Christmas Afternoon

We headed to Colby & Tamara's house on Christmas afternoon for some fabulous food & to exchange presents.  Mona's funeral potatoes are the bomb.  You should see the MOUNTAIN of cheese she puts on top of these babies.  I need to take a picture some time.  I don't think she should EVER tell anyone how much cheese is really in those bad boys.

 

Logan got a Minecraft game card from Brad & Mona & I have never seen the boy so excited.  He was pretty much literally bouncing off of the walls.  That is one thing that is so fun about Christmas - when you see someone get a gift that they are so excited for!  Shelby's, Colby's & our families gave Brad & Mona  a gift card for family pictures to be taken this coming summer.  I am so excited for them!  Grandma Sorensen loved holding Alexa.

 I got the cutest yard gnome ever from Brad & Mona.  He is holding a sign that says Gnome Sweet Gnome & has 9 different seasonal hats!!  I love him.  Caleb ending up getting pretty sick throughout Christmas day & he was really feeling it at this point.  Poor kid.  Being sick on Christmas sucks.  Mona made the kids really cute slippers & all the boys got some sort of camouflage jacket.  I love giving my yearly calendars.  Everyone really enjoys looking at them....or they are all really good fakers :)

Christmas Morning

 As you can tell by this picture - Santa found our house & apparently the kids were good in 2013!  We ended up putting the girls new playhouse on top of their bed - they love it!

 

 

 

 Caleb asked Santa for a robot.  He got the coolest robot ever!  A zombie robot that you can shoot at!

 After presents we had a yummy breakfast of crepes & breakfast casserole.  Then we headed to my parents house to Skype with Dylan!!  It was so good to get to see him, but he seemed a little homesick.  Only 9 more months & he will be home!!

 The kids got to watch a show in Grammy & Papa Don's room while the adults chatted with Dylan.

I tried to get a picture of Grammy with the girls...this is the best one & I love it!

We then played battle of the sexes.  It was Jordon, Blake & my dad against me, Angela, Ashley & my mom.  Some of the questions were really hard and some were okay.  My favorite questions was one we asked the boys, "What is the average bra size?"

Don, "Hmmmm....34B"

Jordon, "No.  It's got to be bigger than a 34."

Done, "Ya think?"

Jordon, "Ya, think about it....36 or 38 maybe.  Maybe even a C?"

My dad was trying really hard to not peek at the 4 sets of ta ta's sitting around the table.  It was hilarious.

They decided it was 36C - and THEY WERE RIGHT!!

Christmas Eve

Casey's Grandma Sorensen had everyone over for some sledding & tubing!  It was a beautiful day for it.  All of the kids had tons of fun.  Taylor & Rylee were so fun to watch trying to walk in the deeper snow.  Grandma Sorensen, Luke, Alexa & myself spent most of our time inside. 

Casey definitely got his workout for the day running around pulling the kids on the sled.  Thankfully a 2nd snowmobile showed up.  Caleb liked the sled better than the tube.  I think it was probably easier to hold on to.  After the sun started to set it got chilly & everyone came inside for treats & presents from Grandma Sorensen.  It was a fun afternoon!

 Without naps & from playing so hard, we had 3 tired little kids.  We are going to start a tradition of having pizza & salad on Christmas Eve.  The kids are guaranteed to eat it & it's a lot less work for me!  I'll do a fabulous breakfast on Christmas instead of  big Christmas Eve dinner.

 

After our pizza we let the kids open one gift from us.

 New jammies of course!!!  They all looked adorable.  Taylor is in the dots, Rylee is in the stripes. 

We put some cookies out for Santa & the kids went right to sleep.

Anderson Christmas Party

A couple of days after having my gall bladder out it was my parents Christmas party.  I wasn't feeling the best, but it was still one of my favorite Christmas traditions this year.

