ChRiStMaS EvE!!!

Finally! Christmas Eve is here! I think Christmas Eve is actually MORE fun than Christmas! The kids are SOOOO excited for Christmas, and I can just FEEL their energy radiating from their very souls! We had a really neat surprise this morning. In my email, SANTA CLAUS sent each of the kids their own email talking about how they have been through the year. He looked in his book and saw pictures of each child, and accomplishments they have made through the year! Bethanie has been especially excited and curious about Santa's reindeer. Santa based his email on the reindeer! It was Awesome! I will include the links, but I am not sure if you can view them or not. Matthew was especially excited to hear that he was *NOT* on the naughty list like he thought he was. Granted he has had a rather tough year, and the fact that he realizes some of the stuff isn't nice, Santa is also very forgiving, like Heavenly Father is. :) Madison was TOTALLY delighted to see that Santa knew she had turned FOUR. He even has a picture of her blowing out her 4 year old birthday party cake!!! Santa knows everything!!!!!!

TRADITIONS:

On Christmas Eve, we fill the kids stockings full of traditional treasures. They always include the newest Hallmark Ornament for Son/Daughter. It gets put on the tree on Christmas Eve. Also, they get a small toy to keep them busy, and a push pop (we keep the ornament on the top for the tree, it is loaded with them). Oh, they also get PJ's. Sometimes I make them, sometimes I just buy them. I thought that since I wasn't in school this year, I might get some made, but truly it takes so much time with Matthew's school and Madison and being every one's taxi, I just didn't have time. So thank goodness for Walmart!!!

Here is the link for each kid from Santa. I hope you can view it!!!

Matthew:

Bethanie:

Madison:

Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry I didn't send out cards this year! I didn't even get a chance to make a 2010 Christmas Blog! But, that said, we still think of those we love and hold close to our hearts!!! Love you!

WOW!

How funny! I didnt remember that I had already blogged about Madison's 4th birthday. But lucky girl! She got TWO blog posts about her birthday this year! Here I was thinking I was really behind. LOL!

TiMe MaRcHeS oN!!! MaDiSoN iS FOUR!

33 weeks pregnant, and really wishing it were 40 weeks! LOL! I was HUGE with her!

My sweet baby girl is now FOUR! I cant believe it! I don't know why I should be so surprised. She has been a big girl for a long time! Just look at this belly shot! That picture was taken at a pumpkin patch when I was 33 weeks pregnant. I remember that day. I was MISERABLE. We went with another family. We went through a very large corn maze. I didn't make it long. It had rained the day before, and there was a lot of mud inside on the trails. I simply couldn't stay standing because I was so front heavy. When I was 3 1/2 months pregnant with Madison, I found out I had gestational diabetes. I started on insulin right away and continued until the night before I delivered her. When I was 6 months pregnant, she was so heavy in side my tummy that it was hard to walk. She truly felt like a bowling ball. When she was born, she was 9 1/2 lbs. I didn't realize a woman's gut could stretch as much as it did. Sadly, skin doesn't just snap back into place, and she permanently disfigured my body. LOL! Such is life with babies. But Madison was NEVER small, even in personality. She is a very bold young lady. She isn't shy, she LOVES to perform, and she is very out going. She is in a dance group, currently working on ballet and tap. She is also in preschool. Yesterday was her first Christmas program for school, and let me just say, she was VERY entertaining! That is just how she is. She is EASY to be around (unless you are my dad). She likes to use Karate on him. She doesn't know what Karate is, but she uses it any way. He loves her abuse. They are one of a kind. She is really excited about tomorrow (Tuesday) because it is her first Christmas party for school. She is totally enjoying her time in preschool. After she turned four, she said to me, "Mom, I am four now. I am getting close to being 18". DOH! What is up with that???? SLOW DOWN, my love!

I just love Madison. She is a true delight in my life. She is so kind and loving. If I am feeling sad, crying or just down, she always asks me what is wrong and tries to make me happy. I have such good children! I am so lucky to be their mommy! Happy Birthday, my sweet Madison!

OTHER THINGS:

Jeff celebrated his 42nd birthday a few days after Madison did. His dad also went in for back surgery on December 16th. His dad and my mom both had back surgery within 6 weeks of one another. YIKES! Happy to report so far that BOTH have seen such sucess with their surgeries. :) Now we are looking on toward Christmas!

HoLiDaY bLuEs...

As much as I just LOVE Christmas time, it is also one of the most trying times for us. Matthew really struggles with the whole month. When he struggles, *I* struggle. It is frustrating. Sometimes it is impossible to find a place to put my thoughts and emotions. I then feel misunderstood, overlooked, frustrated-then, overwhelmed. I sometimes feel so alone in this. Some times Matthew can be so mean and say such mean things, so out of the blue and randomly. Emotionally speaking, it is impossible to NOT let it hurt. It hurts. Plain and simple.

So, Christmas is this week. I pray that the rest of it goes smoothly. I know, though, it will be a challenge. I shouldn't whine. It could be so much worse. Just feeling a little emotionally bruised and sorry for myself.

BiRtHdAy SuPpEr...

We went out with the kids to supper tonight, to celebrate Madison's (and Jeff's) birthday. We don't normally do this, because it is often chaotic. It is hard for Matthew to deal with so much stimulation, but Jeff's mom went with us, and it allowed us to NOT be out numbered by children. She left early and then it became a challenge. We ate a great meal, and because of birthdays, we got a free MEGA brownie! OY! Needless to say, we all came away feeling very full. No wonder they call the restaurant "Heavy's". LOL! Madison was given the honorary viking hat to wear, and we all took turns. Look at the picture of me, look at the background. She thought it was hilarious!!!

My MaDiSoN...TuRnEd FoUr!

And she has made NOOOOOO secret about it! She is beaming all over the place today with such pride! I remember her birth so clearly. She was a very BIG newborn, and I was plenty glad to have her in my arms (and not my belly, ribs, throat...) Since she was born, she has always had a big personality. She seems to have an older spirit, and she very wise and thoughtful for her age. She will study things out very carefully before she acts on anything. Usually she is successful instantly because she is patient and ponders.

This has been an exciting year for Madison! Not only did she get to start dance up again, but in August, she started Preschool! She wants to go every single day, and would if she could. But on days she is home, she is a good playmate with Matthew. I love snooping in on their conversations because it is just adorable. Bethanie and Madison are quite proud to be sisters. Most of the time. They are very similar in many ways, and that leads to quite a bit of butting heads. But they love being sisters!

Madison is just a dream child. She is bold, beautiful, bashful, patient, loving, snugly and kind. I love that she was sent to our family. She is a lot of fun, and pops off with the cutest things ever that she says! That said, I am not allowed to repeat them because she doesn't want me to talk about it. ROFLOL! Its a seeeecret. :P

For her birthday, I made a four layer yellow cake with purple frosting between the layers, and blue frosting for the outside. It was a Princess cake, so it had princess finishes. It was SOOOOO YUMMY (but took like 13 cups of powdered sugar, so we were all dying of thirst), but it was a big cake for a girl with a big personality, and attitude! It suited her! I love this daughter of mine. She is mine forever......