Happy Holidays

Christmas was wonderful, and hope yours was too! Richards family celebrated Christmas last Saturday but I had to stay home with Emma, who got the flu. Then Kate got it on Sunday. Landon got it on Tuesday. On Christmas Eve we had a delicious breakfast at Dave's and then went to see The Chipmunks movie. But Landon started having tummy issues again and couldn't go to the show so Richard took Landon and Kate home while I went to the show with Daniel, Emma, Grandpa and Dave's family. We were supposed to head down to Mt. Pleasant for the evening and had even offered to cook dinner, but we backed out at the last minute because Landon was all sick again. So we stayed home on Christmas Eve and sang carols around the piano with our kids, which was wonderful! We played a game and went to bed early! Christmas was great and we were able to visit Grandma and Grandpa Hague and then spent the rest of the evening at my Dads. He made Christmas special for all, even though we greatly missed Mom.

Me and Kate and Grandpa Kevin, who she loves to hug and kiss.

Me and Kate and Heather and Claire

The kids with Grandma and Grandpa Hague. I had been looking forward to Grandpa's clam dip all week- it's the best! We also celebrated Grandpa's 83rd birthday tonight!

Happy baby on Christmas morning!

Happy kids! Landon woke up at 5:30 but we told him he couldn't come get us until 7:00, so he stayed in his room playing Nintendo DS until 7:00 and was literally bouncing off the walls!

Emma loves her Easy Bake oven. I never had one as a child, but I'm not sure what the big deal about them is. Isn't baking in the kitchen with me a million times better? Oh well, she loves it.

Oh, the boys were soooo excited about this one- the Riprider 360, a very cool toy indeed! It's like a big wheel with scooter wheels on the back and it turns 360's like crazy! I love the looks on their faces!

Just a ball of yarn

Landon was bored the other day and asked what he could do, so I suggested that he finger crochet. Have you ever done this before? It's simple and completely pointless. The only thing you can make from it is a giant chain. And thats what he did. A giant chain- an entire thing of yarn. This is his ridiculously long finger crochet chain. He said it keeps his head really warm! And here are some other December happenings.

Kate really wanted to sit on his lap....until she got there.

Emma and Miss Tina - the best preschool teacher ever!

Beautiful Emma Jae

Riding the train at the Mall....passing the time while Daddy was off singing!

At Dave and Michelles for the main course of our Christmas progressive dinner

Jake and Traci hosted the appetizer portion of the dinner and we did dessert.

Kate and Mommy at the Hague Family Party. Kate loved the mint brownies the best!

Christmas Carol

My favorite Christmas song is Silent Night. I truly do love it, for its simple beauty and its spiritual message. However, a while back Richard and I wrote some alternate words to this lovely hymn. You can call it sacrilegious, but we think its funny. Especially after a week of little sleep, ear infections, the flu, much barfing and laundry. I share with you the words, but you must sing them and squeeze them all into the regular melody line to get the full effect and enjoyment.

Silent night, Oh, what a night

All's not calm

All's not right

Round yon wishing I was still a virgin

Not a mother with four childs

Holy, not another infant! So tender and mild

Sleep is never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever in peace

Unless....

Sleep in Advil PM peace

And speaking of a Christmas Carol, I cannot wait to watch A Christmas Carol this year. The Albert Finney version is the ultimate best (sorry Layne) and the music is so wonderful. We used to watch it as a family on Christmas Eve and I hope my kids are old enough to not be scared. Jacob Marley still scares me. BTW, She-Daisy sings a great version of A Christmas Carol that is from the movie. Do you have favorite Christmas movies? My other favorite is White Christmas. Next in line come Home Alone, Elf and Garfields Christmas Special.

My Angel

Saturday night was the Hague Family Christmas Party. I was talking with my Aunt Karen and she said that it was hard to believe that we would be having a family party and not hear Judy's laugh. She said she could still hear her laugh in her head. I couldn't. I tried to hear her laugh in my mind, but I couldn't. Fortunately, my mom made a DVD 2 years ago where she sits and talks and laughs and tells stories about her life. Its about 3 hours long and completely priceless. Since Richard was gone, I got the kids to bed after the party and watched the DVD. I heard her laugh, I heard her voice, I saw her smile. It was great....until the end and then I started bawling. I pulled the blanket up to my face to muffle my sobs and whispered, "Oh Mom, why aren't you here?" Which I know is a stupid thing to say, because I know why she's not here, but I said it anyway. And before I finished the last two words, a thought just jumped into my mind... I am here....I know it wasn't my own mind that thought those words, because I hadn't even finished saying what I actually was thinking. She is here. I'm sure she is so much closer than I can even imagine. I love her. I miss her. I know she is watching over us.

Jazz game

My brother Dave gets great Jazz tickets through his firm and was nice enough to invite us to join he and his wife at a game last week. Third row seats! We got to have a great dinner before and nachos and popcorn at half time. We really got a taste of the upper class! J/K...We already are upper classy people, duh! Anyway, we had fun! Thanks Dave and Michelle!

Oh yeah, I spilled my diet coke all over the dude in front of me. It served him right though. He was drinking beer and had tattoos. I was embarrassed, but there was nothing I could do about it besides apologize profusely and send Richard to the bathroom for a wad of paper towels!

Dave and Michelle

The Jazz bear is why I'm glad we didn't sit on the front row. He would have annoyed the crap out of me. People pay hundreds of dollars to be entertained by the Jazz bear? I thought they came to watch the game!

This is a great picture of Deron Williams because he is totally checking out the other players butt....and enjoying it!

I know him so well

While I was busy teaching piano the other day this is the conversation that I had with Daniel.

Daniel: Mom, can I have the rest of this bag of mini marshmallows up in my room? I'll put them in a bowl.

Me: Fine, but if I see one marshmallow on the floor I'm gonna be super mad. And you better put the bowl in the sink when you are done!

Daniel: (about 5 minutes later) Where is that black space heater you have?

Me: It's in my closet.

Daniel runs back upstairs.

Me: (As he is running) WAIT! If you are thinking about using that heater to roast marshmallows in your room- NO WAY!

Daniel: Aww, Man!