NOT FAIR

Today is the day.

The bags are coming out of the closets.

Clothes are ALL over.....in the washing machine, dryer, on my bed, on the floor of Riggs room.

Bags of food and drinks are on the kitchen floor. The 32.5 tons of equipment an 8 month old requires (most of it food) is stationed throughout the house.

Needless to say, the time of 'CRAZY' has begun.

So, what is not fair?

I have been running around for days just to start the initial stages of getting ready for our trip. And, this morning, I inform Alex that I have LOTS to do to get us packed today. She quickly asks if she can go pack her bag. Yep...have at it, kid.

She ran upstairs, found her bag, packed all the essentials (her Bible & Devotional book, stuffed buddy "Hippo", along with 3 other books and of course a hairbrush) and was back down in less than 3 minutes. WHAT???

Why can't it be that easy for the mom????

SO NOT FAIR!!!!

HE LOVES HIS DADDY

These two are something else...

they both just light up when they see each other.

I expected that with the girls. They have their daddy wrapped around their little finger just like I did with mine. (Right, Dad? "me fry"....blink, blink, blink)

But, I love to watch this bond being created between a dad and his son.

OUR CHRISTMAS

Our little family Christmas celebration was Sunday.

Santa came early to our house and dropped off gifts

that he knew wouldn't fit in our car on the way home.

Isn't Santa so thoughtful!

Big hits this year?

New Bedroom Stuff...

Can you find Alex?

And, UNO Attack. Hours of fun.

Many, many, many hours...in a row...of fun.

We had a great day of hanging out, playing games

and enjoying time together.

Wish everyday was like this!

YODER CHRISTMAS

This was the best of the attempts at getting a

2010 Christmas picture of the 'Yoder Cousins'

Anderson & McCoy took off, again...

Channing stayed only because he can't move yet.

Riggs was trying to get at Channing so Brooklyn grabbed him.
And, I accepted defeat!

So, I thought...well, I can at least get a picture of my three.

Riggs thought his cousins had the right idea.

Finally....got him wrangled. Good job, girls!

Opening presents....

Got a picture of McCoy & Anderson on their new Gator

Brooklyn reading to Grandma & Grandpa

She looks so grown up...I can't stand it!

We had a great time celebrating Christmas!

ALL ABOARD!!!

NO BATTERIES HERE

JUST

CAFFEINE & SUGAR

oh, the holidays...

i'm sure i'd be in a sugar coma

if it weren't for the caffeine

NO MORE CAN I SAY THAT...

I used to be able to claim that my kids have never thrown up.

Not so much anymore.Riggs got me a week ago.

Now Brooklyn has joined the ranks.

The poor girl was so sick last night.

Serious shades of green...

I'm talking a couple shades lighter than Kermit.

And, after the 1st (& quickly added 2nd) major explosion...

she looks around with tears in her eyes

and asks, "oh, mama...what are we going to do about this floor?"

She is too sweet.

Way too sweet!

So, my only hope now?

Alex.

And, she might just be stubborn enough to never do it.

My fingers are crossed.

Cause I tell ya...

if I never have to do what I had to do last night

it would be fine with me!

I'M JUST SAYIN'...

that has never happened when I butter and flour the pans.

Did I not use enough of this 'new fangled' cake release stuff

so I should try again

or do I go back to old school pan coating???

Oh, we will still eat it!

It's my favorite...sour cream bread (really, it is disguised pound cake)

YUMMY!!!

*as a side note...

that cake release stuff was a gift from Grace.

which I'm starting to think was actually more of a

'white elephant gift'???

TO GROSS YOU ALL OUT...

Or, maybe it's just me...

but these meat sticks (turkey by the way, Grace)

seem to be a cross between a hot dog and cat food.

YET, I STILL FED IT TO MY SON.

What is wrong with me?

AND, HE ATE IT...WANTED TO EAT MORE.

So, what is wrong with him?

MESS WITH THE BULL...

AND SHE WILL TIE YOUR SLEEVES IN KNOTS!!!

GUESS WHAT THE BABY ATE FOR DINNER...

SO, THE WHOLE 4AM THING....

I jinxed myself.
Really, that is all it comes down too.
See, I just got done telling...Grace, I think....that my kids don't throw up.

Riggs woke up crying several times before I actually went to sleep last night. He was getting a little stuffy so we figured he was just having a difficult time breathing. Scott turned on the humidifier and I rocked him back to sleep. Good night, baby...see you in the morning.

Well, at 4am, Alex comes down and declares she doesn't want to sleep anymore. Ummm...NOT in this house, sister. No kids until 6:45 at the earliest! That is a rule understood by the age of 6 months or there are time outs involved...just joking DHS!
After getting Alex back in bed, Riggs starts crying. Not a big deal, he is always easy to get back to sleep. Not this time, however. He just seemed uncomfortable and hot. So, I changed his diaper, gave him some Tylenol and a bottle.

