Sunday 1 January 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

   
   


My gosh, it's been a month since I've last posted, but what a month it's been....wow!!  I tried to get all my Christmas baking, shopping, wrapping, decorating finished before the 1st as our oldest son, DIL and 3 grandkids were moving in for a week.  They had purchased a larger home needed somewhere to stay while painting, packing etc were finished. 
 
Ms. Hannah's new bedroom.
Don't you just LOVE the pink?
  

   We can't forget big sister Hailee's room.
She's been into the color Blue lately!
  

And last, but definitely not least, little brother
Cade's new room. Go Patriots LOL!
  
Well, the week turned into 9 days LOL....and as much as we loved having everyone here, by the end of 9 days it was taking it toll on this poor grandma's body. Having some health issues to begin with, my body was quickly giving out and the week after they left, my body gave out and I was sick/exhausted and soooo happy I'd done my Christmas preps ahead of time LOL!

Our little Ms. Hannah wasn't happy however and said that 9 days wasn't very long....hehehe!  But even the 3 GK's were wanting to be with mom and dad on a full time basis by that time, and were anxious to see their own bedrooms all painted and done up.

We can't forget the girl's Christmas concerts at school.  They were both happy as we originally supposed to be gone for a few days when the concert was being held. Luckily, plans changed and grandpa and I were there with flying colors :)  The little ones are so darn cute....hehehe....and as much as Hannah could hardly wait to find us in the crowd and wave to us as soon as she got on the stage, she would NOT look at us for the rest of the concert LOL!  We couldn't get a picture of her face. When asked afterwards why she didn't look at us when they started singing, she politely told us that the teacher told them they had to pay attention and look at her, no one else LOL!
  
That's her in the Santa hat and Christmas Plaid dress.
Like I said...toooo cute :)
   
And what's Christmas without a Gingerbread House?  It's not Christmas, that's what LOL!  Each year since Hailee was born, I've...um we've....been decorating Gingerbread Houses. Don't get excited, no, I do not bake it from scratch. I did that once when our sons were younger, and realized that the kids don't care what they're decorating, as long as they have icing and candies, lots and lots of candies, in bowls in front of them LOL!  So, Costco houses it will be from now on!
 
      
  
Oh goodness, we almost forgot to mention the dozen
Gingerbread men cookies we decorated. Thanks for
buying them grandpa :)
   
It's become tradition to break the house after Christmas dinner, so that's what we did. Only this year grandma also bought a Gingerbread train so the 'boys' would have something special to decorate and break as well :)
 
We were lucky enough to be able to visit our two other sons and their families the weekend before Christmas....again, adding more fatigue to my already exhausted body, but it was WELL worth it :)) 
  
Our youngest grandson Keelan was so much fun to play with.  Gpa and I bought him a motorized police car (our son is a policeman) and he loved driving that thing, even in the snow, back and forth to the horse barn, and in the barn itself. Cement floors make it a great place to drive....hehehe! Keelan is rather excited too as he's going to have a baby sister in a few weeks :)  And the family continues to grow, which grandpa and I both LOVE!
 
 Move out of the way everyone,
Keelan is on his way to catch the bad guys LOL!
  
     
      
Christmas Eve brought a whole gang over like it has for decades, and as for decades, everyone left stuffed LOL!  I promised next year to not make so much food....sure...uh huh LOL!
We had two gift openings on Christmas morning.  Our middle son and wife were with us for a few days and our step grandkids are older than our others, so they opened their gifts before the younger ones even arrived here.  It was so nice to sleep in late though...thanks Brittney & Austin LOL!  Just as they finished opening their gifts, and got their new laptops hooked up and going, the phone rang and the others were on their way. 
     
Just a wee bit excited when they all opened the Kobo E-readers LOL!
  
We were all quick to pick up wrapping paper, straighten up the living room and start placing the other gifts out!  There was almost not enough room LOL!
 
Our two GD's Hailee (7) and Hannah (almost 6) really, really, really wanted iPod Touches for Christmas.  I think they were worried they wouldn't get them after opening mom and dad's gifts at home, their other grandparent's gifts (they live in an inlaw suite in the new house) and many other gifts they received.   
I'm sure they were thinking on the drive over that we were their last hope...hehehe!  And of course, they would not be disappointed :)  We did make them open all their other gifts first, and then the iPod, but it was worth the look on their faces.
 
     
A little while later Hailee came to give me a hug/kiss and snuggle. She said "thank you for my iPod grandma...I knew you'd get it for me" :)  Does it get any better?? I think not.
 
One of the things we bought for their little brother Cade was a Cars phone.  On their way out after breakfast, Hailee asked if she could see it and he said "no...you already have iPhone, you can't have mine" LOL!! Out of the words of babes :)
 
As we have for the past 7 years, we have our Hailee, Hannah and Cade spend New Years Eve.  It started with Hailee when she was born, then as Hannah and Cade arrived, they also spent the evening with us.  And as per tradition, we had a pizza picnic and lots of junk.  We were very surprised that none of them had sore bellies overnight, and thankful LOL! There was lots of good fruit and water inbetween junk sessions though, so it kind of made up for it :)
  
It felt great to sleep in until 8:15 this morning!  That's a real treat when they're all here, but I think they got tired out yesterday with all our playing, painting, and in particular painting our kitchen door. Yup, you read right. The girls painted our kitchen door LOL!  Cade tried to start but as with most 3 year olds he wasn't up to his sister's standards, so I got the new squirrel feeder I bought a few weeks ago up from the basement and let him have his painting way with it.  The squirrels will be thrilled to know they have the only feeder like it LOL!
   

Special pancakes for a special morning!  Cade decided on orange pancakes and as last year grandma made the year in pancake numbers :)
 
WOW, great job girls!!
The door has never looked better :)
  

We'll have the best decorated squirrel feeder
in the neighborhood Cade. Thanks!
  
Special pancakes, special memories, special traditions...it all makes us into who we are, and there's no better way to do build them than with family :)

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR  EVERYONE!!
    
Grandma Loves you
xoxoxoxo