Busy Busy Busy

The last few days have left us unbelievably busy, no thanks to the lovey ice we had at the first of the week and stranded at home. The boys had fun, although Eli hated not having school on Tuesday. Late Wednesday afternoon we braved the store to pick up everything we needed for the cookies for school, that night I made 9 dozen cookies (yes you read correctly). The parents were supposed to bring two dozen cookies with them for a cookie exchange at the end of the Christmas program. Eli and I then put together a cookie container for his classmates and teachers, they each received one of each, there were two kinds that I made (Sugar & chocolate candy cane), 36 more cookies gone. The Christmas Program was adorable and the church was completely packed with barely standing room only. Our little man is growing up so fast, when they called the children up to the front of the church, they said they know what to do. Eli just took off he almost ran over us trying to get to the front of the church, nothing shy about that boy anymore. I took a ton of pictures and some even after I edited red eye the kids look like they have ghost eyes, but when you have so many parents taking pictures at the same time, you take what you can get. Afterwards was the cookie exchange and each child was supposed to be able to take home 2 dozen cookies, that is if all the parents did their job. I know we ended up with too many cookies on top of what we have left over from my baking extravaganza. On Friday, Doug was of so after Nic's nap we loaded up and headed to the mall for our final shopping of the season, mainly for both of us, you always seem to forget about yourself and remember everyone else. So we figured why not? With such good deals right now, a few new clothes for each of us would be great. The boys loved it because we went into the Disney Store and they didn't complain a bit, my boys love to go shopping or maybe they like to see all the different people, I am sure not going to complain about that. Before the mall we enjoyed dinner at Abuelo's, very good if you have not been there, at least we love it anyway. Saturday the boys and I headed to the grocery store, pure madness, the traffic was not so bad it was the waiting in line forever so we could come home to our sanctuary of peace and quiet. This morning we loaded up and headed out to church in this blustery cold weather. There were so many people there this morning, it was almost hard to find a seat but I was sure glad to see all of our church pews full. Now for dinner in a few hours and it looks like the next few days will be a wrapping marathon for me. Doug will be officially on vacation starting tomorrow at 4 p.m. We get to have him home for eleven whole days, what in the world are we going to do? Right now we are planning on relaxing, possibly going to the aquarium (we haven't been in a year), Rhema lights and taking the boys to their first movie at the movie theater (an early matinee) to see Madagascar 2. Well that is what has been happening the last few days, better get back to wrapping presents (they sure won't wrap themselves).

Writing our name with bingo markers.

Just dabbing away, in no particular order.

He had so much fun and did such a great job.

He decided to color instead.

Pajama day at school on Thursday, he loved wearing them all day. Who wouldn't?

Eli was too excited about giving us the Christmas present he made at school.

Our beautiful new ornament from Eli.

Being silly before we leave for the Christmas Program.

His class sang 'Jingle Bells' at the Program.

The two Tuesday & Thursday classes combined sang 'Three Wise Men'. These three are inseperable when together, although they are in seperate classes they share the same room at school. (eight children per teacher.)

He had so much fun and this was such a great picture.

Singing 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' at the end of the program.

The boys made these for us at Church this morning.

Little Update..

I can't believe I haven't made a post in a few days, things just need to be done and you can't always get to the computer. We tried to find tickets for Dry Gulch for this Friday and they are sold out but I was hoping to find some in the paper or on Craigslist and I am not having any luck. That's what you get for waiting until the last minute to get something. On a lighter note, Doug and I were able to go shopping on Sunday afternoon, by ourselves (hip hip hooray!), my mom came and stayed with the boys. The only down side was the weather on our way home it started getting bad and that slowed us down (sleet will do that to you), and then mom decided she needed to drive the hour home and it took her two and a half hours. We had fun and we are completely done shopping for the boys and only have a few things left to get (actually cooking supplies to make cookies for teachers and classmates). We are doing it simple this year and who doesn't love homemade goodies, homemade cards and we will also give the teachers gift cards to go out to eat. Eli is out of school today and I am hoping they have school Thursday because his Christmas program is that evening and he is so looking forward to it, actually we are too. I have been so tired the last two days, yesterday especially, I guess that's what happens once everything catches up to you and you finally have a break.

Eli loves puzzles and he does the same one everyday, the bigger pieces, and we usually do the one with 100 pieces together. Well on Friday he decided that he was going to do it without my help and sure enough he did and in record time. I am so glad he loves puzzles, they can be really relaxing at time, at least for me anyway. I am also starting to work with him on his writing skills. To teach kids to hold a pencil and write the correct way can take work but if you make it fun they can always pick it up in no time. So we do construction paper with his name (only word I have done so far) written on it and you can use bingo markers, markers or crayons and have them trace, this is supposed to help with their writing mechanics. The bingo markers is a new trick I saw on Jon & Kate plus 8 yesterday, pretty clever, we are trying this out today. So, this is an idea to make as an activity and not homework per say, I personally think you learn better when you are having fun but that is just me.

Working on his puzzle.

E.R. Run

The boys have been fighting colds off and on since Saturday, right after they got their flu shots. Eli has a runny nose and cough but no fever. Nic has had a fever off and on since then with a runny nose. Yesterday afternoon right after his nap he was kind of playing but then at dinner he wouldn't eat and he is my big eater. He crawled down onto the tile and laid there and then got up and went and laid on the den floor. I go and pick him up and he is burning up, check is temp and it is almost 102, second time this week. I gave him Tylenol and got him to drink a couple sips of Gatorade but he just laid on the floor all limp, so I call Doug and then the pediatrician and Doug again, the decision is to go to the emergency room. We make our way there and get in no problem, no one in waiting room, a good sign, think again. They take us to triage, Eli stayed in the waiting room with my mother-in-law, the nurse weighed him and checked his temp, even higher than at home, they send us back to waiting room there are no rooms available. After about fifteen/twenty minutes we go back to a room and were told a nurse would be in to see us. Over two hours later still not a nurse or doctor in sight, it was like a ghost town around there. By then the Tylenol was working some and I had gotten him to eat some and even drink, so a consensus between Doug, his mom and I, we leave and nobody said anything to us. I get home and give Nic some Motrin, temp 100, not bad, he slept all night and we have been rotating Tylenol and Motrin all day and are doing his breathing treatments. Luckily, we still had some on hand, but this is usually what happens when he gets a cold so we are back to doing them two times a day until his cold his gone.

On a side note, I was going to do my first Black Friday this morning, but after getting the boys in bed and trying to relax a little is was midnight before I knew it. I wasn't about to get up at four in the morning to be in town by five, just plain crazy. I did go this afternoon while Nic was down for his nap, Eli got to have a little quality time with Dad for a little bit. A very good two hours by myself and I got almost everything on my list, pretty good. And all my boys loved it when I got home, now doesn't that make you feel good when you hear, "Mommy's home" as you walk in the door. The boys are asleep, Doug is on his way to Little Rock and I need to pick up a few toys and put them away before I can go to sleep. A crazy twenty-four hours, I can at least say my life isn't boring with all that goes on around here.