Monday, December 27, 2010

The carnage is over...

We survived Christmas.  I stayed up till midnight making sure everything was done.  Thank goodness for Grandma who held off the kids till after 7am.  My poor brother and his wife, the girls started bugging at 2am!  Everyone loved their gifts.  Linnea was very impressed with all the beautiful doll clothes that Grandma and I conspired to make right  under her nose.  Ulrik couldn't get to his room fast enough to start building Hogwarts(Harry Potter) castle.  Annika crawled into my lap at 8am and said "bed"  She was asleep by 10am. 

My brother and sister and spouses and the kids all came in the afternoon.  While Annika napped I wrapped all the rest of the stuff.  We had sloppy joes, cheesecake and enjoyed some time together.  I was so tired by 8pm I could barely see straight.  I sure am glad Catie has vacation this week so I can do some catch up on sleep.  Tonight is try out Annika in Linneas room again.  I pray it works and sticks.

I made my Mom cry on Christmas morning.  Depending on when Christmas falls she is sometimes working so it was wonderful she got to share it with us.  i got her a recordable book from Hallmark(a truly wonderful store!) and had the kids read it.  It was almost the best gift of the day.  The next one came when we were all together that night.  I had been making quilt blocks with all the kids hand prints.  I told her they were for  myself, Scott and Dawn (my brother and wife), and Catie and Chris (my sister and husband).  Needless to say i needed her help in sewing them all together, she is so much faster then me!  I secretly wrapped them up, she noticed they were gone I simply told her I put them downstairs where they would be safe.  She was so grateful when she unwrapped the box.  She commented later that night that she was really glad they were for her, she thought it was such a neat gift to give everyone.  Don't know how I'll top it next year.

Linnea was concerned because I didn't get anything but a book I picked out myself for Christmas.  I explained to both her and Ulrik that when you get older Moms and Dads buy gifts for each other.  Daddy knows what I want but we didn't have the money for it right now.  She still thought i got robbed in the situation.  After a quick thought I told her the the way I felt " my greatest present will always be that I have been given the chance to be a Mom to you, your brothers, and sister.  My gift is seeing the excitement in every ones eyes when they open up their gift and it is the one thing they really wanted.  The happiness is the only gift I need." She looked at me with that preteen OMG! look and said "Mom really, that's kind of silly"  I said to her "your day will come when you realize the same thing."

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  I did truly enjoy mine.  I did realize that my gift is given to m over and over everyday.  Having Zachary in heaven makes me so very thankful that I have been blessed to have 3 more children.  They may test my sanity and patience, but I would not trade a minute of everyday, moment, or OMG look for the world!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Another day closer....

Well time is flying now.  All the last minute things are creeping up.  The baking, wrapping, and oh yeah christmas cards. 

My cards aren't done.  I don't even have them finished, signed or the envelopes addressed.  I figure Sunday while the kids are busy playing with the wonderful things Santa brought them I will spend the afternoon finishing them and be a late person and send them on Monday.  With all the snow I just picked up stamps.

Today my two oldest nieces are over.  We had to work on Grandmas christmas present.  Now I need to finish the present.  I made quilt blocks with each kids hand prints on them.  I am then embroidering a heart around them and stitching their names on also.  Ambitious last minute project.  I hope I don't bleed on the fabric to much from the repeat stabbing of the needle.  I am wonderful with scrapbooks, picture collages, paint and many other wonderful artsy type stuff.  This is very ambitious as I never finished the cross stitch my Grandma gave me when I was ten.  I still have plastic canvas projects that have sat at varying stages of finished for oh... about 10 years.  Usually I am not allowed to touch the sewing machine as I can not "sew my way out of a paper bag"  as it has so kindly been put to me.  I have a terrrible vertical imbalance that doesn't allow me to make straight lines.  I magically cut the fabric, mostly straight, and sewed the squares together with a mostly straight line and a quarter inch seam allowance.  I am sooooo proud of myself.

Now the kids are decorating the enourmous amount of sugar cookies that were made.  I still need to surprise Mom and make some almond bark.  Pretty easy request, just another thing on the list.  Why is it sometimes the holidays feel more like a chore then a celebration. 

Tonight we shall feast on beef stew.  A real meal after a busy week.  I LOVE my crockpot.  Maybe thats why in the 11 years we have been married I have burned through 3 of them.   I will succeed and get Grandmas present done.  It will be a wonderful surprise.  Now I will listen to the sounds of the kids playing dolls, monopoly and the Wii. 

Another day to be thankful for.
A laugh for the day.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=5VuN4P7897k

Monday, December 20, 2010

Who let the kids in!?

Another half day of school has graced us.  As of right now we already have almost 6 inches of snow on the deck.  Toby is discouraged as he has finally burrowed his way from one end of the yard to the other.  A task that took him all weekend. 

