4 Years Old...

Garrison is officially 4 years old.  It's a Saturday, which meant family can celebrate with us since it's his actual birthday today.  I planned for everyone to come over for lunch.  Lunch works better because of evening mass and the commute time for a couple relatives which live about 40 minutes north of us.  Since we didn't get together as a large family for Christmas, this also was our "holiday meal/gathering".  I made a ham, scalloped potatoes (best recipe I have ever made to date), cranberry jello mold, dill buttered carrots, and sweet potato biscuits.  Garrison's Mickey Mouse birthday cake was dessert along with Christmas cookies I had made a few days earlier.  Garrison is one lucky boy.  Most would think having a birthday so close to Christmas would equal less presents but for Garrison... let's just say Christmas comes two different days with all the gifts he gets. He, of course, LOVED everything but he especially loved having everyone here to celebrate turning another year older.  These days you will find Garrison playing with his remote control Lightning McQueen car, Thomas the Train and tracks, building with megablocks or Legos, and reading lots and lots of books.  He is such a sweet boy.  He likes to be lovey, hugs and kisses without asking for them, he will tell us numerous times in the day how much he loves us.  I know these days will be coming to and end sooner than later so for now, I take a mental picture and smile ear to ear.  Recently, he is becoming more confident when in public.  At storytime, he now dances, sings, and participates.  Just a few short months ago, I would try and encourage such acts and he would cross his arms in protest and get all shy.  He, sadly, isn't potty trained just yet but hopefully will be in the next few months.  We would love to put him in preschool this fall which requires a diaper free child!!  Rather than push potty training, I will enjoy the last few months I have with my newly 4 year old boy and not rush the future days of "Bye mom, no mom I can't kiss you my friends might see, and mom I want to play with my friends not play cards with you".  For I know they are just around the corner.

Happy Birthday to my Garrison.  My little buddy.  My pal.

Merry Christmas Family and Friends...

Another Christmas has arrived!  More presents were delivered by the man in the red suit.  The children were very excited to check the dvd footage to see if they caught him on camera delivering their presents.  BUT not before they tore into a few gifts!  6am, I heard Garrison run down the upstairs hall.  He must have peeked over the railing and saw the presents because he then ran back down the hall towards every ones bedrooms yelling "PRESENTS, Santa brought PRESENTS".  It took 45 minutes for everyone to open every last gift.  Maia kept us on our toes as she tried to eat every piece of wrapping paper than it the floor.  Lots of ooo's and aaa's were said.  The excitement had them wanting every single item out of its packaging.  The older kids were anxious to start building since majority of their gifts were Legos while the younger kids impatiently waited for each item to be taken out of its packaging.  It was a long morning.

By 9am, mom, dad, and Jarrod came over.  The kids were out front riding bikes, while I prepped food for an early meal (mom had to go to work in the evening so we needed an early meal).  The day was pretty laid back.  The older kids built Legos pretty much all day.  The little kids took long afternoon naps (which we figured would happen since they were up so early in the morning).  I even enjoyed a nice afternoon nap!  Although we didn't get together with Marc's other relatives in the area, it was still a very enjoyable day.  This coming weekend we will be getting together for Garrison's birthday so we will see each other then.  Until then, I have a feeling it will be lazy days spent playing with new toys and building new Legos!  Merry Christmas Everyone! 

Christmas Eve...

Merry Christmas Eve!  Like the last couple years, we had dinner at Marc's parents house.  It was a way bigger turn out this year!  Usually it's just us, his parents, and Jarrod!  This year, Jarrod came but brought his girlfriend Mallari and her 2 yr old daughter Scarlett!  Also joining us were Marc's Aunt Betty, and cousins Bea, Jan, Carlos, his wife Brigette, and their two sons Brixson and Kian!  I told you it was a big turn out!  It was so much fun!  So many kids and not all mine!  Great food, awesome conversations, lots of smiles as the kids ripped through presents and played well with each other!  We arrived back at our house just in time to get jammies on, take a quick picture, put the reindeer food out front, and head to bed.

The Perfect. Christmas. Eve. Enjoy just a few pictures we snapped...

 

Mickey Our Elf...

Mickey, our elf on the shelf returned again for some troublemaking. Here are a few things he did this year that had the kids laughing...

Gingerbread Houses And Craft...

Marc's cousin from California is in town for the holidays.  We offered for them to come over and let their boys play with our kids and decorate gingerbread houses.  Their two boys are the same ages as Rosalia and Maia which worked out well for age appropriate toys and playmates.  Aunt Betty came over as well. As you can see Rosalia really enjoyed seeing her!  It was such a fun afternoon!  It was also a reminder of how much we miss when families live far away from each other!  I sometimes wish times were like the "olden days" when families stayed within so many blocks of each other!  My kids have so many cousins their ages but all of them live in different states.  At least the holidays brings some of them near even if its for a very short period of time.

 

2012 Christmas Card

Delivering The Trees...

I am so glad the older 4 kids were able to help deliver all the trees the religion class children made a couple weeks ago to our local catholic hospital! Every year our church has a family night for the religious education classes. Trees are provided and students bring whatever decorations to customize their trees! The last couple years the kids were still in school when they planned to deliver the trees but this year they made it! I love teaching the kids about giving to others especially during a time when children are easily confused with their own "wants"!

Ugly Sweater...

Dillon's class had an ugly sweater party. Although he didn't win a prize he was happy with how "ugly" it was!

Gingerbread Trains...

Well it only took me 1 solid day of baking and two entire days of assembling and decorating to finish all 3 gingerbread trains! The kids need to stop signing me up for so many time consuming things!!

MOMS Club Holiday Party...

"Santa Cwaus is coming".  Rosalia said this sentence all morning long with excitement.

 I offered to host this years holiday party for MOMS Club.  I convinced Santa to stop by and visit since it's not a holiday party without the big guy in red stopping to see everyone.  Majority of the kids were very excited once he arrived.  He brought goodie bags for each of the kids and took quite a few pictures with them all.  Food was a hit.  We had a crescent roll hotdog wreath, snowmen finger jello, chocolate snowballs, a grape candy cane platter, apple slice candy cane, Christmas tree spritz cookies, gingerbread men, and some other snacks that our friends brought over.  We had a coloring table and a candy cane finger print craft.  The kids had a blast!