To Christmas and Beyond!

Our Christmas craziness started with the kids preschool presentation. For some reason they had it during the day and Mark had to miss it. Luckily my kids' classes were seated next to each other on the stage so the teachers put my kids next to each other. It was really funny when Addy and Marcus saw me they both started pointing and waving. The kids sang a bunch of songs with hand motions. Marcus sat stone still, while Addy and Katie sang and motioned away. Half-way through Addy's shoe fell off the stage and when the teacher pulled her down to put it back on, Addy came running to me.

The kids were bowing after their skit and Katie pulled the line down.
After there program we had lunch and Santa was there. This was the first time the kids got to see him this year. Marcus waved but didn't want to get any closer.

That weekend our church had their Christmas party.

Katie is in the front row of angels, very center.
The primary had a live nativity--Katie was an angel. We invited our neighbors and Marcus and Addy had a blast running around with John.

Then the real party began. My parents got 2 beach houses starting the week before Christmas. Mark had to work so the kids and I took off Sunday afternoon. Johnny rode down with me. When we were a couple hours from the beach Marcus reached over and rolled down his window. The air wasn't cold, and he wasn't crying so I didn't worry about it. Five mins later I look back at him and noticed his monkey is missing off his lap. . . "Marcus," I said "where's Uh-ahs?" He just stared back at me with a weird expression on his face. "Marcus", I said "did you throw Uh-ahs out the window?" He looked scared. I pulled over and searched the car--no monkey. Panic sets in for me. Marcus can't make it through the day, much less the night, without his monkey. I had to find him. We are on a freeway but luckily there was very little traffic. I didn't see an exit in either direction and I was afraid I would lose the spot if I kept going to the next exit and turned around, so I backed up on the shoulder--probably about 2 miles . . . yes, it got a little scary a couple times when cars were coming towards me. After a little bit, the shoulder ended, so Johnny gets out and sprints down the freeway for me until he finds the monkey. (He needed the run, he had played in an all-star game the day before and his coach had told him to run the next day for his muscles--plus Johnny doesn't mind being a hero.)

The beach was a lot colder this year then it had been in the past but we still had lots of fun. All my kids favorite people in one place.

Talia and Katie

Addy and Marcus

Scotia and Addy

Making ornaments with Grandma and Grandpa for the tree at the beach.
Bethany had been worried that she lost her place as favorite aunt to Hannah while she was in Italy...I don't know if she regained her #1 spot but she made a quick comeback. The kids now ask for Hannah and Bethany, not just Hannah.

Marcus trying to squish Bethany

Me and Marcus

Alisa and Katie

Alisa and Addy

Chris watched my 3 kids and his 2 one day so I could join all the girls for lunch (thanks mom)and shopping. Seven sisters, one sister-in-law and one mom makes for a lot of gossip, even more harassment and lots of fun!

Another day we went to Roanoke Island Museum. It had something to do with the early settlers, first babies being born and a massacre--can you tell I had 3 little kids to watch while I was there? But it was really cool, complete with a ship to board and villages to tour.

Marcus and Johnny on the ship.

Katie and Talia in the Native American Canoe

On the balcony of our house--it was right on the beach.
All the cousins were in the same house--it got a little insane with 9 kids that were 4 years old and under (add to that all my younger siblings...and wow!)

Katie, Addy and Cooper in the Armoire

Take out Addy, add Cohen

Take out everyone and put Addy back in with Marcus

We had our family gift exchange on Wed night.

Addy opening her doll from Grandma and Grandpa--with the help of Seth and Tony

Katie showing Grandma and Grandpa the photo book we made them


We headed back Thursday because Mark would be off work on Friday. We were sad to leave but so ready to be with Mark.

Christmas Eve was a day of wrapping presents and hanging out.

After getting ready for bed and putting out milk and cookies

Christmas morning the kids slept in--seriously, I even took a shower because I woke up before them. After they woke up and came down stairs they went straight for their stockings. Marcus found fruit snacks and ate them right away. Then he started crying because he wanted more and didn't want to open presents. After a brief time-out he snapped out of it and the havoc began.

Katie helping Mark with the present she gave him

Looking at the star Katie made me in preschool

Katie and her cheerleading costume-- #1 on her Santa list

Addy wouldn't take off her bunny towel

So in the aftermath with all the cool toys she received Addy chose to sit and color in her tiny little princess notebook--thanks Grammy.

I got Mark a helicopter and he and the kids spent the rest of the weekend playing with it. Who knew I had 4 children.

Marcus in the cape I made him--trying to break the tutu haibt.


Christmas day we laid around and enjoyed our gifts and being together. We had caught something at the beach and by the time Christmas evening came I was really feeling it.

They canceled church the night before because we were expecting snow--which we got. Sunday morning we woke up expecting a repeat of Christmas day--laziness, watching our new movies and playing with toys. At 8:30 the electricity goes out...someone had run into the electric pole outside our neighborhood. We did not have electricity for 12 hours. It put a little bit of a damper on our day since the only heat source we had was our gas fireplace, and Mark had planned on watching football the whole day. Poor sick me laid in front of the fireplace ALL day, the kids didn't notice, and Mark used my phone to keep an eye on his fantasy football--he was the Champion! We ate dinner by candle light and played with flashlights before bed--here's to a day without technology (except for cellphones with internet).

Playing in the snow from the day.

The kids had the next week off from school, which we spent in our house sick--all 4 of us, while Mark escaped to work.

At one point we must not have been too sick because we did go outside and build some snowmen.

New Years Day was gorgeous--we went hiking at our favorite place in the Nature Preserve.

Marcus spent the whole time copying Mark's every move.

Yeah for the Holiday's and for family time!!!