Christmas

It's over.

Well, kind of.

We still have to meet up with Lance's mom and exchange gifts with her.
And I still need to take down the glitter and move my house back into a normal living arrangement.

But the boxes have been broken down, and the toys have been squeezed into the playroom and we can finally *sit* and play.

Christmas....
It is such a funny thing to me...

Every year, I am cursing the madness around the 23rd-- vowing to "change things next year"--  wondering why we have NINETEEN people to buy for (not counting each other or our kids) when there are billions of kids who get nothing-- running around with all of the other procrastinators-- waiting in forever lines-- whining kids-- missed naps-- bitching relatives-- people assuming their time is the most important time--  last minute change of plans-- tears-- arguments--  realizing I haven't bought matching Christmas PJs yet--  wrapping-- working-- schedules conflicting-- my most special present to my mom, not working out-- exhaustion-- too much money spent-- not enough time-- not enough days-- stress. stress. stress.

and then its here.

Christmas.
My sweet husband drives to 6 different stores to buy the pajamas.  I can breathe.

We develop a schedule and realize that "we can only do what we can do"...

We end up making it to almost every place-- despite Lance and I both working Christmas Eve morning.

My mom has my kids bathed and dressed and met me after work to keep things rolling smoothly.

We enjoy great visiting with family, some we don't get to see that often.

Good food.

Good conversation.

Laughter.

Love.

Joy.

Christmas.

And by the evening of December 25th-- all the stress was completely worth it, and that list of crap from above seems totally-totally petty.

Here is a quick view of our Christmas adventures thus far:
(and a condensed version of pictures)

First stop:
Granny Earlene's in Boyd, Friday evening.
[Lance's dad's side of the family]

I stayed the night with my mom Friday evening since I had to work Saturday morning.  My Aunt Monica is down from South Carolina, and I got to visit with her also.
 
Work Saturday morning was fabulous and then we met for lunch at my Mamaw's.
[my mom's grandmother]

By 4:00 we were in Lake Worth at my Nana's.
[my Dad's mom]
As you can see, the boys had to change into their matching outfits... and I had to stuff my face with some delicious food.

A quick run into Target after Nana's (after realizing I never bought stuff to make breakfast) and we were home by 7:30.
The only bonus to missing naps during the holiday madness is that Maddox was OUT when we made it home.  Like, I changed him into his pajamas and made him tee tee, and he never woke up through any of it!

Lance and I set up for the arrival of Santa...
but not without help from a tiny elf named Beckham, who refused to go to sleep!

Maddox came and woke me up around 2:30 and he and I looked through his loot.
Lance swears that I didn't wake him up but the truth is that Lance had a complete conversation with him about his pirate ship but didn't remember a thing.

Around 8:00, we went in as a family to see what Santa had left.
Maddox was mostly excited about his pirate ship (a last minute score at Tuesday Morning for $10 after searching forever and coming up empty handed.  The down side: this particular ship had 4,000 pieces.  Pop helped Maddox assemble the ship and then somehow we lost about 3,000 pieces into the trash?!) and his Ricky Thiebolt figurine that Daddy scored at Big Lots.  (Basically Santa could have been done on $15!)

My parents arrived shortly after the excitement had died down and mom and I (okay, mostly mom) made bacon, eggs, biscuits and gravy and Lightening McQueen shaped pancakes for breakfast.
And then they headed back home.

Something new this year, Lance and I had no where to go until dinner time at my mom's.
We were able to clean up-- play with the new toys and take a family nap before heading out.
It was so nice.

I will say, as Lance and I looked through Facebook and saw the ridiculous amount of stuff that some kids got for Christmas, Lance wondered if we did enough.  That made me crazy!  I don't get sad at all when I see the amount of money people spend... it puzzles me, honestly.
My kids have an entire room designated to toys and playing...  and do you know where they are 99% of the day??  -under my feet.  Helping me cook... coloring pictures together... watching tv together... dancing to our tunes... telling jokes... chatting each other up... on. top. of. me.

I spend about $100 each year per kiddo... (well, B was a little under and M a little over) but I honestly think I could give them just their stocking and they would be happy.
[Beckham would have been happy with trash-- and that's a fact.]

I am not saying that I am a better mom than any of these people who shower their kids in gifts-- and honestly, it is really none of my business-- but this is my blog to shed my opinion and I just don't understand it, that's all.

To me, this is what it should be about::
[Maddox's rendition of The Christmas Story]

And... I have to believe Maddox when he told me that he got way too many gifts!
Because he did!!!

