Christmas

Another Christmas has come and gone. And I am settling quite nicely into Christmas break. Sadly, it isn't very long this year, but I am very thankful for these days. No alarm clock. No worrying about homework, backpacks, or lunch money. No concern for lesson plans or grading papers. Just me and an unlimited supply of coffee.

We spent Christmas Eve at my sister's house with her 2 babes. We had a delicious lunch and opened lots of presents. We made it home in time to get the reindeer food sprinkled and cookies set out for Santa. Favorite gifts: pink guitar for the girl and Lego farm set for the boy.


The kids got up uber excited on Christmas Day. Santa had come! Favorite gifts: iPod touches!


We spent the rest of Christmas Day with 2 sets of aunt and uncles, relaxing, eating, drinking wine, opening even more gifts, and drinking wine.

I had 3 things on my Christmas wish list: a new camera, Kindle Fire, and Keurig. And I am pleased to report that I am very lucky (read: spoiled) and got them all!

We spent our first day of Christmas Break running errands. We spent Tuesday at home playing our new Wii games. We visited my sister and the babies again yesterday. Today's plan? Going to the movies to see the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie.


Ahhhh. Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas Break?

Christmas Card Photo Shoot 2011

I took advantage of a mild day last month to take pictures of the kids for our Christmas cards. We went to a local park, walking trail, railroad in the middle of nowhere, as well as our own yard and barn. They all turned out so well, we opted for a collage photo card. Here are some of the best ones of the day!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Stitches

The day we brought the Little Miss home from the hospital, exactly 24 hours after delivery, daddy and not-quite-2-year-old-Cole were playing and bouncing on our bed. Meanwhile, I was on the couch involved in one of many marathon nursing sessions. A few minutes after the play began, I heard a thump and much crying from the little boy. When daddy carried him out, blood was pouring from his head.

Grandma and Daddy loaded him up, took him to the ER, and brought him home with 3 staples in his head. I stayed on the couch with the 24 hour old baby and cried my eyes out.

8 years have passed since then and except for routine doctor appointments and one scheduled tubes/adnenoid surgery, Cole has needed little medical care.

And then this happened.


Cole and daddy were on the farm early in the day, gearing up for a long day of harvest. The last day of harvest for the year. They were making feed for the cattle, as most mornings begin. Daddy was scooping ground corn to put into the feed mixer. Unfortunately, Cole leaned in to get a scoop just as Daddy was lifting his shovel up.

Forehead? Meet shovel.

When Daddy raced up the road in the truck, carrying a crying Cole through the door, I assumed he had gotten in trouble and was being dropped off. (You see, spending time with mommy on the weekend is the worst punishment he can receive.) Imagine my surprise when he turned around and his entire face was covered in blood!

After an initial gasp, I took him into the bathroom and cleaned him up. The gash was small but pretty deep. I took him into urgent care, blood all over his coat, his lips blue from the children's Advil I gave him on the way.


Several numbing shots (OUCH!) and 2 stitches later, we were on our way to the local farm supply store for a new John Deere combine toy for my very brave boy.


He's excited to show off his war wounds at school tomorrow. And I am very relieved it wasn't any worse!

My Messy Moments

With a little boy whose favorite things in life are dirt, mud, and manure (in no particular order) life gets pretty messy around here on the farm.

Few things make this kid happier than a huge dirt pile to play in.







And then momma gets her messy moment. Seriously? You want me to wash these?


But that's nothing compared to a fun-filled day of working in the cattle barn.


That ain't dirt, my friends.

But the thing is...I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything. Not the dirt or the mud. Not even the manure. Because this face?



Makes it all worth it.

I received information about Clorox’s Bleach It Away campaign and am sharing my messy moment for the chance to win prizes from The SITS Girls. To learn more about the messy moment program, check out www.BleachItAway.com. Sharing your story on the Clorox fan page gets you entered for the chance to win $25,000 and daily prizes, and you can grab a coupon for Clorox® Regular Bleach.

Who is this 8 year old and what has he done with my baby?

We celebrated the little man's 8th birthday this weekend!

We had a party at our house with 10 of his friends.

They rode pedal tractors.

Played in the dirt.

Ate cake.


Opened presents.


Played kickball, cornhole, and dodgeball.


We had a pumpkin ring toss, pumpkin seed race, and even pumpkin bowling with toilet paper ghosts!


After the party, we headed to my parents' house where we had been hiding our gift to the birthday boy.

Could it be?


Is it really what I think it is?


Yes! A 4 wheeler! Woo hoo!



He is SO excited about his new 4-wheeler. Now he's one of the big guys.


But he'll always be my baby.


*sniff*

Happy 8th birthday, my little man. Momma loves you more than you know.

The Speed of Life

Over the past month...

My new sweet baby niece was born.



4 days later, my own baby girl turned 6.


3 days later, my other sweet baby niece turned one.



Then the kids and the husband were in a wedding for my cousin and his beautiful new bride.




We are now enjoying Fall Break. And when I say enjoying, I mean screaming at the kids to QUIT FIGHTING.

(These pictures of the Little Miss were taken 2 weeks ago, when it was 80. It is currently 30 degrees.)

And today we are celebrating my little man's 8th birthday. Gah! Crazy. Unbelievable. Impossible. He was as small as his new baby cousin just yesterday.


Life is flying by too quickly. Someone, please pass the pause button.