My 12 Christmas Wonders

This year I had some pretty great things happen for Christmas

One blooming Tea plant.  My mom got this plant on her honeymoon over 30 years ago, and it has never bloomed.  She gave me a start years ago and it has bloomed for the first time, it is the weirdest thing.

Two new tiny hands.  Baby Beckett was born!  He is so sweet I can't hardly stand it.  I love him too much already.  Allison had a "photo shoot" with him, and got some really cute pictures.  The best one is coming in his birth announcement, so stay tuned! But here are a couple of cute ones.

Three home made Christmas ornaments.  Allison

Had this craft for the kids to do while she was here.  They made these cute ornaments on tiny canvases and their hand prints as the snow men.  The kids loved it and they will be fun to look at every year!

Four healthy children.  This Christmas my kids were all well!  No throwing up or poop stories, I know I can hear the collective sighs of disappointment.

Five Home Depot runs.  Allison also came with a project for us to do.  We made these cool little necklaces made out of washers, they were fun to do and kept me busy even after she left.

Six cross-stitch stockings.  Two years ago I started cross-stitching a stocking for everyone in my family.  I got every ones done last year, but mine, and then Beckett came into the picture.  I finish both just before Christmas!

Seven days with my mom.  My mom was able to come and stay with me for a week after Beckett was born.  I never realized how lucky I was to have such a wonderful, helpful mom after I have my babies.  I was talking to a friend the other day and she has to do everything for her self.  Her mom doesn't make meals, do laundry, take care of her other kids, or stay up with the baby so she can sleep.  My mom does all that and more.  I am so blessed to have such a great mom!  Since I am done having kids I will have to come up with some other way to make my mom stay with me for a week.

Eight batches of Toffee.  Allison and I ended up making tons of Toffee to give to all of Jason's employees, and we ate just a little ourselves.  Okay, we really ate a lot don't tell Allison I told you!  We also made some Carmel's I don't want to talk about what happened to those.

Nine people for Christmas.  We had my family of six and my brother Ivan came with his daughter Paisley and my mom came too, nine of us.  We made the best of our small group.  We ate, played games, and watched movies.  Paisley hates having her picture taken so this picture is a keeper.  Beckett is dressed as Santa, and the other three are in their Christmas PJ's.  We may be in a small house but they all squished in and we had a good Christmas!

Ten days with my awesome sister.  Thank you Aaron for making that possible!I had so much fun with her. It was good to have someone to get me out of the house. I haven't gone shopping with anyone in months!  It definitely helped with the baby blues.  I love you Alli! You are the best sister ever!!

Eleven years of marriage.  Marwage is what bwrings us togever today (sorry I love Princess Brides). Yesterday Jason and I celebrated eleven year together.  This year had been really tough for the both of us.  Lots of change.  We have been really blessed though because it has made Jason and I depend more on each other, and we have grown closer.  I am married to my best friend, cliche as it may sound.  Someone who I can tell anything to and share everything with.  He is so patient and understanding.  He is the best father to our four kids.  He gives them each just what they need.  I am often reminded how lucky I am to have such a great partner.  There are times when I want to strangle him, but I always know I would rather have my worst day with him then my best without him.  I would follow him anywhere, I trust him with everything he is my all!  I love you babycakes, here is to forever!

Twelve months 'til next time.  I don't know about you, but this year I am happy to say adios to the season.  It was way to crazy this year for me.  I am looking forward to next year already, and all that it has in store for us.  I wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

It's all good

I am locked in my bedroom with Beckett, contemplating why exactly I thought I could manage 4 children.  They are out of control!  Today was my first day "by my self"  and I didn't get a nap, and neither did Elleree and I am exhausted. Good things are happening though:

1. My sister is going to be here in less than 48 hours.  I can't wait to see her!! She is coming for like 10 days, no kids just to see me and the kids, YEAH!

2.  The parts to fix my water softener came today, and Jason fixed the softener.  I have had a water softener for 7 years, and love it.  When this one broke I thought I would die, hard water sucks, just sayin.