 

Caleb was so excited for presents!!  He got a totally awesome gun from my Grandma & Grandpa Hunsaker, a sweet pirate ship from my parents & a rocket alarm clock from Angela's family.  He was so cute with everything.  All of the kids were playing in the other room & you hear Caleb say, (in a VERY serious voice...almost too serious), "I am so going to pull this trigger!!" 

 This year the unthinkable happened.  While I was recovering from surgery at my parents house with Luke & Alexa - Casey was at home with the other 3 kids.  When he showed up with them for the Christmas party....he surprised me by giving Taylor a haircut.  WHAT?!?!  I bawled.  And bawled.  And bawled.  I know I probably over reacted a bit, but what man tries to cut his daughters hair?!  I know it's just hair & it will grow back & that he was probably just trying to be nice.  But my twins weren't identical anymore.  Her baby hair was gone.  It was a TAD too short & a TAD crooked.  (capital letters = sarcasm here)  A couple of days after the party I was able to get both of their hair cut by an actual hairdresser :)

They were adorable with their presents.  They got dolls with long hair & hair brushes from my Grandma & Grandpa Hunsaker, a treehouse & a castle with little people from Luke & Alexa, and a dreamlights & pajamas from my parents.  Drawing names and exchanging gifts was always one of my favorite things with my siblings growing up.  It's fun now that the grandkids get to do it.

 Just some random cuteness that happened throughout the evening!

 

 It was fun to have my Grandparents there this year!  My Grandma loves my little babies.

 A successful grandkid picture!!!  HOORAY! 

Santa - Birthday - GROSS

Earlier this month we took a trip to the Newgate Mall to see Santa!  On our car ride there Caleb said, "How long until we get to the North Pole?"  Caleb asked Santa for a robot & a train.  The girls wouldn't speak to him - but no tears were shed.  Luke & Lexi didn't say much either.

 We ate at the food court.  I hate to admit it, but the Chinese food was actually fabulous.  The kids loved the little merry-go-round.  Rylee kept petting her horse & whispering to him.

 I turned 33.  Caleb & Casey got me a red velvet cake & Caleb loaded it up with candles.  That night Angela & Ashley babysat so that Casey & I could go see Christmas with Juanito Bandito & out to dinner.  We went to Elements in Logan & it was delicious! 

 I can't seem to catch a break.  I have been having excruciating pain for a while.  I never knew when it was going to happen or what would trigger it.  I drove myself to the ER a couple of times DYING, but the pain would be over by the time I got there, so I'd just go home.  Well - one night I had enough.  They did an ultra sound on me & found that my gall bladder was completely contracted with stones.  So - on December 19th I had my gall bladder removed.  I stayed at the hospital for a night & at my parents house with Luke & Lexi for a couple of nights after that & I actually feel pretty good now!  This picture is disgusting - but this way I don't have to keep the bottle full of them tucked away in a drawer like a creepy hoarder.  Grossness documented.

Two!

Two sweet little burritos fist pumping in their sleep.

Two babies WIDE awake in the wee hours of morning.

Two starving children needing to eat at the same time.

Two cuties visiting their Auntie Sandra.

Two little angels sleeping soundly.

Two sweeties ready for Christmas!!

Two bulging biceps is what I better have when this baby phase is over.



Two bucket seats filled with adorableness!

Two months old already!!

Caleb is 6!

I'm not biased - but I do think this boy is truly a handsome little man.  I took a few pictures of him at the Mantua reservoir.  It was REALLY COLD!! 

Caleb requested an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake cake.  Wow.  How many kids request that?  I had to call for reinforcements on this one.  A gal I went to high school with makes cakes & she did a fabulous job.  Caleb LOVED it.  My dad said that he will probably request a Mount Rushmore cake next year.

Caleb was so cute opening his presents.  He loved everything he opened.  He tore the paper off of one present & Blake said, "LEGOS!"  & Caleb said, "No peeking!" He got an art kit & LEGOS from me & Casey, Halo figures from Angela's family, Star Wars figures from Colby's family, dinner & money from my parents, clothes & an M&M dispenser from Casey's parents, a Spiderman motorcycle from The Olsen's & a Superman sleeping bag from The Glenn's.  What a lucky little boy!

