Merry Christmas

CAUTION: This post is long!!

My excuse for this post being so late: I have been sick with ????? for about three weeks and just couldn't make myself do anything. Three trips to the doctor, several antibiotics, a shot in the hip, 5 boxes of Kleenex, bruised ribs from coughing, minus three of my five senses, and all the other whoo-blahhh that went with it, I FINALLY THINK I AM GOING TO SURVIVE!!!

My excuse for all of my other blog post being so sparse and few between: I don't have one. 

My Goal for 2012: To get better at blogging all together.

December is always such a whirlwind with everything going on but we love every minute of the chaos. Christmas Eve is always spent at my Granny and Papas house. We increase by number every year and pretty soon we may be eating in shifts but we wouldn't have it any other way. My grandparents have given me so many memories over my life time that I can only pray that I am able to make as many memories with my own grandchildren.  

We left my grandparents and headed home to get ready for Santa and his reindeer. Now, let me go back a few hours and give you a little background history: Earlier in the day, the girls and I baked some cookies to take to my grandparents house and we made extra for Santa and his reindeer. We left them on a plate that was decorated with the words  "Cookies for Santa/" My mom called and said that my brother had food poisoning and was headed to the ER and that she was going to have my niece Kady over at her house while she was trying to finish up all her last minute cooking that she was preparing to take to my grandparents. Being the great daughter that I am, I volunteered for me and the girls to come over and entertain Kady so that she could cook. Cole said that he would meet us later on after he finished piddling around the house. Note to self: Never leave a grown man at home that has not been fed and has access to a plate full of chocolate chip cookies that specifically reads "Cookies for Santa." When we returned home that night I excitedly told the girls to go and get the plate of cookies and milk and we would set them by the tree.
Cole looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights. What cookies???? Those on that plate??? Oh, I ate those, I didn't know those were for Santa. I was hungry, I hadn't eaten all day. I thought y'all left those for me. For a split second I wasn't sure what to think. The girls looked at him like he was crazy!!! Then I remembered we had some left over from my grandparents. HE LUCKED OUT. It was very funny once it was over because I truly do believe he was scared for a minute. He didn't know what to say or do. The cookies were replaced and it was time to leave the food for the reindeer. Carsyn got a bag of reindeer food aka dry oatmeal and glitter in a bag from school and the girls had a blast sprinkling it all over the yard.

Christmas morning is always exciting not matter how old you are. Seeing the joy in your children's eyes is something you will treasure forever. The girls had three request this year and surprisingly they both had the same request:

1. REAL hamster: NO, NEVER, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. They got zhu-zhu pets from Aunt Michelle and Uncle Clay. That's as good as it gets around here. Not to mention, Camden screamed/cried for thirty minutes one afternoon about a tiny field mouse that was dead in the driveway. I am terrified of anything that resembles a moues/rat/hamster so they can only dream of ever having one.

2. Nintendo DS: I feel like these are for boys for some reason. I guess, growing up I never got to play our Nintendo or any other game system because my brothers would never let me. Santa opted for a Kindle Fire and a Leappad Explorer tablet. They seem to love them just as much.

3. REAL phone: BAHAHAHAHAH, No. They play with old ones and seem to be just as happy.

My mom always cooks Christmas dinner for our family. My mom, hands down, is one of the best cooks I know. I don't know why I didn't get any of her cooking skills but I should definitely be taking lessons. You're never to old to learn I guess?!?!?!

After lunch and little nap it was time to head to Meme's house. The girls were beyond excited to see their cousins Olivia and Jackson. Meme is a hard working lady who stays extremely busy. She always seems to amaze us at her ability to pull Christmas gifts our of no where. She is they type of person  that will be looking for gifts that she "put away" while you are opening your other gifts. She buys things and puts them in random places and then forgets about them. She is quite a lady. She does have a little family tradition that has been going strong since my younger days. Cole and I dated in high school and this was the time in my life that I was introduced to goolosh. Goolosh to the McArdle family is a BIG DEAL and you need to act like it is a BIG DEAL even if you don't think it is. She also makes these little peanut butter cookies with a Hershey kiss mashed right in the center of them and she likes to call them "cowboy cookies." I remember Cole and Clay fighting over these cookies and hiding them from each other back in the day.Now, their own kids are helping Meme make the cowboy cookies.

What took place after all this excitement and the rest of the month of December, I really don't remember. Cole did take the girls back to his Moms for them to spend time with all of their cousins but I was unable to make the trip and he "accidentally" forgot my camera. It did involve some fireworks is all I know.

I am thankful for our many blessings that we receive each day. I am thankful that I serve a mighty God who continues to forgives me when I fail him time and time again. I am thankful that he gave the ultimate sacrifice for me and I pray that each day that I will grow stronger in my walk with God. I feel so blessed to have a loving husband and two healthy, loving little girls who call me Mommy.

Happy Birthday and Thank You, Jesus!