Santa was good to us!

Merry Christmas everyone! We had a wonderful Christmas. Todd's sister Allison and her husband Keith spent the week with us and it was really good to have some family with us as I tend to get really homesick this time of year with my family all out west. Allison and Keith are expecting their first child at the end of July and we are just so giddy for them. She of course is very sick and tired all the time, but I just keep telling her it's a good thing that she's sick.. it means the baby is growing and developing as it should. I don't know how comforting it is to hear being sick all the time is good, but she is trying to get through it the best she can. They just left today and we were all sad to see them go, but life goes on, I guess. That's the thing about Christmas that I do hate. It takes so long to get everything ready and buy all the gifts and visit with friends and family, but when it finally arrives, it's over way too soon:(

My biggest gift (and favorite) that I got this year, was a new set of Calphalon pots and pans!!! I am just beside myself. These are top of the line pots and pans. Nothing sticks to these babies and I am loving cooking even more than before. :) Thanks to my mother-in-law who gave them to us. Love, love, love them!

ok..secondly, I have to thank Tiffani for her delectable cinnamon roll recipe that I made Christmas Eve! Everyone LOVED them and they were moist and yummy even the next day. I get all my yummy recipes and tips from Tiff. You rock my friend! :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and continues to have a prosperous and Happy New Year! :)

A Night in Bethlehem

Sunday night we had the opportunity to go through a live nativity at our church. They have a few acres that they set up "Bethlehem". So we took the kids and as we entered, we were greeted by 2 men dressed up like roman soldiers dressed.

Then we were given some coins and we made our way to the different shops that would have been around in that time. Then the there was a show that started every 30 minutes and the first segment we were all shuffled to sit and watch Mary and Joseph as they were traveling trying find room at the inn and the innkeepers would keep turning them away. I got so emotional. It was so real. I can only imagine what Mary must have been feeling leading up to the birth of the baby Jesus and having to be turned away by everyone. Then the next segment was of Mary and Joseph with their newborn and all the shepherds and wisemen visiting them. Mary sang a lullabye to the baby Jesus and it was really beautiful. I think I would have enjoyed it a little more if Jepson hadn't kept saying "Mom, I have to go potty".. "Mom, let's go home now"... "Mom, is that a goat?..mom, I want to pet the goat." EERRGGH! (yes, they even had live animals too!)

We were then ushered into the church building for some cookies and hot chocolate. When we got home, the kids said "That was FUN!" So amidst the frustration, everyone had a great time.

All is well

I just wanted to give an update. Breigh weathered the surgery well and is at home recuperating. She flipped out a little after the surgery was over with when she was in the recovery room. She wasn't awake enough from the drugs they gave her and she kept yelling "I want to go home now"...."Take me home NOW!" We had to re-assure her that they weren't going to be doing anything else to her and we promised we would take her home when she woke up a little bit more. But, she is almost back to normal as she has been yelling at her brother, so her throat is definitely getting better. Her voice is a little higher and it's funny to listen to her talk now. I wanted to cry the first time I heard her breathe. She can breathe through her nose when she sleeps, which she has never been able to do and the snoring is GONE! My baby can breathe now and it is such a good feeling!

Anyways...she made me laugh a little today. We were driving home from having lunch and she said "Mom, how come cows butts are shaped like hearts?" I never really thought about that before, but I guess they kind of are shaped like hearts....lol! From the mouth of a 7-year-old..too funny!

Tonsils...eeewww!

Early tomorrow morning, Breigh will be getting her tonsils out. She has really been struggling to breathe at night and so Todd and I were worried because she seems to be tired all the time and not getting enough sleep (or at least I'm blaming her outbursts and bad behavior on that anyways). Come to find out, her tonsils are 3 times the normal size they should be and they are so enlarged that they are touching! It is totally disgusting to look at inside her mouth. They are the size of two golf balls in the back of her throat! She is terrified of surgery, but she knows she will feel SO much better with them out.

So, tonite we are going to let her pick where she wants to go out and eat for her "last supper" since she will be only able to tolerate liquids and ice-cream for awhile. Wish us luck!