As difficult as these past few weeks have been, if there's one thing about kids, it's that no matter what sadness is felt among us, they seem to be able to find joy and happiness no matter what.
While we were all excited about Christmas in our new home, it was the kids that carried the merry of the season for Jarrett and me. Here are some pictures of our first Christmas in our new home.
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| In happier weeks, this was Isabelle's first Turkey Trot before Thanksgiving. I wish I could find joy like I felt then. |
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| Isabelle and Madelyn danced to the warm up music before the run. |
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| Dad ran with Isabelle. |
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| Madelyn has found a love of fudgsicles and goes right to the freezer to point. I think with her new teeth coming in, the cold feels good. |
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| She also LOVES babies and caries at least one around everywhere. |
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| Early in December I went on a school field trip with Isabelle to the farm. It was a fun day and I'm grateful I was able to enjoy it with her. She's such a special girl, I'm so glad I get to be her mom. |
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| Madelyn's teeth coming in make her chew on her jacket... at least she still looks cute. |
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| My parents happen to make a last minute trip out here (it was the first visit of the year for my mom) and the kids were so excited to see them. It made a difficult time a bit easier since they were here to help with the kids and to take care of us for a few days. |
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| The boys and I participated in Campbells Crew Cares, a group that takes 150 less fortunate children Christmas shopping. For $100 we were charged with helping these ever-so-grateful kids find a new jacket, new shirts and pants and socks and underwear along with new shoes. They were also able to pick 1 toy for their Christmas gifts. It was such a good lesson and a reminder that we are so blessed, even amidst such a time of heartbreak. |
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| Isabelle was excited she got to make a gingerbread house at school, which was great practice for the larger gingerbread house she made with Grandma. |
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| Some friends shared a playhouse with us and the girls love playing in it. |
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| My beautiful friend Melanie was able to stop over for a visit. It was so nice to see her, too bad Madelyn slept through most of it. |
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| Madelyn was fascinated with the trees (Gabriel in the background was not so much). Her favorite ornaments were Mickey Mouse ones and a "lawyer" ornament Jarrett got a few years ago. |
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| Another favorite past time of the kids this Christmas break was to fight. All of them... most of each day. Here's Madelyn pulling Isabelle's hair... thankfully Isabelle was tuned into the TV so she didn't fight back. |
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| Ornament inspector... Madelyn. |
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| Madelyn got a Baby so Real doll that talks, cries and does about 30 other things... the kids (ALL of them) LOVE it. They all take turns caring for the baby. |
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| Even Gabriel but don't tell anyone I shared this. |
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| Madelyn (she seems to be most with me, hence all the pictures) took up floor coloring. |
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| We got to spend Christmas Eve with Nana and Papa and Uncle Nolan. Here's Isabelle with her baby in matching PJ's Nana and Papa got her. |
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| And here's Madelyn's matching jammies with Nana and her baby. |
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| Christmas pictures |
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| Trying to get a good family picture is like trying to find a snowman in Phoenix in August. |
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| Santa came. |
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| Madelyn's taken up watching her TV shows on her potty. I swear none of us have showed her this practice. |
Christmas morning... as you can see we were a bit tired and the pictures are as blurry as our eyes were that early.
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| The kids trying to decide whose present was whose. |
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| The kids helping Madelyn open her gift. |
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| More help. |
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| Jack got a new winter jacket thanks to Nana and Papa. |
Later in the afternoon on Christmas Day the kids discovered that not only did Santa leave them some gifts by the fireplace Christmas tree, but he also left some in the basement by the family room tree.
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| Madelyn was excited about Isabelle's My Little Pony necklaces |
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| Isabelle was ecstatic about kinetic sand |
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| Madelyn got a new bed (thanks Santa) and while Jarrett and I were hopeful she would sleep in it at night, its a great second bed for Isabelle to sleep in on the nights (several times a week) she tries to join us in our bed. So I guess in a round about way, its still a win. |
As sad as I've felt the last few weeks, I've tried to force myself out of the house with the kids to do some thing every once in a while. On one day we walked to the park near our house and the kids played. They laughed, fought, yelled at each other that what the other was doing wasn't fair, or it wasn't their turn... so they were normal and life seems all okay to them. I guess that's what matters most. Here a few shots of our visit to the park...
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| Madelyn loves the slide and great big brother Michael probably took her down 35 times. I love this picture. |
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| Isabelle is also a fan of the slide. |
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| We even saw two tiny rainbows that day when we ventured out. I guess it was my sign. |
Madelyn loves the park.
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| And so does Isabelle, while the big boy (Gabriel) is starting to think the park is lame... unless his friends are there and his mom is not. |
With the big kids home, Madelyn's schedule is non existent. She's been up til midnight most nights and that's because she doesn't nap until she crashes at 5 or 6 at night (nap time) which means she's not tired til after 12. I guess in a way it's been okay, as I haven't been sleeping much anyway.
With the kids being loud at home she sometimes has to grab a nap anyway she can. Here she is, having fallen asleep at the kitchen table.
The Christmas season came and went and our decorations have been put away for another year. We looked forward to Christmas in our new home with so much anticipation and while it was filled with great sadness mostly for Jarrett and I, the kids felt joy and happiness like every other year.
I guess their happiness is what matters most.
Until next time,
Angie
