counting down the minutes until this day is over

10- the number of times Zack threw up today
1- the number of times Simon threw up
5- the sets of sheets I washed (crib sheets twice)
8- the loads of laundry I folded
2- the hours we napped
6- the number of poopy diapers I changed
4- the number of times Simon bathed
3- the number of times Zack bathed
40- the number of toenails I clipped
30- the number of fingernails I clipped (Ben bites his)
1- the number of bottles of benedryl Simon poured on the carpet
1- the number of carpet shampoo-ers I needed
2- the number of couches I cleaned
13,000- the pieces of dirt I swept off our tile
0- the number of bathrooms I cleaned (must do tomorrow)
10- the number of times Simon emptied the tupperware lids
18- the number of blueberry pancakes I made for dinner
12- the number of eggs I sent Aaron to buy on his way home from work
6- the number of eggs Ben scrambled for dinner
2- the number of shells Daddy found in his scrambled eggs
3- the number of times Zack said "I'm farting" at the dinner table
4- the plates of goodies that were delivered by neighbors
7- the number of Christmas cards we received in the mail. LOVE!
13- the articles of faith we talked about for FHE
5- the hands of Rook we played after our lesson
8- the time we all went to sleep

starting out the week with a bang!

Monday morning:
1:40 AM-- wake up to someone puking
1:45-- find Zack laying on his bathroom floor
1:50-- give him medicine and put him back in bed
2:00-- try to go back to sleep
2:30-- still tossing, wondering how I can be more productive with my time
2:45-- get dressed and head downstairs
3:00-- wrap Christmas presents for the boys
3:30-- Zack comes downstairs and sees his presents (but he's too sick to really notice)
4:00-- He lays on the couch next to me and I try to be discrete about the toys on the floor
4:30-- Zack throws up all over the couch
4:45-- I undress him, clean up the mess, start a load of laundry, & hide gifts
5:00-- We watch a movie together (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)
5:45-- Zack falls asleep, I turn off the TV
6:00-- 2 mile run. I only needed a light jacket.. buy my ears were cold!
7:00-- Everyone awake! Oatmeal for breakfast.
7:30-- Daddy heads to work, Simon sobs and hits the door when it closes.

8:00 AM-5:00 PM-- Reading, puzzles, movies, warm blankets, card games, light cleaning, lots of laundry, soup for dinner, medicine for everyone, and hopefully a long nap somewhere in between!

sicky Sunday...

We got home from the live Nativity last night around 9 PM. Simon went to sleep, the older boys changed in their pj's and we met downstairs for some card playing. We've recently taught our kids how to play Rook and they are addicted. We play several hands everyday, but it's always more fun when Dad can join us. In the background, we had a DVD of Mystery Science Theater 3000 playing. Aaron checked out this old TV show from the library and my boys love it. I will have to admit that I laughed several times while it was on last night... even though I didn't want to.

We finally called it a night around 11 PM. Not a smart idea for 8 AM church, but Saturdays are our ONLY day with Daddy and we want to live it up to the fullest. Apparently Aaron's alarm went off this morning, but no one heard it. He is usually at the church at 6 AM, but we all woke up around 7:20. I quickly got dressed and went into the boys room to find a very sick Zack. I took his temperature and it was 103. Poor kiddo. He's been sleeping all day and is still running temps around 100. When he does wake to take some medicine or drink a bit of water, he repeats the same sentence. "I know why I'm sick, Mom. I was at the church for waaay too long yesterday." (We were at the ward party a couple of hours early to set up...) It's amazing what happens to him when he's sick. His personality has an ON/OFF switch and when he's not feeling well, you know it.

Simon has a pretty bad cough too. Sick kids are no fun.. We must get them better soon. The countdown for Cindy's wedding is in single digits! I can't believe she was living with us just a few short months ago and in a few days, she'll be a married woman! We are so excited to see all of our family! My parents have ten children and this is the last one to be married off! We've been waiting a long time to all be in the temple together. She might get mad at me for showing you one of her bridals, but I just can't help it. Isn't she beautiful? Yeah for winter weddings!!!


If this picture is down soon, it's because I got in trouble :)

celebrating Christmas

Tonight was the Christmas Dinner for our ward. It was the last ward party I will ever plan. But not the last party. Aaron and I took our four crazy boys shopping last night and filled up our cart with a million hams for the dinner. An older couple was watching us check out and I heard the woman say to her husband, "Look at that young family with all those boys. They are giving hams to their neighbors. They must be very wealthy." I wanted to tell her she was wrong on all accounts, but decided to let her think we were filthy rich. It's fun to pretend sometimes. Unfortunately, our neighbors are not getting hams. or anything homemade. In fact, I think I've resolved to skip a year of Christmas cards. Aaron thinks I am trying to trick him into writing a letter, but I'm not. I told him that there's only ONE way I feel okay about sending out Christmas cards and picture of our family: We have to be in our pajamas. No one can comb their hair, I can't wear makeup, and it must be taken in a part of our house where everything is a mess. Dirty dishes, or crackers smashed in the carpet, the kids noses are runny and poopy diapers are in the background. None of this matching sweaters/perfect life nonsense. That's not the life I am living and the only way I can send out a card is if it's an actual account of 2010.

Whoa. I had no intentions of writing any of that, but it came out anyway... I started this post to say that we snuck out of the ward party and went to a live Nativity put on by a local stake. It was outside and SO crowded. I've wanted to go all week, but we haven't been able to go (we live a crazy life, refer to the paragraph above) and tonight was the last night of the Nativity. We bundled up and waited an hour for it to start. Simon was so not happy, but he sat through it. We lost Zack at the end in the mounds of people and Ben and Luke liked it so-so. As chaotic as it was to go, it made me feel so happy and grateful. Grateful to know about the Savior and His birth. Grateful for the scriptures that teach us about Him. Grateful to have answers to the questions my children ask me. Grateful to focus on something so meaningful when we could be thinking about Santa and reindeer and elves instead. Grateful to go home with my family to a warm house. So happy to be celebrating Christmas with the ones I love!
The kid in back of us (smiling for the shot) is named Brigham. He brought all of his non-mormon friends and was trying to tell them about the church, but they weren't having it. One of the girls said, "So if you meet a supermodel who wants your bod, and she has a billion dollars and her dad is Elvis, you won't marry her if she's not Mormon?" Brigham calmly replied, "I would shake her hand and say, "It was nice knowing you." He was a cutie.

speaking of homemade ornaments...

I have a new calling in the nursery and thought I would do ornaments with the kids this Sunday. While preparing, my kids wanted to make their own.. I think they turned out pretty cute. (still need to glue on ribbons to hang them.)