Christmas night we went out to my mom's.
Mom has always made a huge deal out of Christmas and this year was no different.

The men made chicken and beef fajitas and Mom made all of the rest.
And it was wonderful.

Ellie tossed her new tutu onto a burning candle and caught mom's dining room table of fire!!  (Inches from the tree and all of that wrapping paper!)  Flames shooting up-- type of fire!!

Luckily Randi is much better under pressure than myself, and she quickly put the fire out and kept the damages minimal!!
[I, on the other hand, screamed Mom!!, as I stomped my feet in one place and did *nothing* to help!]

Like always, Christmas at Mom's was another success.

Yesterday, I spent my entire day rearranging the playroom and putting together toys.

Today we have played.

Put together a puzzle.

Painted a few gorgeous water color pieces.

Played Pop the Pig.

Enjoyed the aftermath...

We need naps-- hence the Buzz Lightyear stuck on top of one of my ceiling fan blades right now-- but once Lance gets home I am sneaking off to pay a bill before I go on call, so I am not fretting over it!  [He can!]

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Milestones and Maddox'isms

Today Beckham turns 8 months old.

Over the past month, he has mastered a few new things.
His pulling up has now turned into full fledged cruising.
Along the couches...
from the couch to a toy...
And today, down the hallway-- holding on to the wall.

He can now walk behind push toys...
and occasionally will let go all together for a second or two!!

He loves to sit on his knees...
and is a fast little crawler.

[this all still blows my mind, since Maddox was just learning to army crawl at this point!]

In the last few days he has cut his 2 bottom teeth, let go of the island and took a step toward me and learned the B sound.

I am not sure if it is just the sound... or short for Bubba... binky... bite-bite... bye, bye... or booby!!

I work daily with "momma" and "daddy"-- but no words have arrived yet.
Just babbles and bubbles, so far.  (and this B business)

He loves to eat.  Anything and everything!!  (and I am far less crazy this go around with him trying things; even not-so-healthy things)

I still feed him baby foods (out of convenience) but he would rather pick up his food and feed himself. So at home I steam him veggies and let him make a mess!

He is such a happy baby, and honestly rarely cries.
We really lucked out... because just like Maddox, people constantly ask, "is he always this happy?"

Unlike Maddox, however, he is a thinker.
I don't think he is as outgoing as Maddox was because he is always watching everyone and soaking it all in. 
He still smiles constantly... you just may have to work for it a bit!

He adores his momma, and loves to shower me with kisses.
{however, he is a bit stingy with them to the rest of the world.}

He likes to be layed in his bed when he is tired, with his binky in his mouth, and snuggy over his face, and left alone.
He still takes about 3 naps a day.
And goes down for bed at night around 10:30... wakes to feed around 4:00... and then goes right back to sleep until 8:00ish.
[although last night he slept until 9:00am!!]
When he is ready to get up, he takes his binky out of his mouth, pulls up in his crib, and chunks the binky out of the bed.
[this is really the only time he will take a binky]

He is learning to climb.
[as I found him today, standing up in his little baby-rocker!]

Again, I feel awkward leaving Maddox out...
but at 3, they just don't change a lot month to month.

One new milestone that he has learned, is that he can now pick out letter sounds within the word and not just the start.
Like, "momma, staple has a P in it.  sstaPle... hear it?"

Otherwise, Maddox is just funny.
Sometimes, hysterical!

Here are a few of his Maddox'isms from the last few weeks or so:

**He comes in with toys tucked all over him, a baseball bat down the back of his underwear, things under each arm and a bowl on his head and says, "everyones going to pay attention to me in this suit, I am fully equipped."

**When frustrated recently, he said, "may I have a word with you?"

**Instead of saying he wanted another one, he said, "I would like one as well."

**He thumps my neck and calls it "get'cha neck meat!"  --I hate it.

**We had this conversation the other night and it got Lance and I both tickled!
"What is my feet, momma?"
"What is your sweet?"
"No, my feet!"
"I don't know what you are asking me, son."
"Like three or five, or what?  It is just how you say 'how tall' in Spanish."
After laughing for a minute, Lance said, "No buddy, you're still speaking English."
And he replied, "English?  I've never heard of it."

**I have been writing his conversations in the notes section of my phone, so that I can remember them but I seriously only remember to jot down about a tenth of the hilariousness.  Or in this case, the embarrassment.
"I am so freak'n'tired."  (all one word, just like his momma says it.  oops.)  or tonight, when he repeated his daddy, "why the hell didn't daddy's show record?"  (bigger oops.)

