Happy Christmas 2011

We wish our friends and family a very Happy Christmas from London!

Favorite quotes from 2011:

Ethan: (A note found in the bottom of Ethan's backpack): "To Do- Nipel Twist Jonah tonight at 12:00. 10/23-11"

Eli: (Conversation with Jonah, talking about a classmate): "Maybe he has problems. Even I have problems. My problem is I can't control my hunger, and then I eat a lot. I can control my thirst, but not my hunger."

Jonah: (Walks in on some smooching) "I want to join the kissing! We can call it a kissing club!"

On the flight over to England, to no fewer than 15 people, with a little British accent: "Dew you speak Bwitish?"

Janie: "STOP IT little boy. I'm going to wunaway, shut up."

Sadie: Says Dada, Hiii, and Jesus. Sadie also gives super sweet kisses on the lips.

Sadie at 1 year old:

Thoughts of December 22nd

I was just remembering last year at this time- I was hugely pregnant and ready to have a baby! I had just shoveled the driveway in hope that she would come NOT on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but no dice. I was so sore because of all that shoveling. And then, December 23 at around 3 am, CJL and I were on our way to the hospital. Little Sadie was born Christmas Eve Morning around 9 am (I think). It was so sweet to have a new little one so close to Christmas. But it was also difficult to be in the hospital and not be home getting things ready for Christmas Morning- and to miss Christmas Morning! So sad, that I didn't think about it or it could have been dangerous!

I talked to Curtis a bunch of times on Christmas Eve while he was putting together toys and I was watching midnight mass. Then the next morning we waited for the Doctor's to come in from their Christmas mornings and check us out. I was so grateful for those nurses and doctors who spent time on their Christmas and Christmas Eve taking care of Sadie and I. We were able to come home in the early afternoon, and the kids had waited for us to open gifts. We did that, and held Sadie, and fed her a bunch of times, and it was a great day...

I thought that Christmas 2011 was going to be my year to make up for not being around, to plan, prepare, and enjoy all that comes with the Christmas Season... Didn't think life got crazier than having baby #5 on Christmas Eve.

Fast Forward to December 22 2011.

I was so wrong.

Try an international move with 5 kids 9 and under, a month before Christmas. Add in Eli's Baptism, and Sadie's birthday (and a very small selection of cake mixes! German Chocolate -that's it!), and no idea where to go to find gifts for anyone, and a slight phobia of driving, and you've got... us... well... me. Crazy people who do crazy things like move to England right before Christmas!

We finally did get a tree up yesterday. We have 3 teeny strands of lights from Sainesbury's, but no presents and a huge mess of random objects shoved to the back of the room. It just stinks remembering our house last year in MN that was so cozy and cute with all of the snow falling outside, and then, not being there this year.

We have moved many times but this one has seriously thrown me off my game... for almost 2 months now. 'So much of living here is a compromise'- a new friend said the other day - so true. It's all the little compromises that add up and just get to ya sometimes!

But, even with all that is nuts around here, I am still excited for Christmas. I am hoping the kids don't cry when they realise that they didn't get iPod touches or BB guns (the only things that ALL THREE BOYS put on their letters to Santa). I know Janie will just be fun to watch... if she isn't saying shut up or I don't care or I'm going to run away. And Sadie will be so happy just to get a new toothbrush! Which she needs now that she has almost 12 teeth!!!

I am excited to take pictures and make memories of a totally different, crazy, first English Christmas (Fruitcake not included- unless you count me).

