I'm Here...Somewhere beneath all the toys & wrapping paper

So it looks like Toys R us had a little too much Egg Nog at Target's Christmas party and threw up on our house.

Literally.

Good thing this little lady started crawling this week. At least she'll be able to get out from under it all.

The boys made out like bandits as always. Even though we only got them 2 gifts a piece and Santa kicked in one. The grandmas just can't seem to control themselves. And you know, when I'm a grandma, I probably won't be able to either.

Love this one of all my most special people. I always knew he'd be a great daddy, but he just keeps proving it over and over again.

Speaking of good dads...I think we've got one in the making. At least he is feeding Dolly the bottle in this pic--there was a little confusion (and a lot of hilarity) when he pulled up his shirt to nurse her...


I crafted my butt off this year. And these couldn't have been a bigger hit with the grandparents. And it's a good thing because do you have any idea how long it takes to cut out one of those heads (x3 kids, x5 sets of grand/great-grands).

Lots of snuggles with family. Love this one of my mama and girlie.

and this one of my mister and our princess


And my oldest baby--who is far from it and more of a little man.


Hard to beleive last year she was kicking me in the ribs. Can't imagine our family without this sweet gal. She is starting to develop her own personality. Loves to laugh, smile, wave, clap and eat!


And after all was said and done. A good family photo--and everyone is smiling.
It really is a Christmas Miracle!

And now I'm going to go wade through the mess to find myself a sugar cookie.

Crap. I Might Just Be Turning Into 'that' Mom

I feel that I must admit something.

When I watch my little guy play hockey (well, anything for that matter), I get all boastful inside (even though I know that's a sin ;). Like I am almost intoxicated by watching him; reveling in his awesomeness. I honestly just think he is so great. How hard he works, and how excited he gets, and all his quirky little things he does that he has picked up from watching "the big guys play." I become that parent. We all know the one--the one that thinks their kid is the next coming. The good news is I am smart enough and *classy* enough to keep these thoughts on the inside (until now. but this is my online journal and I promised to keep it real. I just hope you won't judge me too hard--remember that is also a sin ;).

I bottle it all up until I can spew it onto someone who won't think I'm crazy (and who doesn't have a kid on the team). Mostly Chip, maybe the grandparents, sometimes an unsuspecting family friend. Chip and my Dad obviously are a little biased, so they always agree with me, which only fuels my prideful fire.

Now, I don't want you all to get the wrong idea about me. I do not think my kid is the best kid on the team. And I am most definitely not the parent who talks crap about other kids. I'm no hater (especially of 6 & 7 year olds). I love it when the other kids do something great. I high five the mom whose kid just scored his first goal (yup, I high fived her and I'd do it again. But I draw the line at forming the human-parent-arch for the kids to run through (thankfully I don't think they do that in hockey). I love to see all their little beaming faces when they are learning and having a good time. When they accomplish something they have been working hard to achieve.

But what I really love the most?

This Guy.

Who may or may not have slept with the game puck that the coach awarded him with after the game.

Whose Mama & Daddy may or may not have stayed up late gushing about when they should have been sleeping.

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Do you think this is what Wayne Gretzky's mom thought about him when he was 6?