Our weekend was pretty good.  We went to Aunt Tinas house and hung out with Uncle George(Dirge to Anni) and cousins Bram and Caitlin.  Toby had his first playdate of many with Lilly and Rowan.  He dragged himself to the car when it was time to go home he was worn out.  Ulrik couldnt get home fast enough to play with his Harry Potter legos and Linnea wore her clothes home.  Annika has put down her new doll Sandie long enough to get dressed and eat.  I made Caitlin and Bram fleece tie blankets.  I know for sure Bram loved his as when we left he was curled up in it sound asleep on the couch. 

I made a mistake on Sunday that almost cost me all of my sanity.  I had to go grocery shopping and finish some last minute christmas shopping.  I took all 3 kids with.  Usually not a problem but Annika has been in a funky mood for the last few days(hence the reason I had to wait till the weekend to go out).  The ride home took 45 minutes instead of the 20 minutes because we had to stop twice to try to calm down Annika.  So far thankfully today her mood has been pretty good.

Today had no big plans other then to try to wrap presents that Santa has left here over the past few weeks.  Catie(my sister) called to say she was sick and I would have no Piper to care for.  Wow I should be ahead of the game, right? No it has taken me 6 hours to bake 3 dozen cookies, I have one present wrapped, and Annika has essentially erased everything on my IPod. My printer ran out of ink so no finishing the christmas letter.  Oh well. I think Christmas cards are going out after christmas this year.  I did get the clothes rods hung up by the back door for snow clothes.

Now comes the wait for Thomas and Mom to get home.  Thomas is already 45 minutes late.  He wishes he had taken the truck to work.  Im wondering if there will be school tomorrow.  I need to start dinner.  Usually that would be done, but is it worth planning anything when everyone is gonna be home late.  Im thinking tacos in a bowl, the kids can have chicken nuggets.

Have a good evening everyone.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

More of the white stuff....

We had more snow overnight which put a damper on my original plans to go out.  Thankfully my loving husband didnt mind staying home and a)letting me sleep and b) driving to lakeville.  I think the idea of breakfast at Cracker Barrel helped seal the deal.  It was delicious.  Toby needed a kennel.  He has so far been pretty good except last night he walked up to his dog bed and preceeded to pee all over it.  Thankfully he missed the carpet, but he kind of ensured himself a place on the bed.  I am sure he wont be nuts about the kennel but this woman needs some sleep. 
Today is the holiday concert at Ulriks school.  They are nice enough to do it twice.  I was going to go this afternoon at 2pm and they were already parked out on the road in front of the school.  Much to Annikas dissapointment I turned the truck around and came back home.  Little Man will probably come home in tears that I wasnt there but to carry Annika on one arm and Piper in the infant seat almost 3 blocks in the snow I saved myself from being beached in a snowbank when my back went out.  I am going to make sure we leave the house by 5:45 and sit there and wait for a half hour so that I get parking!
I was hoping to finish christmas shopping tomorrow, but I think that plan has been shot in the foot since it snowed again.  I have lived here my whole life and hate driving in it more and more each year.  Maybe its the precious cargo I carry or the migraines that ensue after a distance.  Thankfully Thomas will drive tonight.
I hope everyone had a good day and stays safe.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Toby the Harry dog Schmit

Better pictures to come.

The beginning....

This is my first blog.  I have been trying to think of a way to tell our friends and family about our goings on and being able to let Linnea help.  She needs to improve her typing skills as school will need it more.  I also like to get a different perspective on how she thinks things are.  So here we are.

To start I am patiently waiting to hear if Annika has strep as Linnea had it last week and Ulrik was diagnosed yesterday.  I am also waiting for the snow to start.  Another 4 to 6 inches, between tonight and tomorrow. 

Last night we were given a new dog by Santa Claus, Toby is a black lab bassett hound who is around a year and a half.  He still has some puppy in him.  Annika is still not so sure about a dog her size.  He thinks she wants to play.  The kids were completely shocked especially after having to say goodbye to Jake on Monday night.  We didnt think Santa would deliver so soon, but things fell into place very quickly.  I now am wrestling with how to reaarange our room so hecan sleep on the loveseat instead of between Thomas and I.  I roasted and was squished between a 40 pound dog and a squirmy 2 year old.   Christmas break is also try to break Annika time.  We moved her bed already into Linneas room, but with Linnea being so sick with bronchitis, it didnt work.  Hopefully by the time the kids go back to school Linnea and her will be happily(wink wink) sharing a room full time.

This may be boring and mundane to read about our day to day, but for me it will be a way to work on my writing skills and a place for Linnea to share also.

Have a good day.