3.  My awesome blog book came and I am happy with the turn out.  That is why I started blogging in the first place was to keep track of things, because I am horrible at journaling (is that a word?).  This way I have a photo journal of stuff.  I love it!

4.  I made and executive decision this year, I am not sending out Christmas cards.  I know I am a lazy bones, but I just have to let it go, because it has been too crazy around here.  Did I mention we took Beckett to the hospital this weekend as well.  Really my kids are going to kill me with stress!  Thank goodness they only had to keep him for one night.  My Christmas wish this year..... oh never mind there are too many to name just one.

5.  My mom made this amazing quilt for Beckett.  She has become just amazing with her quilting.  I absolutely love this quilt.  Sorry I have no idea how to rotate the pictures, so you get to see it like this. He he eheh.


So there you have it I have made a list of 5 things that are good in my life, even if my kids are tearing the house apart, and I am so tiered my head hurts.  Wish me luck! Love you all!

Surprise!

I have finally gotten up out of bed and decided to blog again.  Well we have a new addition to our family!  His name is Beckett Randall Reading.  He is the cutest thing in the world, and I am not partial at all.  He came as a bit of a surprise.  Don't get me wrong I knew I was pregnant, but was not expecting him to come like he did.

My three other kids had to be induced, Dillon being the most I went overdue I was 41+ when they finally induced me.  I have a history of my cervix not thinning, and so it ends up being quite the process about 2 days normally.  Jason and I have time to sit in the hospital and decide on a name, we are able to get our family there, our kids taken care of, and have everything ready to go.

November 30 started out like most other days, Elleree and Truman waking me up fighting.  I went about my day, Jason needed me to wrap some presents for his employee Christmas Party, I took a shower and got the kids lunch and took Truman to the bus stop.  All the while I was having what I thought were Braxston Hicks.  I had never been labor with out pitocin before.  I had no idea what that feels like, but I have had lots of false labor though.   I had a doctors appointment that day and was going in with the expectation that my doctor would be willing to set a date to induce me.  I even told Elleree the plan as we went into the doctors office "Mommy is going to the doctor and they we are going home, reading a book and taking a nap".  My doctor said he would be willing to induce me on the 2nd of December if when he checked me I showed any signs of being ready at all.  Then he checked me.  He said you need to go over to the hospital now, you are dilated to a 10 and as soon as your water breaks this baby is coming.  I said your kidding right?  He said no!  I don't want you to even go home, I will call the hospital and let them know you are coming, and hopefully your water doesn't break in the car.

That's when panic struck.  What am I going to do with my kids?  How is Jason going to make it in time?  Will they give me drugs?  My mom won't be able to make it in time (she has been there for all my births).  What are we going to name him?  Will they give me drugs (that was really important)?  So I started calling.  Picture this me waddling along on the phone dragging poor little Elleree behind me, trying to figure out where in the hell labor and delivery is!  Might I just put in here that the front staff (welcoming staff) at St. Luke's are idiots! I ended up getting help from a lady who works in the cafeteria.

Here is how it all worked out and let me say Heavenly Father seems to have a plan even if I don't.  When I knew Jason's mom wasn't going to get here in time to take care of the kids I thought of my Aunt Roberta.  Now Roberta doesn't live in Twin, but I thought I would give her a try, because she is my closest relative here.  So I called her and she just happened to be in Twin that day and sure she was willing to take care of the kids.  Bless her, she came and picked Elleree up, which really made Elleree upset, because the nurses were spoiling her with choc. milk, gram crackers, coloring, and all the attention a little girl could want!  Jason closed up the Pharmacy until his relief help could make it in, and rushed to the hospital.  I was very impressed.  We decided on the name Beckett because we really couldn't think of any of the other names on the list, and the list was MIA along with our camera.