Caleb is into LEGOS lately.  He got a couple of LEGO sets from the Monster Fighters collection.  He loves them!  I think that Casey loved them just as much.  All of the boys went to the basement to put them together & didn't surface until they were completed.

What a lucky mom I am to have this boy.  He tries my patience pretty much daily - but I know it is just to make me a better person.  He loves to torment his sisters, loves to color & draw, loves anything to do with zombies, & loves pizza.  He is doing really good in school & never complains about going.  He usually has very good manners & has a sweet little spirit.  Our family wouldn't be complete without him!!

The Blessing

So - whenever I see the words "The Blessing" or hear someone say "The Blessing"  I can hear Uncle Lewis from the movie Christmas Vacation telling Aunt Bethany to say Grace at Christmas dinner. 

 

Aunt Bethany: Grace? She passed away thirty years ago.

Uncle Lewis: They want you to say Grace.

[Bethany shakes her head in confusion]

Uncle Lewis: The BLESSING!

Aunt Bethany: [they all pose for prayer] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands/ One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Clark: Amen.

Now I'll get serious.  On Sunday, December 1st Casey gave the babies their blessings in church.  They looked adorable.  Luke wore the same outfit that Dylan & Caleb wore & Alexa wore one of Taylor & Rylee's dresses.  They looked adorable (of course)

I am kind of sad that these are my last babies.  Don't get me wrong - I know my family is complete...but babies are just stinking cute & bring a sense of calmness with them.  With two though there is a fair amount of crazy with a large dose of sleep deprivation.  I love all of my kids & think they couldn't be any cuter.

 Casey gave both of the kids great blessings.  Everyone at church oooooed & ahhhhhed over them.  They won't see them again for at least 4 months.  I'm not risking RSV! 

 Can you believe that they are already 2 months old?!

After the blessings Casey's family & my family came over for a fabulous lunch.  Brad & Mona got meat & cheese trays & we had sandwiches & salads & brownies & cookies.  It was wonderful to see everyone & to have their love & support.  All of the kids got along well & it was a drama free day.  I love those!

Thanksgiving

On the Freeze family side we are "off" when it comes to Thanksgiving.  Whenever all of Casey's brother's get together, we are at my parents house - so I attempted to "FIX IT" this year & I think I created a mess.  Crap.  We'll just have to wait & see what happens next year.  As long as Casey is working at the WalMart DC, he will have to work on Thanksgiving day - so that sucks.

 

We had Thanksgiving at my parents house this year & my Grandma & Grandpa Hunsaker came.  Ashley, Derrick & Eva went to Derrika's parents house this year.  My mom doesn't like to cook Thanksgiving dinner, but she should love it because she does a fabulous job.  Her turkey was delicious this year & the stuffing is always one of my favorite things.

 

Caleb LOVES his Blakie & Griffy Poo.  Taylor loved my mom's weird fruit/marshmallow salad & Rylee loved the Maddox rolls that I brought....I mean mixed & kneaded & baked for hours.  My dad's plate is always a sight.  Maybe for Christmas I will get him a platter for his holiday meals.  He LOVES food.  He was even food drunk this year.  Talking crazy & cracking himself up.  It was good watchin'.  Even my Grandpa said, "How come Don got to have a drink?"

The weather was fabulous.  The Bothwell Park got new playground equipment that is the bomb!  Casey, Jordon, Caleb, Griffen, Blake, Taylor & Rylee all went to play while the rest of us cleaned up & got dessert out.  We had some yummy pies & played Headbands.  It was a GREAT day!  My parents even watched my kids for a bit so I could sneak in a much needed nap.  WONDERFUL

I asked Caleb what he was thankful for - this is what  I got.

Movies

TV

Going to Blake's House
Robots

Watching Blake play zombie games

Crayons

Babies

Mac & Cheese