Christmas 2008

Christmas was so much fun this year. Allison was really into it. After she opened all of her gifts, she was a little upset because there weren't any more left to open. Jim asked if she wanted to see if the reindeer came and ate the food she left out. She wanted to, so Jim told her to put some shoes one. She said, "No Daddy, its OK, I'll just look out the window." She is so sweet :) Of course, I snapped about 50 pictures or so, and then noticed that the memory card wasn't in the camera. Arghhh!!! I'm bad about putting it back in after I update the blog. But, I did take some pictures at my moms house that afternoon. And we did have the video camera going in the morning. Alli got a mini puzzle in her stocking. She was shaking it and I thought she realized what it was. So I asked her, and she said totally serious, "I think its probably diamonds!" I was laughing, telling her she must have the wrong stocking because of course mine was going to have diamonds in it :)
Santa came!!!!
Babies playing with Alli's new foam puzzle
Jenna showing off! Such a big girl!
So, we opened gifts here, got ready, went to my moms house and hung out with the family, then came home. Alli wanted to play with some of her new toys. We didn't get to go to Uncle John and Aunt Kathy's this year because of the babies being so tired, it just would have been to hard. We were sorry to miss it though because its always so much fun seeing our aunts/uncles/cousins over there. All of the kids were so good, especially for not having naps.
Mom's house
Jimmy loves his new hat from Uncle Billy and Aunt Kelly
Cassie playing with Grandma's glasses
Aunt Jackie and Jimmy
Jimmy getting tired wearing Uncle Brian's hat
Jimmy chillaxin'
Kelly and Matt
Gina, Jackie, and Jane
Sisters (Chrissy, Jackie, Ann, & Jane)
Mommy and Jenna
Daddy and Jimmy
Me, Ann, Gina, Kelly, Jane, & Jackie
Ann & Matthew
Saturday we had Jim's family over to celebrate Christmas. It was a lot of fun and everyone was able to make it. More presents! Santa brought Jim Rock Band 2 for Christmas, so that was a big hit :) Also, my big girl Jenna took her first 4 steps that day!!!!! And Jimmy took 1 step!
This video shows Jenna standing up on her own Christmas morning. She's been doing this about a week, so I knew the steps would be coming soon. I'm just a little late in posting this.


Probably should have taken the picture of all of the grandchildren before the end of the night!
Jim's side of the family-Makenzie holding Cassie, Alli holding Jimmy, Cody holding Jenna, & Nick
Alli opening up her gifts
Alli and Makenzie
Playing Rock Band
Look at Amy jammin' on the guitar--haha!
Sunday I went to my cousin Lisa's baby shower. She is adopting a baby from Ethiopia. We all can't wait to meet him. I love going to showers because we get to see all the cousins/aunts. Always good food too :)

We are still on Christmas break until Friday, so Jim took Alli to a b-day party at Planet Fun. I think she'll have lots of fun there playing. We are going to try to scrap on Tuesday night at Nancie's house. Wed we are having our New Year's Eve party. Everyone is welcome. Also, Pearl Heart is singing on the main stage at First Night downtown from 6:30-7:30pm. New Year's Day we are going to Billy and Kelly's. That is one of the holidays that they have everyone over. We pretty much just pig out and play games b/c the next day everyone has to start their diets! And mine is going to go good this year so I can look HOT in Jamaica for Toni and Andy's wedding!!!! Which, by the way, we are still recruiting babysitters while we're away ;) Any volunteers?????
Alli at Planet Fun
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!!!!!

Bedtime Babies

Monday night was not good!!!! This is bedtime, but the whole night pretty much went this way :)

Christmas Eve

Didn't do much today. Just ran a few errands and got ready for 5:00 mass. Started about 1pm. Had to give the kids baths, Jim and I had to get ready, and we wanted to leave by 4:15 to get a good spot in the cry room at St. Sabina. Thanks to the C&E's (you know, people that only go to church on Christmas & Easter), you have to be really early to get a seat. I'm usually the one that walks in 2-3 mins late to mass every week, but I still always get a spot. So, I hate that on Christmas and Easter, I have to leave so early because of all of the extra people that aren't usually there. I know, I know....I should be happy that they are there at least those two days a year, right? ;) Done with my little rant now ;) So, mass was a little hectic (kids did not have a nap), but it was nice. Ann and Tim and their babies were there. Matthew and Michael were in their carseats most of the time, so they were able to help us with ours.

