Christmas

My whole family (minus our two missionaries Hannah and Johnny) went to Daufuskie Island in South Carolina for Christmas this year.  We were 'talked' into going--and now we are glad we did, but at the time we were not looking forward to adding more crazy on top of the crazy we were already living in.  The kids of course, since all they have to do is enjoy life, were super excited for the trip.  Christmas Eve morning we felt like we were in the movie Home Alone as we frantically tried to get packed before the car picked us up to take us to the NYC airport.  From there we flew to SC, then took a taxi to the marina, and finally took a boat (at night) to the island.  

As a grand finale my brothers picked us in golf carts from the boat dock!  While multiple modes of transportation stressed Mark and I, my kids thought the whole thing was the perfect beginning to a great adventure.  They were so excited to see all their aunts and uncles and cousins, and luckily when we arrived late most of them were still waiting up for us.

We let the kids party for a little while then it was off to bed because the next morning was CHRISTMAS!

The house we stayed in was huge and had a suite for each married couple--but with four kids (one of which being a newborn) it made for some sleepless night.  So, after sleeping as much as we could,  we went downstairs to enjoy the day.





 Luckily Santa found us on the island and delivered stockings and a couple small gifts.

It got a little chaotic with 22 grandkids (and my little siblings) opening presents

Aunt Crystal and Jaxon

Our family exchanges names--so after breakfast we opened gifts from the gift exchange.  

Marcus waiting for his gift with all his cousins

After presents everyone sat back and relaxed.   To top off a perfect Christmas Day, Ella got baptized in the ocean (she needed a little peer-pressure to follow through with her plans once she realized how cold the water was).  Katie insisted on putting on a dress, while the rest of us attended in our pajamas.

listening to a talk on baptism

kids playing twister

The rest of the trip went by in a blur.  We spent time on the beach when it was warm enough to enjoy it.  The kids all ran around in gangs from one activity to another.  Some of my sisters were on top of things and had crafts for them to do.  The adults ate a lot.  At night we stayed up way too late playing games and talking about ridiculous stuff.  One night we lost power (and heat), we had a fire in the fire place but it couldn't heat the whole house.  Luckily, the electricity kicked in before it got too cold and we had to pile all the kids in bed with us.

We took a family picture--where all the grandkids wore a shirt with their birth order number on it.  We color coordinated by family and all the Dalia kids whore a white shirt.  The greatest part is that we did it all on a timer.  With 22 (our little Jax is the youngest) grandkids the pictures turned out a lot better then I thought!

Tripp's-navy; Jenn's-grey; Sarah's-red; Mine-green; Joey's-black; Flossie's-orange; Bryan's-maroon

Friday we headed home.  Of course everyone was so sad to leave, the trip home is always the worst with sad and tired kids.

Katie

Addy and Marcus passed out within mins of hitting the boat

They made me put a life jacket on Jaxon on the way home, he only cried for the first 15 mins of the ride.

On the way home, the boat almost broke down, we literally puttered into the boat dock.  We were late so our taxi had left us and had to turn around.   Our plane was delayed.  And when we finally arrived in NYC it was freezing and our car was stuck in a line.  BUT, we made it home safe and sound.

We were supposed to get snow the next day, so we decided to go ahead and set up for our 2nd Christmas.  Someone had left some sleds under the tree and the kids had some presents from us and from Grammy and Grandpa that were still unopened.

It started snowing early afternoon, at the first flake the kids put on their snow pants (which they had conveniently gotten for Christmas), coats, etc and ran outside.  Their first Connecticut snow was everything they had dreamed of.

They tried to sled (I'm still laughing at this) and were pretty disappointed that it would not go.  Marcus' shoe fell off at one point and he cried because the snow was 'too cold'.  By the time there was actual snow on the ground only Katie was left outside.

Marcus rejoined Katie to help decorate the snowman.

Welcome to Connecticut kids, it's only going to get better from here!

It's Christmas here too...

So we got here Dec 1st at 12:30 am.  The house was 50 degrees (the landlords had not left the heat on).  We had brought one space heater so we piled everyone into the same room until the house heated up.  I told the kids to go back to sleep when they woke up in the morning so they wouldn't be tired during the day.  Marcus looked at me like I was crazy and said; "No, I'm getting up and going outside to play in the snow!"  (Sadly there has been no snow since we have been here.) 

Mark didn't start work until Thurs so we had 5 days to power through as many boxes as we could, hit IKEA for some storage solutions and stock up on food.  Thursday Mark started work and Marcus, Addy and Jaxon got sick.  I succumbed a few days later.  It was a VERY long week and a half.  We didn't leave the house the whole time.   I finally found a babysitter and escaped Thurs and Friday for a few hours.

On the positive side; Katie started school and loves it.  That little girl can thrive in any situation. 

