The End

Here is the very last post on this blog.
Why?

I HAVE A NEW BLOG!!!!!!!

Finally.
It was a couple months overdue.
It made me feel guilty. Leaving out my 5th darling.
So what is the new blog address?

http://mom2mycrew.blogspot.com

See how I didn't put a number limit on my kids in this blog address?
Because you never know.
What if I end up with more kids?
I would be changing my blog again.
And again.
And again.

Just kidding.
I think.

The panic is starting to set in now.

Okay...back to the farewell for this blog.
I have had this blog since December of 2008. I am finishing it with 960-something posts to it. Crazy right?

Is this blog disappearing forever?

NO--I am not deleting it. I am just going to leave it alone. Until I have it printed into a book. You know they can do that right? Well...they can. I absolutely want a hard copy of this blog for my kids to see. What I wrote about them. Our lives. My cranky moods. My happy moods. My serious to the bone moods.

If you feel so inclined to read the next blog of mine, please do!
Drop me a line on the new blog! I love getting comments (who doesn't? Unless they are mean in which case...don't.)! I also love reading others' blogs so please make sure to let me know your blog address so I can check it out!
If you have enjoyed the journey on this blog and decide that is enough for you for now, that is okay too.
I left the blog url without a number limit on my kids. Because you just never know.

http://mom2mycrew.blogspot.com


Much Love,

Super simple short story in pictures

As I was clicking away the other day (taking photos of Cooper if you must know) I turned a little to the right to capture something else.

My first born child doing something over and over and over again.

It made me smile. Remembering when I had to explain how to do what she was doing now as if she were a professional.

 

Blowing bubbles with her gum and then popping them.

Stormy still hasn’t mastered this quite difficult skill. It does take practice and patience. I’m not sure when she will learn. Her big sister is quite the pro now. As you can tell.

Last of the Christmas celebrations for us

The last celebration we went to was to my father-in-law’s and his wife’s house. I also say that because it seems weird to call her step-mother-in-law. Anyways…

Ron (my father-in-law) and his wife, Linda, spoil the kids and me rotten. In a good way. I’m not talking about the presents; that’s nice too but in this case I’m talking about the kind words they use about the kids and me. Paul too of course. But me? They don’t have to do or say anything nice. But they do. That’s the kind of people they are. I feel very blessed to have them in my life. I hope they know that.

Back to Christmas celebration with them. The presents! My big girls got TONS of stuff for their American Girl Dolls. Which they adore!! Connor got a Batman Learning laptop. Sage got a Madame Alexander doll—that came with an i-Pod for the doll that Stormy is now convinced she needs one—and tons of stuff for her doll. Cooper got some pajamas and this really big dog. A huge stuffed, softer than soft dog WHICH I LOVE because it is the closest thing he will have for a dog for a long while! Paul and I got some wonderful stuff for the kitchen. A couple of months ago Ron asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told him, “My selfish want is a Kitchen Aid mixer.” He later called and asked if Santa was going to get that item, what color would I like. I told him, “white or silver. But it really is selfish for me to want that.” He told me thanks for the info.  He and Linda got me my selfish want item. I hope they didn’t see me tearing up after opening the gift. It really was way too much. I also got a waffle iron a week ago. It was one they didn’t use. 

Want to know what Shayne’s favorite part of the whole night is?

The food. More specifically, the brisket that Linda’s son (-in-law) smoked. Shayne is a serious carnivore. I ate two plates of food. I should’ve worn my maternity pants because my jeans were cutting off circulation. The food was de.lic.ious!

Now for a few pics.

My FIL and Cooper.

Sage & Logan---I LOVE this picture!!!!

The girls checking out their goody bags.

 

Connor…very excited about his gifts!

Ron & Linda~

Thank you for everything. Not just the material stuff. I am very lucky to have you both in my life.

Debbie

The second part of Christmas

We headed to my mother-in-law’s house. The kids got some great presents there! Stormy got a calculator that prints receipts. That was something she specifically asked for. Shayne got her own mp3 player; which Stormy now wants. Connor got this motor thing that he can take apart and put back together and the Woody figure (I just can’t put doll for my son) that he asked for. Sage got a lap-top. Leapfrog one that is. Cooper got the activity tummy time mat I asked for and a case of diapers (WAHOO! I love those gifts!!). Paul got what I told his sister to tell his mom that he wanted. A wheelbarrow. And a shovel. That’s just Paul. My gifts from my mother-in-law were wonderful. She got me the chain that I can put my little people charms on. And guess what else…

Season 4 of “Golden Girls”. As soon as I opened it my kids groaned. They don’t like Goldie Girls like me. But they do know the theme song to it. HA! It’s only fair. I had to watch “Dallas” when I was young.

