Holidays are over...back to life

Well it is the Tuesday after the holidays and things are returning back to normal. The tree is on the curb, other decorations are in the basement, the kids are back in school, our holiday desserts are almost eaten, and D went back to work. Well that is life and life does go on even when you really enjoy some rest and relaxation time. Going back to work tomorrow will be hard because I will miss the kids and the routine of being around the house with them. Our house will go back to being chaotic once basketball season starts, which is this week, but there is also fun with those crazier times as well. Seeing the kids participate in activities, helping them learn, and watching them with their friends are also special times. I just love having a simple life (not a lot of activities) and that just does not go hand in hand with four kids. So I will morn our simpler life, transition into that life quickly and will enjoy that as well...but I will miss the less chaotic times as well.

We had a great holiday season. It was full of lounging around, getting caught up on household items (like hanging pictures) and hanging out with the kids. The kids enjoyed themselves and we rarely heard, "I'm bored". Julianne watched the "Little House on the Prairie" show at school with week before school got out so we continued the movies at home. The library was full of the videos and we also noticed last night that one of our channels has the series running at night. So they may pick up more of those throughout the year. They also watched their first 15 minutes of "The Brady Bunch". What a great TV show for all ages. It does not have snotty girls on it, provocative teenage girls dressed in inappropriate clothes, materialistic images, etc. It shows a blended family and normal everyday brother/sister issues. So hopefully we will be able to catch that show more often instead of other cartoons. Granted the older girls do not watch those new Disney shows but their friends all do. The girls act and look like high schoolers and we think it is just not appropriate for our girls at this age. So age appropriate cartoons/movies and maybe the Brady Bunch is all they will be watching now.

Here is another visit with Santa. We went with my parents and had a great time. My mom was able to join us with her fiance it was a great time.



Nathan was still not sure but at least got closer to him.


Christmas Eve dinner with Mom, Gigi, Mimi, Roger and our family. We had Ohio raised, grass fed steaks, Martha Stewart's "Perfect" mac-n-cheese, salad, Bob Evan's mashed potatoes, banana cream pie and Marci's peppermint ice cream cake.

Our Christmas Eve pajamas





Christmas morning wake up. We got them up at 7:00. Julianne was up in no time the others took awhile.


We woke Lindsay up after the kids opened most of their gifts. Sh... don't tell her.


Santa gifts. Julianne got an American Girl violin, Mallory received a nutcracker, Nathan a guitar and Lindsay a handmade doll.




Nathan got the girls earring/jewelry holder

Nathan and his guitar. Too bad no one knows how to play it.

Christmas dinner at Lisa's. The kids had fun. Santa got them a Wii so the kids enjoyed playing that.

Gigi received an iPad so she was excited when she opened it, even though I think she knew she was getting it. I think she was overwhelmed but hopefully she will get the hang of it.


Some Gigi watching a movie time.


Lindsay taking a bath in the sink.

Things I am grateful/thankful for:
-Holiday celebrations and traditions
-Spending New Years with the kids (we made pizza's, ate chocolate fondue, played Monopoly and all laid on the floor to see the ball drop.
-Having Nana and Gigi come for a visit
-Lindsay's first Christmas