January Funnies

Nicholas was watching a "make-him-smarter" movie in my bedroom one morning during school time. When I peeked in to check on him, he was lying on the bed eating peanut M&M's. When I asked him what in the heck he was doing, not missing a beat (or M&M), he replied, "Oh, these make me smarter." 

Dom lost his Christmas gifts a few days after Christmas due to some sort of misbehavior.  Since then, he has been earning them back with good deeds.  Only one gift remains to be earned back ~ his fishing rod.
*a side note, my boys have been on probation with their father in order to earn skiing this year. 
I asked Dom when he was going to get his rod back.  He contemplated this for a couple minutes before responding, "Well, I think I'll earn the next two ski days, then work on the rod."  

Apparently, only so much good behavior can be expected from a seven-year-old.

Dominic to Max, "Max, you're a good boy.  Not intentionally good, but good."

While I was talking to Annika about what strategies she could employ to kick her nail biting habit she said, "I could buy some chocolate bars and nibble on those all day instead of my nails."
I'd say she is her father's daughter.

While reading with Eric he asks, "What's the difference between a flamingo and a Philipino?"

And my favorite.  I asked Dom why he stayed home with me instead of going to watch the Super Bowl.  He stated matter-of-factly, "1. I don't like football. 2. I don't understand football. 3. I don't want to understand it." 

                                 Bizarre pictures of my girls are never discovered on my iPad! 

Happy Birthday Nicholas ~ Now You Are 5!

Happy Birthday to you ~
Happy Birthday to you ~
Happy Birthday, dear Nicholas!
Happy Birthday to YOU!

Nickles, you entered the world in a most dramatic fashion and you simply haven't changed. You are always full of crazy surprises, yet you have such a soft spot for Mommy, Daddy and Maximo.  The rest of your siblings are your competitors, however!  You enjoy your assigned chores, but your favorite is putting away toilet paper ~ you love filling the grocery cart with it, hauling it to the car, and stacking it all up on the appropriate shelves when we arrive home.  It's all quite hilarious.
While we were skiing the other day, after every crash you popped up with a smile....even if it was through a faceful of snow.

And that pretty much sums you up ~ you always pop up with a smile.

I love you, Nicholas.

Love,
Mom

Intimidation!

A treasure box for all my junk!

Make a wish, Nicholas ~

He informed us later that he wished for sandwiches.  

At least he dreams in reality!

  

Happy 7th Birthday Dom ~

Happy Birthday to you ~
Happy Birthday to you ~
Happy Birthday, dear Dominic!
Happy Birthday to YOU!

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A little boy
Full of spunk and amazing stories!

Dom ~ you are growing up for sure.  You have some of the most amazing "what if" stories we have ever heard.  You imagination runs absolutely wild as you search for ways to make jobs easier. Sometimes this impairs your ability to actually complete a task as you think of a million ways to build something, forgetting to actually get the job done.
Daddy is on board with your recent idea of taming a baby elk, though.  He thinks it would be AWESOME to ride into a herd of wild elk, thus being able to sneak up on them easier.

I love you.

Love,
Mom

You awoke on birthday absolutely certain the snow was sent just for you.

School was cancelled because you were afraid it would all melt by the next day.

A monster truck cake ~

The truck was all that really mattered!

Now you are 7!

December Funnies

While coloring one morning Nickles asked,  "Could I get a tattoo on my back? And could it say, 'I wub Mom'?"

Why certainly.  I'm not sure why I haven't thought of that before! 

I almost caved to a Sharpie tat, but decided against it when I thought about what I'd be promoting. 

At the dinner table, again with some of Michaela's friends, Nickles kept saying, "Lipstick taser!" 

Unfortunately it sounded like, "Zip it, sister."  

Nickles was playing with two cars which, naturally, were talking to one another.    

"Are you going to kill me?!?"

"Why yes I am," followed by a gunshot sound that only boys seem to perfect.

St. Nick was at Target while Eric, Nickles and Max and I were shopping the other night.  He asked if Nickles wanted to sit on his lap.  Nickles flatly refused.  Shortly thereafter Nickles informed Eric and I that that St. Nick wasn't the real Santa.
When we asked him how he knew that, he replied, "Because his sled wasn't parked outside." 

Well, duh.

Eric's voice is changing and he is kinda enjoying the sound of his own voice now more than previously.  The rest of us aren't appreciating it quite as much as he is.  One day after being asked to stop singing he announced, "Well, it's hard to stop singing when you have such a good voice."
Humble, that boy.

