Winter Wonderland

Here are my five amazing children during November's snow. This snow might have been fun for the kids, but it sure wreaked havoc with the school calendar and with Dylan's band concert.

Mommy's Holiday Hair

I'm just posting this picture because you can kind of see my new fun hair color. It's roughly the color of this shirt (before Jordyn slimed it). The best news of all is that my gray is completely covered, however temporarily. My kids are too young (well, some of them) for me to have gray hair. Especially so much gray hair.

I just put both girls to sleep. Patience has been creating a habit of taking a very late nap, say from 3 to 5, and then being awake until 10 or later. Um, that doesn't work for me. So today I made sure that the late afternoon nap didn't happen. Yes, I paid dearly for it with a very grumpy girlie, but I'm loving life right now!

Okay, and now I need to get some things checked off my to do list.

Merry Christmas!

Here's Miss Jordyn during her very first experience wearing a Santa hat! She was quite inclined to rip it off as fast as she could...let's just say that this shot was a miracle!

I can't believe that Christmas is four short days away. At this point I have a manageable list of things I need to buy, do, decorate, cook, etc. Mom comes tomorrow in the late afternoon which we are all looking forward to SOOOOO much!

My wonderful sister is making the airport run for me since she has a plethora of free time right now : )

Don's sister Colleen, and her three children, are down from the Edmonton area for Christmas. The kids are having a great time together. They will be here for Christmas for the first time ever (that I can remember). I let both boys stay home from school today to enjoy cousin time. I took advantage of Dylan being home by taking him for a haircut, along with Patience, and then to the grocery store. Things are just so much easier with another big person along. I left sleeping Jordyn in the care of her brother Sean. You'll be relieved to know that she slept the entire time I was gone!

Nathan is struggling away in Hawaii...hardly able to keep up with the basketball, shopping, and snorkeling schedule. He misses us deeply and can't wait to come home (NOT!). Anyway, we're looking forward to seeing him Christmas eve and hearing of his wonderful Hawaiian adventure.

We're still alive and kicking!

Sorry for the lack of updates these past three weeks. It'd not that nothing exciting and interesting happened, it's just that when you run a Christmas tree farm AND have 5 (active) kids, time for blogging is scarce.

Let's see, the major news is that my dad (stepdad, actually) just spent more than two weeks with us to prevent me from having a nervous breakdown. While Don is super busy this time of year, I really need another adult around here, especially one who drives! Lee made fires every morning before anyone woke up (Don's going to miss that!), drove various boys to school, practice, hair cuts, and lots of other places, worked in the concession stand during the day until Sean got home, and all day long during the weekends. He babysat, gave JoJo bottles, made toast for the girls...the ways he made himself indespensible is endless! He left this morning at 4:00 to get to the airport in time for a 7:30 flight. Our Christmas angel has left us.... Now I'm pretty much on my own!

Except that my two nieces, Kelsey and Hailey, are visiting us this weekend and will help me with childcare and/or concession stand duty. I'm really looking forward to having them here...Patience adores them both.

Nathan also left at o'dark hundred this morning for Hawaii. I'm trying real hard to drum up some sympathy for his having to wake up at 3:30. He's there with the senior boys and girls basketball teams from school, and they're there for 9 days...until Christmas eve, when we pick him up at the airport at 9:30 p.m. He's going to have an incredible time, I just know it!

Jordyn now has two bottom teeth, and has pretty much decided that pureed food is for babies. Sometimes I can sneak some into her, but when she's done, she just pushes it right back out, kinda like when play-doh gets squeezed through an opening. She much prefers toast, crackers, bites of real food, and even a peanut butter and jam sandwich if Sissy leaves one close enough to the edge of the table!

Don's been working like a horse for about four weeks straight. I think 40 is just a wee bit too old to be a Christmas tree farmer.

Dylan had his school Christmas concert last night, and I'm pretty sure I couldn't be any prouder of that horn blower. He's an amazing trumpet player and his band teacher made sure that everyone knew it last night, giving Dylan several solos and other showcases. He has another concert tonight, and this time Don will go see his WonderKid.

Okay, so we're all fine, busy of course, but oh well! One more weekend of retail farming, and I'm hoping to sell every last cookie and brownie that I've baked! (the boys, on the other hand, hope there's leftovers!).

Pictures to follow...Don's been hogging the camera lately : (