Merry Christmas!

Yummy

Oliver enjoying his Christmas pizzelle's from Aunt Astrid.  My boys love these so much I just might have to invest in my own pizzelle press.

So Glad That's Over!

Well we survived....all being sick that is.  From last Friday until this Wednesday night, everyone in our family was very sick.  The boys had it the worst and then Thomas and I.  Let me explain, we don't get sick.....seriously.  Our kids are rarely sick, and never to the point of throwing up.   I have to admit, sometimes I get a little prideful and take for granted the fact that I have healthy kids.  Honestly, the night the throwing up started, I had just told Thomas 10 minutes earlier, our kids never get sick, Oliver has never thrown up and the boys haven't in years!  Literally 10 minutes later Oliver threw up, and it didn't stop for 5 days!  
I just don't deal well with kids throwing up, scrubbing carpets, giving baths, changing sheets etc. at 2 am and every 15 minutes following.  Not to mention the fact that Thomas and I were both sick too, so it was an elbowing match everytime we heard one of the kids running to the bathroom again in the middle of the night.  I am just so thankful that we got this out of the way this week and it wasn't on Christmas.  From now on I am going to make a point to be thankful for healthy kids because it is so easy to take it for granted!


P.S.
It wasn't over....I was sick all yesterday and throughout the night.  Thankfully, Thomas came home from work early.  Just this one night made me so grateful that I have never had to be on bedrest...yikes!  

The Portable North Pole

I created one of these last year for Joseph and Henry and again this year.  If you haven't tried it before you should, it is very believable.  The boys LOVE getting a video email from Santa.

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

Snack Time

The boys having a snack and being silly, I couldn't get a good one of all of them.

 

 

 

Oliver's Antics

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet, but Oliver is driving me crazy!  I thought I had this baby boy thing figured out by now, but I obviously don't.  I keep telling everyone,  "I have never had  a baby like this!"
He has gotten into so many things, I decided to start a list, because someday I may think it is funny.
Here goes:

1. Wrote all over the kitchen wall with a dry erase marker, thankfully I have magic erasers.
2. Took the vacuum bag out of the vacuum, along with copious amounts of yucky dust from the bag, and spread it all over the carpet.
3. Pushed the lamp off of the end table onto the floor, breaking the lightbulb.
4. Climbs onto the island, counters, and kitchen table daily.
5. Put a lollipop stick in the humidifier fan.
6. Knocked down my red berry Christmas tree and broke the top.
7. Pulled an entire round of Christmas lights off of the tree.
8. After pulling them off, threw numerous Christmas ornaments on the floor, before we undecorated the bottom half of the tree.
9. Dumped out my entire sewing box, needles and all, on the floor and was playing with them.
10. Took out two of the three drawers on his dresser and dumped them on the floor, bending the rails inside in the process.
11. Knocked over his dirty diaper garbage, took the bag out and all of the diapers.
12. Took out the drawer under his crib, dumped it over and jumped on it.
13. Played in the toilet with the plunger, many times.
14. Got in my bathtub, and was caught as he was attempting to turn the water on.
15. Took every Kleenex out of a brand new box.
16. Took every wipe out of a new container.
17. Stuffed as many new diapers as he could into the diaper garbage.
18. Took out all pans from the drawer under the stove.
19. Dumped a bag of coffee out all over the floor in the pantry.
20. Pulled a coffee filter, with old grounds, out of the garbage and ate some.  He had them all over his mouth...YUCK!
21. Picked up a hot cup of coffee, attempted to drink it, and spilled it all over the carpet.
22. Opened the garage door, unbeknownst to me, and went outside by himself.
23. Pushed over the fireplace grill and broke it.
24. Throws all of the remote controls consistently, surprisingly none of them have been broken.
25. Manages to squeeze his hand between the child lock and turns off the cd player daily.  All I want is to listen to a little Christmas music!

Just so you don't think that Oliver is unsupervised, most of these things have happened while I am busy doing things like; going to the bathroom, switching the clothes, loading up the car etc.  It is amazing the havoc he can cause in a matter of seconds!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas?

Does anyone have a good idea for stocking stuffers?  Every year this is on my last minute to-do list and I am determined to have it done sooner this year.  I always end up getting an over-abundance of candy and some useless cheap toys that no one ever plays with.  I don't give toothbrushes, socks or underwear in the stockings because we have those stockpiled.  Ideas anyone?

1st Snow

We had our first real snow and the boys couldn't get their gear on fast enough.  Oliver stayed outside for an hour, and the big boys even longer.  Thanks to my lovely hubby for going out with Oliver so I could stay in my pajamas and relax!

 

 

 

Thank you!

Wow, thanks to all of my friends and family who gave suggestions for a name.  There were so many good ones! We still haven't decided.....but will hopefully soon!

New Pictures

2010 pictures 

Oliver John

19 months old

 Henry Patrick

5 years old

 Joseph Augustine

7 years old

Help Please!

One of the most difficult things about having our fourth boy is choosing a name!  I have never been so lost on naming one of our kids and I am pretty sure Thomas feels the same.  Hindsight is 20/20, because if I had known I would be blessed with four boys, I would have saved some of our middle names for first names.  Thomas and I cannot agree on anything, except for the fact that this one will finally have Thomas as a middle name.  I am taking any and all suggestions.  We tend to like classic, but not common names, nothing trendy.  Please comment and leave me some ideas!!