back from the dead....................

Hello there,
This is my year(fall/winter) to re-immune myself so to speak. I am 100% sure without even seeing a doctor that I have strep, or should I say had... I had a miserable Christmas, just awful! I did however try my best for the kids to look like I was having fun:) We have pictures of all the different Christmases except for the one I just couldn't bring myself to go to. I missed out on Christmas day late morning at my FIL'S.
My husband ROCKS to put it mildly. I did just about nothing but live in a chair for about 3days straight taking any and every drug I could think of to numb the pain in my face and the razorblades in my throat. I gargled just about every hour for days on end to no avail. THEN I remembered I had Antibiotics left from my tooth issue several months back........First dose Saturday night, Second dose Sunday morning and it's only gotten better from there..........

Now onto Christmas, we are really getting into the "want, need, wear, read" thing we've done 2yrs now(Thanks to an awesome woman named Carey that I only know in computer world). Not only is it awesome on preventing overspending but also on keeping gift count on an even level(cuz you know those little buggers(isaac) count)
The most challenging part this year was how a few categories kept changing :)

That could also be the fun part, depends on your personality.... The break down went like this:

Want: board game, stuffed horse, stuffed Triceratops

Need: jeans(1outfit), winter jacket, long sleeve shirts

Wear: slippers, headbands, slippers

Read: 2 dog scholastic books, 2 beginner reader books, 2 leapster thing a ma jig books.

Santa got: Wii Just Dance 2, stupid fur real walking barking dog, Large Stuffed T-Rex
and then stockings :-)
All in all MUCH better received by the older kid and a huge hit for us as well :) We even had money to get each other gifts this year, Who doesn't LOVE that!!!

This is also the 2nd year that Isaac has gotten up WAY to early, esp. when your not sleeping cuz your sick!

4am he opened the door in the hall, I lovenly said "back to bed"(you know I'm sleeping in the chair)

5am he's here again, I lovenly although a bit clenched tell him to grab a blanket and lay on the couch, his reply was "but I can't sleep anymore" and then he looked at me and layed down.....hehehe
After an hour of listening to him whisper(talk) to the cats about all the awesome things he sees I hear Chris come upstairs, it's 6.

After feeding the dogs and getting coffee going

We let him open his stocking while the others slept because good god man, the littler people would be no treat if up this early....


Now for the pictures.................................






The tree before, minus Isaac's gift from Santa(he moved it to the couch for some reading time)you can tell because only 2 gifts arn't wrapped and Santa doesn't wrap his(no time you know)

Girl is loving her "want"

Ari happy with his "want"

Soo happy with a box of headbands

Ecstatic with his "read" present.........