We're still alive!

Don't worry, we're all still alive! I just have been too busy to do anything about the pictures on our camera...but I've been called to repentance. And so Grandma, here you go...

My absolute favorite picture from Christmas is of Joseph and Mary and the silly donkey with antlers. They just look so cute! (and innocent!)
Here is the ragtag bunch that came and visited baby Jesus on Christmas. But they're happy, and that makes me happy too. And we also have enough people for all of the parts now. Ahhh, that's why we have so many kids!

Corbin

Miles

Princess Ballerina Ella-marie

Hunter ( I know the gloves are a bit too big, but it was the best I could do!)

Levi (cute as ever!)

And this is the Finch Express. It is very magical and can go to anywhere you want it to go. I think this day they decided to go back to Aunt Emily's house because they weren't done having fun yet.

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Santa Claus came to the library this week and my children were ecstatic! They got to make antlers, eat lunch and visit with Santa. They had a lot of fun! Hunter is showing off his marvelous antlers that he made. Levi loved Santa!

Ella-marie was the first (and bravest) girl to sit on Santa's lap.

Corbin and Miles were very jealous that they didn't get to see Santa. I told them that they were out of luck, and it didn't matter because Santa was done with the "F"s anyway because he goes alphabetically down the list.

Yum Yum Cookies!

I was feeling up to making some chocolate dipped pretzels today, and I had two very helpful helpers. Ella-marie and Hunter were in charge of the sprinkles. As you can tell. Ella-marie did a great job sprinkling (well, loading) the pretzels. Hunter had a bit of a harder time because apparently the spoon had a magnetic pull to his mouth and no matter how many times I told him not to put his spoon in his mouth, it always ended up there. But he still put some sprinkles on the pretzels. I know which ones NOT to eat. I'm not sure if I'm going to tell anyone else.

Mommy's helpers hard at work.
The look may be innocent, but the evidence is written all over that guilty face.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Success is Sweet!

Hunter has now officially gone poop in the potty three times!! I know no one really wanted to know that, but it's big news! He stayed dry and clean ALL DAY yesterday! I deserve a cookie! Wahoo!! I'm so excited to have finally reached this point in the potty training. Hunter is a man with a mission now and will do anything for a cookie. It sure will be nice to really only have one baby in diapers.

I think I'll move to Australia...

I have had the most interesting/disconcerting/embarrassing day today than I've had in a very long time. I don't have anyone to talk to and tell about it, so I'm telling my blog. It started off innocently enough...Spencer called me from work to tell me that it was a little icy outside and that the steps were a tad icy. Nothing to worry myself over, or so I thought. I went out early to warm the car up and SWWOOOOSSSHHHHHH!!!!! Down the stairs I flew! Luckily I have enough padding where it counts so that it wasn't debilitating. As I stood up on the landing and looked up at the house (hoping that no one was watching)...there were quite a few faces staring at me with their eyes (and mouths) wide open. I waved gracefully and then gingerly went down the rest of the stairs to start the car. I warned the kids that it was slick and that they would need to be careful, but as we all know, children don't listen. It's a known fact. Miles was first out the door and swooshed straight down the stairs, and thought it was so much fun that he did it two more times until he reached the driveway. Corbin thought he was to cool to hang on to the railing, and so swooshh, there he went. Hunter swooshed the first step and then grabbed the railing and held on for dear life. He wouldn't have moved for all the tea in China. Ella-marie just stood at the top watching. I got Levi, Corbin and Miles in the car, went back for Hunter. Thankfully he made it in one piece that time, and then went back for Ella-marie. I think she was a little too brave because she was holding my hand, and swooosh, there she went. In retrospect, I think it must have been very funny to be a fly on the wall for this episode. We'll have bruise inspection tomorrow and see who has the most fabulous bruises. Hmmm, I wonder if Spencer slipped too, and just didn't tell me?

And life just gets more exciting...We had to go to the courthouse to get our license plates renewed. No problem, unless court is in session. Have you ever tried to finagle a double stroller through a metal detector?? No? Well, I am not suggesting it. They finally felt sorry for me and let me go through the exit with the stroller, and then put just myself through the metal detector. So many people just watched us...not assisting, not opening doors, nothing...just watching me struggle. It was a good time.

And then I was feeling so darn good that we went to the mall to use a coupon at Bath&BodyWorks. Once again with the double stroller. I really just must be a sucker for punishment. I was trying to maneuver the stroller around a display when I backed into another display of gift cards. KABOOOOOMMMMM!!!! Millions of gift cards ALL over the floor. Why do I do these things to myself? And wouldn't you know, a random guy (a little scary looking and smelly) came over and helped me pick them up, but he also tried to pick me up as well. Asked if he could give me his phone number and if I would call him and go out with him sometime. While my little ones were sitting there staring at him! Needless to say, I said no, but thanks for helping. I think we made it out of there in one piece (mostly). I'm not sure we'll be going back there anytime soon.

As I was laying next to a sleeping child this afternoon, looking at the clock and telling myself that I should get up and do something, I thought "Surely things will go better now, what else could go wrong?" And then I realized that I have a dentist appointment this afternoon. Really? Are you serious?

I should have pulled up the covers and stayed in bed.

Say Cheese!

I want to introduce everyone to the newest member of our family...Gracias the Chicken. I copied the pattern from Grandma's own chicken that is a family legend. I know that everyone in my family is jealous. I can just feel it. Gracias was a lot of work, but he is well worth it. Now my rolls have a place to roost and stay warm. The kids are super excited for Thanksgiving tomorrow so that we can try him out. Today, in celebration of the first day of Thanksgiving vacation, we took a day trip to the Ashe County Cheese Factory in North Carolina. Ahh, we thought it would be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, we underestimated the roads between here and there. Let's compare it to riding a two hour roller-coaster with no relief and only a small (and I mean 'small'!) shoulder betwixt us and death by ravine.
This photo (above) is how Spencer and I felt the whole way...aka...BARFFFFF!!!!!

Apparently they grow Christmas trees in the hills of North Carolina. Who knew? The kids were ecstatic to find this gem tidbit of information.

Here we are enjoying the cheese making process. This little room makes 40,000 lbs. of cheese a week. We saw them stirring the milky, bacterial concoction, mold some wheels, sqeeze them and remove them to the fridge. I especially enjoyed the cow-inspired benches.

Happy troopers! And the only time everyone sat still...sort of.

Inside the cheese store. No one could keep their hands off. And miracle of miracles, everyone liked cheese curds, which I adore because they take me back to my childhood. Who wouldn't like squeaky cheese? It was a fun day and one that the children will probably be talking about for a long time. Which is good, because I don't think I can handle driving there again anytime soon. Barf!