Paul also had a gift for me at his mom’s house. It was the charm for Cooper for my necklace. Now I have 5 little people on the necklace. I could’ve cried. I actually didn’t know my gifts this year. It was nice.

Now for a few pictures…

Something we have done since Christmas 2008 was have Sage and her cousin Logan pose together in the yellow chair. We did the same this year. My lens (that I have been having issues with) wasn’t cooperating with me so much so it is a little blurry but at least I have it. And one of the two of them hugging.

 

Pretty sweet right?

Of course we did a family shot. And I did pictures of everyone’s else's families too. I need to check with them to see if they mind if I share them though. And a grandkids pic. But I will share a one of my mother-in-law with her kids.

 

These three together. My brother-in-law, Eric. One biggest, kindest guys I know. But still such a guy. My sister-in-law, Carrie. She loves my kids so much. If I ever need a sitter and she doesn’t have plans, she willingly watches my kids. And the kids love her. My mother-in-law, Penny. She is the Mom’s Mom. She is a wonderful mother and mother-in-law.And she makes turkey gravy to die for. And I think I have talked about Paul before on this blog right (hardy har)? He’s the bald guy in the picture. I love him with all my heart.

Now for our family photo on Christmas day.

Before I show you let me say this: Sage didn’t get to nap. Connor never looks. Cooper was looking…for who knows. Shayne, of course, is the model and Stormy is quickly following her footsteps!

We still have one more Christmas celebration to go after this. I’m not sure of how many pictures I have from it so I will get back with you soon!

Christmas morning 2010 at my house in pictures:

We had to get our kids up. Seriously. How many kids do you know that sleep in on Christmas morning?

Have I mentioned how much I love my kids?

I can’t even describe to you the looks on their faces upon seeing their presents. It brings tears of joy to my eyes. The small amount of stuff my kids get makes them so happy. I say that because we really haven’t gone overboard on presents for our kids in the past few Christmases. I do that also because they don’t need everything under the moon. I want them to be thankful for what they do get. And they are. Which is why I get them anything at all. The big girls got their DSi’s. Connor of course, got the dirt bike-bicycle he asked for. And Sage got a bike too. Cooper got his jumper-activity thing. He will be using it before I know it. The kids also got some clothes. The girls got their own make-up cases with some Hello Kitty nail-polish. Now you may be thinking they are too young for a make-up case. It is like a Caboodle kit with a lock. The lock was necessary to keep certain younger siblings out of the nail polish and chapsticks {ahem—SAGE}. Connor also got a Leapster with a Batman game. That was a preventative measure on my part. I didn’t want the war in the house over who was touching who’s gaming system. Sage also got one—a Leapster, that is (a used one from my sister-in-law that her son no longer played with. She doesn’t know or care that it wasn’t brand new!!).

What did Paul get?

Socks and undies. And the black Nunchuk for the Wii. And tee-shirt. And…Call of Duty sleeping boxers. Try not to be jealous over these hot gifts.

What did I get?

The rotary cutter I wanted and the mat for it. And some ribbon. Again—don’t be jealous or anything.

HA!

Seriously that is what I asked for. Well that and Golden Girls on DVD. Which I didn’t get from him. Our anniversary is next month {hint hint honey}.

I know. How odd that is what I want right? Well…no one ever said I was normal!

After we got done opening presents and tearing up the living room with joy, we got all showered and headed to my mother-in-law’s for Christmas there.

That is coming up in a post later.

We have one more Christmas gathering to go to this evening and I am still in my pj’s.

______________________________________________________________________________

another note on what today is (December 28th).

My Dad’s birthday. He would’ve been 61 today had he not passed away in 1981—when I was almost 3.

So Dad—Happy Birthday wherever you are.

What our Christmas Eve 2010 looked like:

We did things a little differently this year.

We made a huge (for us) holiday meal. We even cooked a turkey for the first time EVER. Of course, the usual holiday sides as well.  Paul even made Au-Rotten Potatoes. I mean Au-Gross to the core. I think they are really supposed to be called Au Gratin Potatoes but you couldn’t prove it by me. The smell alone is enough to make me head for the hills.

We also did our usual single kid posing in front of the tree/presents.

And of course we followed that with the family and kids only photos.

Something we did that we haven’t done in years?

We invited my twinkie over. Two of her kids weren’t able to come because they went to their dad’s grandparent’s house for their Christmas get together. Someone that did come with her that we haven’t seen in awhile because she moved away with her father?

My niece! {go ahead and steal this picture B. I know you want to}

She got to meet Cooper for the first time.

She also got to pose with each kid because they were so happy to see her.

Well except Connor because he found my iPod. And ear-pieces.

He was busy.

After we all ate, all the adults helped clean up the dinner mess. Then my twinkie had to boogie out because it was time to get the other kids. It was also time for baths and bed around here because Santa doesn’t come unless you are sleeping.

Guess what happened next?