The Playroom Tragedy

So sad...

So I know that it is called a playroom for a reason...but the mess is driving me crazy. For those of you who have never been to the Fisher zoo home, the room that is called the playroom was suppose to be a "formal" dining/ living area. (this does not happen when you have 4 kids- and if you do have this with 4+ kids with such a space I do not like you) It is also the first room you see when you walk through the front door. Talk about major birth control for my friends even thinking they want 1 or more lil ones. I believe a major intervention is in need. When I was at the bookstore yesterday with my mom I picked a copy of a Lowes organizing idea book. It has some great ideas. Now I just need some $... or the help of friends for more ideas. Anyone? Ami? Nicole? A.C.??? Just post your comments with ideas free of charge. haha.

A first that must be shared!

So it is Tuesday morning and Prestton just woke up! Yup, that's right...my lil man went to bed around 10:00 last night and did not wake up again until almost 7:00. YEAH!!!! I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will become a nightly habit fast- I have to go back to work next week. Now if I could just fall asleep things would be great. (I didn't sleep a wink last night...what is up with that!)

Prestton sleeping again this morning after eating! He must be having some sweet dreams: )

It's Christmas Time Once Again

Devy Reading The Night Before Christmas.The Tree after Santa

Prestton taking in all the action!

Trynnity gets pooped out after playing all morning.

My Babies

I love Christmas. From all the homemade goodies, shopping and special traditions to watching my children's faces as they open their gifts. Remembering loved ones that are far and the ones no longer with us. Taking a moment to recall the true meaning of Christmas and being thankful for all the blessings bestowed upon us.
We spend our Christmas at home, opening our door to family and friends. The aroma of honey baked ham, mashed potatoes and green bean casseroll fills our home on Christmas eve. I make a pot of Christmas tea and we read The Night Before Christmas (each child has their own special copy for when they grow up and move away). This year, Devynn read it for the first time from Prestton's new book. The kids go to bed and we hear them for hours tossing/ turning anxiously awaiting the break of dawn. Billy and I hastily finish the last minute wrapping- my brother and Billy getting things put together and me feverishly putting bows on all the girls things. Than we barely get to bed before it is time to get up again.
Baylee and Devynn are always the first up. They sneak out to the living room and take a peak. Peering into the depths of the tree they look for the tags that have their names. We hear the whispers and giggles, so much excitement in their voices! They come barreling into our room "Santa came! Get up!!!Come on, let's go see..." We tumble out of bed. Billy gets Sugar Bear. I get Prestton and we change them into clean diapers. Coffee gets made, a bottle of milk for Trynnity (yes, we are still trying to break that), and the camera's are set into place. This year, Santa brought Trynnity a kitchen. Her eyes were as wide as can be. She caught on a little more this year and opened some of her own presents. However, she played for hours with just the kitchen. Baylee and Devynn each get a present and tear into the wrapping. They take turns handing out gifts, showing their treasures. Trying on clothes from mom and dad (it's great that girls love getting clothes that they need to get anyway!). They each got a camera and soon three flashes were going off as we all clicked away. We always get some movies and new cd's to watch and listen to through out the day. This year we also got a WII that we played together. I make a big brunch with strawberry crepes, yummy! Our family makes their way over to share the rest of the afternoon with us. It is one of the few days that I let the kids hang out in their jammies all day and do not worry about cleaning up the mess all over the living room floor. Dinner this year was spinach and sausage manicotti, homemade bread and casear salad. Afterwards, we settle down again, watch another movie and fall alseep. What sweet memories we have made. Christmas is truly magical.

How many days till Christmas?

So I have been officially done with most of the Christmas shopping for a while now. (I can hear Maggie laughing) I did not want to be getting things done last minute, deal with crazy traffic and crowds. (My biggest pet peeve is rude people bumping into my babies) The kids are on break now, so we can get some baking done and watch all the Christmas movies we want. I am even putting off planning and cleaning my classroom. But wait... there is still laundry in mounds in the hall, Christmas projects everywhere, friends gifts unfinished and YIKES...I forgot about my husband's gift. And we have how many days till Christmas??!!!

Just a reminder

What a view! A little Heaven on Earth.
So as I was uploading the last post with pictures, I came across our Madera Canyon outing a couple of weeks ago. It made me smile and took a little pressure off...just a reminder of how lucky I really am and how much I LOVE my family.