**Sometimes he tries to talk so old... but he's just not.  "Being great means being really good at something... like caring... or being able to carry 4 things at once."

**And because he tries so hard to be big, I forget and talk to him even bigger sometimes... which always ends up a lost cause:
"Baby, did you know that there are some kiddos that don't get toys at all for Christmas?"
"Yep.  Because they're bad, right momma?"
"No buddy, some kids are not as fortunate as others, meaning that they don't have any money for Christmas presents.  Would you like to buy these kids a present?"
"Yes I would, but they really should save their moneys better."

**"I'm sick of being a super hero, I just want to go back to being your granddaughter."

**Randomly he offers advice, "Sometimes you've just got to breave in and breave out."

**He gets frustrated with me often, "Momma?  Mommmma?  Momma, are you wistening to me?  Unfortunatewy, this is very important."

**But he loves me so much too.  He constantly tells us that he loves us and is the kissing-est little thing.  He and Lance are truly best friends right now but he will not admit to that in front of me.  He says, "We're all best friends.  We're a familwy."

**"If I tell you that I love you with all of my heart... but you say you don't... then that changes my heart, and it is berry breakable mom."
-I have never told him that he doesn't love me and have no idea where this came from?!

**The other night while I was taking call, I had asked him to be quiet while I was on the phone with a patient.  Once off the phone, it stayed quiet for a minute... until he broke the silence, "you want to talk about the freckle on my weenie?"

**He clears his throat and says "excuse me..." when he wants our attention.  [yay for changing 'hey' to 'excuse me'.. not so much for the subtle coughing before hand.]

**He isn't always great for my self esteem, like this conversation...
"momma, sometimes I think you wook like a princess." 
"Awe, that's very sweet buddy."
"But not today.  Today your hair wooks awful."

**and with my job...
"Momma, you're a good nurse at the doctor's office."
"Thank you baby."
"Yeah, but you're not a very good nurse at home."
"What?!  Why do you say that?"
"Because Beckham cried a wot today.  It takes a good nurse to keep him happy."

**He asked me yesterday if I knew what today was... when I asked what (thinking it was going to be a conversation about Christmas) he said, "fall!  See how all of the trees have wost their feathers?!"

**Yesterday he asked Lance where he was going...  "your neighborhood Braums or Japan?"

**He typically is very sweet to Beckham but since he can't throw him off of him, he complains a lot about Beckham crawling all over him.  I told him to stop whining, that Beckham was just trying to play and doesn't mean to hurt him and he respond (rather pissy-like) "well... it feels wike there's a thorn in his belly button... you should wet him crawl on you!"

**Finally, his favorite show right now (besides any Nick Jr show or the movie, Gnomeo and Juliet)  is this military show on the History channel that Lance watches called Bomb Patrol and his favorite soldier's name is Ricky Thibeault.  The show follows a specialized troop who's job is to lead the convoy and search and deactivate IEDs with robots.  Definitely too mature for Maddox but he begs to watch it and it isn't a shoot and kill type show.... so he and Lance record it and watch it together.
However, the other night, Maddox fell asleep on the couch with Lance during an episode.  While sleeping, he started gagging and coughing and holding his chest and I panicked and asked him what was wrong.  I could tell he was a bit disoriented so I asked him again if anything hurt as he still held his chest.  He calmly replied, "Its my froat.  I think I swallowed a pressure plate."
*Maybe* he has watched a little too much Bomb Patrol.  *Maybe*, as in, he chose a canteen to attach to his hip with a carabiner from the army surplus store today, on his boys day with Daddy, rather than a toy.  
In the words of Wonder Pets, This.  Is. Serwious.

I hate it.

My friend Candace and I have an on-going joke about me hating things.

A few years back, we had gone to Canton and we saw a booth selling those beaded hair ridiculous accessories that were in mall kiosk for about a minute...
Without much thought, I said, "I hate those things.  I hate them in the mall, and I hate them here."
We laughed because I was so passionate about my hatred for a hair clippy.

Since then, we joke about having a board on Pinterest titled, "I hate it."
But just as soon as I think something is awful, one of my friends have pinned it onto their board of ideas, so I have refrained from my negative-Nancy board of hating-ness.

This post is all in good fun... 
{but true.}


I hate...

