Christmas Morning 2012

It was always tradition in my family growing up for all the kids to wait on the stairs and come down at the same time.  I had to assist this year with Emerson, who needed a little convincing.
Ry was up by 7:30, Emerson by 8, and we had to wake Julia up at 9:45.  Crazy!!

The kids were pretty pumped to find Krispy Kremes in their stockings!
Em wasn't sure what to think of the entire morning!

Ry is happy to have his own Galaxy Tablet!
I think Daddy might be just as excited, as moments after this was opened he downloaded a game.  

Surprise, surprise, more legos!!

Em seems pleased with her new kitchen.
Thankful Daddy is so great with assembly, because even
this one would have been a challenge for Santa's elves! =)

Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Someone is just a tad bit excited for Christmas.

Christmas Eve

My munchkins are excited to be home from Christmas Eve church services, and ready to get our celebration started.  Read: Open Presents!

But first we eat and pose for some pics.  Ry loved to keep jumping in all the pics.

We managed to distract him from getting in this one...

But not here!

Finally, "like 100 years later" (according to the kids), we head
downstairs to tear up some paper!
Em loves her new little wagon from Gram and Papa.

His reaction to every Lego he opened!

Our little popstar loved this present!

After a very competitive game of Rob Your Neighbor, the pepper and
pineapple flavored tequlia Patrick made is passed around.

And someone is left with the "Lump of Coal" beer! =)

Santa Brunch

The whole family came out this morning to have brunch with Santa.

Em cozies up to Glammie.

Sister love!

One of the only pics where everyone is looking at the
camera and all eyes are open. Why does this seem
 like such a miracle these days!?!

The Rudd family. (Sorry about your eyes, Colin. The only pic I had!)

The Conway family. 

The Busch family.

Juls hung out in line with her girlfriends (Kaitlin, Lexi, Addison) while we waited to see Santa.

All I want for Christmas is....
a sleeping baby!! =)

Waiting in the photo line for Santa with a baby who wants to just run seemed
 longer than EVER this year. Which was almost enough to send me
 psychologically over the edge memorable family bonding time.
Santa looks spent too, doesn't he!? HA. =)
Tis the season to be jolly!!

Memorable Family Fun

Tonight we took the "big" kids to see The Nutcracker at the Touhill Arts Center on UMSTL's campus.
The kids wanted to watch a DVD on the drive over, but I told them we were going to talk instead.  They just don't understand why.  I told them it helps us build relationships.  So the kids talked about their days, about how Julia's teacher is back to school and she's so glad that the "worst guest teacher ever Mrs. S is gone".  And then Ry says, "Hey, what does 'sexy' mean?"  We were totally unprepared for that one. I stalled for time and asked where he heard that word. He said his friend Andrew was singing "I'm sexy and I know it." I first told him it was like "handsome" or "beautiful", and he was like, "oh, I thought it meant like popular or something."  And so he says something like "So if you think someone is pretty you tell them they are sexy?"  So I did my best to explain that it's kinda a "personal" thing that maybe a husband would tell his wife and such, but that we shouldn't use that word to other people.  I think Ry understood.  Let's hope, or we might get an interesting note home from the teacher!!!

Intermission time at The Nutcracker

What the kids say about their first ballet experience:
Sugar Plum Fairy: Good
Nutcracker: Where are the words? Are they only going to dance? That's kinda girlie!

Bedtime, As Told By Ry Harriss

How To Get Ready For Bed
First, I brush my teeth. Then,
I go potty. Third, I get my clothes
off me. Next, I go to my bed.
Last I got a kiss.

Sister Denial

As told by Julia:
"Mom, Ryan and a boy came up to me on the playground.
And the boy asked Ry, "is that your sister?"
and Ry said "no".
And it kinda hurt my feelings."

Today they are having a dance party together.
Augh, the highs and lows of sibling love!! =)

TGIF!

