merry christmas

well, to those of you who follow my blog, I wish you and your familys a wonderfully blessed christmas, and hope your new year is overflowing with them. blessings that is.

Who knows what our lives will be like after the new year. We are going to have to buckle down and start making some decisions about some pretty important stuff. I.dont.want.to.do.it.

I have never been one to get all that upset about the idea of moving. I, actually, usually kind of enjoy it. I've moved around my whole life, and think that I must have some of my parents nomadic tendencies running thru my veins. But now....well, I am so torn. On one hand, I would not mind moving back to kansas. We have family and friends there. Not much else there, but there is work, and my dear, sweet husband has been offered a full time job.

But Texas.....my heart is here. This is the one place in my whole life that I have ever called home. I love it here (even though i miss the snow). And in the past five years, we have built a life here. And it has nothing to do with jobs or our home. I do love our home. But it has everything to do with our friends and family. Currently, we are raising our five girls just down the street a bit from their 3 cousins. And that is not to mention living close to hubbys brother and my sister(in law, but for clarification only) I have come to depend on having these two near and close in my life. My sil and I do pretty much everything together, and should we have to move, i will miss her dearly. I dont even want to think about it to be quite honest. And our other friends....well, in the past five years we have met and become friends with some of the most amazing people I have ever known in my life. The thought of not being near them, and not being able to see them every week, well, i dont want to think about that either.

Having a good church family that you can lean on and depend on is so crucial to me. And, while I know that there are good and wonderful ppl in kansas, in the seven years i lived there before, had never found a great church. Sure there were a few great people, but as for the church as a whole...no. And by the way....I am not a church hopper. I wont go into any of the reasons why i say that, or why I am not excited about looking for another church should we move, but lets just say that when I contemplate this decsion.....church is at the top of my priority list.

Arg...I dont know. I dont even know if we will have to worry about it...I am just venting a bit. I just need to say some of this out loud...or type it...It helps me get clarity when I am confused and frustrated.

So...again...I am torn...because every other time in my life, its been...wanna move? SURE! I'm up for anything. This time, its me and hubby going....should we? shouldnt we? We dont want to continue living apart. That just plain sucks. But, we are about 99% sure he will be going back to kansas after the new year. Unless, by some miracle over the holidays he can find a job here. thats gonna happen. We throw out all the reasons why it would be ok to do it, and the thousands more why we want to stay....but really, we have to make a decision that will work best for our family, and right now....I just dont know what that is.

parties and pupcakes

Of course, with it being less than a week...what??? Yes, less than a week until christmas...there are plenty of parties to be had.

Yesterday, the twins had their class parties at school, and when I picked them up from their aunt's house after work, I was greeted with a rush of explainations of what happened, what they recieved, how fun it was, and this:

MK: Momma! we had a party today and we got to eat pupcakes! BANELLA pupcakes!!! They were so good, and we got to eat them at school!!!!!!

Now, fuss all you want. I know she is almost six years old, and in kindergarten, but I. will. NOT. correct that cuteness! She will learn soon enough how to say vanilla and cupcakes, but for now, I think I will go home and make her some banella pupcakes just so I can hear her say it again.

weekend update

Here is a snapshot of Friday night with 10 kids! They were being pretty good, and were even better after I bribed them all with hot chocolate and candy canes! At first, some of them were a little baffled at why I stuck their precious candy canes into their cup of hot chocolate, but one taste, and.....silence! It was lovely!!!!



so...hubby got here, we had a fantastic time...and the ribs...oh, the ribs! they were delicious!!!





Because my oldest daughter goes to her dad's for christmas this year, and after christmas, all hubby's fam will be here, we gave our kids their big gift early this year, so they would have a chance to play with it before the masses ascended and no children were allowed to play because the adults will take over! We got them rock band for the wii....they were so excited! My kids love music, and why shouldnt they?? Their daddy can teach himself to play any instrument he picks up...and while, I cannot play an instrument (anymore) I do sing....so, the girls love to sing, and dance, and now.....play the wii drums, guitar, and bass! And they are getting pretty good at it! Only problem is, they are only allowed to do a few of the songs because more than half the songs have cursing in them! So, we picked out a few until we do some tours and unlock some more songs.





Last night we went and got our tree before hubby has to drive back to kansas. We have not decorated it, but we will do that tonight. yay! I love decorating the house for christmas!

Well, i must run for now.....10 days until christmas! how can that be!!????

two weeks and a day....again

So....yes, a post with the same title as the last one. But I have a good reason.

