Just a small confession

So ever since we moved into our house, Lucy has been sleeping with us. Or I guess I should say that ever since she was born she has been sleeping with us. Her bed has been set up in her room but she refuses to sleep in it. She always tells us it is too scary for her to sleep in her own bed even though she shares a room with Maggee. We have even told her that she could sleep in Maggee's bed with her but she would not agree to that. Most of our kids have slept with us and Tyler and I do not mind this. Non of them have had a problem moving into their own beds. I was a little worried about them sleeping in their own rooms when we moved in here because of the fact that they have all always slept together in one bed. The problem with Lucy is she is all over the place or has to be right up next to you all night long making it so that you can't move. So we started bribing her with EVERYTHING! Nothing was working until one morning she saw a My Little Pony castle commercial. Well she begged and begged for this. We told her that if she slept in her own bed we would buy it for her, and guess what? She did it!!! Yeah for Lucy!!

Ok, so now for the small confession, and it really is small...............Her bed is in our room. But...She sleeps in it. We had to try and positin the bed so that she could still watch her barbie movies in our room and be able to see it.

I will admit that she doesn't sleep in her bed every single night, and after we bought her the pony castle she had a set back. Grandma Karol was asking her if she slept in her bed by herself and Lucy would tell her no because her bed isn't comfortable. So Karol gave her an egg foam matress that we folded over to make her bed extra comfy and now she really does sleep in her bed EVERY NIGHT!!!

small side note.........Now Lucy tells everyone that Maggee has her own room and Lucy's room is upstairs. Even though all of Lucy's clothes and things are in Maggee's room. This child is one of a kind, but we love her!

The Grinch

Lucy is absolutely obssessed with The Grinch right now. Mainly the cartoon version. She started having nightmares about the grinch when she watched the movie. Her favorite character is Cindy Lou Hoo. Whenever she reads the story (which is about a hundred times a day) she has to pretend that she is Cindy Lou Hoo speaking.

Sunday dinner was GREAT!

Teach The Children

I have always loved this story. It is a story we will always read with our kids every year during the holiday seasons. Enjoy!

The Meaning of Christmas

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask him.
The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN!
I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle. Teach the Children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. Teach the Children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.
He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE. Teach the Children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.
Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree.
Teach the Children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.
He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the Children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.
He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. Teach the Children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him.
Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, "Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the Children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the shepherd's staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.'
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulledout a BELL. Teach the Children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.
Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the Children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God."

Hope for my kids!

I guess maybe Tyler and I (actually more Tyler) are doing something right when I hear conversations like this between my kids...........................

Ellie: Lucy, I love You!

Lucy: I love you too!

A long pause and then.................

Lucy: Ellie, I love you more!

Ellie: No Lucy, I love you more!

Who says you can't jump on a broken leg?

Poor Lucy sits inside at Grandma Karol's house staring out the sliding glass door watching all the kids jumping on the trampoline. She asks to go out and we tell her no because of her broken leg. On sunday I looked out the kitchen window and saw this.........

Nothing stops this little girl once her mind is made up!

It is nice that she is finally walking. The dr. told us not to push her. She would do it on her own. We were beginning to think it was hopeless to get her to walk and then on Thanksgiving she just took off. I think she even surprised herself.

The Real Christmas Tree Dilema Continues

I had the most relaxing day on monday. Had to take Ellie to the doctor because of a rash that spread all over her body. Found out it is a food allergy (green beans we think. lucky for her since she HATES them) and had to be put on a steroid. Debit card wouldn't work because it expired so called to activate new card and my cell wouldn't work. Went to Tyler's grandma's house to activate my card and it only took a few long minutes to realize that my card was under tyler's social and not mine. Finaly make it back to the store to find out her perscription was only $2. What!?! I had that much change on me. Dropped Ellie and Lucy off at Karols to go home and find this..............................................





I really am trying to have a good attitude about real trees. I do know that this could have happened with a fake tree also. But...with it being real, water was spilt everywhere including down into my plug in the floor. This picture does not do true justice. I have big lights that were shattered and half of my little lights no longer work. The star on top was broken along with other ornaments. I just couldn't deal with it after the kind of morning I had already been having so I went to Salt Lake and decided to leave it for Tyler to deal with it.

I left the girls with Karol because the doctor had said that the steroid could make Ellie a little sick to her stomach so I thought I would save tyler the trouble of having a throwing up child left with him at work. I swear I told him the kids would be left with Karol but aparently I didn't. A few hours later I got a phone call from a not so happy husband who had been waiting for an hour in the parking lot at work for me to drop the kids off to him. Boy did I get an earful and all I could think of was "oh, no! He is in a bad mood and now he is going to go home and find the Christmas tree the way I left it." Needless to say I was not too excited to get home. Ellie was supposed to take her second steroid pill around 4 because it can keep them awake. Well I look in my purse and low and behold there the pills are. Crap! I forgot to take them out of my purse before I left for Salt Lake. I got home around 7:30 and despite the Dr.'s warnings I gave her the second pill cause I didn't want her to miss it. I really didn't think it would be that bad. I thought she would be awake till around 9 maybe 10. Nope. 4am I finally heard her deep breathing and knew she was asleep!! So sorry ellie, I really wasn't trying to torture you.

Don't worry Tyler and I are on speaking terms and all worked out. The tree was standing when I got home, but a lot of the lights don't work and I am going to do absolutely nothing about it!