Conversations with the 3 year old

Jordan and Madison can be terribly good friends, or worst enemies. The other day it was the later of the two.

Jordan came in crying to the kitchen: "Madison says she doesn't love me!"

Madison: "I don't love you. I only love 4 people. Mom, Dad, Taylor and Reagan. That's it."

Mom: "Madison, that's not very nice."

Jordan: "She doesn't love me! sniff sniff, sob"

Madison: "Well, I just don't love him because I only love 4 people."

Dad: "Madison. That's not nice! And Jesus said to love everyone."

Madison: "Well, *I* never heard him say that."

So, while we work on our "loving each other" skills this week, I thought I'd post proof that Madison and Jordan really DO get along... and despite what Madison says... she loves him. ;)

Christmas afternoon:

He's such an fantastic role model

Taylor badly wanted Santa to bring him a Rubik's cube for Christmas. He did - placed it neatly in his stocking, so it was the first thing Taylor "opened".

Said Rubik's cube was mixed up fairly quickly. Taylor handed it over to Brian, who, in a matter of minutes had it all figured out.

I scoffed because I can't figure out a Rubik's cube if it's been turned twice. But I mixed it up and tried anyway.

I failed. The Rubik's cube was a complete mess and Brian took the thing to fix it yet again.

While Taylor and Madison were out playing in the snow, Brian got to work.



I was busy in the kitchen with Reagan and Jordan was thrilled to be over at a friends house.

During one of my trips to check on the outside players, I notice Brian playing with the Rubik's cube... UNDER A TOWEL.

I pulled the towel off his lap to find THIS:


Yes people... that is the Rubik's cube IN PIECES. He takes the dang thing apart and puts it all back together again.

In other words: HE CHEATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


And he had us all amazed at his wonderful talent of getting the Rubik's cube back into formation!

WHAT DID I MARRY?????

It was a Very Merry!

We had a nice storm on Christmas Eve, but braved the weather to get to Grandmas house anyway. (Hey... gotta get the new PJ's! TRADITION!)

Grandma had a great spread on for us and we enjoyed watching "A Christmas Story". (The kids now have a better understanding as to why we have a leg lamp next to our Christmas tree...)

Upon arriving *safely* at home, the kids went outside to spread their Magic Reindeer food. We then left Santa a plate of English Toffee (Brian made it of course), and a carrot for each of the reindeer. Tried to get a great shot of the kids in front of the tree, but *someone* wasn't cooperating.

Christmas morning was delightful! Brian made a great breakfast for the extended family, the kids had everything their little hearts could desire gift wise, and *I* managed, somehow, to sneak in an hour nap in the middle of the day. BLISS!

Here! See our festivities for yourself!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

My favorite project this year: Bows and bow holders for my nieces!






Thanks everyone for a fantastic Christmas!

Christmas Organ Open House

We sat down last night and tried to figure out just how many years this has been a family tradition. The jury is still out, but last night most likely was our 21st year sharing and celebrating with family and friends.




My Mom spends the evening making rolls and keeping everyone happy in the food department. My Dad stays on the organ all evening, playing sounds of Christmas.

My favorite pictures from last night:






It's so nice to see family and friends that we don't see all year, but magically we see at the Christmas Open House. Christmas can now begin now that we've had it!

The kids went right up to bed when we got home. They were exhausted. Brian took the camera into the boys room and took this shot of Jordan with his Curious George:

Someone get that kid some PJ's! (I'm so glad it's Christmas Eve and new jammie night! ;) )

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

'frah-gee-lay.' It must be Italian!

The view from our front window:



And the "leg lamp" in all it's glory inside the house, next to the Christmas tree.




Brian's cousin got this as a gift from a friend, and conveniently they didn't have room in their house for it. ;) I was so stinkin' excited to borrow it this year and display it proudly! The only problem with it is: the "leg" doesn't light up, so it's not as visible from the street as I'd like it to be.

Moo Madi Moo is MOOOOODY.

This is what a grouchy girl looks like just days before Christmas.

You see... we want to open our gifts NOW. She feels she deserves to open them today because she was nice and bought her brothers and sister presents.


If looks could kill...

Man... it's rough being a 3 year old.

Yogurt

Madison didn't like her yogurt, so she left it on the stairs. (Leaving it on the stairway is a logical place in her eyes. Nevermind that the trash can is NEXT to the stairs...) Anyway, Reagan found it and I don't think she's ever enjoyed food so much! Next time we'll try and eat it at the table though! (Which won't be near as fun I'm sure...)

Christmas Tree

On Saturday, Jordan Madison and Reagan decorated the Christmas tree. (Taylor was busy learning how to play solitaire with Brian... card games trump Christmas decorations I suppose.)

