Nooksack Christmas '09

Saturday was my family's Christmas Day. We celebrate a week early just to ease the crunch of the real Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. It seems that everyone has places to go and things to do and it's just not fun having to rush from place to place. Having it the weekend before allows for a relaxed time, lots of catching up is done and it's one of the few times that the little kids all get together to play. I took just a few pics (200 or so!) and narrowed it down to a good 30+ and to my family: if you didn't make it in many (or any) pictures I'm very sorry...the kids are probably just cuter than you! ;)

Abby and Trey in front of the massive pile of goodies!

He looks thrilled to be getting a hug from his sister

Have you ever tried to get 4 little kids to look at the camera - at the same time - and smile?
This is what you get

But aren't they cute?!

Caught one lookin'!

They really did have a good time, I promise! I think I'll be seeing that face of Abby's well into her teenage years.

Best family pic I could get.

Molly's favorite gift or an inside family joke? you decide!

I'm in love with Easton's blond curls!

A new party dress!

He wanted to put on his new shirt right away. And lots of wrapping paper balls were flying at this party!

2 VERY HANDSOME BOYS!!!

What kid doesn't need 1000 stickers?!

Miss Santa and her helper elf...best buds!

Molly and Abby

Boys and their toys!

Yes, there were adults at this party!

10 minute bobs break!

Who's getting tired?

Who heard she had more presents to open?

Comparing nail polish colors

Trey "the Tool man" Gardner

Cars go everywhere!

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

Ariel

Cinderella

Belle. All 4 were "Just what I always wanted!"

My super awesome cousing Emily. She has the most gorgeous blue eyes you've ever seen! And don't mind Abby...she was not a fan of the mamarazzi

Stocking time

Best day of her life!!!!!!!

Aunt Sally and Easton. Ahhh, sleeping babies are the best.

"Mom, go away. I'm reading to my baby"

What a fun night. I wish everyone lived a little closer so we could get together more often. Good food, yummy desserts, lots of presents (let's face it, everyone likes presents!) and a lot of laughter!

Have you seen...

my daughter?? She is missing. Blonde hair, blue eyes, loud, cranky, in-your-face personality?? No? Me either!

She has recently decided that it is really fun to spend the afternoons in her room coloring, doing puzzles, putting stickers on everything and torturing the cat. I must say that I don't even really care what she's doing up there because it is QUIET downstairs!! Trey is off playing by himself. He's very self-entertained, loves playing with his boots and his blow-up bat/ball/tee set. Both come and say hi occasionally but for the most part I get to relax for a bit each day (I should be cleaning but let's face it, relaxing is much more......relaxing!)

How long can this continue???? I'm hoping at least through Christmas!

Let it Snow!!

Finally we got a little snow. Abby has been looking forward to snow for quite some time and as soon as the first flakes started to fall she and Trey were decked out in their hats and boots to go out and try to catch some!

Trey trying to stick his tongue out

One of my favorite Abby pics ever!

A little more snow in the afternoon

Rusty

Eating a snowball

Our pretty house! Too bad nobody ever sees it!

Even the shed gets some lights.

Ready for trip #3 in the snow

The kids both LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the snow. Trey throws and absolute fit when he has to come inside. He loves his mittens, his boots, his hat, everything about getting dressed for snow. We still had about 3-4 inches this morning and they went out to play for nearly 45 minutes. I finally was too frozen to stand out there and watch. There is still a lot left this afternoon so we may venture out in a while!

Friend's Christmas 2009

Saturday was our turn to host our monthly friend get-together and since it's December it was our Christmas party! All the kiddos came dressed in their Christmas jammies...so cute! Tacos were on the menu for dinner with ice cream sundaes for dessert, yum yum! We have such a great group of friends and getting together is always a great time. There are 7 kids, 5 and under but 8 adults so we still outnumber the little people! It's nice to be able to relax and share the responsibility of kid-watching. They are all such great kids too!

Trey and Abby pre-funking

Watching Prep & Landing

Some were ready to take the kid picture

One was not!

Buddy did NOT want to sit down

So darn cute!!

Not a bad looking bunch!

Present time!

The mamarazzi

Malia looking extra festive!

Isaiah helping Trey with his new toy

Lots of fun and laughter!

Ice cream sundaes!!

Christmas Card Rejects

This one is cute but didn't make it

Buddy Bud

Trey had his 18 month well child check last Wednesday. The only appointment I could get that didn't interfere with work and I had an available babysitter for Abby was at 12:45...smack in the middle of his normal naptime. I thought I was in for a not fun visit but Trey was so great! He tried flirting with a little girl in the waiting room but she rejected him, twice. Sad! He had a great time getting weighed and measured (26.3 lbs and nearly 35 in!) and he had a blast running back and forth on the paper covered table. He was a little shy with the doctor but didn't cry at all until he needed his teeth checked. He has NEVER let me look in his mouth since he was born. A tongue depressor finally worked and then he had a new toy afterward! Dr. Bishop said that Trey was the most mild-mannered 18 month old he'd had in months. A little crying during his shots and then he was happy again.

18 months old!

Into everything!

Likes to be up high

Sometimes when life gets you down you just need a pop tart

Nakey-nake is always cute!

And the Flu Rolled On!

So after a week of recovery for me it was Abby's turn to come down with the yucks. She woke up from her nap last Friday and started throwing up, among other things. It was exactly like my flu so I knew the vomiting and all wouldn't last long. She was pretty mellow about it all and I even got to cuddle a bunch with her. It's not often that I get to just sit and hold one of the kids. She went to bed early, slept all night and has been a weirdo ever since! She's obsessed with throwing up now and keeps saying that she's sick. If she's distracted life is great but as soon as she gets a chance to think about it she starts acting up about being sick. Hopefully she'll get over it soon and be back to her normal cheerful (*cough, cough*) self.

Then last Tuesday Jerry came down with the flu himself. He had to go to school in the morning but it became apparent that he couldn't hold out until for the sub who was coming in the afternoon. His principal took over his PE duties for the last hour of the morning and Jerry came home and slept the rest of the day. He stayed home the next day as well, holed up in our bedroom with his laptop, tv, Blackberry, saltines and water! By Thursday he was feeling well enough to head on back to school.

Thursday night my sinuses decided to empty themselves and the faucet that is my nose hasn't really stopped since. I finally started feeling better once the pressure let up but I have continued to sound like a life-long smoker, complete with cough, ever since. I even woke up to find myself having a super awesome nose bleed about 5 this morning. Lucky me!! I'm really hoping that this is the end of our winter sickness...fingers crossed! I was thinking the other day that it would be fun to live in Australia where Christmas happens during the summer, not too many people are as sick in the summer as they are in the winter. It's hard to feel the Christmas cheer when you just plain don't feel well!

PS. Said illnesses are the major reason my blogging has sucked lately. I was informed Saturday that my last post had been November 29th. Oops!