Christmas memories in the making...

Merry Christmas! 

 We have been making memories with our family in Nebraska.  What a great time we are having playing cards, watching football and enjoying time with cousins.  The only thing missing is snow to play in!  Rumor has it that snow may be on the way!  Hope it holds off now until we are able to make it back home!  Here is some of my favorite Christmas pictures.

Caleb enjoying his first Christmas at home!

 Hunter excited about his new jersey!

 Caleb and his new game.

 Brianna trying on her new necklace.

 Claire and her new doll that looks kind of like her.

Nicholas loves his new rug

 Caleb snuggling with Aunt Pam

 Sierra and Hunter

 My sister, my mom, and me!

 My brother Rick helping us hug Hunter

 Caleb and Aunt Pam

 Caleb snuggling with Grandma

 Nicholas and Aunt Pam

 Aunt Dee and Sandy

 Skyping with my nephew Joe on Christmas eve..best present ever!

 Caleb and Sandy

 Stacey and Claire

 Aunt Dee and Caleb

 Maggie and Nicholas playing Minute to Win it!

 Claire, Stacey and Erikka with Claire's creation

 Riana and Caleb (they are the same size and Riana is only 1)

 Aunt Marcia getting to know Caleb

 Tea parties at Grandma's are the best..see the ice cream on the plates?

 Uncle Rick and Caleb

As you can see, we are having a great time.  Plus everyone is loving meeting Caleb!  It has been 9 months since he came home and some of my family are just meeting him!  Well, he is a snuggler and many of them have gotten great snuggle time with him!  What a great Christmas it has been!  I am blessed indeed!

Caleb update

I realized that I haven't updated in awhile on how Caleb has been doing.  He has been with us for 8 months and is doing great. His little big personality is really coming out.  He is constantly making us laugh!  His speech is really improving too.  He goes to speech twice a week and has already reached several goals.  I think the cutest is what he calls the kids.  He has always called Claire by her name; they are best buds after all!  He calls Brianna - Tannah.  He calls Nicholas - Kick.  He calls Hunter - Hunty.  So cute!  I hear several times a day "where's Tannah? where's Kick? where's Hunty? where's Claire? and where's Daddy?"  When they come home he yells their name and runs and wraps his arms around their legs!  Ahhh, I know just the sweetest right?  He is picking up sign language too.  Sometimes his little fingers have a hard time but he knows a lot of signs already.  The little stinker still isn't gaining weight.  He is staying steady at 24 pounds. He is still wearing 18 month sizes with a few 24 months.  If only they made belts for little ones his size.  Poor thing can't keep his pants up!  People are shocked when I tell them he is 3 years old.  We are beginning to think his bad teeth may be part of the problem.  He has oral surgery scheduled for February 21.  That is the earliest date they had available.  In the meantime, we have been giving him Pediasure to supplement his diet.  He goes in spurts where he hardly eats anything.  He is on one of those now. 

Well, I guess that is a good update for now!  I wish all of you could meet him.  You would love him to pieces just like we do!

Here Caleb is dancing...he loves to dance!

 My sweet boy!

Playing catch up...

I have really been behind in my blogging lately. I'm sure it couldn't be because I'm busy being a mom of five! Plus my hubby has been traveling a lot and I am not a good single mom. Most days I am just trying to survive the laundry, cooking, bath times and cleaning. On top of all of this, I got a nasty stomach bug while hubby was gone. All I can say is I am thankful for my good friend, Jodi, who came and put the little ones to bed and then came back at 7:00 the next morning to get Claire ready and off to school. She then took Caleb to her house for the day! God has been so faithful with providing us with great friends every place we have lived! It was fun this move to go back to a place we had lived before and already have friends waiting for us when we got here.

Ok, part of playing catch up is to post some pictures that I have failed to blog about! 

These are from our visit to the pumpkin patch in October

The kids on the giant pumpkins!

 The gang!

 Claire

 Crazy Caleb

 Claire, Caleb and Hunter with their potato head pumpkins!

 Claire and her princess pumpkin

 Caleb and his monster pumpkin

 Hunter and his pirate pumpkin

 Look closely...Claire just got her ears pierced!

 She got her birthstone on her earrings

 She was so happpy!  She did it at a birthday party so her friends got to watch her!  She was so brave she didn't cry at all!  This is her friend, Layla.

 We went to Georgia for Thanksgiving.  Part of the gang went hiking the day before Thanksgiving.  The weather was wonderful!

Here is Turner, Michaela, Claire, Hunter, Nicholas, Max (the dog) and Mallory

 Hunter and Nicholas looking thoughtful!

 Claire had no problem keeping up...she is an outdoor girl!

 The trail..

 Caleb enjoying his first American Thanksgiving!

 This was Noah's first Thanksgiving too!

 Isn't he just the cutest?  He only weighs 2 pounds less than Caleb and he is 8 months old! 

 Sweet little family..Turner, Alisha and Noah

 Michaela and the boys celebrating their first Thanksgiving!

 Our blessed gang on Thanksgiving day!

Ok, I feel a little better that I at least posted some pictures!  I have a gazillion but I won't make you see them all!  Until later my friends!

2010 Christmas card

With Love Blue Christmas 5x7 folded card

Personalize your Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

I did it!  I finished my Christmas cards!  Here is a sneak peak.  This will have to tide you over until you get yours in the mail!