• hair that isn't attached to the head. And in the manner that mine is falling from my scalp right now, this is a problem.
• that McDonalds now charges for sweet and sour sauce. what?
• when people drive slow in the left lane... or have a crazy blinker that blinks way too fast.
• that someone told me that jello was made from crushed bones... I obviously can't eat it now.
• peppermint flavored anything... especially if it is mixed with chocolate.
• when people without kids, offer parenting advice.  [I don't care how many nieces or nephews you have... I don't care that you get paid to take care of kids or if you have a college degree in the growth and development of children.  I don't care that you are 100 months pregnant with your first child, or have read every book about parenting.  Until you have birthed a human, cried on their bedroom floor sure that you are doing everything wrong-- and then in the same week thought about writing a book because you are so damn good at it... zip it.]
• pale pink.
• when I am busting a rhyme, dropping it like it's hot and whipping my hair like a wild woman by myself in my car and I make eye contact with another car.
• when my favorite trashy tv show doesn't record.
• that I had my Keurig for an entire year, and was not really a fan of it at all, before finding out that you can make 4 cups of coffee off of 1 k-cup.  [and that they make a re-usable kcup to fill with my own brand of coffee.]
• when I have a sweet tooth, and have nothing to bake.  ...so I mix butter and powered sugar and cocoa and eat it with a spoon, and call it icing. {that I am so unhealthy}
• off centered- un-matching Christmas lights.
• scary Halloween decorations.
• the smell of fish.
• that I get over 1000 reads per month on my blog but the same 3 people comment.  Yes I am thankful to you few, however-- what the heck are you other 999 doing?  ;)
• When I think I look cute...and then see a picture of myself and realize that I was wrong.  
• food with chewy textures.
• pumping gas
• spending money on underwear.  (that's why mine are about a decade old... put that in your 'Holly isn't sexy file' if you don't mind)
• Running out of toilet paper... but not realizing until, you know... you need it. Or-- when the person [husband] before you runs out, and grabs a new roll, but neglects to trash the previous empty roll so the new one sits atop the empty cardboard innards.  {laziness}
• doing laundry.
• When public restrooms only have hand driers. [or are filthy]
• Red lipstick.  [yes I know it is in style.  But I still hate it... and I think you will too when you see yourself in pictures.]
• that Words with Friends was ruined by Cheats.  [*clears throat* you know who you are ;)]  It was originally fun.
• well thought out, wordy, dreamy, luscious, face book statuses.  [come'on.]
• sample sized lotions, shampoos, soaps... junk.  clutter.
• anything that flies or jumps. 
• when I am having a good day but feel guilty truly enjoying it because I know that this particular day is someone in the world's very worst day ever.  That's crazy, right?!
• un-organization.
• when someone adds you to your FB, so you like their statuses and comment their pictures [because you assume you're friends and all] but they never do yours so you have to wonder if they didn't even mean to be-friend you at all... or if they are just rude?!  
• to be hot at night.
• that I wear my feelings on my shoulders.
• checking my voice mail.  So I typically don't. [I just delete them all at once and feel free again.]
• wrinkled clothing.
• that I can hear a story about something sad, and let that ruin my entire day, worrying about something that is likely to never happen to me and that I am unable to control if it were. {anxiety}
• my cell phone that has zero reception in my house.
• people who are mean to babies. 
• that I am so nonathletic.
• that I can be so obnoxious.  [I can even feel myself doing it... but I can't stop it!  --especially if I am nervous or a drop of alcohol has touched my tongue.]
• when I tell Lance a story and he replies, "that's funny", but doesn't smile or laugh.  {Do tell, sweet husband, how funny was it really?}
• that I can hear a sad story, and I immediately put myself in their shoes to try and imagine their pain, sadness,  fear, etc... why do I bring those negative feelings on myself? 
• when I want to be mad but can't help but laugh.  [my husband has mastered this concept in arguing]
• scary movies.
• that I wasn't on the jury for the Casey Anthony trial.  I would have hung it.
• when restaurants only have canned soda.  ...I like about 4 refills... and I don't want to pay for 5 cans, nor do I just want water. [Mi Cocina needs to get with the program!]
• pickled okra.
• that white thing in eggs.  I always pick it out.
• that I miss opportunities to snuggle my babies because I think of a million things to do while sitting.
• pointless noise.  [ie: the tv during the day]
• for things to get near my eye ball.  --I think I was scarred by my lasix.
• when someone calls you but you miss their call and you immediately call them back and they don't answer.  >>Amanda!!
• when I am enjoying a piece of meat but then imagine the feathers that were once attached to it, or picture myself biting right into a cows leg, and I am done.
• my bad allergies in January. 
• driving in anything but pure sunshine.
• being broke.
• that you are suppose to clear your mind and breathe during the last 5 minutes of Yoga {:meditate:} but I have no idea how to do that!  I end up thinking so hard about not thinking, that I was better of just thinking about all of the things that I still need to accomplish that day.
• the music to Law and Order.
• that I am so far behind this Christmas.  I actually did get my Christmas cards... but they are still sitting in the bag, unaddressed.
• Chuck.E.Cheese
• looking at rad blogs and dreaming of how awesome I could make mine... but then realizing that it would be a blog for everyone else at that point and not what this was originally intended to be.  So it stays un-rad... and small... and me.
• that we didn't get pictures taken this year before Christmas.  Each time I see someone post new ones, I get sad.  And jealous.
• that I let an idea of what I think is going to happen, steal my happiness sometimes, when reality sets in-- and I have once again set my expectations way too high.
• toys with lots of pieces. 
• leftovers.
• that I treat Lance like a friend more than a husband.  It is our marriage biggest asset and largest downfall as well. 
• when people want you to vote for their kid on something... I don't 'do' pageants... and I don't vote against kids.  I think they're all cute, and I am not really into popularity contests.
• milk.  Unless it is ice cold and served with something chocolaty and hot!  [in that case, I love it.]
• when Maddox correctly pronounces a word, that he has always said incorrectly.  {growing up.}
• Spam, pork rinds, potted meat, liver.... you know, nasty meat.
• that I can not go to sleep at night-- therefor I wake tired every single morning.
• that I can remember people by their hair style or their job... and even their handwriting!!!  But I am horrible with names.  Terrible.
• the texture of red apples and the strings on bananas.
• heartburn.
• junk mail.
• that I didn't go back to school before I had kids.
• the rush before the holidays.
• that "cleaning" is never done.
• that I loose sleep over the home I'd love to build with rooms upon rooms for kids who need a better life... but know I will never get there.  ...and then I loose sleep over those lost kids.
• when something that I really want is on sale {black boots at Macy's} but show up a day after the sale is over.[and refuse to pay full price]
• growing up.
• that I wrote this so close to Christmas and have set on it a few days, wondering if I should post it.  It took work so I'd hate to trash it but makes me look like a negative Nancy.  Just know that it was written in good-time-fun.  Promise.    And I am happy as a clam. [which happen to be the most blissful, cheerful,  lively, merry, upbeat animals on earth.]  Like me.  ;)

