The 2nd Day After Christmas

So the 2nd day after Christmas brought a trip to the emergency room with a leg broke in 2 places. The day started out great with the kids playing and while I was in the shower, they decided to go outside to play with Tylers new ripstick. Tyler comes running in that my 4th child (Franks best friend) has fallen and is hurt. I through on some clothes and started to go outside when I hear him crying in pain. He was laying in the middle of the street and saying his leg was broken. We got him up and out of the street and carried him into the house. There was a lump on his leg so we put ice on it and then I made the decision to call his mom. She sent his dad to pick him up because he was closer than her and 4 hours later, after a trip to the emergency room, he has a fracture in 2 places in his right leg. I feel so horrible!!! He has a temporary cast on it today and will be seeing the orthopedic to get a permanent cast this week. Luckily it will not require surgery, just a cast for 8 weeks. (not that having a cast for 8 weeks is good but better than the alternative).

We have spoken to him and his parents and he is doing well, just cranky because he cannot go outside and because the boys plans for the weekend got messed up. Crazy boys!!!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas at my mom's house. She came in on the Saturday before and we finished our shopping up and then took the kids to her house. Frank and I went out there after I got off work on Christmas Eve.

The kids decorated their new stockings

and then we went to the candlelight service and it started raining while we were in there. I was hoping that it would get cold enough to freeze to have a white Christmas but it didn't happen. After church, the kids opened a present

and we settled down in bed to wait for Santa. The kids got up around 6 and the festivities began. Santa brought Tyler a ripstick, Frank an electric guitar and Lexi got a bunch of games.

We then cleaned up the mess from round 1 and started getting stuff ready for dinner. The rest of the family arrived and we opened more presents.

Tyler, TJ and Frank

Tammy, TT and Lexi

Lexi, Tyler, TJ and Frank

TT and TJ

The crew

The grandmas cooking dinner

after we got everything cleaned up, we came home and got ready to go to work the next day. TT had to fly home on Christmas night but we were glad she was here with us.

Bah Humbug

So with 8 shopping days left, I cannot get into the Christmas spirit. I have not bought 1 gift as of yet. I have my tree up but it has not decorations on it because 15 minutes after we put it up, the cat climbed it so because of my bah humbug spirit, I just left it plain. There are no presents to put under it either. I don't know what to do..... It is not fair to my kids, this is supposed to be a fun time with shaking presents and trying to figure out what is inside the pretty wrapped boxes but I cannot find it in me to even decorate the tree.

My mom is coming in this weekend to take the kids to do their shopping as is her tradition. She started this when Sharkboy was 2 and took him to the dollar store. She has continued this every year since but now they do some at the dollar store and then some at other places too. It is my favorite part of Christmas because there is always a story or good thought of why they get the gifts they do and sometimes you have to really think about them or they are so excited to give it to you, they explain why they chose the trinket that they did. Hopefully having to help them wrap those things will help get my spirit jump started.

The Meaning of Christmas

I found this on a block that I was stalking but thought it was very appropriate and enjoyed it so much, I thought I would share.

The Meaning of Christmas
Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask him.
The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, TEACH THE CHILDREN!
I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it on the mantle. Teach the Children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven.
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. Teach the Children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.
He then reached into the bag and pulled out a CANDLE. Teach the Children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.
Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree.
Teach the Children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.
He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of HIMSELF. Teach the Children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.
He reached in again and pulled out a HOLLY LEAF. Teach the Children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him.
Next he pulled out a GIFT from the bag and said, "Teach the Children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the Children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the shepherd's staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.'
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulledout a BELL. Teach the Children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.
Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the Children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God."

Looking Back at 2008

As 2008 is getting close to ending, I thought I would do a recap of the year in our lives. 2008 started by me dealing with the 1 year anniversary of losing my dad. It was a sad month for me but I did survive with a lot of tears. Lexi played winter soccer and it was cold. We spent many nights at practice and games wondering who's idea it was to let her play in the winter.



As Winter ended and turned to spring, it started with the Granny moving here for good and what a blessing she has been to us. The boys played football and Lexi moved to Spring soccer and ended up with a concussion so she was out for several weeks. I heard from an old friend from high school that I have missed so much and was glad to hear from him. During this time as the weather was warming up, we suffered another loss, my Grandmother. My mom, Lexi and I made the trek to Idaho (14 hours) for the funeral and got a surprise of snow. We woke up to white stuff all over the place and it continued to snow up until the time of the funeral. We had a wonderful trip and got to see family that we hadn't seen in many years and met some new additions as well. We got home from Idaho and 10 days later, we loaded up everyone (except my sister in law who decided to fly) in Grannys new van and drove to Montana (15 hours with 4 adults and 4 kids) for my brother in laws wedding. We had a great time and saw some pretty country. We went thru Yellowstone and it was covered in snow but was so pretty. We got to see all kinds of wildlife including buffalo.



Before we left, my husband had hurt his foot but would not go to the doctor. He knew it was broke but did not want to be in a cast driving that far so he toughed it out. On the morning that we were leaving to come home, he stepped wrong on it and hurt it even worse. By the time we got home that night, it was so swollen and bruised. He went to the emergency room the next day and it was broke in 4 places. He spent weeks in a bionic leg (a fancy cast) and has now healed up nicely.



The boys finished a season of football and Lexi had finished a rough season of soccer and decided to move to another team which she loves and is doing well. We had another anniversary to remember, losing Papa N. 2 years ago. We spent the summer in the pool getting tan and then school started with Frank in 7th grade, Lexi in 5th and Tyler in 3rd. The fall saw another season of football and soccer so our lives were pretty much busy running kids from practice to practice.



As we finish up 2008, we are greatful that we have all of our family here with us and that we are all healthy. We will be celebrating Christmas with everyone at my moms house.