It's Over!

Well, Christmas is over and I have to say that I am glad! I really love the anticipation of Christmas, but it seems like such a let-down when it's over. You spend at least a whole month preparing for everything, making sure everything is perfect and then in an hour, it's over. It's kind of weird...maybe I'm the only one that feels like that.

Santa was very good to us this year. I think that next year I'll let him to know to tone down a bit. We don't buy our kids much throughout the year- they get for birthdays and Christmas, anything else they buy themselves, so we do tend to spoil them for Christmas. However, it seems like the spirit of Christmas gets lost somewhere in the ribbons and bows. My New Year Resolution this year is to focus on the simplicity of life and to stop getting so worked up about the "stuff" that bogs us down. More time with family and friends and less time worrying! (Those that know me, know the less worrying is next to impossible!!!!)

We spent Christmas Eve with the Stapelman side of the family. We did a Night in Bethlehem. They made us dress as though we were really there. (Some of us were not so excited about that part!) We ate food that would have been true to the times- chunks of roasted turkey, pita bread, nuts and dried fruits, and cheese. The nativity was acted out and songs strewn in throughout the play. It was really neat. My brother, Jason sang "Oh, Holy Night" acappelo (sp?) He did a great job, it's one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs. It gave me chills.

Afterward, we went to mom's house and opened gifts with her and my brothers and sisters. There were lots of nieces and nephews, but they were all really good about waiting their turns. Steph and David had to leave early to get Brittney to work, so it seemed rather short this year. I took Traci's kids home to her and then we came home. Gary's parents stayed the night again this year so they could be here for Christmas morning. This is the third year they have come up and the kids really look forward to it. They start asking about Halloween if they are staying for Christmas Eve!

Treven woke us up about 6:30. Gary had a super hard time getting up. He kept telling us that it wasn't 7! It didn't work, so he finally gave in and got up. We opened stockings and gifts and then we had hot chocolate, homemade cinnamon rolls (thanks g.g. Wood!) and oranges. Then we got ready and went to Grandpa and Grandma Jones for Christmas dinner. Everything was delicious and we had a great time.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you all the best in the New Year!!!

Best Christmas Present Ever!

We had the best Christmas present ever about 6:30 this morning! Braquel got up to leave for work (she had to be in Burley by 7). Ellie had been really fussy and I had just laid her back in her crib, but she kept crying. I had this horrible feeling as Braquel walked out the door. I just sat in my bed and prayed that she would be safe and no harm would come to her.

About twenty minutes later, the phone rang and my heart sunk to my knees. I knew something was wrong. When I answered the phone, a little shaky voice said, Mom! Then the tears started and she said, " I just rolled my jeep on its side." I really didn't think your heart could drop lower than your knees, but in that moment, it did.

I told her we were on our way. I woke Mikayla up to sit with Ellie and we got dressed as fast as could. I called 911 and she said there was already a fire truck on the scene and a police officer was on his way. Several guys on their way to work tipped her back over. (luckily she had her seat belt on so she was very shaken but unhurt.)

I couldn't believe it when we got to the scene. The roads were pure sheets of ice and the wind had blown drifts across several spots of the road. Her car was on the opposite side of the road and facing the opposite way she had been going. She doesn't remember if she did a cookie or how she got going the wrong direction. She went into the barrow pit and through a guys fence where the car then proceeded to tip over onto the passenger side.

I can't tell you how lucky we were this morning. Once we got the paperwork done and got her home and knew she was safe, I started thinking about if the outcome had been different. We could be spending Christmas in the hospital or worse, in the funeral home. Instead we have our beautiful daughter home with us. So, thank you, God for the best Christmas gift ever!!!!

Happy Birthday, Chelsey

I guess it's finally official! My husband is moving out this weekend!!! From the time the three girls were tiny, he told me that as soon as all three were teenagers, he was moving out of the house and into the camper. He said there was no way he could live with me and three teenage girls....well, Chelsey turned 13 this morning at 2:08! I will sure miss him, but we knew it was coming to this sooner or later!

All joking aside, our baby is now a teenager. It makes me sad in a way...the time has just sped by. You think you have forever with them with they are first born and then all of a sudden, they are going to kindergarten. Then you blink and they are getting married. My mom used to tell me to cherish every moment because they go so fast, but I didn't really comprehend.

