Festival of Trees/Polar Express

Well, let's just say today we had a VERY interesting adventure! Our neighbors invited us to go down to Joliet to see the Festival of Trees and see The Polar Express in the theater. It was going to be just me and the two boys but then when Jake pulled up I felt this overwhelming feeling to ask him to join us. I knew he didn't really want to go LOOK at Christmas trees with 3 ladies and 9 kids but he saw something in my eye and gave in. As we were about to leave I tried to kick him out of the car so he could stay home with Sierra but he knew it would have made me soooo sad to not be with him. So, we drove and drove, and got lost and finally we got there just in time to see the show. It was amazing! It was the most beautiful theater I've ever seen. I recommend it to all! The kids of course didn't sit still and Sierra was like a slithering snake throughout the whole movie but Jake was soooo patient and stayed calm and happy. After the movie we went and looked at the trees which were soooo beautiful. We had NO idea that outside we were going to be barricaded by fences because of a parade so we had to walk a few blocks just to cross the street. NOT COOL! Amy's kids are pretty big and so Jake was carrying 2 and Amy carried 1. I almost broke my back! We managed to get across the street and all of a sudden we were hearing shots and reallly loud shots. Turned out there were fireworks right across the street. We ate at McDonalds and now we are home and NOW!!!! I will post some pictures and that's that!

Thanksgiving Day!

We had such a great Thanksgiving. Eventhough I really missed my family we felt so welcomed over at the Clements home. They are one of the nicest families and make us sure feel like family. I guess it's because we're all so crazy??? I made the pies which were a GREAT success. I felt bad because Grandma Pam couldn't eat the crust. I did by the way tell her I wouldn't be offended if she didn't eat the crust so she dug right in! Man, was I happy about that!!! Even little T who could probably eat just about anything dug into my Lemon Merangue pie which I got really happy about. The pumpkin, well I could have done without but who doesn't have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving??? Grandma Pam was sooo creative. She whipped out some toothpicks, popsicle sticks, and some apples and said here kids make some turkeys. Here are some fun pics of our fun Thanksgiving!

Learning to walk AND shop!

I took this video today and I thought it was the cutest thing. Sierra LOVES walking with her shopping cart. Hey at least now I can have a awesome shopping buddy!

Have you ever????

I guess just copy and paste this and bold the things you have done! It's kind of fun.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (my wedding night?)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
I tag anyone who wants to do this!

Holiday Gift Cards for some stores...

Ok, so I got an email this morning and whether it is true or not I'm a person who likes to save money! FYI… If you know of anyone that likes to buy gift card, especially for the upcoming holidays, I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you tend to give gift cardsaround the holidays, you need to be careful that the cards will behonored after the holidays. Stores that are planning to close afterChristmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even thoughthe cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing themfrom doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'BankruptcyPlanning). Below is a partial list of stores that you need to becautious about.Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closingLane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwideEddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after JanuaryCache will close all storesTalbots closing down specialty storesJ. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)Pacific Sunwear (also owned by Talbots)GAP closing 85 storesFootlocker closing 140 stores mo re to close after JanuaryWickes Furniture closing downLevitz closing down remaining storesBombay closing remaining storesZales closing down 82 stores and 105 after JanuaryWhitehall closing all storesPiercing Pagoda closing all storesDisney closing 98 stores and will close more after January.Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )Macys to close 9 stores after JanuaryLinens and Things closing all storesMovie Galley Closing all storesPep Boys Closing 33 storesSprint/Nextel closing 133 storesJC Penney closing a number of stores after JanuaryEthan Allen closing down 12 stores.Wilson Leather closing down all storesSharper Image closing down all store~sK B Toys closing 356 storesLoews to close down some storesDillard's to close some stores

The Boys Room~~~

Sierra's Room~~~

Here are just some fun updates that I thought you would like to look at of the kids room! I was crossing between going with the black or brown frames. I'm so glad I went with the black because it definitely goes with the dresser which I just painted!

Can it get any worse???

Ok, well today is the last day that Jake will be away taking board exams. Thank goodness!!!! To end this whole ordeal with him gone on the last day I was hoping that I could go to church and be able to think about him and only him hoping that he is doing a perfect job on his boards. Well, it was going well until I woke Sierra up from her nap to get her ready.... She puked alllll over her beautiful dress. I didn't have anything else to put her in so I threw a blanket over her and said let's go honey, nobody will see us in the back row OR smell us! I then threw the kids in the car and started driving away. I went to open my lip gloss because my lips were incredibly dry and well.... I chipped my tooth. NOT COOL! Everytime I put my toung on it more and more of the tooth kept coming off. I was almost in tears on my way to church but I HAD to go to church and think of my honey and hoped that he would pass boards. We got to church and I TOTALLY biffed it on my bottom. I tripped over my skirt and somehow just toppled over myself and fell. Then with my husband and Amys husband not at church I was sure my kids would act up. Well, of course they did! Sierra had a MAJOR blowout of her diaper, James and Jaren were bickering back and forth and fighting and I was concerned about my tooth and wanting to rip all of what hair I have left on my head. So now we are home and Sierra threw up everywhere, the boys are locked in their room until Jake comes home and well... I'm blogging! Can it get any worse??? :)

Thanksgiving Thanks!!!

I have finally been able to sit down for a few minutes and do one of my favorite things which is "Blogging". We have somehow been wrapped up in doing lots of things this month and I wanted to express to my friends and family how thankful I am for them in our life! I am so thankful for a wonderful roof over my head, a husband who supports me even when I am at my worst. I am especially thankful for my children. They are AWESOME!!! Eventhough they do the naughtiest things and drive me crazy most of the time I still love them very much. I am thankful for my mom, dad, and brother. We never had the best life but we made it to be the best. We are so close now and I am thankful everyday that I have them in my life. I am one of the luckiest daughters in the world. :) I am thankful for food... Yes I love food and I don't know how I would live without it. I am very thankful for my friends who help me when I am in a bind and I need help when Jake is at work. I am thankful for so many things but especially this time of season. It makes me want to be a better person so I can help more people be happy and make me more less selfish.
James is thankful for well... Zoo's, Mommy, Daddy, CC, Jare Bear, and Montgomery.
Jaren is thankful for well... Firetrucks!, CC, James, Daddy, diapers, and buses!
Sierra is thankful for her crib, clothes, and milk!
Jake doesn't blog and is at work but I will write what he is thankful for when he gets home. I'm sure he'll have a TON to be thankful for.
To all our friends and family!!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING and thank you for taking the time to read our blog! I'm thankful for you! :)