since the last post...

I just realized that I haven't posted in a week.

So here's an update:

I started Yoga with my sister-in-law last week.
[she bought me a Groupon]
I am horrible at it...
but I really enjoy it.
[the Yoga... and the child-free time away that is not just for work]

Whitney is already a Yoga master--
and this is her first time to ever to do it in a class setting.

Seriously, the teacher gives her more difficult moves to do...
and she kills them!

The only person worse than me in the class, however, is old enough to have grandchildren...
and was a man.

Oh well....
You have got to start somewhere!

Here is a few pictures from the week.

Last night we went to a Hibachi/ Sushi grill in South Lake with our best friends, Mark and Wendy, to celebrate Mark's birthday.
Ryan (Lance's brother) and Whitney joined us also, but they were running late so we had drinks across the street to kill time.

I do believe it was our first outing like that since Beckham was born, and it definitely was Wendy's first post-partum outing.
We had fun and laughed the entire time.  [like we always do.]

I tried grilled shrimp.
And sushi. [a California roll]
And Wendy's terriaki salmon.

...all were surprisingly good, but the salmon was really good.

We didn't get a picture of the entire group... or the tricky chef and his wokking magic...
but Wendy got a few on her camera.

I am embarrassed to post this picture.
A.  Because you will see my boots for the 3rd time in a week.  (they're new, and I dig them.  Hush it.)
and B.  Because I am going to wear that shrug again on Christmas. (Lance isn't a fan, and I need to prove that me and Steve Madden know what's up.  And that it was worth the purchase.)

But I'll post anyway...
Because I love my Wendy-Lou, and she is definitely blog worthy.  ;)

After dinner, Lance and I ran to Toys R Us to try and finish up our Christmas shopping for the boys.

{please realize that the word 'finish' could be replaced with the word 'start' and it would be the exact same thing} 

We bought a couple of things... but mostly got overwhelmed and ran out of time.

