We've got just over an hour before the New Year begins . . . anxiously waiting to watch the BALL drop and start 2008! The kids are still up waiting to ring in the New Year, Joe's asleep on the couch on account of him getting in a couple more hours at work this morning to finish off 2007. And I just finished up my T.G.I. Friday's Orange Dream and considering a Tom and Jerry or Hot Buttered Rum. Even though it seems mild mannered as far as New Year's celebrations go . . . I wouldn't have it any other way! With all of the unexpected medical bills, some minor set backs and the sudden loss of Joe's Dad, I would like to make a toast that 2008 brings with it a safe and healthy New Year with many exciting times, laughs and memories with friends and family in the year to come!

for another year, it's kind of sad when you think about how long you've planned and how much you prepared for it to feel like it's over in minutes . . . literally! But then again on the other hand a huge relief, I was actually ready to take the tree down last night, but decided to wait another couple of days so it's still up . . . probably this weekend!

We tried and tried for a good family photo, all the others were either blurry or someone didn't look right and with this one the colors were messed up . . . but this was as good as it got!

We spent Christmas Eve over at my parents, we had our traditional clam chowder for dinner and I made an eggnog cake for dessert . . . I don't think it was as big a hit as I thought it was going to be, Jakob really didn't care for it at all, which was surprising because he loves eggnog. The kids were waiting on pins and needles for Papa to give the "OK" to start handing out the gifts, it used to be a big family to-do with all the cousins and everyone else gathering around my Mom's Christmas tree. This was the first year that it was only my kids Home for the Holiday's! I always have considered myself lucky to be so close with my parents, especially when it comes to the Holidays . . . I couldn't think of spending Christmas anywhere else other than at their house, well . . . except for maybe in St. Marteen! Just kidding, although that does sound really nice!

Once we got home, the kids laid out reindeer food on the front lawn and we got Santa's cookies and milk, actually it was eggnog, to keep his spirits up for the long journey ahead! Morning came before we knew it and even though we heard the pitter patter of their feet between the hallway and the Christmas tree, the kids were nice enough to let us sleep in until 10 minutes to seven . . . I can remember growing up . . . we would wake up so early in the morning, but always ended up having to wait until my Dad had had his glass of OJ before he would be ready to hand out our presents! Sometimes it felt like pure torture, but it was always part of the excitement! Santa brought Kaitie and Jakob just about everything that was on their WISH lists this year, he must have turned a cheek during a couple of their "naughty" times! We headed back to my parents for Christmas dinner . . . baked ham and mashed potatoes and gravy, pumpkin and lemon meringue pie for dessert. We watched "The Nanny Diaries", Kaitie got this movie for Christmas along with "Hairspray", we haven't watched that one yet though. After a long two days everyone was ready for a rest and looking forward to the New Year!



lil Dude had his own gifts too . . . also his very own stocking! Santa left him some mini beggin' strips, he loved them!


Remember that gift from Joe that I couldn't wait to open??? Well, here's what was inside those boxes . . .

I am at a loss for words . . . sometimes the Merriest Christmas Wish is the one without words! Tonight we were victims of a Random Act of Kindness! I am not sure what brought on such a generous act and really not sure how to react, the hardest part is not knowing who would be so giving to our family. Really, we have had a tough fall with the passing of Joe's Dad and the unexpected trip to say Good-Bye one last time, but even with our unplanned trip this Christmas gift is still way more than our family needs or deserves. There are far more needy families out there that could use this gift. Joe has a good job and provides us with all we need, he works hard, but theres still someone who believes we could use a little extra this Holiday Season.

Joe had just got home from being gone all day hunting, I was doing the dishes . . . really I was! The door bell rang, by the time I rinsed off my hands and Joe made it to the door, there was no one there. But there was a big bucket of frozen chocolate chip cookie dough and an envelope taped to it . . . this was weird! I opened the card and out fell two $100 dollar bills! Joe and I put our heads together and tried to figure out who could have done this and why??? Joe called his Mom, I called mine, both of them said they knew nothing about it and just accept it for what it is!

until I can open this . . .


