Oh the Holidays

No HUGE thoughts this week.  Just surviving the holiday cheer/chaos:o)  

Next week will be my recap of 2013.

Top 10 for the Week:
(December 23rd, 2013)

10.  Car Rides with CLAY.  He is a bear in the car.  Screaming, yelling, whatever he can do.  It's SO hard to be in the car with him.  I'm hoping he grows out of this SOON.  Anyone else have this issue?

9.  Crazy KIDS.  Holidays are rough on them.  We've been in the car a lot.  And with extended family.  Here and there.  Too much.  Makes crazy kids.  Is it sad to say I'm ready for routine again?

8.  Tense.  I've been a bit tense lately.  Maybe grumpy would be a better word.  I'm off.  Reasons for this?  Stuck inside?  Kids over holidays?  I'm over holidays?  No chiropractor for the last few weeks?  No night out the last few weeks?  Not sure.  But I'm over it.  And I KNOW this directly effects my OWN children's mood.  SO.  I'M.  DONE. 

7.  Christmas Eve.  Since I was born, my family has always gone to my Grandma Engelhardt's for Chirstmas Eve (The year I was preggers with Mal we didn't go).  This year, we stayed home.  It was SO strange.  I had mixed emotions.  Like I was missing something.  But starting something new too.  Jay cooked dinner--which we've decided will be an annual thing.  We watched a Christmas movie and then went to church.  It was great.  I'm excited to be starting this new tradition with our little family.  And the kids were GREAT at church--especially Clay.  Which makes me believe he CAN be good in the car.

6.  Crochet.  Finished an infinity scarf and now onto my next project--a blanket for Mal.  My biggest project yet!:o)

5.  Basement Renovation.  Oh how I LOATHE renovations.  The beginning and middle are always the worst!  We are about in the end of the middle.  It has been a long few weeks...but our basement is coming along and becoming more functional for our family!  Only a few more big things and we will be done with this project and onto the next!

4.  Holiday Party (Extended Engelhardt's).  We've always done our Christmas party on Christmas Eve, but this year the whole family decided to move it to the weekend after Christmas.  It was bliss.  Loved having our extra time at home and not feeling so rushed to be anywhere.  Kids were great (except for the car ride!).  Enjoyed seeing my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Even if the place we had it at was only 57 degrees inside (heat was broken)!!!  A good time by all.  And I especially LOVE seeing my kids bond/interact with my extended family.  Our kids are NOT shy.  At all. 

3.  Clayisms.  He PEED in his car seat on our way to my grandma's.  Didn't know this until we stopped.  Could have been why he was SO crazy on the way there.  And I'm sure he peed out of his diaper because I kept giving him more juice/water because I thought he wanted more.  Changed him, a bag down on the seat, and we called it good.  One day this week I worked on his speech cards just before nap.  Too bad the poor kid had hiccups.  Try having a 2 year old who has a speech delay, say words to you WITH hiccups.  It was a train wreck.  We've also been giving him gum--suggested by his speech therapist to help strengthen his jaw muscles.  He's so cute about it.  He calls it yum yum.  And he LOVES it.  I'm shocked--but the two year old does NOT swallow it!  He's so smart like that--of course.  Now if we could only get him to potty train....

2.  Malloryisms.  Biggest thing this week for Mal was a new booster seat for her.  Do to the pee--and just needing to get her a booster seat--we chose to buy one.  She'll be five in just a few short weeks (I'm crying now).  She was SO pumped about this.  Nonstop talk for 24 hours.   And then nonstop talk about it while she was IN it.  So proud of herself.  "This is what happens when you turn five."  Ugh.  Five.  Crazy.  And she is smarter than me.  We were outdoors enjoying the snow and decided to build a snow tunnel through one of our snowbanks.  Here I am using a Frisbee and my hands to try and dig one out.  When I noticed Miss Smartypants Mallory using her feet and legs.  Oh man--it was SO much easier!  Yes folks, she's five and already smarter than me.  Yikes.

1.  Christmas.  Christmas morning was awesome!  Mal woke up around 7:00 and we ended up waking Clay up to join us.  He wasn't too happy about that--even when he saw the presents.  I have the funniest picture of him.  He was so irritated.  After opening presents, kids enjoyed some homemade cinnamon rolls (thanks Grandma Newell!) and homemade hot chocolate (thanks Daddy!).  We all played until 11:00.  The TV was not on at all.  Which is SO unusual:o)  We are TV junkies in the morning.  FOUR hours straight of playing with new toys.  After lunch we headed over to Jay's parents for his extended family gathering.  Kids were great again!  And SO tired.  Clay ended up falling asleep on there couch at 6:00PM.  It was cute.  Overall, a great Christmas in our house.  Lots of new and happy memories to add to our scrapbooks.  We have a lot to be thankful for this year.

Hope you all had a great Christmas!
And enjoy your New Year's tonight!~

Love to you all.

Until next week,
Mrs. Newell