But Christmas did happen here.  I was able to get the Christmas tree and most of the decorations up.  We have the kids nativity out.  We haven't done anything extravagant but we have celebrated the birth of our Savior and enjoyed a little of what the world has to offer.  We have watched some Christmas movies and drank hot chocolate.  We went to see Santa and his reindeer. 

 We made some Christmas cookies.

The kids got a little hyper after the cookies...

Friday I went to Katie's school and made ginger bread houses with her.

 

 

 Nothing to do with Christmas, but cute nonetheless.

Marcus sharing Uh-uhs with Jaxon

 And finally Christmas Sunday.  Do they get any cuter?

 

 The outtakes...

 

Merry Christmas to all, I hope the peace of our Savior is with you this Christmas Day.

Going, going and gone...

I hate saying goodbye, seriously, I would just up and leave if I could avoid the goodbyes.  Leaving Charlotte was probably the hardest move on me since leaving highschool for college.  I did say goodbye, but I didn't tell anyone about it until it was 100% certain we were going.  

My kids on the other hand, left without looking back, Mark had promised them snow and they were so excited.  They found our cold weather stuff and insisted on putting it on.  It was probably 65/70 degrees outside.

Random funny shot, Mark and I come home and left a sleeping Jaxon in his car seat.  We were packing and came back downstairs to find the kids "trying to help" us with him by pulling him halfway out of his carseat.

 My friend's had a baby shower for Jaxon, which pretty much was a goodbye party with all my church friends.  Sarah and I took the kids to Tiger World as our last hurrah.

The tiger was stalking the kids

Addy was so excited to finally find the bear, she stood there for the longest time.

This bird was talking to the kids.

 We got back from Florida on Saturday night and the movers came on Tues.  I was on auto-pilot, moving forward with what we had to do, but in a daze because things were happening so fast.  Sunday night we got together with my two closet friends from the neighborhood for dinner.  Then Angela had us over again on Tues night, so we didn't have to dirty the kitchen.

Angela and Amaiya enjoying Jaxon

Wed morning I headed to my parents house.  Flossie and Crystal met us up there.  Bryan also came to hang out.  We had a blast with my parents, siblings and cousins.  Thursday evening my parents rented out the local roller skating rink.  The kids were so excited.  They had some slow rollers for the kids to put on. 

Even the cool kids put on skates

Addy cried pretty much the whole time, she had a hard time staying on her feet.

Marcus stayed up most of the time

Seth

My mom and dad put on skates to relive their glory days

Joey made an appearance

Gabby and Baylee

Within the hour Katie had moved up through 3 pairs to get the the fast skates.  She still fell some, but I was so proud at how hard she was trying.

Friday morning we got up, and with the help of my mom, got on the road.  We met Mark, who had stayed in Charlotte to oversee the movers, and headed to CT. 

Thanksgiving

Post reserved for Thanksgiving

Halloween

Post reserved for Halloween

the Storm

Does the craziness in my life ever end?  And if it doesn't, that means that I must be bringing it on myself right?  

Right after we finished our homestudy Mark was approached with a job offer from a bank in Stamford, CT.  We joked about taking it but were not super serious.  Mark and I decided to move forward with the offer to see where it would lead.  It was super slow going.  At the same time, on the adoption front nothing was happening.  I think Mark and I thought that we would either --move--or --adopt-- but not both.  The job thing progressed too the point of flying Mark up for an interview--but we still didn't have enough details to really consider it.  Finally, we received the call about Jaxon and then all the sudden he was born (we had to cancel a trip to check out CT to go pick up Jaxon).  We put the job out of our minds and focused on trying to survive with 4 kids (my brain is mush!).  By the way, the reason there has not been a blog lately is because I lost my camera on Halloween (I had not uploaded any of the pictures since before Jaxon came home).  I still cannot find it anywhere!  That and adding the forth child has seriously been a little...anyway, I think the bank knew that the baby trumped them, because when they finally got Mark an offer, it was one heck of an offer.  And guess what!  We are moving to Connecticut.  In one week!  

Blogs may be slow going until I learn to function...with 4 kids, in a new state, with no family, no friends...

just kidding I don't really feel too sorry for myself, yet.  

The perks are

1. NYC 45 mins away 

2. Highschool friends 4 hours away (thanks Kim for coming to help me find a house!)

The kids are SOOO excited for the snow, Mark told them Rufio would pull them in a sled so now that is all they talk about.

I will not list the things I am sad about leaving; family, amazing friends, my house, walking to the Y, walking to school, my neighborhood, my house (did I say that already?), the weather.

Oh yeah, remember when we paid for law school and now my husband is going to be a banker.

At least, maybe when we are all moved and settled I will be able to think clearly again.