CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!

I have posted 4 or so new blogs...so make sure you scroll all the way down after reading this one!!! We have had lots of fun in December!

Now that I have all my Christmas Stuff boxed up and put away I am trying to get caught up with blogging!!! Boy, was I behind!! Christmas Day was a lot of fun. A lot of excitement and anticipation went into the Christmas Day preparation!

The kids woke up at 7am!! 7am how wonderful!! Aubrey's favorite item in her stocking was the lip gloss and High School Musical singing pens!
Caleb dug through his stocking quickly...so excited for every little toy and relieved that he didn't get coal!

Ainsley dumped out her stocking immediately so I was unable to get a picture. She loved everything!

Caleb loved his little singing TRAMPOLINE!!

Caleb loved Aubrey's tent.After breakfast we opened presents. Aubrey was kind enough to share her lip gloss!

Caleb had fun opening all his presents!

Ainsley was excited to have presents that were "just for her".

After the children opened their individual presents it was time for them to open the big "just for kids" present! A mini roller coaster!!!

Aubrey was first. She went slowly and cautiously.

Ainsley loved to just sit at the top. That was good enough for her!

Caleb and Aubrey put her on the car and pushed her down. What a face!

Caleb went quickly....zooming past the wood floor right into my newly painted wall.

We had a fun Christmas. It was wonderful month and the start of new traditions. We enjoyed reading 25 Christmas Stories, singing 25 Christmas songs/hymns, and reading 25 scriptures to count down the 25 days until. We loved watching all the Christmas movies, eating all the Christmas goodies, and doing all the Christmas crafts.

Now with the tree down and Christmas decorations put away I look forward to 2009 and I am so grateful for everything I have learned, experienced, and done in 2008. I hope with 2009 I make less mistakes as a mother, wife, and person. It's a long shot, but I hope I learn how to cook 5 wonderful meals, that I do not dye/cut my hair, and that I can keep up with the laundry. So, here's to 2009! Happy New Years!

**more pictures posted below!

Christmas Eve Night!

We drove down to Windsor to have a nice Ham Dinner with Andy's parents and Aunt Judy. After the dinner Paul read from the Bible while the kids acted it out.Caleb was Joseph!

Ainsley was the sheep but kept making pig noises!

Aubrey was Mary! After we acted out the Nativity Aunt Judy, sang the kids a couple songs, and then it was time to open the presents from the Griner Grandparents and Aunt Judy!
Ainsley got a fun crib toy, turtle toy, and stuffed Animals!
Caleb got Golf Clubs, Balls, with a Carrying Case along with coloring books!
Aubrey got a mini Aubrey doll with accessories and coloring books!

Aubrey and Caleb were so excited to open their Doctors kit! They have wanted one ever since Caleb's stay in the hospital. They made sure to check everyone blood pressure and temperature before we had cake!
On the drive home from Windsor Aubrey was so excited. Looking up in the sky for Santa and singing Christmas songs. Ainsley cried all the way home and Caleb fell asleep!

**Look below for more pictures!

Christmas Eve Morning!

Christmas Eve started some time between 4 and 5 am with Caleb jumping in bed with us saying "I am a wake!" It was all a blur of total exhaustion! (Andy and I had stayed up late putting Caleb's trampoline together)

After multiple "Syd the Science Guy" and "Mickey Mouse Club" house we started the day! I thought a fun tradition to start would be making Ginger Bread Houses!Ainsley was excited!
Aubrey and Caleb were excited!Since Ainsley didn't get to make her own I thought I would let her help make cupcakes for Santa! She thought that was cool!
Caleb got frosting everywhere.

All in all we had a lot of fun. For every piece of candy Caleb put on his house he put 3-4 pieces in his mouth. It was fun tradition!

**More pictures below!!

An Early Christmas Eve Celebration

Andy's brother Nate and his daughter Paris flew in to Kansas City the Friday before Christmas for an early Christmas Eve Dinner and fun with the cousins. I was in charge of the Turkey. I would like to add that ME being in charge of the MAIN dish was very nerve racking!! I have not had the best of luck cooking these past 5 years. I think the Turkey turned out great thought! 7 hours, an hour of basting, and several calls home and to the neighbor Gretchen paid off!!! Did I tell you that Andy brought home an almost 30 pound turkey!!! It barely fit in the oven!!!

The dinner was delicious and the cousins loved playing together!
The next morning, we all woke up early and went to a restaurant inside Bass Pro Shop to have breakfast with Santa. Santa and Mrs. Claus gathered all the kids around for story time, the kids got a free gift bag, a yummy breakfast, and a free picture with Santa.

Aubrey thought Mrs. Claus was so beautiful!
Ainsley was excited for the food!Caleb was on good behavior because Santa was here. I have never seen him so well behaved and quiet!After Breakfast with Santa we walked around the store. Aubrey and Paris (age 3) held hands the entire time!Ainsley refused to sit in a shopping cart and she wanted to hold her own balloon.Ainsley is a climber....she is very curious like Caleb.

Caleb loved playing in the tents, boats, and on the golf cart. We had a fun morning and afternoon!

***More pictures below!!

The week leading up to Christmas!

For most little boys and girls the week leading up to Christmas is full of excitement and good behavior. Santa is making the final touches to his "Naughty or Nice list" and you want to make sure you on on the "Nice" list. For some reason Caleb did not get the memo. Monday started a long train of "Naughty" choices.

#1. Caleb took Andy's mom's Christmas present (BUBBLE BATH) and dumped out the entire bottle on Ainsley head. It was in her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.

#2. Caleb broke my ipod...while I was trying to fix it (calling Steff and Seth) he opened Aubrey's Christmas present (6 barbies).

#3 Caleb tore apart his nice dresser, taking out all the newly folded clothes, un-screwing all the nobs of his dresser, and he threw the nobs and screws in different directions throughout his room.
#4 Since markers, crayons, and other writting utincils are hidden very well Caleb took the heal of Aubrey's new high heal shoes and colored on his wall. How did he think to do that?

#5 Red Nail Polish....on my couch. The same exact couch cussion that I had aready flipped over because he colored the other side with a yellow crayon. A scene from the Clark favorit movie CLIFFORD ran through my head....IS THERE NO END TO CALEB'S MADNESS!!!

I would like to say that I do not leave him alone unsupervised for long periods of time...usually only while I am cleaning the kitchen. I usually dress him in swooshy pants so that I can always hear him.
Anyway, after the nail polish accident I really feel that the age of acountablity should be 3. He even said "Mom, it wasn't an accident. I did it on purpose!"
My new goal was to increase time out from 3 minutes to 30 minutes and I was going to try and let him do fun/supervised activities that he normally wouldn't be aloud to do.Activity #1 let Caleb make sugar cookies all by himself. Tell him what to do and give him the correct measuring utisiles. It worked out really well and he was able to consentrate long enough!
#2 Let Caleb use sizzors. I showed him how to make a snow flake! He really didn't care for the cutting and didn't understand what was going on until I showed him he could open it.He thought that was really COOL!
**As punishment for the nail polish he had to keep it on...on the days getting closer to Christmas he was very worried that Santa would think he was a girl and bring him Barbies instead of a trampoline. I finally took it off after 4 days.Then I let Caleb and Ainsley paint on Calebs wall with washable water paint. I was surprised at how carefull Caleb was. I thought he would go right at it and make a mess.
Ainsley was just excited that she got to participate!

The final activity was using permanent markers for an activity book.
When all was said and done, he still didn't take an afternoon nap, but he was really good and "accident" free for the rest of the day!