most recent exciting news. My brother David, the perpetual bachelor, is going to have a baby! Well, not him, but his girlfriend Andrea. Although I was quite shocked at first, I am now very happy for him, and excited that I get to be an auntie again!

Blog Break

Well, I have taken quite a break from updating my blog! I tend to be a slacker at this time of the year. I think it is the post-Christmas let down. I take far fewer pictures of things, and there just does not seem to be much going on. Here are the updates from January to today.

1. On December 29th, I began going to Weight Watchers again. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I have lost 17 so far. Woo hoo!

2.We had our annual New Year's Eve party. Julienne was quite the entertainer and sang karaoke.

3. Julienne turned five years old in February! I still cannot believe that my baby is five. I am attaching a video of her birthday festivities.

4. As Christmas gift, Libby and Tommy gave us a wonderful gift of a night away for Valentine's Day. We went to Arlington, VA to stay at the Doubletree Hotel. We shopped at the Pentagon City mall, and ate a dinner at the revolving roof top lounge. It was amazing!

5. Tre had an accident at school. He fell of the monkey bars after one child wrapped her legs around him, and another child pried his fingers from the bar. He fell flat on his back and thought he couldn't get up. Luckily I was home that day with a sick Julienne and could make it to the school before the ambulance left. Julienne and I rode to the hospital with Tre in the ambulance. Thankfully, he was fine and only sore for a few days. Both of the other children were suspended for a day. Over half of the parents of students in Tre's class called to check on him that night. The kids each made cards wishing him well and gave them to him the next day. The love and support were overwhelming. Tre is a very loved child.

4. We have decided to try to sell our house. We would like to find a house that is a bit larger, with a bigger garage and more closet space. We will see what happens.

Christmas Dinner at Lori's house

The men of the family.

The women of the family.

Who loves Christmas? This guy!

Jon wishes he had TJ's arms.

Ian gets reindeer antlers. The antlers are his intitiation gift into our family. There is no turning back now!

Tre opens his gift from Aunt Lori and Uncle Donald.

Brian loves Kayleigh's Dora nightlight.

Merry Christmas Kayleigh!

Kayleigh LOVES Dora and Grampy!

Tre helps hand out the gifts.

Silly Jon and Tre.

Silly Julienne!

In the afternoon, on Christmas day, we headed to my Aunt Lori's house for dinner and more presents. Our family is pretty large, so instead of buying for each person, all of the adults draw a name to buy for, and each adult buys for the kids. We try to keep the presents focused around the children. We opened our adult exchange gifts at Lori's house. I had Brian to buy for and TJ had my cousin Kassandra.

My aunt Lori always had an amazing spread of food. She is really good at preparing appetizer- type foods, and I look forward to her house for the food. My favorite item that she makes is Strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing and sunflower seeds. YUMMY! This year, we had all of the fixings for sandwiches, meatballs, vegetable and fruit platters, caramel coated cashews, and shrimp. I ate for hours!

Our family is definitley not a traditional Christmas card picture family. Here is a list of things we are and are not:

Things we are not:

1. Organized

2. Patient

3. Appropriate

Things we are:

1. LOUD- The loudest talker gets the floor!

2. funny

3. together- we value our family time

4. Loyal and protective of one another

5. Loving

Is it over yet?

Christmas Morning

After a fun Christmas Eve get together, TJ and I helped get the kids ready for bed since they were staying at Grammy's house. We had been tracking Santa's trip on Norad, and as it got later, Santa was getting closer. After checking the computer, Julienne came barreling down the stairs. TJ was there and started to tell her to pick up her coat off the floor. Julienne, in a flush of excitement said, "I don't have time for questions Dad, Santa is in CanaGa!" It was adorable!

After tucking the kids in to bed wearing their new Christmas jammies from Grammy, and after helping my mom clean up, we headed back to the hotel. The plan was for us to wake up early and be back at my mom's house before the kids woke up on Christmas morning. We woke up early and arrived at my Mom's at 8:00am, just after Julienne had woken, and just in time for the Christmas festivities.

We waited for Shonna, Brian and Kayleigh to arrive before we began opening presents. Then, the fun began. The kids always get so many things at Christmas. It makes me feel very fortunate to have the means to spoil the kids in such a way. It also makes me wary that my kids do not realize how fortunate we are. We always try to go through our old toys and things before Christmas, to weed out toys that are no longer used. Then we usually donate these items, so that children who are not as fortunate can have nice things for Christmas. One of my biggest goals as a parent is not only to provide for my children, but also to raise them to be humble, and appreciative of all the nice things we are able to provide. So far, I think we are doing a good job.

We opened presents for a while, and then my dad cooked a huge breakfast. We ate until we had Santa bellies, and basked in the warm glow of Christmas and family. We had more plans for later in the day, so soon we are dispersed to our own homes, or hotel. We would shower and dress there, and then journey to my Aunt Lori's house for Christmas dinner in the afternoon.

Christmas Eve: Family Photos

Here is my crazy Maine family!

Christmas Eve: Yankee Swap

On Christmas Eve, my parents always have a party at their house. All of our family gets together to celebrate. For the past few years, we have had a Yankee Swap. Each person buys a wrapped gift that they would want to receive. Each person draws a number in the order that they will choose their gift. Once they have chosen a gift, they may choose to keep it, or to swap with someone else. The person who draws number one has the advantage because they get to draw the first gift and then swap at the very end. Last year, after a person drew a gift, the immediately unwrapped it to decide if they wanted to swap. TJ had purchased lottery tickets, and they were swapped several times. At the end of the swap, my mom had ended up with the tickets. Then she went to scratch them and discovered that the tickets were already scratched! TJ had pulled a fast one on my mom!

This year, TJ suggested that we not unwrap the gifts. Then there would be more chance involved in the choice to swap gifts. No one would know what their gift was until the end. Some of us like the new way, others did not, so we swapped without unwrapping, but then did another swap at the end. I ended up with candles that are in little coffee cups that match my kitchen perfectly. TJ ended up with the Rubik's cube that he brought. My gift of a Dunkin' Donuts gift card was the gift that was swapped the most.

Visiting Kringelville

The day after we got to Maine, the temperature was a balmy -1 degrees and we were under a blizzard warning. By Monday morning we had received about 18 inches of snow! It was so great to know that we would have a white Christmas. Christmas in Virginia with warm weather and no snow, just isn't the same kind of Christmas.

Entering Kringelville, into Santa's cottage.

On Monday evening, we met my mom after work and made a very special visit to Kringelville to see Santa. Kayleigh had already been to visit Santa, but Tre and Julienne had not. We trudged through the snow to a cleared pathway leading up to Santa's cottage. It was a small red building, jammed packed with people. We waited outside in the bitter cold, until we could finally squeeze into the building. Once inside the toasty bulding of Santa, we waited patiently as Santa heard each child's wished and requests. Santa was perfect; jolly red cheeks, twinkling blue eyes, an immaculate red suit and a beard was a white as the two feet of snow outside the door. He had a kind manner about him and he gave each child individual attention and care.

Tre got to go first and talk with Santa about how he had been a good boy this year. Next was Kayleigh, who sat like abig girl on his lap and even smiled for me to take a picture. Julienne was next, but decided she wasn't having it. She wanted nothing to do with Santa, or sitting on his lap. TJ even took a turn with Santa, to tell how he had been a good boy this year.

Before we left, each child got to sign, or have Mrs. Claus write his or her name in Santa's book.

Each child also got a letter from Kringelville, with their names on the letter. It was a wonderful experience for the kids, and the snow made it absolutely perfect!