We are having the grandparents over for dinner tonight. She wanted salmon, but I couldn't find any so we are having petite sirloin, fried red potatoes, zucchini and carrots, and garlic bread. She wants homemade raspberry ice cream for dessert and I thought I would bake her a white cake to go with it. I make homemade freezer jam and this summer I did a mixed berry. It's Chelsey's favorite so I thought I would throw a little bit of that in the batter. I hope she likes it. I will be taking her to Twin on Friday to do her birthday shopping. They have finals all week and no school Friday, so we decided that would be the best time to go. Should be fun. She is having a friend stay the night on Thursday and she will go shopping with us, too.

Happy Birthday, Chelsey! Love you!!!

Not so Funny Story

One of the reasons that I do this blog is because it's easier to blog than to write in a journal for me. An important thing about journaling is remembering little things that are funny or weird at the time, but then you tend to forget. Today's entry is one of those little stories that I don't want to forget so even though it happened a couple of weeks ago, it's only now getting put down so I will remember it forever!

A couple of weeks ago, we started getting a slight snow storm. Treven couldn't wait to go play in the snow since it was the first storm of the year. He got all of his snow gear on and headed outside. He kept coming in and out of the sliding glass door and was getting my floors super wet. Finally I told him that he had to stay in or out. He got mad and said," Well, I can't make a stupid snowball anyway." (The snow was a really wet snow that wouldn't make a snowball stick together.) By this point, I had turned around and he took off his glove and threw it at me. So I told him that if he was going to act like that he needed to sit on his bed and think about it. He just stood there glaring at me so I went over and picked him up and carried him to his bed.

I told him to stop acting like a brat and he told me that I needed to stop acting like a brat. I popped his mouth (not hard, but enough to get his attention) and told him to sit on his bed and think about the way he was treating his mom. I walked out and set the timer for 10 minutes. When it rang, I went back in his room and said:

Did you think about what happened?

Yes...(he's still glaring at me at this point)

And what are you thinking?

I think I should be adopted! (dead stinking serious!!!)

I really wanted to crack up at this point because he was so sure that he had come up with the answer! I just told him that I thought he hadn't sat there long enough and he couldn't come out until he had a better answer than that!!!!! Kids...you gotta love them!

Getting the Christmas Spirit

Last year, my mom made a Christmas calendar countdown for us. There is a pocket for each of the 25 days leading up to Christmas morning and in each pocket, I tuck in a tag that says something we will do that day to get in the Christmas mood. Some days are simple, like Read a Christmas story or Write a letter to Santa. Some days are more time-consuming (especially on my part!) like Get the Christmas cards ready and mailed or make a Christmas treat and deliver to a neighbor. The kids really enjoy the countdown and I enjoy their excitement as they pull out each new tag. This really forces me to be organized at least a few days in advance, though! I have to say I'm not doing so well this week. Tuesday was supposed to be a day that Gary or I were going to take the kids to "A Christmas Carol" at the theater. However, we had two sick kids home from school that day so I feel like if they are too sick for school, they are too sick for the movies. I went to work and Braquel called and asked if she should switch some around. I said yes, pull out the next day. Well, it was make a treat. Fine, except I hadn't been to town to get supplies due to the two sick kids! I tell her to pull out Thursdays. Open the surprise gift under the tree...no gift because again, mom hadn't been to town. I tell her to pull out Fridays. Mail the Christmas cards...cards aren't ready yet because I hadn't been to town to have the family pictures copied to send out! I'm batting a thousand here!!! I tell her to pull out Saturday...visit Santa! Oh well, I guess my organization isn't always so great. I told her just to watch The Grinch and I would get the rest of the week taken care of!

I hope everyone else is a bit more organized than I am! To make myself feel better, I am committing myself to get a handmade gift done today and get one more person off the Christmas list! Have a great day!!!

Anniversary

Last night Gary and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. Wow! We got married when I was 16 and he was a whopping 18 years old. While we were having dinner we talked about how we started so young and how lucky we are to be where we are now. It's amazing how much we balance each other out. He's such a great man...he's a wonderful father and husband. He's honest and the kind of man that would give a complete stranger the shirt right off his back. He always sees the good in people and is so positive about everything (which is great because I worry about even the dumbest things). He is definitely the rock in our family. When I worry too much, he tells me to let it go and let him take care of things. There is nothing better than a hug from him when I've had a rotten day! He's so good to listen when I need a sounding board and when he offers advice only when I ask for it.

I just can't go on enough about what a great man Gary is. You'd really have to look long and hard to find anyone that had anything negative to say about him. He makes friends everywhere he goes and he is a loyal friend- one you have for life.

So, Happy Anniversary, babe! I love you more than anything in this world and I'm looking forward to the rest of my life with you.