December 2007

In December I also took the kids to the Picture People in the mall to get their pictures taken together and get our pictures taken with Santa. Santa went well although neither one is smiling they both are sitting on his lap and looking at the camera! But the adventure to the Picture People was rather interesting. Eliott didn't want to sit down or be in one spot for longer than 2 seconds and Phoebe didn't like the girl taking the pictures so she was hiding from her and would start throwing a fit when I would pick her up and carry her over to where the photographer said to put her. They do everything digital now so they took more pictures than usual and they did get a good one of each of them...

but I just wanted one good one of them together and here's the best it got...

It's a great pic of Phoebe but Eliott had a day where his tongue would not stay in his mouth so in almost all the pictures he has his tongue out!

Christmas was good but we did way to much on Christmas day. I realized that next year we're going to have to tone it way down. We did Christmas here in the morning then went over to my dad & stepmoms at 11:30, did gifts, ate lunch then went home to give the kids a nap and I made Christmas dinner for my mom and brother...stuffed brisket, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, rolls and my mom brought the deserts. So it was way to much for us to do in one day, we're going to have to split it up this year and maybe we can stay home all day!! I've never been able to do that but that sure would be nice. All the years growing up we'd pretty much do Christmas 3 times on the same day...our family in the morning at home, then my dad's side then my mom's side. Of course as a kid that was great but I'm sure it was really wearing on my parents. I think we'll be changing that tradition really quick!

You know I've been thinking alot about how stressed out these Phoebe fits are making me and how I just don't have any energy to clean the house or anything and it was like a baseball bat hit me upside the head...I thought to myself, you know when these kids are grown and out of the house I can have a clean house everyday for the rest of my life (except for when grandkids come, of course) and I know these fits aren't going to last forever with Phoebe. I just have to be patient and show her the best way to deal with "life" and how unfair it is...even when I don't want her to draw all over her baby doll with an ink pen. So instead of getting frustrated I need to just calm down and try to enjoy her fit in a way since they won't always be here, you know. Boy I think I'm going a little crazy, LOL!! But I really need to put a lot of effort into raising these kids since a lot of parents aren't very concerned with it, they are just concerned about their own lives. I mean I defintely need to keep God as my #1 because without him there would be no way we could raise these kids right and Denzil has to be #2 because when the kids are gone he'll still be here and I want to be able to say we raised the kids together and still have a great marriage...that is my prayer!!

Tuesday will be our 8th wedding anniversary and being together for 13 years! WOW!! I can't believe it's been that long. Great news....we haven't had a fight since....since well Dale left. I guess the stress level is way down and it's been so much better and I am very thankful for that!