Upon waking one morning Annika states, "Mom, I had the worst dream last night."
Thinking it must have been awful, I asked her what her dream was.
"It was terrible, Mom.  You threw all the teacups away."
I'm not sure whether I'm disturbed by the fact that she thought that was an awful dream, or that clearly she sees me as someone who randomly throws her stuff away. 

Nickles informed me he could not clean his room because he needed to reassemble his skidsteer which was scattered across the living room.  Kath told him to get moving, she would put it back together for him.  Nickles told her she couldn't do it because she didn't know how.  

Kath replied, "I'm a contractor's daughter, I can put almost anything back together."

While eating out the other night, our waiter hit it off with Nickles.  He rigged up a long straw, along with Nickles' own pitcher of strawberry lemonade so he wouldn't need to ask for any more refills.  

And, yes, I let it happen.  

Christmas

The Christmas season was wild and crazy.  Each year it seems is a bit different.  While I would love to have solid traditions, such as making the same meals for Christmas Eve, Christmas breakfast Christmas dinner, attending the same Mass, celebrating with Shannon's family on a specific day, etc. it simply has not worked out that way.  And that's okay.  It inspires a bit of creativity!

This year, I was a bit anxious about spending time with family.  Sometimes the dynamics can be a bit overwhelming.  So I prayed that God would show me what to do.  He did.  It was amazingly clear too.  A few of us came down with a horrid cold a couple days before Christmas and Max threw up on the way to Midnight Mass.  So we stayed home Christmas day.  It was quiet, but that was good.  It actually was really good!  Shannon asked that next time I pray that I be a little more specific.  He could have done without all the sick-business.

I always feel a bit melancholy when Christmas is over.  It certainly helps that we celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, though.  We still have one more day left.  Since it is Dominic's birthday, the Christmas season will end with one final party!  Yay!

This could be a post unto itself; it was my happiest Christmas moment.  

Kath and Michaela were taking care of a neighbor's farm over the holidays. 

Another lady, Cassie, that lives on the farm lost her dog a couple days before Christmas.  

She has been so busy caring for her 90+-year-old mother that she didn't have time to prepare for the season.  Cassie is an example of how we should care for our elderly family.  Instead of sticking her mother in a nursing home, and I realize this is the only option at times, she devotes her days (and nights) to her care.  She makes sure she goes for daily walks so she stays ambulatory, she reads to her, feeds her, she does everything for her, simply loving her in her inability to care for herself.  Cassie is an amazing witness to the dignity of life.

So, her dog dies a couple days before Christmas and my girls partake in the the whole event ~ Michaela staying with the mother while the dog was taken to the vet, Kath driving to the vet, 

just being a listening ear while strong Cassie cries, simply being present.  

Upon their arrival home, Kath starts putting together a plate of cookies.  

In my busyness, I had never even thought to take a plate to Cassie. 

Then, the older kiddos began planning decorations for Cassie's house.

They chopped off a little fir, snuck decorations from our tree, grabbed some Christmas material for a tree skirt, found an extra string of lights, robbed a Nativity set from one of the bedrooms (what's Christmas without baby Jesus?), wrapped up a couple gifts and headed down to the farm. 

I was touched by my children's thoughtfulness.

When they returned with tears in their voices, I knew they had learned what Christmas is 

about in a new way, a bigger way.  The complete gift of self that Christ gave us on that very first Christmas Eve was no longer symbolic.  It had become real to them.  They saw Jesus in a suffering soul and responded with all their heart.          

Christmas with Shannon's family ~

He loves planning games to keep everyone busy!

Reciting "The Night Before Christmas"

What Nickles is trying to pronounce is anyone's guess. 

Kath and Eric were a little less than excited to participate, but rose to the occasion.

The unwrapping begins.  The awesome thing about using all 12 days of Christmas 

is that Christmas morning is relatively low key.  

The kiddos must choose carefully what they want to open so there  

are presents for the following days. 

Admiring Kath's moose antlers ~

An exciting new present ~ 

St. Nick must be nuts getting such a noisy gift!

Mom ~ do you really need to take a picture?!?

All tired out ~

Shan and Eric installed a new kitchen faucet while I napped ~

They're so awesome!

Skating the next day on Grandpa's pond ~

Watching a movie with the big boys ~

Hiking around the new property.

My favoritest thing evah ~ rosy cheeks!

A cousin night, playing games ~

We learned a new favorite ~ Spot It! 

Aunt Gloria has a knack for sending the most appropriate gifts.

Spiderman pajamas!

Note the pile of clothing at Nickles' feet.  He changed on the spot!

Coloring with cousin Hannah ~

      

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!