This morning I brought the munchkins to the Dr. for strep tests.  Emerson was sent home from preschool yesterday with a fever (but no other symptoms, and she was fine by the time she got home?!?), and Juls has had a hard time handling life lately. Emotional instability has been an indicator in the past she's got strep. So hard to tell what is "normal" 5 yr old activity or a result of sickness!!
 Example:
Juls: HYSTERICALLY crying,
 Me: What's wrong?
 Juls: Ry gave me the mad face!

When I dropped Juls off at school, I noticed this chart in the hallway outside her classroom. Looks like she's the second tallest girl in the class!  You go girl!  =)

Fortunately, we're all negative.
I was, however, tempted to ask the pediatrician's office to run a report and see if we are winning the contest for "most co-pays paid in 12 months time"..there should be some sorta prize for keeping them afloat like we do, right!!?
And now I get to spend the day with THIS sweet girl!

First Haircut

Today on a whim I brought Babycakes to get her first haircut.
She's needed it for awhile now.
Poor third child! =)

She was doted on by everyone at the shop, and was a total ham waiting her turn walking around to everyone waving and making friends. She did really well sitting still. When her cut was finished, the stylist tried to blowdry her hair. She sat still looking at me for about 30 seconds, and then got a "I'm going to scream/cry what are you doing to me!?" face. That was the end of that!

Santa Claus Comes To Town (or The Galleria!)

The munchkins were happy to head to The Galleria today to visit Santa and share their lists with him!  

Post Holiday Exhaustion

Don't you just LOVE a sleeping baby?!
I could just eat up this little angel!!!

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving day.  We're blessed enough to have most of our family in town, so that means we're lucky enough to get invited to partake in not one, but two Thanksgiving feasts!  After the traditional morning game of football, we headed to the Harriss house for celebration #1.  Jeff's mom had the idea that we all take a pic with us all in glasses since Em now has glasses.  I have a feeling she needed this pic as part of her annual Christmas poem, but I guess we'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out!  Regardless, the kids thought it was pretty fun.

We took full advantage of the near 70 degree weather and spent some time outside. 

Turkey day, round 2 was held at Amy/Jeff's house.  Ry and Jul hang at the kids table with Maddie and Ali.

Mom and I pose for a pic.

Amy, Dena and Dad take a break.  Amy spent HOURS in the kitchen prepping for the massive spread she puts out every year, and dad spent nearly TWO hours carving the pumpkin.

Tim and Debbie

Glammie and kids.

Grandparents and me

Granny Re before she modeled her Elvis look-alike sunglasses for us. I'm not sure how I didn't snap a pic.  She said she actually had someone offer her $200 for them and she wouldn't sell.  Craziness, I tell ya!

Jeff ended up talking Glammie into coming over at 11pm so he and I could head out to partake in the madness we call Black Friday.  We talked Amy and Jeff into tagging along too.  Despite the fact it was the middle of the night, and thinking clearly wasn't really happening, we had a great time.  Jeff toted a TV around the store that he THOUGHT was on special, but it wasn't. I somehow managed to LOSE all our advertisements (key for price matching) not once but TWICE (and then we ended up realizing on the drive home we left them back in the toy section of the store!?!). It was for sure one of our more memorable shopping trips!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pre-Turkey Day

My mom believes every day is worth a party.  She extends our Thanksgiving celebration by an entire day by having a party the night before.  Since my sister Krista travels with her husband and kids to Chicago on Thanksgiving, this is our opportunity to hang out with them for the holiday.  Glammie is never short on sugar for the kids. (Looking back, it's really amazing none of  us came out of childhood in that house obese or cavity-filled!). Even Em was begging to partake in a cookie with a thick row of icing.  

Decorating Early

We've  never decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving, but the kids  (Ry especially!) have been relentless.
I caved today when Ryan carried up some of the Christmas decorations by himself.  Guess we'll have the day after Thanksgiving open this year!

Operation Shoebox

This year, Julia joined a troop called American Heritage Girls (AHG), which is a little similiar to the Girl Scouts.
They just had a service project, and we went tonight to pack shoeboxes as part of Operation Christmas Child.  Since they needed lots of help, Ry was able to come along too.  What fun helping pack boxes we had tonight!