Anyway, here are some pictures of Alli doing the final preparations before Santa gets here.

Dumping out the reindeer food
Putting the candy canes on the tree
And last but not least, putting out the cookies and milk for Santa

St. Louis Country - Pearl Heart

I think I forgot to mention that the St. Louis Country that Pearl Heart co-hosted will air on CBS (Channel 4 - KMOV) at midnight on Saturday, 12/27/08. Set your DVR or TIVO if you can't hang ;) Make sure you watch!!!! They will also be singing at the First Night celebration downtown on New Year's Eve from 6:30-7:30pm. You can go see them and then party the night away!!!!

It's the Holiday Season......

Tonight Jim went to a happy hour with his cousin. When he got home, I went out until almost midnight, but I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel for my Christmas shopping....I'm feeling pretty good after tonight.

I realize I haven't even written about the babies 1st b-day party. We had it Sat, Dec 6th. I think pretty much all of the family made it and most of my friends. I counted 57 people. I always think my house is okay size until we get so many people crammed in here. We had fun and hope everyone else did too. I actually didn't stress too bad because my friends Toni and Kristen came over the night before and helped me make all the cupcakes, other desserts, potatoes, etc. The kids got tons of gifts. Mostly clothes, which they really needed. I think we have enough until we have to change them a few times a day. Laundry is never ending here....just ask my mom---she is always folding it for us (Thanks Mom!). I can't keep up with it and I hardly try. So, thanks everyone for coming and for the gifts. We really appreciate it. The babies were good too :) And they got cake again. That was their 3rd time in a week having cake b-day pics. Jim and I were sick of cleaning up and bathing them!

Here are some random pics from the party.
Jenna
Cassie
My niece Lexi and Jimmy
Jim and Jimmy opening a gift
Kelly holding Cassie and Billy with Jenna
My friend Dawn holding my sisters baby (Matthew I think) and Janet with her new baby Morgan.
My sister in law and brother in law (Kelly and Mike)Grandma G and Cassers
Marissa, Henry, Alli, and Liz playing in Alli's bed
This is my friend Janet's son Will. He is the sweetest boy I know. He is so nice to Alli all of the time (he is almost 6)--they play together so cute. And Allison is always trying to be politically correct. We ask her who she loves more, mommy or daddy? She'll say Mommy & Daddy. She won't make a decision on anything you ask her like that. Well, we kept asking her questions that night and she was answering like always. Finally, Kristen asked her if she liked her or Will better and Alli pointed to Will---haha! She is so funny. We always tease them about being boyfriend/girlfriend. So, if that doesn't work out for Janet and I to be related someday, we might try to match up Jimmy and Morgan ;)
Glad the party was over because then I got to start focusing on Christmas. I still have tons of shopping to do and its less than a week away. Makes me a little nervous, but I'm pretty much shopping down to the wire every year, so this isn't really any different. Maybe next year I'll be on top of things and be done shopping and wrapping early. Doubt it though!

Last night, we went to Wild Country in Collinsville to see Pearl Heart co-host 'St. Louis Country' with Bo Matthews from WIL-92.3 FM. They did awesome and it was fun to get out with friends and family.
Bo, Amy, Angela, Courtney
We finally got our Christmas tree last weekend and decorated this week a little bit. Allison is so into it. She sees bare spots on the tree and wants to hang more ornaments there. I keep telling her we don't have any more and she gets so upset. I haven't moved any of them that she hung (like my mom used to do to us ;)), so they are all pretty much at the bottom of the tree. And she keeps going over there and moving them to different places. I just love watching her excitement about Christmas all together. And she knows 3 new songs - Rudolph, Santa Clause is coming to Town, and Jingle Bells. Oh, and the babies love the tree and the mistletoe also. They just look at it and laugh and want to touch it :) Hence, the gate around the tree.
Cassie and Alli were the only ones up when we did the tree. Cassie was getting ready to eat her Jamaica Mon ornament :)
A few random pics
Jenna
Jimmy