What do you think it is??? I have no idea, but I'm actually kind of surprised that Joe hasn't spilled the beans yet! He CANNOT keep a secret for anything! I'm all ready for Christmas . . . all the gifts are wrapped and now time is just spent telling Jakob to leave the gifts already under the tree alone. I don't usually put them under tree before Santa arrives, but this year I did . . . BIG MISTAKE!!! I think Jakob's inherited the special talent of knowing what's in the package before it's ever opened from my Dad. He told me what he thought was in one of them and he was RIGHT! I just told him not to be too disappointed if that's not what it was when he opened it. He's left it alone and not said anything more about it since.

We went shopping today to pick out Dude's Christmas presents . . . I found these antlers, isn't he just the cutest thing you've ever seen, Santa would be proud to have him pulling his big sled!!!
He might be cute, but boy does he hate to have his picture taken. He sees me with my camera and he instantly turns into a sour puss, refuses to look at the camera and most of time won't even keep his eyes open. I was able to finally after a ton of shots get some good ones. He actually ended up keeping them on his head for awhile this evening, maybe he forgot he was wearing it! I think Dude's probably safe from other holiday attire until at least Easter when he gets some bunny ears!

We loaded up the car and headed up to Desert Plateau, a neighborhood across the river to look at the Christmas lights and all the luminaries . . . we've been doing this for the past five or six years now (except for last year because I was at home with a cast on my foot recovering from ankle surgery). We popped in Kenny Chesney's Christmas CD and enjoyed all the lights and festivities! With thousands of candle lit bags lining the streets, the glimmering glow definitely put us in the Christmas Spirit! We saw a BIG lighted John Deere tractor pulling a hayride full of carolers and many holiday parties in driveways with everybody sharing the Christmas cheer around bonfires sipping on either hot chocolate or another adult beverage. We already can't wait until next year!

This train and an entire track was set up in someone's driveway . . .

Kaitie, Jakob and lil Dude in the back seat . . .

Afterwards, my parents insisted we come out to watch the funniest little video of some of the cutest elves around . . .

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1441459813

Here are my two nieces and Jakob and Kaitie. It probably won't seem as funny to all of you, but I don't think we've ever laughed so hard! ENJOY!!!

Today, to our surprise we got SNOW and a lot of it! The kids and I went over to my Mom's to bake cookies while Joe went hunting . . . nothings more festive than baking Grandma's famous gingerbread cookies and watching the unexpected snow fall outside. As soon as it started snowing I called Joe to see what it was doing out where he was . . . he said he was just starting to see some flakes, but that he was done and headed home.

I decided that the kids and I should head back home too. My Dad scraped off the couple of inches of snow that had already accumulated on my car. Driving home was pretty crazy, the hill up towards our house had a multiple car accident on it and the police were turning everyone back around. We backtracked, going no faster than maybe 20 MPH. I don't know what it is about snow and ice . . . I swear it brings out all of the lunatics! On Joe's way home, he traveled 25 miles on the highway and saw several cars turned over on their roofs and a lot of cars in the ditch. One lady flew past him going about 50MPH in her car, it wasn't too far up the road that she hit the guardrail. Seems like the our area will be pretty icy come morning . . . we're hoping for at least a school delay!

Here's a couple pictures of Jakob while we were still at Grandma and Grandpa's house . . . he loves the snow and once it starts you can't keep him inside. After we made it home, he stayed outside and shoveled all the snow off the driveway while waiting for Joe. He's such a good kid with a soft heart. While he was shoveling, he tells me this, "Papa Joe is looking down at me and he is proud of me because I am taking care of Grandma Cathy and this family!" <--- I think he's finally come to realize what happened, he knows that Papa Joe is up in Heaven looking down on him everyday!

It was like Christmas delivered in a BIG brown truck! Joe's goodies arrived from QuicKutz and I can't wait to play with it all! Words don't describe how much FUN it was to pick out $1000 worth of QK products. Joe couldn't have given me anything better than this for Christmas . . . now we'll see who's going to be naughty or nice! wink wink wink

It's kind of shocking that a guy who has never scrapbooked, creates his very first layout and wins such an awesome contest! Even though he isn't as excited about his win like any one of us would be, I guarantee it won't be his last layout . . . he can scrap all of his own hunting pictures now. No reason to let his new found talent go to waste!

