It's been a while!!! My computer broke a few weeks ago, so that's where I've been. Since then A LOT has been going on!! Black eyes, concerts, birthdays, Christmas.....

Christmas Eve we had the missionaries and our neighbor JoAnne across the street over for dinner, caroling, and short nativity play. My kids were so wound up all night, driving me crazy. I could not understand it. I swear, when I was a kid, I was bad all year long but one day of the year, CHRISTMAS EVE!!! My kids did NOT seem to get that! After we put them to bed, I sent Adam out to the shed to look for the coal. I was SERIOUSLY ready to call off Santa! And Adam was on board as well. We finally relented....but I have told the kids there will be no nativity play next year, nothing fun. We'll see if I can stick to it.
Mrs. Claus was painting walls this year instead of sewing. She ordered robes from Lands End.
Adam's Birthday...
A few days before Adam's birthday Isaac told me that he wanted to buy a tool from Home Depot for his dad's birthday. I agreed to take him. He reminded me over and over till the evening before, when I took him. The only thing I could think of getting him was a router...but they're expensive, so I rounded up all my gift cards and store credit I could find, Isaac brought his money along, and we went shopping. We found a router that looked like it would do the job. When we went to pay for it, Isaac started pulling out money, one crumpled up dollar bill after another, until it totalled $18.00!! I had no idea he had that much money! For my kids, that's a TON of $$, their allowance is minimal. It was his whole 5 years of lives savings!! And he was adamant on spending every penny of it. I was so touched. He was so excited. By the time I added gift cards/store credit, and Isaac's money, I only had to cover less than half of it. He was SO excited about it. Went right home and wrapped it. As you can see, his smile is from ear to ear in the pic!!! And Adam LOVED it. Emma's dream came true.....I had tried my best to get Hannah Montana tickets for the girls and I, but since they sold out in .005 seconds, I was unsuccessful. My girls were totally bummed, convinced that every other person in their school was going. I kept looking online, but couldn't find anything under $300 each, not a chance. Emma was pretty upset w/me too because before the tickets went on sale, she told her friends I was going to get tickets. So, her friend that was inviting a friend to go, invited someone else! Long story short, she totally lucked out, and about a week before the concert, her friend talked her brother out of going, and took Emma instead. It was for the girls birthday, so they had rented a limo and everything. I tried to keep it a secret from Sarah for a few days, knowing it would break her heart, but eventually it slipped out, and it DID devastate her! I felt awful, but what could I do. One of those life lessons, LIFE'S NOT FAIR. (thanks Dad). I did send Emma with money for a t-shirt for Sarah though, which helped smooth over the situation the next day.

I assigned Isaac and Jacob to wipe down the couch w/leather cleaner on a rag, in attempts to teach them how to work. It simple job I thought my 3 and 5 year old could handle. Well, Jacob got a hold of the cleaner, and sprayed it all over the wood floor in fam and lving room. I didn't get to cleaning it right away, since it didn't really show up on the floor, just left it SLIPPERY. Poor Luke, slipped and fell a few days later. Just hit a little wooden bucket. I debated taking him in for stitches, but it was late and I was tired and figured he'd probably have a scar either way. Adam has a scar in the exact place, I figured they could match. It's amazing the miracle a candy cane can work!!!