No rush, we have an entire week left...  ;)

We have got this.

today.

I ventured out to Walmart against my better judgement this afternoon.

I had put it off long enough, and when Maddox had to eat his PB&J on a bun and had brownies for breakfast again, it was time.
Past time.

I went for it.... because I no longer had another choice!

I loaded us up...
no list... but basically, I needed everything...
so that is simple...

I packed the K'tan, and the cart cover-up too...
I gave Maddox 'the talk'...
and off we went.

Pulled in and lucked out with a decent parking spot...
began unloading...
and realized it--
no. diaper. bag.

no diaper bag = no wallet
no money...
no way to buy groceries.

So what's a girl to do but turn around and try it all again...

And I did.

Walmart was a mad house but both boys were very good.

 And back home we accomplished this:
(we as in Lance and the Mouse in his pocket.)

Maddox played with a few of the neighbor kids...

 I took a few pictures of the boys...

(I still have to get some red mesh to go around the door frame... hopefully tomorrow?!)

But I mainly just tried to stay warm.
[and silly.]

I work 3 days this week and then I do not work in the office again until 2012!

(wait.  nope.  I am working Christmas Eve morning and New Year's Day morning... but no more night clinic until January 3)

I will be taking call from home the entire time, but I am so excited to cook dinner and actually sit down and eat with my family and enjoy my kids without any rushing to be anywhere for 2 and a half weeks!!

My time!!!

And this Thursday, we are going to go to ICE at the Gaylord!

Remember the fun here.

And then the next week is Christmas!!

[Christmas is written in italics to be read with excitement and fear all at the same time... I am no more prepared today than I was the last time I posted about Christmas!]

Eeek!

Maybe I will try and work on that tomorrow too...

Or maybe not...

We shall see!

2 weeks.... really?!

Christmas is in 2 weeks.

2 weeks.

Really.

I am so incredibly behind this Christmas.

I have barely got my house together.

Not made [nor sent] a Christmas card...

No lights out on the outside yet.

No presents wrapped under the tree.

[the tree that is stationed upon the coffee table I should add]

In all honesty, I haven't bought much [at all] at this point.

{2 weeks.}

My house is set up so funny right now, to keep the mover and groover from pulling down the glitter and fake pine onto himself, I had to get creative.

Here is a bit of the decor:

All the festive stuff I pinned on the Holiday boards...

Are still pinned.

I am out of time!

What the what?!

It isn't that I am not excited this Christmas.

I am.

I'm stoked.

Really, I am.

Just behind. 

...

I let Maddox help me decorate, and if you know me {at all} you will notice some major growth in me.

He stuck 87 ornaments on one berry branch.

And I left it.

He was so proud.

And I think it looks perfect!

My favorite thing about decorating the tree, is unwrapping all of my ornaments.

Of course, seeing Maddox's ornaments from each year is special.

And it is exciting that I will get to start the tradition with Beckham this year too.

[still haven't though, grrr.... just add it to the list!]

But this year, Maddox was old enough to get excited about it himself.

Something I understand.

This has been special to me even prior to having kids.

My mom bought us an ornament each year, and to this day, her tree is full of yearly memories.

My Nana has always given us an ornament each year as well. 

She usually makes them herself and are almost always something relevant to the year... like a nurse when I graduated nursing school... a wedding cake, the year we tied the knot... you get the idea.

Tomorrow I am going to try and creep out in the morning and get a few things...
a few more presents...
since I have bought so few.

But I go on call tomorrow at 5:00...
and I hate to pack myself full when it is just me and the boys...
so I have no idea how much I will accomplish.

But I have 2 weeks.
2 weeks.

Really?!

Santa and sickness

I better post pictures of our Santa adventure before I forget.

I have just been busy this week... sick kids... working all 4 night clinics (on call all 4 days)... trying to pull together our Christmas decor... buy presents (still have not purchased many) and you know, life... 

Maddox is getting better.
With croup, that means that the seal-type bark has changed into a snotty mess of phlem and cough.
No fever in 24 hours though, so that is a plus.
but still acting like a pill.

Beckham, on the other hand, is following suit.
He is not as bad as Maddox was but is cranky and clingy and hoarse now as well.
He woke up at 6:00 this morning with the barky cough, but has not ran fever... yet.

So here's a few pictures from Bass Pro Shops last week.

I realize this looks like great fun...
and it was.

Mostly.

But with sick kiddos...
and missed naps...

It was a lot of this...

 And this...

but we take what we can get!