The Girls
My Boys

How sweet is that?!

So little time...

Well, it is official. I will be heading back to work come January. It was not what we had originally planned, but for those of you who know Billy and I- we never seem to follow or "plan". Our timing is off once again and Billy really needs to get through the academy before I can sink my roots into a full time stay at home mommy. I am sooo sad to be seperated from Prestton. (Trynnity too- but let me tell you that girl is FULL of high octane energy) So I have spent this last week trying to get through the mounds of never ending laundry, setting up all the Christmas decorations and milling through my boxes of school stuff in the garage. I am starting to get a little stressed. How in the world am I going to keep up with everything?!! Seriously, I mentally started to take note of what will need to happen; all the beautiful Christmas stuff will have to come down and be put away, lesson plans and copies finished, contractors finishing up our 1 year check list (painting, caulking, fixing...) plus all the girls stuff. Not to mention I need to wrap Christmas presents, send out cards, make yummy cookies that I promised the kids we would make and figure out how NOT to eat them all (since I still do not fit into most of my clothes). Oh yes- Prestton also has to transition to a bottle. I need a vacation!

Yeah! The tree is up!!!!

Here is Trynnity helping with the laundry...not sure if Devynn

and Baylee will appreciate this one!

What a month!

So maybe this will be a once a month thing... there has been so much that has happened in the last few weeks. Sugar Bear just had her 2nd birthday! Since her "real" birthday fell on Thanksgiving we did a small friend party at the park and a family one on the big Turkey day. The park was GREAT! We had a few friends come and spend the afternoon with us. The kids all played and I actually got ADULT conversations!!!! Maggie (aka Maggies in S.B. world) made our lil Sugar a big cookie with a "woowoo" paw print- two of Trynnity's favorite things. She gobbled it right up. Melissa coordinated the making of flubber, and Miss Rylee "babysat" Prestton. Thank you Mel, Maggie, Amber, Jill and Suzanne for everything!!!OXOXOX

Presents

The Cookie

For Thanksgiving we stayed home this year. We got up and made a very yummy cheese danish and watched the parade with the girls. Devynn was in awe over Miley Cyrus and I thought the guys with briefcases were pretty funny. Then we surprised Trynnity with her family presents- one being a kiddie picnic table. It was a big hit. We kept things pretty simple. Billy and I both cooked together (yeah! he was home- for 4 days!!!) and our moms came over in the afternoon. Instead of making another cookie or cake we stuck 2 candles in the pumpkin pie. Watching Trynnity try to blow them out was too cute. She got one and Baylee helped out with the other one.

The picnic table and dishes

Tasting the Greenbean Casserole...YUMMY!

Sadly, I did not do my annual Black Friday shopping. Prestton was not ready to be seperated from his mommy: ( and his mommy did not want to hurt anyone for being too aggressive around her little boy. So we slept in (yup...8:15!) and went on a drive through Madera Canyon with the kids. It was great!
I did take the kids to see the big "HoHo" as my Bee once called him. No tears from the lil ones- but extra wide eyes. Baylee and Devynn cheerfully sent their letters through the "mail" at the Santastic mail slot. Although my very inquisitive (sp??) Baylee asked if there really was a Santa. She claims that some boys in her class told everyone there was no such thing. I asked her what she thought, and she said she believed...so I told her that believing is magic and is in her heart. "Just because you have never seen a million dollars doesn't mean it doesn't exist..." her response- "true..." This week she is still thinking and questioning. They grow up way too fast. It makes me sooo sad. Good thing I keep having kids!haha.
Devy on the other hand is just full of spirit. We explained to them that since our family has grow, Santa will not be able to do an extra big Christmas. (and mommy is not working!) She said that was fine. All she really wanted was a lap top computer- but since it was "xpensv" she would just like a new purse and shoes. That's my girl!
Phew! I am very proud of myself. The blog entry is now updated. Now I just have to upload the pictures... Prestton just got his shots too so maybe I will get to that. He is out! Poor baby. No temp. yet, but I will probably stay up to make sure. Trynity got 1 as well and was super barve. She did not cry or even give a shudder when that needle went in. All she did was give her pouty mean face- the one with the eyebrows super low and nosed all wrinkled; looked straight at the nurse and said "owwww. i needs medisen. my owie" : )