My Christmas present early....

Well, Matt told me yesterday that he had an idea for a Christmas present for me (and the boys) and he wanted to tell me so I could start getting ready for it. He told me that I have a few thousand dollars to spend on going to Colorado or New Mexico or somewhere so the boys could see some snow! ;-)



So... after looking everything up and comparing prices and places that were available, we decided to go to Ruidoso, New Mexico. We'll be leaving around 1 in the morning on Christmas Eve/ early Christmas morning and we'll get there around 3 or so Christmas day. I'm a little upset about being gone from the house on Christmas, but we'll work it out somehow with presents (I figured we'll either let the boys open the gifts from us early, and then have 'Santa' come while we're gone, or we'll just tell them that Christmas Eve is actually Christmas DAY, and Santa can come a night early in our house (we have a lot of Christmas countdown things in the house so it won't be hard for me to change it or anything!!!) What do ya'll think??



Anyway, here is the cabin that we are staying at:





The deck:


The Living Room:


The View:


I'm really excited though!! I'm REALLY hoping that the girl that babysits for us, Elizabeth, decides to go with us. As far as we can tell at this resort, they do not have a child care for younger kids (they have a Ski School called the "Kiddie Korral" for Kelton and Jace, and Daylon is old enough to go to Ski School with me and Matt. (I've been skiing before, but it was when I was 15 so it's been a LONG time- and I wasn't that great at it at the time either!)

Now it's just off to get some boots, sunglasses, etc. although my MIL tells me that we should just wait for most of that stuff until we get to New Mexico and get it all at Wal Mart and it's a lot cheaper (however, since we'll be going on Christmas DAY, Wal Mart will probably be closed!!!)

Brag on Daylon

Just wanted to brag on my big boy! He's been studying VERY hard this week for his spelling test today (Friday.) There are ten regular words (stump, jump, lump, bump, hand, land, band, sand, who, & its), and then there were four bonus words. And for a first grader, those words are pretty hard- Santa, lights, reindeer, & candy cane. Well, Daylon brought his test home today and he made a 103!! He would have made a 104, but Matt and I didn't make him write out Santa with a capital 'S' so he didn't write it that way for the test and she counted it wrong. But, really, he made a 104.

I'm super proud of him and he's come SOO far this year- he's had problems reading from the get-go, we've figured out that he really needs his glasses while he is reading and at school (which he hates), and there is a chance that he MIGHT be slightly dyslexic (it's just been mentioned and he hasn't been tested on it yet- we're waiting to see if his glasses help him more.)

Anyway, for the problems that he's had, he's doing great with his reading, spelling, and school (he's GREAT in math- all of his math stuff he's made a 100 on!) and loves science stuff. Maybe he'll be more like me than Matt after all- SMART!!!!! ;-)

I love Christmas decorations!!

Well, besides that fact that it was over 85 degrees today, I'm TRYING to get into the Christmas mood!! We've decorated the house, I have candles going so it smells yummy and "Christmassy" in my home, and the boys and I baked a few Christmas goodies today. Matt is gone hunting, so it's been boring and quiet around here (yes, it can be quiet with four children- it was lovely when three of them were taking a nap today and the other was coloring in his room!) ;-)

Anyway, I thought I would share a few of my Christmas decorations around the house (well, the tree, the mantel, and the outside lights.) I tell ya, I'm bored!

Our Christmas Tree and Mantel at night


Mantel during the day

Outside at night


Outside during the evening. See how there are SIX reindeer?? A mommy, a daddy, three "big boys," and one baby one! ;-)


Our snowmen outside

Blayden laughing

I couldn't get him to laugh like he was at first- you know that deep belly laugh that is SOOO funny to listen to?!?! Jace and Kelton were rolling balls at him and he thought it was hilarious. Anyway, this is the part that I actually got (once he saw my camera he was just about done with it all though!)

Trampoline Fun!!

I put Blayden on the trampoline for the first time the other day. He thought it was SOOO funny when the boys jumped and bounced him! Anyway, here is a picture of him on it: And the video:

Christmas Tree

We decided to go to Spring, TX (outside of Houston) again this year to cut down our Christmas tree. We found this place when we lived in The Woodlands, and have gone back every year to cut down a tree except for last year. Anyway, the boys LOVE it (they have the big jumping things, Santa Clause, a little market, food, hot chocolate, a train ride, etc.)


We went last Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) because we just couldn't wait anymore. So, here are the pictures from our day (and of the tree finished).


All of us on the tractor ride that takes you out to where the trees are (it's a HUGE farm!) (And not sure what Matt was doing with his mouth there, and Matt had given Jace that horrible hat to wear- it was cold, but it looks horrible on him!!)



The boys (minus Blayden who was next to me):



Blayden all snuggled up (it really was cold!):



The tree we decided to get (yes, it's really over 10 feet tall!!):



Cutting the tree down:



The finished product:




I'll try to remember to take a picture of the tree tonight- it's beautiful with the blue lights on it and everything!! :-)

Man alive!

I didn't realize it had been QUITE so long since I wrote anything on here! It's just been crazy busy around here and I've been exhausted almost all of the time. I love the holidays, but it seems like I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off- I just can't catch a break.

Matt's been working a lot and trying to start up another end of his business (a retail center that sells swimming pool supplies, spas, etc) and so he's been so super busy with that. I love my kids, but having them CONSTANTLY is getting to me! And when they are at MDO, it seems like I have about an hour to myself and that's usually spent grocery shopping or doing things that just have to be done (although I did go to Old Navy and buy a LOT of clothes on Thursday for myself and Daylon! LOL)

Anyway, I'm just going a little bonkers. We have a dinner date tonight with some neighbor friends of ours and I am REALLY looking forward to that! (And then a Christmas party thing with the same neighbor friends on Tuesday night! And then MAYBE going out again on Friday for a friends birthday!) ;-) I just really need it right now though.

Alright... I've been on this computer for the last hour and a half doing homework for my online class (finally FINISHED!!! Now I just need to study for my final that is going to be next week sometime). So I'd better get off and spend some time with the boys or cleaning up or something productive around here.