When last we spoke, err, i wrote....you read....my hubby had been gone for two weeks and a day. He is still gone...but....coming home for the weekend. Yay! We have huge plans! The girls dont know he is coming, so they will be really surprised! We are going to play with our girls and eat a good breakfast on saturday, then hubby will take a bunch of ribs over to the bil's house and start them on the smoker for a party later that night. After a lazy saturday morning, we are going to get our christmas tree! the lots of decorating and hot chocolate and popcorn! Then after the kiddos are tucked into bed, we will head to the bil and sil house to watch the ultimate fighter finale. Then, church sunday morning, and some cuddle time before hubby has to head back to kansas.

now, as for the current two weeks and a day.....that is when hubby's family is coming! We are so excited! The other bil and sil live in far, far away! (shrek for those who didnt get that) And the two of them and their children, and hubby's sister and other brother are all coming to spend time with us! we are excited because since they live in far, far away, we dont get to see them nearly enough! And...at some point, hubby's mom and dad will be here too, and their entire family will be together! That does not happen too often now that three of the five kids are married and two are college, we are kind of scattered...well, actually only in three places, but still...those places are, again...far, far away.

so....in any case....there will be lots of laughter, lots of fun, lots of making fun of...., lots of eating, and lots of love! THIS is why Christmas and Thanksgiving are my two favorite times of year. I love it when my house is full of people eating, laughing, and loving! ~sigh~ maybe the reason i had five kids of my own????

Hope your countdown to Christmas is going well!

two weeks and a day...

Me and my brothers....these guys crack me up!

uh....who's kid is this? anybody????

The entire clan....this is the first time we have ever attempted this, but i thought it turned out great!

uh....are there words for this?

awww....i think my girls are the most gorgeous!!!

can you tell its really cold outside!?
again with the brothers!

Thought i'd throw in some picture luv, since i rarely get to do it because i am the only mother with five children who are beautiful to photograph but does not have a fricking working camera in the entire house!
anyway......we took these over thanksgiving weekend, but ssshhhh! dont tell my mommy! My parents kind of always get left out of the christmas gift thing. We always spend thanksgiving with them and christmas with my hubby's fam, so, my family always kind of gets the shaft when it comes to recieving gifts. So, this year, my sis in law took some photos of me and my brothers, all the grandkids, each family, and she got her friend to come snap some of all of us together and of her fam. (my baby brother's) we are going to have them printed at a quality place and have them mounted and framed for christmas and my mom is going to love it, because ALL STINKING WEEKEND all she did was compain because none of us ever give them pictures! lol...we'd been planning this the whole weekend! silly woman!

In other news.....as my title says.....its been two weeks and a day that my hubby has been gone. I am sad...lonely....and a single mother. again. except this time, I have FIVE children and a full time job. ~sigh~

Ok...that was it...the only pity party I will allow myself. I am lucky in that, being sad, lonely, and a single parent is a temporary thing. And, as much as it sucks that my sweet hubby is 350 miles away, we are making the best of it. The girls and I headed out for my brother's house last week (also where the hubby is) and spent several days there over thanksgiving and got to see him....they were so happy to see their daddy that we got pretty much no time alone. Not to mention the fact that ALL FIVE of my kids got sick while we were there. yes...all five. fever and puking and lots and lots of fun for mom!!!

Then, on the way home...my parents were with me....we stopped to see my uncle who has been very, very sick and we knew he did not have much time left, barring a miracle...well, my dad spoke with him on the phone sat night, and he (uncle) sounded tired, but was glad we were coming. He had been in the hospital all week with an infection. By the time we got to the hospital sunday, he was nonresponsive and going downhill pretty quickly. To make a long, sad story short, he passed away on Monday night, and as sad as it is that a 51 year old man left this life so young, he was a wonderful person, and had lived a very full life, and was prepared to go.

So...since okc is half way between me and where hubby is, we are meeting tomorow night in the city so he can go to the funeral with me, and as awful as this sounds....to have a night alone. I know that we are there for the funeral, but, well, we miss each other, and instead of being together for saturday only and being busy with lots of family stuff surrounding the sadness of losing my uncle....we were not able to be together for our anniversary, and we got no time together over thanksgiving...i think i said that already...so I am not going to feel bad.

well, bloggy world...i guess i better get back to work. i have a few things to do before i go home and have a few (hundred) things to do!