Christmas & New Year

"Family is Forever"

I am amazed how quickly the last 2 weeks have gone by.

Christmas Eve was wonderful.

We went to mass in the afternoon. Ethan and Rachel sang in the choir.

After, we took our family picture by the altar. I got a few of our younger ones looking at the nativity scene too.

Then we all piled into our "Sherman Tank" - as it is so kindly referred to by many at our church - and went to Cheeseburger in Paradise for our annual dinner out. Our waitress was very sweet. She was great with our children.

Turns out she lives just around the corner from us. She knew our dog, but was surprised to learn how many children lived in our home too. I think she knew our dog because he barks whenever she walks hers by our home.

Everyone left very happy from the restaurant. Our children were very well behaved too. As we were leaving, a small group of people at another table asked us if all 8 were ours. Then they told us how well behaved they all were. That is so nice to hear from other people.

We went home and got our stockings ready. We made some reindeer food and put out a plate of cookies with some milk. We looked up online to see where Santa was and when our girls saw that he was close, they yelled for everyone to get to bed quickly.

Brandon and Ethan could not sleep.

Brandon stayed up in the loft for a good portion of the night. He was playing video games online with some friends. Ethan got up for awhile and watched.

Finally, Tom and I decided to go to bed. It was very late!

And before we knew it, we had 6 children waking us up with coffee in their hands. After asking them to give us a few minutes to enjoy our coffee and get up, poor little Jakey got woken up by his siblings. They say he was awake when they peeked in on him, but I still doubt that. I got Cameron out of his cradle and prepared him for all the excitement and joy he was about to experience on his first Christmas morning.

The presents were torn into immediately.

I think I got to see most of them opened.

Lots of Art supplies, Video games, Woo Woos, American Girl Dolls, Dinosaurs,...

The one very sweet moment was when Sarah opened up her Bitty Twins. She didn't want an American Girl Doll like her sisters got, she wanted the AG Bitty Twins - a boy and a girl. She opened up the box and took out the boy doll and said, "Here Jacob."

She loves him.

Later that day we went to my sister's home to spend dinner with her family and our parents. It was a very nice evening.

We ended up bringing my sister's 2 children home with us. We kept our niece and nephew for the next 2 days. My parents came over and spent the 2nd day with us then took our niece and nephew back to their home.

The rest of the week we spent just relaxing and having fun.

New Years Eve we spent at home. My parents and nephew came back over, and so did Tom's mother. We had a nice visit. They didn't stay until midnight. In fact, only Cameron, Rachel, and I were awake to welcome 2012.

Cameron was crying in his cradle so I ran upstairs to get him. On my way back down the stairs I heard someone's car alarm go off and then heard fireworks. I yelled down to Rachel that it was midnight. She ran up and met me on the landing we have in the middle of our stairway. We gave each other a big New Year hug and kiss. Then I went downstairs and startled sleeping Tom with a kiss.

I got out my phone and texted a few friends and family.

On New Years day we drove to Tom's sister's home. Tom's dad and wife were there along with our niece and 2 of our nephews. It was a wonderful day.

We drove home late that night.

Next day we had my parents over. Tommy made yummy chicken chili and coconut shrimp.

So today was spent going through backpacks and preparing for school tomorrow.

I am sad. We had a nice break together as a family.

Brandon was able to practice his driving and do some awesome drawing.

Ethan got to hang out with friends and go to the movies. (He and I also stayed up late to watch scary movies together.)

Noah got to play with friends and spend time playing video games.

Rachel got to go bowling and hang out with her sisters. We did "spa" day.

Leah got to have her first sleepover at a friend's house. She also enjoyed writing notes to everyone in our family.

Sarah got to spend a lot of time with her siblings and grandparents. She really enjoyed drawing pictures for everyone to see.

Jacob got to play with all his siblings and he moved into his own big boy bed.

Cameron got to have his 6 mth pictures taken and he learned how to sit up. He is also trying new foods.

Tom and I got to spend some special time together.

Wonderful Christmas and New Year.

We are very blessed.