Reagan is fascinated with the tree. She moves the ornaments all around the bottom half of the tree where she can reach. When she's having a "grumpy moment", I need to just flip on the Christmas lights and she gets all excited to start reorganizing everything.

Once upon a time, I wanted my Christmas tree perfect... now with the kiddos around, I could care less that the top looks nice and the bottom is all in an ornament frenzy!

We also went over the church for a Christmas brunch. Santa was there and the boys were excited.

Taylor sat on his lap and asked for gamecube games.

Jordan's turn came and Santa asked what he wanted for Christmas.
Jordan: "Surprise me".
Santa: "I don't know what surprise me is!"
Jordan: giggles
Santa: "BOO! Did that surprise you?"
Jordan: giggles
Santa: "Oh I KNOW what you want for Christmas! *singing* All I want for Christmas is my too front teeth!"
Jordan: giggles

Madison wouldn't smile or talk to Santa until the last second before booting her off his lap. She turns and says "I want littlest pet shop and barbies" and hopped right down.

Reagan didn't scream for a whole 2 seconds, but then it started and she will never sit on Santa's lap again I fear.

They gave all the kids candy canes and a small gift. Taylor got some Lego's, Jordan a coloring book and Madison a doll. Madison opens her gift and says: "HEY! I told him I wanted littlest pet shop, not a dolly!!!"

Anyway, here are some photos of the kids on Santa's lap and decorating the Christmas tree. the first photo is a movie.

Enjoy!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Christmas Dance Performance

Madison and her cousin, Lauryn are in dance together and they recently had their Christmas dance program.

Brian was busy trying to watch Taylor, Jordan and Reagan while I was backstage, so the video isn't that great and it comes in two parts. (Reagan was *really* being wiggly)

Madison is in the very middle (just to the right of where the back drop "splits"... she's easy to spot because she's doing the right dance steps. ;) ) Lauryn is second in from the left. Sometimes it looks like she's the end kid though because of where Brian had the camera.

They're coming to take me away, ha ha!

Since the last post, 3 of the 4 children have come down with the flu.

It started out with Jordan calling me from school: "Mom, I don't feel good".

He's a GREAT sick kid. He just lays on the couch, drifting in and out of sleep... I started to feel lucky that it was him that was sick because, hey... I can still get so much accomplished when it's JORDAN that's sick.

He puked right before bed, poor little guy.

Then Reagan puked IN my bed, poor little gal. (But mostly poor me as I notice that I've done most everyones laundry EXCEPT *my* sheets. Friday is bedroom day, therefore sheet washing day and I now realize I should have put my sheets as a priority LAST week.)

Reagan fell asleep, but then woke up puking again. (It is now sheet and towel laundry day.) Madison comes into my room at this point with a fever and talking all weird about how we had to buy her baby sister from the hospital.

I hope to not have to update this post and include Taylor in the fun. I'm hoping his bed on the top bunk keeps him out of germs way!!!

Once again, the tree sits "naked".

I'm so ashamed to admit that my Christmas tree STILL hasn't been decorated.

We made it a tradition long ago to go out and get the tree right after Thanksgiving, and I'm wondering now why the heck we even bother if it sits there. Should decorating the stinkin' tree really be this difficult?

My excuse this year is: The tree skirt isn't done. Now, I don't know why this matters because we've NEVER had a tree skirt for our tree.

Also, it was Jordan's birthday on Monday. I'm a total looser mom for not posting anything about it, but there isn't much to post since we spent that evening at MADISON'S dance recital. I was planning on having a party for him with family on Friday since somethings been going on every day this week, but he's not feeling well. We told him that instead of a BirthDAY we'd have a birthweek. I've tried to do something a little special for him each day: Monday we had cake (thanks to my mom - she made the cake for after the dance recital...) Tuesday I took him to lunch and Wednesday we had family movie night and made homemade pizzas. I think that people with December birthday's TOTALLY get forgotten. I haven't even taken a photo of him now that he's SIX.

Reagan is still sleeping horribly. (Oh really? It's 1:11 AM while I'm writing this... I'd much rather be sleeping but she has different ideas.) I can't really pass her off to Brian at all in the middle of the night because the poor guy has to be to work at 6:30 AM. Not that he took her much before he had to be up early, but he did every once in awhile.

I started making my nieces gifts last night for Christmas. I'm totally excited about it, but obviously can't talk about it here since Stacie is one of my few frequent readers. Can't wait to post pictures of the finished product though! Need ideas for my nephews... just can't think of anything to make for them that they'd actually enjoy, and I don't want to be the aunt that gives totally lame gifts.

Okay, this is totally a whine of a post... but given the hour I think it's deserving. Reagan is finally asleep in my arms but I doubt I'll be able to fall asleep anytime soon... especially now that I have all these "to do's" running around my head.

Do you think it would be too obnoxious to start decorating the tree now at 1:17 AM?