pieces of me

early christmas

i know this post seems a little out of order since it is already after christmas and i have not posted about our christmas adventures, but i have wanted to share with you our early christmas from the kids.  funny thing is that they didn't even know that their little adventure was such a present to their parents.  it all began when laura decided to have all the siblings (expect for will) go ice skating together.  so on saturday before christmas mg, patrick, laura, hannah, emmy and ben loaded up in the van with ben driving and headed to knoxville to go ice staking.  hannah and emmy were sooooo excited since they had never been before and have been dying to go for years. (i know, we are such bad parents for not taken them)  well from the report and what little pics that were taken a great time was had by all. 

patrick and ben helping emmy

laura helping hannah
what more could parents ask for than for all of their children to love each other and want to spend time together.  my christmas was complete at that moment.  our children could never give us such a wonderful gift as they did that day.  the knowledge that they love each other and will always be there for one another is the most precious gift a parent could ever ask for.  thanks kiddos for making our lives complete!!!

our angel

he has been trying to tell us that he is in fact the "perfect little angel".  i guess no one was getting it because on sunday night right before family prayer he went and got emmy's wings and put them on.  after prayer he "flew" around the house. maybe we will realize now that we have a visual that he is a "perfect angel".  of course, all my children think they are "perfect little angels". :) 

finishing up

so i am slowing but surely finishing christmas cards.  i love the design of this year's card but it has been very time consuming putting them together.  (i know, pat, every years have been time consuming). there have been some major re workings along the way which usually doesn't happen, but because of postage constraints (or the lack of wanted to pay $1.30 a card to mail) we have had to reevaulate the design.....not something you want to have to do at this point in the game, but oh well.  so hopefully, these babies will be in the mail tomorrow.  be watching for the "cutest" christmas card envelope ever to grace your mailbox!  hope everyone enjoys them!   

much......

it is so funny how all of the kids have their own way of communicating a "i love you" back.  when hannah was a baby and we would tell her we loved her she would say "me too".  emily would say "you too".  so will has finally started answering us when we tell him we love him.  a few weeks ago i said to him, "i love you sooooo much".  and his response was "much".  how cute it that!  it makes perfect sense to him.  you love me much and i love you much.  wow, if only life was that simple. 

invented

last night while pat and i were getting supper ready to be put on the table, em was filling the cups up with ice, when she noticed a picture on the refrigerator of me and pat with the older kids and his nieces.  em asked, "was i invented yet in this picture?"  of course, trying not to laugh i said no not yet that was before mommy and daddy were married.  how cute is that to think you are invented.  so i got to thinking about it and i am sure that all of you would agree that it would be very nice to "invent" our children.  i know that i would use a lot less "sassy" components and a whole lot more "obedience" components........oh well, gotta love them anyway! :) 

joy

simple joy......that's what gramma brings to our house.  we have had a couple of great weeks since thanksgiving. patchey was home for a week with his girlfriend emily.  the little kids were attached to both of them for their entire visit.  the girls really love when patchey comes home because he is such the great big brother that he just sits and plays or does whatever they want.  the problem is that will now wants as much attention as the girls so he demands to play with his balls and cars.  which of course, patchey does so happily.  emily is a good sport and plays along also.  while patchey was here i was able to get his hair cut.

now that is a cute boy!

we had a few days after patchey left to get ready for gramma and aunt tink.  the kids were soooo excited to have them visit for a short time.  gramma is getting along great since her little mishap with the blood clot.  she just can't eat some green veggies, so we stayed away from them!  :)  will enjoyed having gramma to himself while the girls were in school.  of course, he was ready to play.

life is sweet when watching your child connect with a grandparent.  we are blessed to have gramma in our lives!  thanks for all your sweet comments on my last post!  as far as my big bro billy is concern - well it looks like i proved him wrong! (yet again!)