Eli's special Baptism Day

Eli had a special day today. He was baptised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Grumpy flew across the Atlantic for this special occasion. Eli was baptised by his dad, and confirmed also by Curtis. Lots of new friends stayed for his service, helped out, and gave support. We had a small lunch afterward for those who stayed, and Eli chose to have candy bars for his 'pudding' as they say over here. I love this guy so much. I am so privileged to be his mom. He brings lots of laughs and fun into our family, and we are so proud of him!

 link to Eli's slide show on FB

Late nights and Early mornings

I realised tonight that I have spent an awful lot of time in our house over the past few days. Our shipment came on Monday, and cjl and I have been working non stop to put things back together. We brought the love sack and guess what? It fits in our bedroom just fine! (We were worried). The kitchen fit most things, I have a large box of things to store, and one to donate, but I even found a spot for my wheat grinder and bread maker! The closets are another story. They are overflowing, they literally look like they are throwing up piles of clothes. Curtis has added bars to wardrobes, and finally ended up moving his work shirts into the guest room. I spent awhile in Eli and Jo's room cleaning up a HUGE pile of clothes that ended up on the floor when the rental furniture moved out Monday morning. Founds some yellowed up tight whities of Eli's. that made my night happy.

Grumpy comes in tomorrow morning for Eli's baptism Sunday. That will be cool for Eli.  I need to focus on his baptism, but it is really hard to leave mountains of junk piled up to sit at the computer. Then Sadie's birthday on the 24th, and then CHRISTMAS!!
Santa came to our ward party last weekend, they were so excited.They all sat on his lap except Janie who took her present and got off that stage as fast as she could. Jonah peed his pants earlier that night from laughing too hard, so he was self conscious, but did a good job standing instead of sitting on Santa's knee. He walked around with a wet bum all night.
Well I am falling asleep as i type so I am heading up to bed.

Good Times at IKEA and Costco

We have been to IKEA probably 5 times, and Costco at least 3 times since we moved. That would be normal, except, they are in Croyden which is like an hour away. So it is almost a whole day trip to get there, go to both stores, and make it home. Also, I have no idea how to get there, so Curtis gets to be my driver, which also means that we have to take everybody because we always go on a Saturday. Good times. It also gets dark at 4 in the afternoon, so yesterday we were driving home as the sun was going down, which added to the feeling of a long day. We started at IKEA and made it through pretty quickly, it helped to have kids in the smaland of course! And then on to Costco. We get through the doors and almost to the samples, when Janie has to go to to the bathroom. So, we turned around, mad a trip to the 'toilets' and then decided to get some lunch. It went downhill from there. Around the meat section, the kids started getting really squirrely, so I decided to take them out to the car, and Curtis said that he would take Sadie and finish up. As we were walking out, I saw a helium balloon kit, (just like at home! YAY!) and decided to buy it on my way out, perfect with Eli and Sadie's birthdays coming up! So the 4 kids and I got in line and here is what happened next:

Me: Janie, can I put this box by you?

Janie: NO, no, I wanna lay down, I want DADDY! DADDY!

Jonah: SHUT UP JANE. SCOOT OVER!

Ethan: SHUT UP JONAH, you FOOL.

Me: Wrestling with giant box

Eli: Hey look Ethan, something something BUTT something something FART something POOP!! HAHAHAHA

Ethan: YOU ARE AN IDIOT.

Eli: AHHHHH... runs into Ethan and tackles him.

Costco: Can I 'ave your card?

Me: Hand my card over, and as I glance down I see...

Eli: Holding Ethan with one hand and punching him with the other...

Me: I ignore it, because...

Janie: Laying on the ground now (climbed out of the cart as I was holding the giant box) is WAILING: DADDY, I want DAAADDYYYY... I PEEING, I PEEING!!!

Me: Reach down and pick up Janie and see...

Ethan: holding Eli's arm an BITING him like a carnivore.

Me: Dying inside, but time to pay, so I hiss at the kids to stop fighting and tumble Janie into the cart with the giant box. She doesn't love it, but it doesn't matter because she is wailing anyway, so we pay and get the heck out of there. We get to the car and Janie is still crying, Jonah is crying because on the way to the car Eli shoved him and Ethan called him an idiot. Eli is crying because he has bite marks and a bruise on his arm from where Ethan BIT him. And Ethan is made at Eli, Jonah, and everyone else too. Biting doesn't help a guy feel good about himself you know.

Thank goodness for Kung Fu Panda 2 (which is the only DVD we have that works over here in the car).