Miscellaneous December

The kids did the monthly Home Depot visit and Santa was there. 

Cole asked for a dog (sorry bud) and Lucy asked for a HUGE dollhouse (again Sorry!!) and an Elsa doll (thank you Grandma June!).

One Sunday Lucy had slept with a bun in and when we took it out her hair was "poofy" she wouldn't let me do anything to it and just LOVED the way it looked all day. Her hair is pretty straight so anytime it is curly or voluminous she gets really excited. 

 Eddi and his 'knowing' look. You've got to wonder what babies are thinking!

 Story I want to remember: Lucy colored this picture and came to me the day before her birthday celebration at preschool. 
L: "Mom will you sew this dress for the party tomorrow?" 
M: "Oh, munchkin I can't sew a dress that fast"
L: "Yes you can, just find the fabric in your stuff and sew it"
M: "I need more time than tonight, I can make it after christmas ok?"
L: "Remember in that book? The one where the mom found out about the boys frog costume and sewed all night until morning so he could wear it? Just do that"
M: "I can't stay up all night and sew the dress, I would be too tired to take care of everyone"
L: "I'll take care of everyone for you so you can sleep!"
M: "Really?(A little too sarcastically) You will feed Eddi? And get everyone breakfast? And help Eddi calm down when he is crying? And change his diapers and Sadie's diapers?"
L: "Okay (defeated), you don't have to make it for tomorrow, will you make it after christmas then?"
I'm grateful she has so much faith in my abilities and am sad I can't fulfill her every wish! 

Family night playing games and enjoying being together. I love my family. 

Brotherly Love. Cole just loves Eddi so much.

 Working on our Snap Circuits Jr. 'game' Chastity sent Lucy for her birthday. 

 Lucy reading to Eddi.

 

December 23rd it was almost 50 degrees outside. We seized the opportunity and played outside that morning. It was beautiful. The sun was shining and we didn't need to get all bundled. 

 
 
 

Something died in that water.   Lucy can just about fit in the hutch

 

This pile of sticks should probably never get moved it is Cole's favorite place to play in the backyard.

That time Eddi smile at the handsome baby in the mirror. He seriously smiled at himself for minutes. It was pretty adorable.

Esperanza comes for Christmas

With her two adorable foster girls! We hadn't seen Esperanza for over a year so it was wonderful to be with her again. We were also excited to meet the girls staying with her. They were a riot to have and even though we spent too many days sick we were still able to have a lot of fun.

The weather was amazing for December and we were able to frequent the park on two different days!! 

Here are some pictures from our christmas eve reenactment. 

 Joseph, Mary, Angel

 Angel

 Shepards

 Everyone visiting the stable

 Somebody stole the baby Jesus :)

Everyone wanted to act out the nativity over and over again. It was fun and I'm happy we were able to keep the real meaning of christmas alive for the children. 

This was the first Christmas we hosted in our house! It was a lot of fun and more work than I realized. (Thank you to everyone who has had us in your homes for christmas....we need to return the favor!!) Devin, Esperanza and I Stayed up way TOO late wrapping and talking on Christmas Eve. It was wonderful. 

 Here is the tree and all the presents!

 Lucy and Dymond were the first to wake up. Here they are going through their stockings

 She was pretty excited.

 I don't know what Sadie was most excited about, the fact that there was candy everywhere or the fact that mommy kept saying yes she could have more! 

 Poor Cole came down with strep on Christmas day. He could barely eat an orange and eventually got oatmeal down. I don't  think he had any christmas candy until Sunday.

The kids all go tot give one another presents this year. It was fun to see how excited they got when someone was opening a gift from them. They LOVED getting presents but Lucy phrased it best when she explained how she felt when Sadie and Cole opened the presents she gave them. "I smiled and felt warm inside." I am so happy they got to experience the joy of giving. I hope that it is something they can remember.

We got the kids all these monster slippers. I thought they were adorable and our floors get so cold they all needed something to keep their little toes warm! (I'm pretty sure she had something in her mouth for the better part of the morning)

 Devin and Cole had a glow stick party in the kids room while all the girls were playing in the living room in the evening. I though this picture was pretty sweet.d

 These two girls just loved Eddi. They loved holding him and I'm glad they got a chance before everyone got sick!

Friday and Saturday Esperanza was out with the flu. Friday Cole was so sick he couldn't even eat his breakfast so Devin took him to the Doctor when he got back from work. We found out he  had strep so Saturday morning we took ALL the girls in to be check. Every. single. one. tested positive. None of the adults got it and miraculously Eddi didn't get it either. 

 Another picture of Sadie wearing her slippers. This was on Sunday. 

 Monday for our last HURRAH we went to the children's museum in Bloomington. I love that place. Three floors of awesome activities for the kids. I really need to plan lunch better the next time we go. The kids are always tired and hungry by the time we hit the third floor so we've never done all the activities up there. 

 

 

Painting wall. I want on in our house.  

 

 

We filled up on nuggets, frosty's and fries and headed home. 

Cole took a nap with Kovu on the way home. 

Tuesday we took them to our wonderful Library and had a laid back day.  and Wednesday they packed up and we said farewell. It was fun to have such a full house over the holidays! We are so blessed to have family that can visit us! 

Visiting Atlanta Dec 2014

We made a last minute decision to meet up with Patrick and Whitney in Atlanta before Christmas. Whitney's parents graciously let us invade their home! Devin drove the older three down over night, as they commenced their journey Cole informed Devin, "Dad I'm going to stay up all the nights." And he did stay up until about 2 or 3 that night. I don't know how he does it, but he LOVES to drive in the car at night.  Eddi and I flew the next morning. 

 

Eddie's first plane flight --Of course would not be complete without a blow out and wardrobe change as we were descending :)

We hung out at the house that evening to let Devin recover. 

The next day we headed to the Georgia Aquarium. It is a pretty awesome place :)

Santa went swimming with the HUGE fish

That night we made gingerbread houses! 

Sadie and Leigh helped Grammy prep the houses and oversee the collecting of candy.

I love that smile!

I think more candy went in her mouth than on her house.

Friday the Dad's went golfing in the morning and we all went bowling that evening. It was a first for our family. And we all had a blast!!

Saturday Whitney and Papi had to run Leigh home to S.C. for an emergency doctors appointment (everything turned out ok). So Devin and Grammy took the kids to the duck pond while I stayed at the house with Eddi. Patrick grabbed BBQ for lunch. Southern BBQ is delectable and while the kids all begged to go to the Smokin' Pig (a S.C. Favorite) they all ate up the BBQ pretty well. Playing continued until bedtime. Devin loaded the kid up at midnight and drove straight to the airport (he is the ultimate road warrior) to pick me up the next morning. Our travels were safe and the kids did amazing as always. We LOVE the S.C. Moss family and are so happy we are close enough to get together with them as often as we do!!