As I was walking him back into his room, he started to wake up again. All of a sudden, there was a noise and I was ALL wet. The kid just threw up all over me. GROSS!!! And, what did this poor sick baby do? He laughed. It was the sweetest, most heart-hugging giggle I have ever heard. When I tell you, God gave us the 'most-bestest' baby we could dream up for ourselves...He did, except even better!

After changing mine and his jammies 4 (yes 4!) different times...he finally fell back to sleep.
Just in time for me to get back in bed for 10 minutes before Alex came down...at 6:45!
How is that for timing?
I love being the mom. Truly. Love it!

And for the record...Scott did help for the first round. Then I tried to let him sleep..he does have to function out in the world while I am lucky enough to hide in my house with my sick baby.

WHAT AN END TO THE WEEKEND

Sunday afternoon Ellie, my mother-in-law, invited me to go on the GC Christmas Tour of Homes with her and one of her friends. Really, what's better than going to look at Christmas decorations? The first house was beautiful and one that you drive by all the time and wonder what it looks like inside....

now I know.

Then the second house. Again, one that just carries curiosity with it and I was going inside. It went well until we started heading down to the basement. All of a sudden, my feet went out from under me and I fell down the stairs. I landed on my back, hit my head and slid down the last several steps. OUCH! I'm fairly certain Ellie didn't push me and that it was my way fuzzy socks on small, narrow stairs but one can never be certain after a major head trauma.

Whatever happened...I fell.

I would say that I was embarrassed and it hurt my pride more than anything...but, being as I really have no pride in regard to what used to be a strong sense of athletic ability...it just kinda hurt. Not enough to cry or even to really say anything except...

seriously, Mandy??? Come On!

And, really I was fine until I got home. I walked in the door to a husband and 3 kids all waiting for dinner to which I proclaimed...

I think I might have a concussion.

Scott looked confused more than concerned. As expected, by the way. So, I start to explain what happened but I never got beyond, "I fell down some stairs". He didn't laugh...more of a smirk. Again, expected. Needless to say, I took some Advil and got dinner ready because one thing that comes with having kids...the mama doesn't always get the pampered lifestyle you dream of.

Other than waking up at 4am and feeling like I got in a car accident OR at least fell down some stairs, I am fine. The 4am wake up call is the next post.

More fun, of course.

And, I'm TOTALLY joking about being pushed down the stairs!

Of course Ellie didn't push me down the stairs.

(That's what I was supposed to say, right Ellie?)

HA!

MEDICAL UPDATE

This morning was my doctor's review of the last 2 weeks of

asthma testing.

Result: Not good.

I am now trying the Advair Diskus for the next 12 weeks.

Gotta love taking a medicine that is supposed to 'help' but also warms that I will now have "an increased risk of death of asthma problems."

Does that make any sense to anyone???

So, we will see what happens...

the next step is some other "really serious meds" (my doctor's words) that I'm not real interested in taking. But, suppose if it is between that and not breathing anymore...I will take the meds. Praying this works and after the 12 weeks I can be done with the Advair too.

AND, for my 'mom-away-from-mom' (as I lovingly refer to Becky)...I requested to have my blood finally tested to check levels after blood transfusions and it is "great" (again, doctor's words). Although, it did have Alex in tears. She could NOT believe that I asked to have my blood taken. Wish I had a picture of her face. All they did was prick my finger...but , it was enough for her to say as she is wiping her tears , "When I am a grown up,

I will never ask them to prick my finger!"

BROOKLYN'S FIRST CHRISTMAS CONCERT

SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF THE SEASON

December 2, 2010

Kindergarten Program:

Gingerbread Cookies

Snowpants

A Gift for Santa

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Brooklyn was super excited to get to the staging area (aka holding pin) for the kids prior to the concert. The girls were so excited to see each other and give compliments to the specially picked outfits.

I hope they are always so nice to each other.

Brooklyn with some of her friends

Kennedy, Brooklyn, Avery, Brylee

We had special guests cheering Brooklyn on during the concert. Grace and the kids were back in GC to drop off another load of stuff for storage so they were kind enough to come and listen.

Brad even made a sign for Brooklyn. Very cool!

Brad, Brooklyn, Alex & Ally

And, our three goof-balls after the concert...

Brooklyn still had a little adrenaline pumping, I think.

Great job, Midge!

We were so proud of you up there singing your little heart out.

We love you.

IT'S CHRISTMAS...

FOR ME!

Scott gave me my Christmas present tonight. Before opening it, Brooklyn guessed it was earrings and I guessed a bird feeder. We were both wrong.

I'm not a tech guru so Scott had to explain his gift. Poor guy. I didn't even know this thing existed. But, because Brooklyn has her 1st Christmas Concert tomorrow night....Scott thought this would be a good time to have Christmas for me. So, I am now practicing and studying how to use this Mobile HD Snap Camera called 'bloggie'. Hopefully it will be mastered by tomorrow night so I can share the joyous noise of little voices singing Christmas Carols!

We can't wait!

I have gone from not knowing anything about this fancy thing to thinking...'well, of course I needed this. How have I gone so long without it?"

My husband always knows! Love that about him!