Here's what Jakob looked like last night before he went to bed . . .


And here's what he looked like @ 6:00 AM this morning . . .


And this doesn't even compare to what he looked like yesterday by the time we left the first Dr.'s appt. At least for today the itching has stopped, the medicine is still making him sick to his stomach though. This morning he was having difficulty breathing and kept telling me that his throat felt clogged up. I made a phone call to the Dr. and after telling the nurse that, they wanted him to be checked out immediately so we went back to the Dr.'s office. The Dr. said that it could take another 3-4 days to completely be rid of the hives and that there are probably hives inside his stomach too, which is why he's feeling nauseated. So, for now . . . we're keeping him cool and making him rest!

Back in October, Jakob drew his own fire escape plan for Fire Prevention Month . . . there was a contest at school. The local fire department came into his classroom and discussed the importance of having a escape plan for at home in the case of an emergency. Jakob came straight home that day and drew his. Weeks went back and right after we returned home from Iowa I got the phone call that out of all the 2nd and 3rd graders at his school his escape plan had been picked! This meant a fire truck what going to come and pick him up at our house and then drive him to the fire station to have breakfast with his teacher and all the fire fighters. And the best part of all . . . drive him back to school.

Jakob broke out in hives last night and didn't get much sleep (neither did I), by morning he was completely covered from head to toe. The fire truck was suppose to pick him up at 7:30 AM, we waited and hoped for the Benedryl to kick in. When his ride showed up he was still itching all over, but was super excited to be getting in that fire truck. He got to sit in the front seat and be an honorary fireman for the morning. Breakfast was great despite the fact Jakob couldn't sit still in his chair, the itching was driving him crazy!

I followed the fire truck back to the school, I had called the Dr. on my way and got an appt. for him. We went into the office to let them know that he wouldn't be in school until after we found out what was going on with him. Little did we know then that it would turn into an all day affair . . . we got to the Dr.'s office and of course sat in the waiting room forever. By the time Jakob was called back, he literally was going crazy, about to rip off his skin or have a major panic attack. Poor little guy . . . and there was absolutely nothing that I could do for him. He laid in that exam room and cried! Jakob was given a steroid and we were told that he would need to see an allergist for testing if the hives didn't go away. Well, they didn't, they just kept getting worse . . . we went straight to the allergy/asthma clinic in hopes of getting an appt., luckily we were able to get one for later in the afternoon. The steroid that the Dr. gave him made him sick, too strong of a med for his little body.

Fast forward a couple of hours . . . we got back to the second appt., we were told that the hives were caused from a viral infection. And after all the hives were gone we'd need to do some skin testing. Jakob was given some more meds, which seemed to help alot, the hives were disappearing and he had stopped itching. By evening most of the hives were gone and I hoped for good . . . well, I was wrong, just before bed time he started getting them back on his hands and face. We put him to bed with a cool wash cloth for his head, seems that if we kept him cool the welts weren't so bad, lets hope he gets some sleep tonight. It's moments like this that make Motherhood so hard . . . you see your baby hurting and in pain and can't take any of it away. And a special "Thanks" to Grandma for being there today for Jakob and me!

Here's his fire escape plan . . .

Tonight Jakob had his first basketball practice EVER!!! Jakob's athletic life had in the past consisted of only wrestling, he has tried just about every other sport prior to that though. Wrestling has been our families "BIG SPORT" for the past three years, he was just five years old when he started and has medaled in many tournaments. Jakob dropped the bomb on us a couple of months ago and said that he didn't want to wrestle anymore. Although we loved wrestling (especially Joe) and traveling to tournaments, hanging out with other wrestling families (those weekend tournaments were a lot of fun) we knew that it was his decision to continue or not. Jakob decided to give basketball a shot . . . he's been watching Kaitie play for the past three years and shooting hoops along side her in the driveway. He's quite good at it too, either that or just very lucky! Could this be his sport???