Now for the most important question will I get drugs.  Yes and No.  They gave me what is called and intrathecal shot.  Which is fast acting, and numbs only your body, but only lasts for about 2 hours.  Do you see where this is going?  Yes, after 2 hours (water broke, on pitocin)   Beckett still was not ready to come.  So short story long, I had him naturally.  Which I am going to add was one of most horrible experience of my life!!  If anyone says natural is the way to go, they are lying.   He did come fast though thank heavens, so fast that his face was bruised, blood vessels in his eyes were broke, his arm was bruised, and his collar bone was broken.  Yeah I know, poor kid, he weighed 9 lbs and 10 oz and was 21 inches long.  He and I both survived my mom made it just after he was born, I think she was kind of glad she wasn't there.  I am a butt on drugs, just imagine me without. 




 Beckett has two brothers and a sister that absolutely can't get enough of him.  They love him.
He really likes them too.

He is such a good baby. He rarely cries and doesn't get startled by the kids yelling around him.

He just hangs out and is Beckett. P.S. Today is Beckett's actual due date!

Tree glorious tree

This year once again Jason wanted to go cut a tree down.  Last year I said no more of those kind because they look so bad, but I decided that the tree could go with the rest of our house so he and the kids went hunting.  I didn't go too fat and lazy, but Aaron bless his heart helped Jason instead. 

 Dillon Dragging the tree, I bet he was a ton of help.

 Lovely tree, yes there are several places with no branches.  In fact one whole side has no branches.  All the better to fit against the wall, right.

Of coarse Chewy is part of the adventure.  

The next phase, of coarse, is decorating it.  We had big plans to do that on Thanksgiving, but it didn't turn out.  Jason made our Thanksgiving all by himself, aside from a little help from my mom, he needed a rest.  It was a fabulous dinner though.  We did get the tree decorated, and this I did help with.

 My job was to hand out the ornaments.  Hard job but someone has to do it.

 I always love how some branches will end up with fifty ornaments and some with none.

 Dillon is old enough to help with lights and things like that. I am not as patient as I should be showing him how to do things.  Another drop in the therapy bucket.

 Truman is really excited for Christmas this year.  This age is fun, because he just digs all the things we do and isn't too old to think they are lame.

 There is the gang, with the finished product.

 I am beginning to think Truman can't take a picture without doing the Pirate face.  What is with that?

Here is our tree our glorious tree!

Bun in the Oven

I feel bad because I have not really mentioned how my little muffin in my belly is doing.  I am almost 37+ weeks now (but who is counting right) and feel huge.  I had Jason take some pictures for me and I looked at them and realized I'm not any bigger than I was with any of my other kids.  I guess I am just whinier, yet another reason for no more babies.  This baby is big though.  I went into the doctor at 35 weeks and had been measuring one centimeter big the whole time, but I was measuring 2 centimeters  that week.  He had me go in for an ultra sound.  The tech and I were cracking up because according to the ultrasound the baby already weighed 7lbs and 15oz and I still had 5 weeks to go.  Anyway the ultrasound also found that I have too much amniotic fluid, which is a reason to be able to be induced earlier.  I should be started sometime at the first of December.  I will keep you posted.  Meanwhile indulge yourself with these pictures of me that are to die for! 

Not all bad

For the last couple of weeks Jason and I have been battling some sort of mutating stomach virus, that has hit everyone in our family except Mr. Man Dillon.  He has always had a turbo immune system.  So in the midst of cleaning throw up (Truman) and poo (Elleree) we got some cute things that they did and said.  Check it out.

 Elleree loves to help her Dad feed the dog.

 It gets a bit difficult when they get to the bottom of the bag though!

 That does not stop her.  She calls the dog "my dog Chewy". Never just Chewy.

 She always calls her brothers "my boys".  She always says where are my boys.

 No comments on the apparel please.  I know she is at that age when she insists on dressing herself.  Sometimes 3 or 4 times a day!

My favorite thing she said to me " mom you no smell good, you need to take a shower".  She is my shower Nazi.

One a completely different note, it's fall here and Truman has been bringing me leaves.  Yes, everyday on his way home from school he brings me 2 or 3 leaves, he acts like the leaves are flowers.  He says to me "mom look what I got you", like they are the coolest thing ever and he didn't just find it on the side of the road.  What really gets me is that I am not allowed to throw them away.  So this is a picture of my pile of leaves, heaven help me, he is cute!